Eucalyptus urna facts for kids

The merrit (scientific name: Eucalyptus urna) is a special type of Eucalyptus tree or large shrub. It is also known as a mallet or marlock. This plant is found only in the southern parts of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, leaves shaped like spears, and flowers that are creamy yellow or white. Its fruit looks like a small urn or jar.

What the Merrit Looks Like

The Eucalyptus urna is a mallet or marlock that usually grows up to 16 m (52 ft) tall. It has smooth bark that can be grey, white, or even shiny silver. Unlike some other eucalyptus trees, it does not form a special woody lump at its base called a lignotuber.

Young merrit plants have stems that are square and have a small wing on each corner. Their leaves are bluish-green and shaped like an egg. These young leaves are about 20–95 mm (0.79–3.74 in) long and 13–40 mm (0.51–1.57 in) wide. They are attached directly to the stem without a stalk, and they grow in opposite pairs.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven to thirteen. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds grows on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 10–17 mm (0.39–0.67 in) long. Each individual bud also has its own short stalk, called a pedicel, about 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long.

When the buds are ready to open, they are about 15–24 mm (0.59–0.94 in) long and 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) wide. They have a cup-shaped base and a top part called an operculum that looks like a beak or a horn. This top part is about 9–16 mm (0.35–0.63 in) long. Merrit trees can flower in most months of the year, and their flowers are creamy yellow or white.

After flowering, the plant produces woody fruit. These fruits are shaped like an urn or jar and are about 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) wide. The parts that release the seeds stick out but are quite delicate.

How the Merrit Got its Name

The Eucalyptus urna was officially described in 1999 by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Australian Systematic Botany. The first samples of the plant were collected near Newdegate in 1988 by Ian Brooker.

The second part of its scientific name, urna, comes from a Latin word. It means "water jar" or "urn." This name was chosen because the fruit of the merrit tree looks like a small urn.

Where the Merrit Lives

This type of eucalyptus tree is found in many places across southern Western Australia. It is common east and south-east of Perth, and also east of Lake Grace all the way to Caiguna.

The merrit usually grows on flat land in open woodlands. It often grows alongside other plants, especially different types of Melaleuca species, which form the lower layer of plants in the forest.

Conservation Status

The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the Eucalyptus urna. They have officially said that this eucalypt is "not threatened." This means that there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.