Corymbia hamersleyana facts for kids

Corymbia hamersleyana is a special kind of tree or large shrub. It is sometimes called a "bloodwood" tree. This plant grows only in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.

The tree has rough, flaky bark on its trunk. Higher up, the bark is smooth and cream-colored. Its adult leaves are shaped like a spear. The flowers are creamy white and grow in groups of seven or nine. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like an urn.

What Does It Look Like?

Corymbia hamersleyana is a tree that can also grow as a mallee. A mallee is a type of plant that has many stems growing from a large, woody base underground. This base is called a lignotuber. The tree usually grows up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall.

The bark on the trunk is thin and rough. It can be flaky or look like a puzzle with small, flat pieces. This bark peels off in small flakes. Higher up on the tree, the bark is smooth and cream-colored.

Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have stiff leaves. These leaves are shaped like an oval or a spear. They are between 45 and 105 millimeters (about 1.8 to 4.1 inches) long. They are also 12 to 30 millimeters (about 0.5 to 1.2 inches) wide. These leaves grow in pairs opposite each other.

Adult leaves are arranged differently. They grow one after another along the stem. Both sides of the leaf are the same shade of green. They are 80 to 165 millimeters (about 3.1 to 6.5 inches) long. They are also 10 to 20 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide. The leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 10 to 25 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1 inch) long.

The flower buds grow at the ends of the branches. They are on a branched stalk called a peduncle, which is 6 to 13 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. Each part of the peduncle has seven or nine buds. These buds are on smaller stalks called pedicels, which are 2 to 8 millimeters (about 0.08 to 0.3 inches) long.

When the buds are ready, they are oval or pear-shaped. They are 6 to 8 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 5 to 8 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is rounded. It often has a small point in the middle.

This tree flowers between April and September. Its flowers are a beautiful creamy white color. After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule that looks like an urn. It is 11 to 17 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.7 inches) long and 9 to 16 millimeters (about 0.35 to 0.6 inches) wide. The parts that release the seeds (called valves) are hidden inside the fruit.

How Did It Get Its Name?

This type of Eucalyptus tree was first officially described in 1987. Two scientists, Denis Carr and Stella Carr, gave it the name Eucalyptus hamersleyana.

Later, in 1995, two other scientists, Ken Hill and Lawrie Johnson, changed its name. They moved it to a different group of trees, so its new name became Corymbia hamersleyana.

The second part of its name, hamersleyana, is a special honor. It recognizes the pioneering Hamersley family. This family included Edward Hamersley. The Hamersley Range in Western Australia was also named in his honor by Francis Thomas Gregory.

Where Does It Grow?

Corymbia hamersleyana grows in the Pilbara and North West Cape regions of Western Australia. It likes to grow in shallow soils on rocky slopes and hillsides. These soils are often thin and have a lot of rocks.