Eucalyptus × macmahonii facts for kids

Eucalyptus × macmahonii is a special type of mallee tree. It is found only in two small areas in Victoria, Australia. This tree has mostly smooth bark, long, spear-shaped leaves, and white flowers that grow in groups. Its fruits are shaped like a cup or cylinder.

About This Eucalyptus Tree

Eucalyptus × macmahonii is a mallee, which means it's a shrubby tree with many stems growing from a woody base called a lignotuber. It usually grows up to 5 meters (about 16 feet) tall.

It has smooth, reddish-brown bark. Sometimes, you might see a few loose strips of bark near the bottom of the tree.

Leaves and Flowers

Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have leaves that are oval or shaped like a spear. These leaves are about 40 to 80 millimeters (1.5 to 3 inches) long and 14 to 25 millimeters (0.5 to 1 inch) wide.

Adult leaves are shiny green on both sides and are shaped like a spear or slightly curved. They are about 70 to 110 millimeters (2.7 to 4.3 inches) long and 8 to 15 millimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide. These leaves grow on a small stem called a petiole, which can be up to 13 millimeters (0.5 inches) long.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds is on a stalk called a peduncle, which can be up to 12 millimeters (0.5 inches) long. The buds themselves are oval or club-shaped, up to 9 millimeters (0.35 inches) long and 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. They have a cone-shaped cap called an operculum.

The flowers are white. After the flowers, the tree produces woody fruits called capsules. These fruits are shaped like a cup or cylinder, about 6 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.35 inches) long and 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.

How It Got Its Name

Eucalyptus × macmahonii was first officially described in 1997 by a scientist named Kevin Rule. He found a sample of this tree on the southern side of Mount Arapiles. Rule published his description in a science journal called Muelleria.

The second part of its name, macmahonii, was chosen to honor Dr. Don McMahon. He is the person who first discovered this new species of eucalyptus.

Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria think that this tree is a special kind of hybrid. This means it's a mix of two other eucalyptus species: Eucalyptus phenax and Eucalyptus wimmerensis. It's like a natural blend of two different trees!

Where This Tree Lives

This mallee tree is only found in two specific places. One is the original spot where it was first discovered, called the type location. The other area is south of the Little Desert, near a place called Nurcoung. In these areas, it grows in special plant communities known as mallee communities.