Eucalyptus costuligera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eucalyptus costuligera |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
costuligera
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The Eucalyptus costuligera is a special kind of small tree. It only grows in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. This tree has interesting bark that looks like short fibers or flakes. Its leaves are bluish and shaped like a spear. When it blooms, it has creamy-white flowers that grow from club-shaped buds. Later, these turn into fruits that can be shaped like a cone, a cup, or a pear.
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What it Looks Like
The Eucalyptus costuligera is a tree that usually grows to be about 5 to 10 meters tall. That's like a two or three-story building! It has pale grey bark that stays on the tree and feels like fibers or flakes. This type of bark is sometimes called "box" bark.
Its adult leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are the same grey-green or bluish color on both sides. These leaves are shaped like a spear, about 7 to 15 centimeters long and 1.7 to 3 centimeters wide. They grow on a stalk called a petiole, which can be up to 2.2 centimeters long.
Flowers and Fruit
The tree's flower buds grow in groups of up to seven. These groups are found on a main stalk, called a peduncle, which can be 1 to 15 millimeters long. Each individual bud sits on a smaller stalk, called a pedicel, which is about 2 to 6 millimeters long.
When the flower buds are ready, they look like small clubs. They are about 7 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide. You might see faint lines or ribs along their sides. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is shaped like half a sphere. It's about half as long as the base of the flower, which is called the floral cup.
The flowers themselves are a lovely white-cream color. After the flowers bloom, they turn into woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like a cylinder, a cup, or a pear. They are about 6 to 8 millimeters long and 5 to 7 millimeters wide. Just like the buds, the fruits also have fine ribs along their sides. The parts that release the seeds, called valves, are tucked inside the rim of the fruit.
How it Got its Name
Scientists gave the Eucalyptus costuligera its official name in the year 2000. It was named by two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill. They studied a sample of the tree found near the Derby-Gibb River Road in Western Australia.
The second part of its name, costuligera, comes from two Latin words. Costula means "a small rib" or "midrib," and -ger means "bearing" or "carrying." So, the name costuligera refers to the fine ribs you can see on the tree's fruit.
Where it Lives
This special eucalypt tree doesn't grow in many places. It has a small home range, but it's found in large numbers within that area. You can find it in the central Kimberley region of Western Australia. It likes to grow in open woodlands, often in sandy or loamy soils that are found over a type of rock called laterite.
Protecting This Tree
The Eucalyptus costuligera is considered a "Priority One" species by the Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means it's known from only a few places, and those places might be at risk. Because it's so rare, it needs special care to make sure it continues to grow and thrive in the wild.
