Creswick apple-box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Creswick apple-box |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
aromaphloia
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The Creswick apple-box (Eucalyptus aromaphloia) is a special tree found only in Victoria, Australia. It's also called scented bark or scent-bark. This tree belongs to the myrtle family, just like gum trees.
It has rough, thick bark on its trunk and branches. Its leaves are long and narrow, and its flowers are white. The fruit looks like a small cone or half-sphere.
What Does it Look Like?
The Creswick apple-box is a tree that can grow quite tall, usually between 18 and 22 meters (about 60 to 72 feet) high. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber, which helps it regrow after fires.
Its bark is thick, rough, and dark grey on the main trunk and branches. However, the thinnest branches have smooth, salmon-pink bark.
Leaves
Young plants and new shoots have oblong or oval-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 30 to 78 millimeters (1.2 to 3 inches) long. They are 9 to 35 millimeters (0.4 to 1.4 inches) wide. Each leaf has a short stalk called a petiole.
Adult leaves are shaped like a spear or are slightly curved. They are longer, from 75 to 200 millimeters (3 to 8 inches) long. They are 10 to 20 millimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide. The petiole for adult leaves is about 8 to 22 millimeters (0.3 to 0.9 inches) long. Both sides of the leaves are dark green, and you can see their veins clearly.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers grow in small groups of seven. These groups are found where the leaves meet the stem, called the leaf axil. Each group is on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 3 to 8 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) long. Each individual flower bud sits on a tiny stalk called a pedicel, usually up to 3 millimeters long.
The flower buds are green with a hint of red. They are oval or spindle-shaped, about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) long. They are 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum.
The Creswick apple-box flowers in winter, and its flowers are white. After flowering, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule. It is shaped like a cup or half-sphere. The fruit is about 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long. It is 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) wide.
How it Got its Name
The Eucalyptus aromaphloia was officially named in 1954. Two scientists, Lindsay Pryor and James Hamlyn Willis, described it. They found a sample of the tree near Ararat in Victoria.
The name aromaphloia comes from two old Greek words. "Aroma" means "smell" or "spice." "Phloios" means "bark." So, the name means "smelly bark." Pryor and Willis said the bark smelled very nice when rubbed. However, some other experts say they can't smell anything special from the bark. This is why the common name "scent bark" can be a bit confusing!
Where it Lives
The Creswick apple-box grows in open forests. It likes flat or gently rolling areas. You can find it in Victoria, Australia. Its range stretches from near Malmsbury in the east to the Grampians in the west. It also grows southwest towards Ballarat and the Brisbane Ranges National Park. There's also a separate group of these trees near Anglesea. This means the trees are not all connected in one big area.
