Large-fruited blackbutt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Large-fruited blackbutt |
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| Eucalyptus pyrocarpa in the Washpool National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
pyrocarpa
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| Synonyms | |
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Eucalyptus pilularis var. pyriformis Maiden |
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The Eucalyptus pyrocarpa, often called the large-fruited blackbutt, is a cool tree found only in New South Wales, Australia. It's a medium-sized tree with a unique look. Its lower trunk and bigger branches have rough, dark bark. But higher up, the bark is smooth and can be grey or white. This tree has long, curved leaves, and its flowers are white, growing in small groups. After the flowers, it produces interesting cup-shaped or pear-shaped fruits.
Meet the Large-Fruited Blackbutt
The large-fruited blackbutt is a tree that usually grows up to 30 meters (about 98 feet) tall. That's as tall as a ten-story building! Unlike some other trees, it doesn't have a special underground woody base called a lignotuber that helps it regrow after a fire.
Its bark is quite special. On the main trunk and larger branches, it's rough and stringy, usually greyish-brown. But on the smaller branches higher up, the bark is smooth and can be white or grey. Sometimes, this smooth bark peels off in long strips, like ribbons.
Young blackbutt plants have stems that are almost square. Their leaves are a bit different too. They are pale green on the underside, and they don't have stalks, meaning they attach directly to the stem. These young leaves are long and narrow, like the tip of a spear.
As the tree grows, its adult leaves become the same shade of green on both sides. They are also long and narrow, but they have a small stalk that connects them to the branch.
The tree's flowers grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. These groups are on a flat stalk. Each flower bud is oval or diamond-shaped and has a cap on top. When the flowers bloom, they are white. You might see them flowering in March, February, or August.
After the flowers, the tree produces its fruit. These are woody capsules, which are like small, tough seed pods. They can be shaped like a cup, a barrel, or a pear. They are about 10 to 15 millimeters long (less than an inch).
How Did it Get Its Name?
The scientific name of a plant can sometimes change over time, and that's what happened with the large-fruited blackbutt.
Back in 1913, a scientist named Joseph Maiden first described this tree. He thought it was a type of Eucalyptus pilularis and called it Eucalyptus pilularis var. pyriformis. He found a sample of it near a place called Bucca Creek.
Later, in 1973, two other scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Donald Blaxell, studied the tree more closely. They realized it was unique enough to be its own species, not just a variety of another eucalyptus. So, they wanted to give it a new scientific name.
However, the name Eucalyptus pyriformis was already being used for a different eucalyptus tree found in Western Australia. To avoid confusion, Johnson and Blaxell gave it the name Eucalyptus pyrocarpa. This new name helps everyone know exactly which tree they are talking about!
Where Does it Grow?
The large-fruited blackbutt likes to grow in forests on hillsides. You can find it along the coast and in the areas just inland from the coast in New South Wales. Its home stretches between places like Washpool National Park, Wauchope, and Woodburn.
