Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snow gum |
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| Subspecies pauciflora in Deakin | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
E. p. subsp. pauciflora
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| Trinomial name | |
| Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora |
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The Snow Gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora) is a special type of tree or mallee (a small, bushy tree) that grows only in eastern Australia. You might also hear it called cabbage gum or white sally. It's known for its smooth bark, shiny green leaves, and white flowers.
Contents
About the Snow Gum
How it Looks
The Snow Gum can grow quite tall, up to 30 meters (about 100 feet). It often has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow after fires.
Its bark is smooth and can be grey, white, or cream-colored. Sometimes, you'll see patches of yellow or interesting insect marks on it.
Its Leaves
- Young leaves: When the plant is young, or regrowing after being cut, its leaves are dull bluish-green. They are shaped like a broad spear or an egg. These leaves are 44 to 170 mm long and 20 to 85 mm wide.
- Adult leaves: Older leaves are shiny green and shaped like a spear, curved, or oval. They are 60 to 200 mm long and 12 to 50 mm wide. Each leaf has a stalk, called a petiole, which is 8 to 33 mm long.
Its Flowers and Fruit
The Snow Gum's flower buds grow in groups of nine to fifteen. They appear where the leaves meet the stem (called a leaf axil). Each group of buds sits on a small stalk, or peduncle, which is 4 to 8 mm long. Individual buds have even smaller stalks, called pedicels, up to 6 mm long.
Mature buds are oval-shaped, 4 to 8 mm long and 3 to 5 mm wide. They have a cone-shaped or rounded cap called an operculum.
Snow Gums bloom between August and April, and their flowers are white. After flowering, they produce woody, cup-shaped, or cone-shaped fruits. These fruits are called capsules and are 5 to 11 mm long and wide.
How it Got its Name
The scientific name for the Snow Gum, Eucalyptus pauciflora, was first officially described in 1827. This description was made by Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel, based on notes from Franz Sieber. Later, when other types of Eucalyptus pauciflora were identified, this specific one became known as subspecies pauciflora.
Where Snow Gums Grow
The Snow Gum is the most common type of Eucalyptus pauciflora. You can find it across a wide area in eastern Australia.
- States: It grows from southern Queensland, through New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, all the way to South Australia.
- Places: You can see it in many different environments, from coastal areas like the Mornington Peninsula to almost the highest parts of the Australian Alps.
- Environment: Snow Gums usually grow in woodlands and forests. They often form large groups of just Snow Gums, but they can also be found growing with other types of eucalypt trees.
