Apple-topped box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Apple-topped box |
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| Eucalyptus angophoroides | |
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| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
angophoroides
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The Apple-topped Box (scientific name: Eucalyptus angophoroides) is a special tree found only in southeastern Australia. People also call it the Apple Box or Apple Gum. This tree has rough bark on its trunk and big branches. It also has long, thin adult leaves, pretty white flowers, and fruit shaped like cones or half-spheres.
Contents
What Does the Apple-topped Box Look Like?
The Apple-topped Box tree can grow very tall, up to 30 m (100 ft) high. Its trunk and larger branches have rough bark that can be flaky or stringy. This bark often looks like a mix of grey and white colors.
The smaller branches might have similar rough bark. Sometimes, they have smooth, white, or grey bark that peels off in short strips.
Leaves and Flowers
Young Apple-topped Box plants have leaves that grow in pairs. These leaves are wide, shaped like an egg or a heart, and don't have a stalk. They are dull, dark green on top and lighter underneath.
As the tree grows, its adult leaves change. They grow one after another, not in pairs. These leaves are long and thin, about 110–200 mm (4–8 in) long and 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) wide. They have a stalk about 15–27 mm (0.6–1 in) long. One side of the leaf is a different shade of green than the other.
The flowers grow in groups of seven. Each group sits on a slightly flat stalk, about 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. Each individual flower has its own small stalk, about 1–6 mm (0.04–0.2 in) long.
Before they open, the flower buds are oval-shaped. They are about 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, and can be green or yellow. They have a cone-shaped or beaked cap on top.
When Does it Flower and What About the Fruit?
Apple-topped Box trees usually flower between January and March. After flowering, they produce fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule, shaped like a half-sphere or a cone. It's about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and 7 mm (0.28 in) wide. Each fruit sits on a small stalk, about 1–5 mm (0.04–0.2 in) long. At the top of the fruit, there are four parts that point upwards, which are called valves.
How the Apple-topped Box Got Its Name
The Eucalyptus angophoroides was first officially described in 1901. A scientist named Richard Thomas Baker wrote about it. He published his description in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.
This tree looks a bit like an "apple tree" from the Angophora group. Because of this, people used to call it "apple-top box." So, when it got its scientific name, it was given the specific name angophoroides. This name means "like Angophora."
Where Does the Apple-topped Box Grow?
The Apple-top Box tree likes to grow in valleys and on hillsides. You can often find it near the edges of swamps. It grows in open forests and wet forests, usually in rich, fertile soil.
This tree is found in New South Wales, starting from a place called Towrang in the south. It also grows down to the northern parts of the Strzelecki Ranges, which are south of Trafalgar, Victoria.
Gallery
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A close-up view of the bark
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A leaf and some flower buds
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The trunk of an Apple-topped Box tree
