Eucalyptus megasepala facts for kids

Eucalyptus megasepala is a special kind of tree. It's a medium-sized tree that only grows in certain parts of Far North Queensland and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. This means it's "endemic" to those areas. It has rough, tough bark, long leaves, and pretty white flowers.

What Does This Tree Look Like?

Eucalyptus megasepala usually grows to be about 10 to 20 meters tall. That's like a 3 to 6-story building! It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if there's a fire.

The bark on its trunk and branches is greyish-brown. It feels rough, like fibers or strings, and has deep grooves. The grown-up leaves are shaped like a spear or are slightly curved. They are a dull green on both sides and are about 10 to 20 centimeters long and 1.5 to 3 centimeters wide. Each leaf narrows down to a stalk called a petiole, which is about 1 to 2.2 centimeters long.

The tree's flower buds grow in groups of three. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 0.9 to 2.6 centimeters long. Each individual bud has its own small stalk, a pedicel, about 0.3 to 1 centimeter long.

When the buds are ready, they are oval or pear-shaped. They are about 1 to 1.3 centimeters long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters wide. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is rounded and has four clear ridges. This tree blooms between April and July, showing off its beautiful white or creamy-white flowers.

After flowering, the tree produces woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like a cup or a cylinder. They are about 1.4 to 2.3 centimeters long and 1 to 1.6 centimeters wide. Often, they look somewhat square when you cut them in half.

How This Tree Got Its Name

The Eucalyptus megasepala was officially described in 2006 by a scientist named Anthony Bean. He published his description in a science journal called Austrobaileya. The first sample of this tree was collected near Jowalbinna, which is close to Laura.

The second part of its scientific name, megasepala, tells us something special about the tree. It comes from two Greek words: mega, meaning "large," and sepalum, which refers to a part of the flower called a sepal. So, megasepala means "large sepals." This name was chosen because its sepals are bigger compared to those of a similar tree, the E. tetrodonta.

Where Does This Tree Live?

This type of eucalypt tree grows in open woodlands. You can find it on sandstone hills. Its home stretches from the Iron Range on Cape York all the way down to Irvinebank and Mount Mulgrave in Far North Queensland.

Is This Tree Protected?

The Queensland Government has a special law called the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Under this law, Eucalyptus megasepala is classified as "least concern." This means that, for now, there are plenty of these trees, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.