Eucalyptus silvestris facts for kids

Eucalyptus silvestris is a special type of mallee or small tree. It grows only in Victoria, Australia. This plant has rough, fibrous, or flaky bark on its trunk and bigger branches. Higher up, the bark is smooth and greyish-brown. Its leaves are shiny green and shaped like a spear. The flower buds usually grow in groups of seven, and the flowers are white. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like a cone or cup.

What Does Eucalyptus Silvestris Look Like?

Eucalyptus silvestris is a spreading tree or a tall mallee. It usually grows up to 12 m (39 ft) (about 39 feet) tall. The bark on its trunk and the lower parts of its larger branches is rough, grey, and can be fibrous or flaky. Higher up, the bark is smooth and greyish-brown.

• Young Leaves: When the plant is young, or when new shoots grow from the base (called coppice regrowth), the leaves are dull green or bluish. They are narrow and spear-shaped, up to 80 mm (3.1 in) (about 3 inches) long and 30 mm (1.2 in) (about 1 inch) wide.
• Adult Leaves: The leaves on mature plants are glossy green and also spear-shaped. They are 60–100 mm (2.4–3.9 in) (about 2.4 to 3.9 inches) long and 12–22 mm (0.47–0.87 in) (about 0.5 to 0.9 inches) wide. These leaves have a small stalk, called a petiole, that connects them to the stem.

Flowers and Fruit

The flower buds of Eucalyptus silvestris grow in the leaf axils. This means they appear where the leaf meets the stem. They are usually found in groups of five, seven, or nine. These groups are on a single, unbranched stalk called a peduncle, which can be up to 10 mm (0.39 in) (about 0.4 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel.

• Buds: Mature buds are shaped like a spindle or a club. They are about 5 mm (0.20 in) (0.2 inches) long and 4 mm (0.16 in) (0.16 inches) wide. Each bud has a conical cap, called an operculum, which protects the flower inside.
• Flowering: This eucalyptus blooms in autumn, and its flowers are white.
• Fruit: After the flowers, the plant produces a woody fruit. This fruit is a capsule that can be conical, cylindrical, or cup-shaped. It is about 5 mm (0.20 in) (0.2 inches) long and 4 mm (0.16 in) (0.16 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are below the rim of the fruit.

How it Got its Name

The plant Eucalyptus silvestris was first officially described in 1994. A scientist named Kevin James Rule collected samples of this plant near Yanac, Victoria, in 1990. He then gave it its formal scientific name.

The second part of its name, silvestris, comes from a Latin word. It means "of the woods" or "growing in forests." This name was chosen because the plant naturally grows in woodland areas.

Where Does it Grow?

This type of eucalyptus tree is found in a few different places. It grows in scattered locations on rolling farmland, usually on well-drained hills. You can find it from Serviceton and Yanac in Victoria, all the way to the area between Bordertown and Bangham in South Australia.