Eucalyptus tephrodes facts for kids

The Eucalyptus tephrodes is a special kind of Eucalyptus tree. It's often called a "gum tree." This plant is a small tree or a mallee. A mallee is a type of plant that has many stems growing from the ground. This eucalyptus only grows in Western Australia, which means it is endemic there. It has rough bark on its main trunk and big branches. The bark higher up is smooth. Its leaves are shaped like eggs or spears. The flowers grow in groups of three at the ends of its small branches. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like a cup or half a sphere.

About the Eucalyptus tephrodes

The Eucalyptus tephrodes can grow to be about 10 to 12 meters tall. That's like a three-story building! It also has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire.

Bark and Leaves

The bark on the main trunk and bigger branches is rough. It can feel fibrous or flaky. The smaller branches have smooth bark that looks glaucous. This means it has a dull, bluish-green or greyish-white color, like a powdery coating.

Young plants and new shoots have leaves that are egg-shaped or round. They are also glaucous. These young leaves are about 70 to 95 millimeters long. They are also 4 to 7 millimeters wide. They have a stalk, which is called a petiole.

Adult leaves are a dull blue color on both sides. They are slightly glaucous too. These leaves are much longer, about 70 to 190 millimeters. They are 10 to 47 millimeters wide. They narrow down to a petiole that is 10 to 28 millimeters long.

Flowers and Fruit

The flower buds of this eucalyptus grow in groups of seven. They are found at the ends of the small branches. Each group of buds grows on a branching stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is about 3 to 17 millimeters long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, which is 2 to 5 millimeters long.

The grown-up buds are shaped like an oval or a spindle. They are 8 to 10 millimeters long and 4 to 5 millimeters wide. They have a cone-shaped or beaked cap on top. This cap is called an operculum. The Eucalyptus tephrodes has been seen flowering in November and December.

After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. This fruit is a woody capsule. It looks like a cup or half a sphere. The fruit is 5 to 9 millimeters long and 5 to 8 millimeters wide. The parts that open to release the seeds are called valves. These valves are usually near the rim of the fruit.

How it was Named

Taxonomy and Naming

The Eucalyptus tephrodes was officially described in the year 2000. Two scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, wrote about it. They published their description in a science journal called Telopea.

The second part of its scientific name, tephrodes, comes from ancient Greek words. It means "ash-grey" and "resembling." This name was chosen because of the tree's greyish, glaucous leaves.

Where it Grows

Distribution and Habitat

This eucalyptus tree is found in Western Australia. It likes to grow near granite rocks. You can also find it along the edges of creeks. It grows in savannah woodlands. These are open grasslands with scattered trees.

Most of these trees are found in the south-east Kimberley region. They are often around the town of Halls Creek. There's also another group of these trees that grows separately in the east Pilbara region. This is called a disjunct distribution. It means the plants are found in places that are far apart.

The Eucalyptus tephrodes prefers to grow in red sandy-loamy soils. These soils are usually found over granite rock.

Conservation Status

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at this eucalyptus. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that there are enough of these trees in the wild, and they are not currently in danger of disappearing.