Eucalyptus surgens facts for kids

Eucalyptus surgens is a special kind of eucalyptus tree found only in a small part of Western Australia. It has rough bark near the bottom of its stems and shiny green leaves shaped like spears. When it blooms, it has groups of seven creamy yellow flowers. After the flowers, it grows cup-shaped fruits.

What it Looks Like

Eucalyptus surgens is a type of eucalyptus plant. It usually grows to about 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall. This plant has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.

Most of its bark is smooth. However, near the bottom of its trunk, you'll find some rough bark.

Leaves and Flowers

Young plants and new shoots have dull, bluish-green leaves. These leaves are wide and shaped like a spear or an egg. They are about 55-60 millimeters (about 2 inches) long and 25-35 millimeters (about 1 inch) wide. They also have a small stalk connecting them to the stem.

Older leaves are shiny light green on both sides. They are shaped like a spear and can be up to 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) long and 20 millimeters (about 0.8 inches) wide.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a thick stalk called a peduncle, which is 3-5 millimeters long. The individual buds have short stalks too.

When the buds are ready to open, they have a bell-shaped base. This part is called the floral cup. On top, there's a cap-shaped lid called an operculum. This lid is about 15 millimeters long and 8 millimeters wide. It is shorter than the floral cup.

The flowers themselves are a creamy yellow color. After the flowers, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like a cup or a cylinder. They are about 12 millimeters long and 9 millimeters wide.

How it Got its Name

Eucalyptus surgens was officially described in 1993. Two scientists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper, gave it this name. They wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. They had collected samples of the plant near Toolinna Cove in 1989.

The second part of its name, surgens, comes from a Latin word. It means "rising." This name refers to a clear vertical mark on the edge of the fruit.

Where it Lives

This special mallee plant is only found in one small area. It grows near the coast on the western edge of the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia. It is endemic to this spot, meaning it doesn't grow naturally anywhere else in the world!