Eucalyptus ignorabilis facts for kids

Eucalyptus ignorabilis is a special kind of eucalyptus tree that grows only in southeastern Australia. It's a small to medium-sized tree. You can spot it by its rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches. It also has long, curved leaves, flower buds that grow in groups of seven, white flowers, and cup-shaped fruits. This tree is found in far southeastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria.

What Does This Eucalyptus Look Like?

Eucalyptus ignorabilis is a tree that usually grows up to 20 m (66 ft) (about 65 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it's damaged by fire or cutting.

Its bark is rough, fibrous, and feels a bit spongy on both the trunk and branches.

Leaves and Flowers

When the plant is young, its first leaves are directly attached to the stem (this is called sessile). These young leaves are lance-shaped or oblong, dull green, and measure about 28–90 mm (1.1–3.5 in) (1 to 3.5 inches) long and 5–23 mm (0.20–0.91 in) (0.2 to 0.9 inches) wide.

As the tree gets older, its adult leaves become lance-shaped or curved. They are longer, about 70–200 mm (2.8–7.9 in) (2.7 to 7.8 inches) long and 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) (0.4 to 1.2 inches) wide. These adult leaves grow on a small stalk called a petiole, which is 6–27 mm (0.24–1.06 in) (0.2 to 1 inch) long.

The flower buds grow in the leaf axils (the angle between a leaf and the stem). They appear in groups of seven on a short stem called a peduncle, which is 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) (0.1 to 0.4 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, or pedicel, about 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) (0.04 to 0.1 inches) long.

Mature buds are oval to spindle-shaped, measuring 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) (0.15 to 0.2 inches) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) (0.08 to 0.1 inches) wide. They have a rounded or cone-shaped cap called an operculum. This cap protects the flower parts inside.

This eucalyptus tree has been seen flowering in January and April, and its flowers are white.

Fruit

After flowering, the tree produces a woody fruit. This fruit is a capsule that is cup-shaped to hemispherical (like half a sphere). It's about 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) (0.15 to 0.27 inches) wide. The parts that open to release the seeds, called valves, are usually level with the rim of the fruit or stick out slightly.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Eucalyptus ignorabilis was first officially described in 1991. Two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, discovered it. They collected a sample near Seaton in 1986.

Their description of the tree was published in a science journal called Telopea.

The Meaning of "Ignorabilis"

The second part of its scientific name, ignorabilis, comes from a Latin word meaning 'unknown'. This name was chosen because, for a long time, this species was mistaken for another eucalyptus tree called E. aromaphloia. It was "unknown" as a separate species until Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill identified it.

Where Does It Grow?

This eucalyptus tree grows in woodland areas. It prefers sandy soil in swampy locations. You can find it in New South Wales, starting from the Nadgee Nature Reserve in the south. It also grows in Victoria, sometimes as far west as Erica.