Eucalyptus aridimontana facts for kids

Eucalyptus aridimontana is a special type of eucalyptus tree that grows only in a small part of Western Australia. You can find it in the Pilbara region. This tree has smooth bark, long, thin leaves, and white flowers that grow in groups. Its fruit looks a bit like a small barrel.

About This Eucalyptus Tree

Eucalyptus aridimontana is a mallee, which means it's a type of eucalyptus that grows as a shrub or small tree with many stems. It usually reaches a height of about 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet). This plant also has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.

The bark of this eucalyptus is smooth and has a mix of grey and cream colors. Young plants and new shoots have dull green or bluish leaves. These leaves are shaped like a spearhead and can be up to 55 mm (2.2 inches) long and 22 mm (0.9 inches) wide.

The adult leaves are also spearhead-shaped. They are usually longer, about 70 to 145 mm (2.8 to 5.7 inches) long and 10 to 26 mm (0.4 to 1.0 inches) wide.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of Eucalyptus aridimontana are white. They grow in groups of seven or nine. These groups appear at the ends of branches or where leaves join the stem. Each group of flowers sits on a thick stalk called a peduncle, which is 6 to 16 mm (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long. Each individual flower has its own small stalk, called a pedicel, which is 1 to 6 mm (0.04 to 0.2 inches) long.

Before they open, the flower buds look like small clubs. They are about 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum. Once the flowers bloom, they are white. After the flowers, the tree produces barrel-shaped fruit. These fruits are typically 4.5 to 9 mm (0.18 to 0.35 inches) long and 3.5 to 6 mm (0.14 to 0.24 inches) wide.

How It Got Its Name

The Eucalyptus aridimontana was officially named in 2012. Two scientists, Dean Nicolle and Malcolm E. French, described it for the first time. They found a sample of this tree near a town called Tom Price. Their description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The name aridimontana comes from two Latin words. Aridus means "dry," and montana means "mountain." So, the name refers to the dry, mountainous places where this tree grows.

Where It Grows

This special mallee eucalyptus grows in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It prefers to grow in thin, rocky soils. You can find it on the slopes, ridges, and tops of high mountains. Specifically, it lives in the Hamersley Range, which is part of the Gascoyne and Pilbara areas.

Is It Endangered?

The good news is that Eucalyptus aridimontana is not considered to be in danger. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified it as "not threatened." This means there are enough of these trees in the wild for now.