Henderson's bloodwood facts for kids

Corymbia hendersonii, also known as Henderson's bloodwood, is a type of tree found only in Queensland, Australia. It has rough bark on its trunk and branches that looks like a puzzle. Its adult leaves are shaped like a spear, and its flowers are creamy white. After flowering, it produces fruit shaped like an urn or barrel.

What Does Henderson's Bloodwood Look Like?

Henderson's bloodwood is a tree that can grow up to 25 m (82 ft) (about 82 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it's damaged, for example, by fire.

The bark on the trunk and branches is rough and looks like a puzzle or mosaic. This is called tessellated bark.

Young plants and new shoots have long, narrow, spear-shaped leaves. These leaves are 42–95 mm (1.7–3.7 in) long and 7–20 mm (0.28–0.79 in) wide. They are also lighter in color on the underside.

Adult leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the branches. They are shiny dark green on top and much lighter underneath. These leaves are spear-shaped, 70–170 mm (2.8–6.7 in) long, and 8–30 mm (0.31–1.18 in) wide. They narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 9–26 mm (0.35–1.02 in) long.

The tree's flower buds grow at the ends of the branches. They are arranged on a branched stalk called a peduncle, which is 2–20 mm (0.079–0.787 in) long. Each branch of this stalk holds seven buds, and each bud has its own small stem called a pedicel, 3–19 mm (0.12–0.75 in) long.

Mature buds are oval-shaped, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long, and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. They have a rounded or cone-shaped cap called an operculum.

Henderson's bloodwood flowers from January to March, and its flowers are creamy white. The fruit is a woody, urn-shaped or barrel-shaped capsule. It is 17–31 mm (0.67–1.22 in) long and 14–22 mm (0.55–0.87 in) wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) stay inside the fruit.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Henderson's bloodwood tree was first officially described in 1995. This was done by two botanists, Ken Hill and Lawrie Johnson. They used samples collected by R.J. Henderson and others in 1971.

The second part of the tree's scientific name, hendersonii, honors R.J. Henderson, who collected the first samples of this tree. These first samples are known as the type specimens.

Where Does This Tree Grow?

This type of eucalypt tree often grows with other trees. It is usually found on rocky slopes and ridges. You can find it in places like the Blackdown Tableland, the Carnarvon Range (west of Rockhampton), and south of Cracow in Queensland.

Is It Protected?

Henderson's bloodwood is listed as being of "least concern" by the Queensland Government. This means that it is not currently considered to be at risk of disappearing. This protection is under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.