Eucalyptus vittata facts for kids

Eucalyptus vittata is a special kind of eucalyptus tree that grows only in Western Australia. It has smooth bark and leaves shaped like a spear. Its flower buds are ribbed and grow in groups of seven or nine. This tree has creamy white flowers and its fruit is a woody, often bluish-green, cup-shaped pod.

What is Eucalyptus vittata?

Eucalyptus vittata is a type of mallet tree. This means it's a eucalyptus that usually grows tall and straight. It does not form a large, woody base called a lignotuber at the ground level. These trees typically grow to be about 6 to 14 meters (about 20 to 46 feet) tall.

The bark of Eucalyptus vittata is very smooth. It's a mix of grey and creamy white colors. When the tree sheds its bark, it peels off in long, ribbon-like strips.

The adult leaves are shaped like a spearhead, which is called "lance-shaped." They are a dull green or bluish color on both sides. These leaves are usually about 7 to 15 centimeters (2.7 to 5.9 inches) long. They are about 0.7 to 2.3 centimeters (0.3 to 0.9 inches) wide. Each leaf narrows down to a small stalk called a petiole, which is about 1.1 to 2.5 centimeters (0.4 to 1 inch) long.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven or nine. They appear where the leaves meet the stem, which are called axils. Each group of buds is on a small stalk called a peduncle, about 0.5 to 1.3 centimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. The individual buds are on even smaller stalks called pedicels, about 0.1 to 0.6 centimeters (0.04 to 0.2 inches) long.

When the buds are ready, they are oval or pear-shaped. They are about 0.7 to 1 centimeter (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 0.4 to 0.6 centimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide. The cap of the bud, called an operculum, is shaped like a cone and often has faint ribs. The flowers are creamy white. After the flowers, the tree produces a woody fruit. This fruit is often bluish-green (which is called glaucous) and shaped like a hemisphere, cylinder, or cup. It's about 0.5 to 0.7 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds, called valves, are near the rim of the fruit.

How it got its name

Eucalyptus vittata was first officially described in 2009. This description was made by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. He found a sample of the tree with Malcolm French in 2001. They found it on a road between Hyden and Norseman. The description was then published in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The second part of its scientific name, vittata, comes from the Latin word vittatus. This word means "bound with a ribbon." This name was chosen because of the long, ribbon-like strips of bark that hang from the tree's crown.

Where it lives

This mallet tree grows in specific places in Western Australia. You can find it on flat areas around dry salt lakes and clay pans. It also grows below rocky cliffs called breakaways. Sometimes, it grows in groups of only Eucalyptus vittata trees. These areas are usually near the north-eastern edge of the wheatbelt region. This includes areas known as the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Mallee, and Yalgoo biogeographic regions.

Is it endangered?

The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants and animals. They have classified Eucalyptus vittata as "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.