Eucalyptus apothalassica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eucalyptus apothalassica |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
apothalassica
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Eucalyptus apothalassica, also known as the inland white mahogany, is a special tree that grows naturally in New South Wales, a state in eastern Australia. It's a type of Eucalyptus tree, which are often called gum trees.
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What Does This Tree Look Like?
Eucalyptus apothalassica is usually a medium-sized tree, growing up to about 20 meters (around 65 feet) tall. It has a special underground woody swelling called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if the top part is damaged, for example, by a bushfire.
The bark on its trunk is rough and fibrous. It's usually grey or grey-brown and can sometimes feel a bit prickly. Unlike some other gum trees, its bark stays attached to the trunk in flat strips.
The leaves are green and can be dull or shiny. They are arranged alternately along the branches. Each leaf is shaped like a spear or a sickle, about 5 to 14 centimeters (2 to 5.5 inches) long and 0.9 to 3 centimeters (0.35 to 1.2 inches) wide.
Flowers and Fruit
This tree usually blooms around October. Its flowers grow in small groups near the ends of the branches. The buds are green to yellow and are shaped like an egg or a spindle. They are about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide. When they open, they reveal small white flowers.
After the flowers, the tree produces small fruits. These fruits are shaped like a hemisphere or a barrel. They are about 3 to 6 millimeters (0.12 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 to 7 millimeters (0.12 to 0.28 inches) wide. Inside these fruits are small, brown, pyramid-shaped seeds, each about 1 to 2.5 millimeters (0.04 to 0.1 inches) long.
How Was This Tree Named?
The Eucalyptus apothalassica was first officially described by two botanists, Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson and Kenneth Hill, in 1990. They published their findings in a science journal called Telopea.
The second part of the tree's scientific name, apothalassica, comes from ancient Greek words. Apo means "away from," and thalassicos means "of the sea." This name was chosen because this tree grows further inland, away from the coast, compared to other similar "white mahogany" eucalyptus trees.
This tree is part of a group of eucalyptus trees known as the "white mahogany" group. Other trees in this group include Eucalyptus acmenoides, Eucalyptus mediocris, Eucalyptus carnea, Eucalyptus helidonica, Eucalyptus latisinensis, Eucalyptus psammitica and Eucalyptus umbra.
Where Does This Tree Grow?
The Eucalyptus apothalassica tree grows in dry sclerophyll woodlands. These are types of forests where the plants have hard, tough leaves to help them survive dry conditions. This tree prefers to grow in soils that are based on sandstone.
It is an endemic species, which means it only grows naturally in a specific area. You can find it around Yetman in northern New South Wales. Its range extends north into south-eastern Queensland, including areas like Inglewood, Kogan, and Yarraman.
