Silver peppermint facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver peppermint |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
tenuiramis
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The silver peppermint (Eucalyptus tenuiramis) is a special kind of tree. It is a small to medium-sized tree. You can only find it in southeastern Tasmania, which means it is endemic there. This tree has smooth bark. Its adult leaves are shaped like wide spears. Its flowers are white and grow in groups. The fruit looks like a cup, half-sphere, or cone.
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What the Silver Peppermint Looks Like
The silver peppermint tree can grow up to 25 m (82 ft) (about 82 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged. The bark is smooth and can be white, grey, or yellowish.
Leaves of the Silver Peppermint
Young silver peppermint plants have egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are 17–60 mm (0.67–2.36 in) long and 10–38 mm (0.39–1.50 in) wide. They grow directly from the stem without a stalk, which means they are sessile. These young leaves grow in pairs, opposite each other.
Adult leaves are different. They are shaped like wide spears or ovals. They measure 55–130 mm (2.2–5.1 in) long and 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) wide. These leaves narrow down to a small stalk called a petiole. This stalk is 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds of the silver peppermint grow in groups. Each group has nine to fifteen buds. They appear where the leaf meets the stem, which is called the leaf axil. These groups of buds grow on a main stalk called a peduncle. The peduncle is 4–12 mm (0.16–0.47 in) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, which is 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long.
When the buds are ready, they are oval or club-shaped. They are 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide. Each bud has a cap on top called an operculum. This cap can be cone-shaped or rounded. The silver peppermint flowers are white. They bloom from November to February.
After flowering, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule. It can be shaped like a cup, a half-sphere, or a cone. The fruit is 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and 6–11 mm (0.24–0.43 in) wide. The parts that open to release seeds are called valves. These valves are usually near the rim of the fruit.
How Silver Peppermint Got Its Name
Naming the Tree
The scientific name for silver peppermint is Eucalyptus tenuiramis. It was first officially described in 1856. A scientist named Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel gave it this name. He wrote about it in a science journal.
Meaning of Tenuiramis
The second part of the name, tenuiramis, comes from Latin words. "Tenu-" means "slender" or "thin." "Ramus" means "branch." So, tenuiramis means "thin-branched."
Scientists believe this eucalypt is an older relative of another similar tree. That tree is its "sister species," E. risdonii.
Where Silver Peppermint Grows
The silver peppermint grows in open forests. It often forms large groups of just silver peppermint trees. You can find it in lowlands and on hills in southeastern Tasmania. It is especially common in the Derwent River valley. You can also find it on the Freycinet Peninsula and on Flinders Island.
