Eucalyptus ordiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eucalyptus ordiana |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
ordiana
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The Eucalyptus ordiana is a special kind of small tree or a mallee (a shrubby tree with many stems). It only grows in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. This plant has smooth, white bark that looks like powder. It also has egg-shaped leaves, white flowers, and fruit shaped like a cup.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Eucalyptus ordiana is usually a tree or a mallee. It can grow to be about 2 to 6 meters (6 to 20 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.
Its bark is smooth and white, almost like powder. You can find this bark on its trunk and branches.
Leaves and Flowers
Young plants have bluish-grey leaves. These leaves are mostly round. They are about 40 to 80 millimeters (1.5 to 3 inches) long. They can be 45 to 100 millimeters (1.7 to 4 inches) wide.
Older leaves are a dull greyish-green color on both sides. They are shaped like an egg or a wide spear. These leaves are 60 to 90 millimeters (2.3 to 3.5 inches) long. They are 20 to 80 millimeters (0.8 to 3 inches) wide. Each leaf has a stem called a petiole, which is 12 to 30 millimeters (0.5 to 1.2 inches) long.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem (called an axil). These buds grow on a short stem called a peduncle, which is 3 to 8 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) long. The individual buds do not have their own tiny stems; they are sessile.
Mature buds are greyish-blue. They are oval-shaped, about 7 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They are 4 to 6 millimeters (0.15 to 0.23 inches) wide. Each bud has a cap called an operculum, which is shaped like a cone or a beak.
The Eucalyptus ordiana flowers from April to May. Its flowers are white.
Fruit
After flowering, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule. It is greyish-blue and shaped like a cup. The fruit is 4 to 8 millimeters (0.15 to 0.3 inches) long. It is 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.27 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are almost level with the rim of the fruit.
How Was It Named?
Scientists Clyde Dunlop and Christopher Done first officially described this plant in 1992. They wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. They found the plant near Lake Kununurra in the Kimberley region.
The name ordiana comes from the Ord River. The Latin ending "iana" means "belonging to." So, the name means "belonging to the Ord River."
Where Does It Grow?
This eucalyptus tree grows in areas with shrubs and open woodlands. It prefers sandy rock areas. You can only find it near Kununurra in Western Australia.
Is It Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given this species a "Priority Two" status. This means that not much is known about it. It has only been found in one or a few places. This status helps protect it.
