Eucalyptus conveniens facts for kids

Eucalyptus conveniens is a special kind of small tree or bush that grows only in a tiny part of Western Australia. It's often called a "mallee" because it has many stems growing from the ground. This plant usually has smooth bark, but sometimes it has a bit of rough bark near its base. Its leaves can be shaped like a spear or an egg. When it flowers, it has groups of three whitish flowers. Later, it grows cool, barrel-shaped fruits that look a bit dusty or waxy.

What Does It Look Like?

Eucalyptus conveniens is a type of mallee or shrub. It usually grows to be about 1.5 to 4 meters (5 to 13 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling underground called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after fires.

Its bark is smooth and can be greyish over green. Sometimes, you might see a short "stocking" of rough, ribbon-like bark near the bottom of its trunk.

Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have stems that are square-shaped. Their leaves are arranged in pairs opposite each other. These young leaves are egg-shaped to oblong, about 6.5 to 9 cm (2.5 to 3.5 inches) long and 3.5 to 5.5 cm (1.4 to 2.2 inches) wide. They also have a dusty or waxy look, which is called glaucous.

The adult leaves are also arranged in pairs, or almost so. They are shaped like a spear or are oblong. These leaves are about 6 to 13 cm (2.4 to 5.1 inches) long and 2.3 to 4 cm (0.9 to 1.6 inches) wide. They grow on a stalk called a petiole, which is about 1.3 to 2.5 cm (0.5 to 1 inch) long.

The flower buds grow in groups of three. They appear in the leaf axils, which are the spots where the leaf meets the stem. These groups of buds are on a small stalk called a peduncle, about 3 to 12 mm (0.1 to 0.5 inches) long. Each individual flower bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, about 2.5 to 3 mm (0.1 inches) long.

Mature buds are oval to pear-shaped. They are about 10 to 13 mm (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and about 5 mm (0.2 inches) wide. The base of the flower (called the floral cup) is somewhat square-shaped. It has narrow wings on its corners and a rounded cap, called an operculum.

This plant flowers in January and February. Its flowers are whitish. The fruit is a woody, barrel-shaped seed pod, called a capsule. It looks dusty or waxy at first. These fruits are about 10 to 21 mm (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long and 8 to 12 mm (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. The parts that open to release the seeds are usually near the rim or hidden inside.

How It Got Its Name

Eucalyptus conveniens was first officially described in 1998. Two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.

The second part of its scientific name, conveniens, comes from a Latin word. It means "fit," "suitable," or "accordant." This name was chosen because the plant seems to be a bit of a mix between two other eucalyptus species: E. tetragona and E. gittinsii.

Where Does It Live?

This type of eucalypt is commonly found in a special kind of plant community called "mallee heath." It grows on sandy plains. You can find it between a place called Mount Adams and the town of Badgingarra. Both of these places are in Western Australia.

Is It Safe?

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Eucalyptus conveniens. They have officially classified it as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants, and they are not in danger of disappearing.