Eucalyptus optima facts for kids

Eucalyptus optima is a special kind of Eucalyptus tree. It's a small to medium-sized tree, or sometimes a "mallet." A mallet is a type of eucalyptus that grows tall but doesn't form a big, woody base at the ground. You can only find this tree in a small area in the south of Western Australia.

This tree has smooth bark that can be white or grey. Sometimes, the bottom part of its trunk has rough, black bark. Its adult leaves are shaped like spears. The tree's flower buds grow in groups of seven or nine, and the flowers themselves are a pale yellow color. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like a cup, a half-sphere, or an urn.

What Eucalyptus optima Looks Like

Eucalyptus optima is a tree or mallet that usually grows up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. Unlike some other eucalyptus trees, it does not have a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber.

• Young Plants: When the plant is young, its stems are square-shaped with small "wings" on the corners. The leaves are a dull, greyish-green color. They can be egg-shaped or spear-shaped, measuring about 30–170 mm (1.2–6.7 in) long and 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) wide.

• Adult Leaves: The adult leaves are the same dull bluish or greyish-green on both sides. They are spear-shaped, about 80–140 mm (3.1–5.5 in) long and 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) wide. These leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) long.

• Flower Buds: The flower buds grow where the leaves meet the stem (in the leaf axils). They appear in groups of seven or nine on a stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is usually bent downwards and is about 10–18 mm (0.39–0.71 in) long. Each individual bud has its own small stalk, called a pedicel, about 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long. The mature buds are oval to oblong shaped, 16–20 mm (0.63–0.79 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide. They have a beak-shaped or horn-shaped cap, known as an operculum.

• Flowers: This tree has been seen flowering in May, August, and September. Its flowers are a pale yellow color.

• Fruit: The fruit is a woody capsule. It can be cup-shaped, half-sphere shaped, or urn-shaped. The fruit is about 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) wide. The parts that release the seeds (called valves) stick out strongly above the rim of the fruit.

Naming and Discovery

How Scientists Named This Tree

Eucalyptus optima was officially described by scientists in 1999. The botanists who first described it were Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill. They published their description in a science journal called Telopea. They studied specimens, which are samples of the plant, that were collected near a place called Balladonia roadhouse in 1983.

Meaning of the Name Optima

The second part of the tree's scientific name, optima, comes from the Latin word optimus. This word means "best." The scientists chose this name because Eucalyptus optima is the largest tree in its group (called Series Sociales). It also has the biggest buds and fruit compared to other trees in that group.

Where Eucalyptus optima Lives

Habitat and Location

This special eucalyptus tree grows in woodlands. You can find it between Balladonia and the Fraser Range in Western Australia. It lives in specific natural areas known as biogeographic regions. These include the Coolgardie, Mallee, and Nullarbor regions.

Conservation Status

Is Eucalyptus optima Safe?

The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of how safe different plants and animals are. They have classified Eucalyptus optima as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these trees, and they are not in danger of disappearing.