Eucalyptus exigua facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eucalyptus exigua |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
exigua
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Eucalyptus exigua is a type of mallee tree. It grows only in Western Australia. This plant has smooth, whitish bark. Its adult leaves are long and narrow. It has white flowers that grow in groups. The fruit looks like a small barrel or cone.
What Does It Look Like?
Eucalyptus exigua is a mallee. This means it's a type of eucalyptus that grows like a shrub with many stems. It usually grows to be about 2 to 5 meters (6.5 to 16 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling underground called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire.
The bark on its trunk and branches is smooth. It can be white or grey. Young plants have narrow, oval-shaped leaves. These leaves are 35 to 60 mm long and 7 to 15 mm wide. They have a small stalk called a petiole.
The adult leaves grow in a different pattern. They are long and narrow, like a spear. They are 40 to 90 mm long and 5 to 13 mm wide. Both sides of the leaf are the same dull or shiny green color. Each leaf has a petiole that is 5 to 17 mm long.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. This spot is called a leaf axil. The buds grow on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 5 to 15 mm long. Each individual bud has its own short stalk, or pedicel, about 3 to 5 mm long.
When the buds are ready, they are shaped like a cylinder. They are about 6 to 7 mm long and 4 to 5 mm wide. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is flat with a small point. Eucalyptus exigua flowers in March, and its flowers are white.
After flowering, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule. It looks like a short barrel or a cone. It is 5 to 7 mm long and 5 to 8 mm wide. Inside, there are small brown seeds. These seeds are flat and oval-shaped, about 0.5 to 1.5 mm long.
How It Got Its Name
The plant Eucalyptus exigua was officially named in 1993. Two botanists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper, described it. They wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. They found a sample of the plant near the road between Hyden and Norseman.
The second part of its name, exigua, comes from a Latin word. Exiguus means "small" or "feeble." This name was chosen because this plant is smaller than a similar species, Eucalyptus brachycorys.
Eucalyptus exigua belongs to a larger group of eucalyptus plants. It is part of the subgenus Symphyomyrtus. It is also in a smaller group of nine closely related species called series Ovulares. Some other smooth-barked plants in this group include E. cyclostoma and E. cylindrocarpa.
Where Does It Live?
This mallee plant grows in Western Australia. You can find it mainly on sandy plains east of Hyden. This area is in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions. It prefers to grow in sandy loam soils.
Is It Safe?
The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants like this. They have classified Eucalyptus exigua as "Priority Three".
This means that we don't know a lot about this plant yet. It has only been found in a few places. However, it is not in immediate danger of disappearing. Scientists continue to watch and study plants like Eucalyptus exigua to make sure they stay safe.
