Eucalyptus × conjuncta facts for kids

Eucalyptus × conjuncta is a special type of flowering tree. It grows only in a small part of New South Wales, Australia. This tree has rough, stringy bark. Its adult leaves are shaped like a spear. It produces white flowers from buds that grow in groups. The fruit looks like a small cup. Scientists believe this tree is a stable hybrid. This means it's a mix of two other eucalyptus trees: E. eugenioides and E. sparsifolia.

What This Tree Looks Like

Eucalyptus × conjuncta is a tree with rough, stringy bark. This bark covers its trunk and even its smallest branches. Young plants have leaves shaped like a spear. These leaves can be up to 80 millimeters (about 3 inches) long. They are about 15 millimeters (about half an inch) wide.

Adult leaves are a bright, shiny green on both sides. They are also spear-shaped. These leaves are longer, about 90 to 140 millimeters (3.5 to 5.5 inches) long. They are 12 to 22 millimeters (about half to one inch) wide. Each leaf has a short stem called a petiole, about 9 to 13 millimeters long.

The flower buds grow in groups of eleven or more. They are on a thin, unbranched stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is about 5 to 10 millimeters long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stem, a pedicel, about 1 to 4 millimeters long.

When the buds are ready, they are oval or spindle-shaped. They are about 5 to 7 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum. This cap is about the same length and width as the base of the flower. The flowers themselves are white. After flowering, the tree produces woody fruit. This fruit is a capsule shaped like a cup or half a sphere. It is about 4 to 6 millimeters long and 6 to 8 millimeters wide.

How It Got Its Name

This eucalyptus tree was first officially described in 1990. Two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, studied it. Ken Hill collected a sample of the tree near the Murrurundi golf club. They published their description in a science journal called Telopea.

The scientists noticed that this tree seemed to be a stable hybrid. This means it's a natural mix of two other eucalyptus species. These are E. eugenioides and E. sparsifolia. The name accepted for it is Eucalyptus × conjuncta.

The second part of its name, conjuncta, comes from a Latin word. It means "connected" or "united." This name was chosen because the tree shows features from both parent species. It connects them together.

Where It Lives

Eucalyptus × conjuncta grows in woodland areas. It prefers poor soil, usually on sloping ground. This tree is only found near Murrurundi in New South Wales, Australia.