Eucalyptus copulans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eucalyptus copulans |
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| Flower buds of Eucalyptus copulans | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
copulans
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Eucalyptus copulans is a special kind of small tree that is in big trouble! It's known as a critically endangered species, which means there are very, very few of them left in the wild. You can only find one or two of these trees growing naturally in the beautiful Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia. This unique eucalypt has smooth bark, often grows with several main trunks, and has long, narrow adult leaves. Its flower buds grow in groups of eleven or more, and its fruit looks like a small, round capsule.
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What Does Eucalyptus copulans Look Like?
The Eucalyptus copulans is a tree that often has several main trunks. Its bark is smooth and can be grey or green, peeling off in long strips.
When the plant is young, its leaves are narrow and oval-shaped, a dull greyish-green color. They can be up to 65 millimeters (about 2.5 inches) long and 25 millimeters (about 1 inch) wide.
As the tree grows older, its leaves change. Adult leaves are shaped like a spearhead, shiny green on both sides. They are usually between 60 and 120 millimeters (about 2.5 to 4.7 inches) long and 10 to 18 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.7 inches) wide.
The flower buds grow in groups of eleven or more, right where the leaves join the stem. These buds are shaped like cylinders, up to 8 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) long and 2.5 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) wide. They have a cone-shaped cap on top.
After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody, mostly round capsule, about 4 to 6 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide.
How Eucalyptus copulans Got Its Name
Eucalyptus copulans was first officially described in 1991. Two scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, gave it its name. They studied a sample collected in 1957 near Wentworth Falls railway station.
The name copulans comes from a Latin word meaning "to couple" or "to join." The scientists chose this name because they thought this species linked two other types of eucalypts, E. stellulata and E. moorei.
Where Eucalyptus copulans Lives
This special tree was only ever found in woodlands and swampy areas near Wentworth Falls. Sadly, a bushfire in the 1950s destroyed the group of trees near the railway station.
Today, only two wild Eucalyptus copulans trees are known to exist. They are growing in a nature reserve, making them incredibly rare.
Why Eucalyptus copulans Is Endangered
This type of eucalypt is listed as "endangered" by the Australian government. This means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
The main reasons it's in danger are:
- Very small population: There are only a couple of trees left in the wild.
- Fire problems: The wrong kind of fires can easily harm or destroy the remaining trees.
- Habitat loss: The places where it naturally grows are being damaged or changed.
Protecting these last few trees is very important to help this unique species survive!
