Mountain Swamp Gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain Swamp Gum |
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| Eucalyptus camphora subsp. camphora in the ANBG | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
camphora
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The Eucalyptus camphora, often called swamp gum, is a beautiful flowering plant. It is a type of tree that grows only in south-eastern Australia. This tree is usually small to medium-sized. It has smooth bark, but sometimes the bark near the bottom can be a bit rough. Its adult leaves are shaped like broad spears or eggs.
The swamp gum produces white flowers, which grow in groups of seven. After the flowers, it grows fruit shaped like a cone. There are two main types, or subspecies, of this tree. One is called camphora, also known as broad-leaved sally or swamp gum. The other is humeana, which is known as mountain swamp gum.
What Does the Swamp Gum Look Like?
Eucalyptus camphora is a tree that usually grows about 22 to 25 metres (72 to 82 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can be a smaller, bushier plant called a mallee, growing up to 10 metres (33 feet). It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged.
The bark on the trunk and branches is usually smooth. It can be grey, brownish, or almost black. Young plants and new shoots have green or bluish-green leaves. These leaves are shaped like eggs, ellipses, or are almost round. They are about 3 to 7 centimetres (1.2 to 2.8 inches) long and 1.5 to 4.6 centimetres (0.6 to 1.8 inches) wide. They also have a small stem called a petiole.
Adult leaves are broader, shaped like spears or eggs. They are about 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) long and 1.5 to 6 centimetres (0.6 to 2.4 inches) wide. Their petioles are 0.5 to 2.5 centimetres (0.2 to 1 inch) long.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem, on a stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is about 0.4 to 1.8 centimetres (0.2 to 0.7 inches) long. Each individual flower has its own small stem, or pedicel, about 0.2 to 0.6 centimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long.
When the buds are ready, they are shaped like a spindle or a diamond. They are 0.4 to 0.8 centimetres (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 0.25 to 0.5 centimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide. They have a pointy cap called an operculum. Most of the time, these trees flower from January to April, and their flowers are white. After flowering, the tree produces a woody, cone-shaped or half-round fruit. This fruit is about 0.2 to 0.6 centimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and 0.4 to 0.7 centimetres (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
How the Swamp Gum Got Its Name
The Eucalyptus camphora was first officially described in 1899 by a botanist named Richard Thomas Baker. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. He found the first example of this plant near Rylstone in 1895.
The name camphora comes from the word "camphor." This is because the leaves of this tree have an essential oil that smells like camphor.
Later, in 1990, two other botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, studied the E. camphora more closely. They found there were two main types, or subspecies, that are now recognized:
- Eucalyptus camphora subsp. camphora: This type has adult leaves with a petiole (leaf stem) that is less than 2 centimetres (0.8 inches) long.
- Eucalyptus camphora subsp. humeana: This type has adult leaves with a petiole that is 2 to 2.5 centimetres (0.8 to 1 inch) long. The name humeana was chosen to honour the famous explorer Hamilton Hume.
Where the Swamp Gum Lives
The Eucalyptus camphora subsp. camphora grows in forests, often in wet or marshy areas and in valleys. You can find it from Wallangarra in Queensland down to near Glen Innes in New South Wales. It also grows from near Rylstone to the Megalong Valley.
The Eucalyptus camphora subsp. humeana lives in similar places. It grows from Wee Jasper in New South Wales to the mountains east and north of Melbourne in Victoria.
