Green-leaf box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green-leaf box |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
chlorophylla
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The Green-leaf Box (Eucalyptus chlorophylla) is a special type of eucalypt tree. It's also known as the northern glossy-leaved box or glossy-leaved box. This tree is found only in northern Australia. It can grow as a tall tree or a smaller, bushy plant called a mallee.
The Green-leaf Box has rough, tough bark. Its adult leaves are shaped like a spear or are slightly curved. It produces creamy white flowers from buds that grow in groups of seven. The fruit of this tree is usually shaped like a cone.
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Discovering the Green-leaf Box
Eucalyptus chlorophylla was first officially described in 1986. Two scientists, Ian Brooker and Christopher Done, wrote about it. They found a sample of the tree near Kununurra in 1982.
Their description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia. The name chlorophylla comes from two Ancient Greek words. "Chloros" means "green," and "phyllon" means "leaf." This perfectly describes its glossy green leaves!
What the Green-leaf Box Looks Like
The Green-leaf Box can grow in two main ways. It can be a tree up to 18 meters (about 59 feet) tall. Or, it can be a smaller, multi-stemmed plant called a mallee, growing up to 6 meters (about 20 feet) tall.
Bark and Leaves
This eucalypt has hard, rough bark. It's usually grey-brown or a lighter, bleached grey color. Young plants and new shoots have broadly spear-shaped or egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are green to grey-green and measure 40-90 mm long and 14-32 mm wide.
Adult leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the stem. They are glossy green on both sides. These leaves are spear-shaped or curved, measuring 70-165 mm long and 10-25 mm wide. Each leaf has a stalk, called a petiole, that is 7-17 mm long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds of the Green-leaf Box grow in groups of seven. They appear in the axils (the angle between a leaf and a stem). Each group of buds is on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 2-14 mm long.
Each individual bud sits on a smaller stalk called a pedicel, 3-5 mm long. Mature buds are oval-shaped, 5-8 mm long and 3-4 mm wide. They have a conical cap, known as an operculum.
The Green-leaf Box usually flowers in November or December. Its flowers are a lovely creamy white color. After flowering, the tree produces woody fruit. These fruits are shaped like a cone or a cup. They are 3-7 mm long and 3-6 mm wide.
The fruit stays on the tree and contains blackish-brown seeds. These seeds are flattened-oval and sometimes pointed at one end. They are about 1-2.5 mm long.
Where the Green-leaf Box Grows
The Green-leaf Box is found across northern Australia. You can see it in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It grows near towns like Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing.
It also spreads east through the top end of the Northern Territory. It grows from places like Mataranka south to Tennant Creek. You can also find it in the Gulf Country of Queensland. It reaches as far east as the area behind the Gulf of Carpentaria.
This eucalypt prefers to grow in woodlands and open, shrubby plains. It thrives in gravelly, lateritic soils, or in loamy soils and sand.
Protecting the Green-leaf Box
Good news! The Green-leaf Box is not considered to be in danger. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says it is "not threatened."
Similarly, in the Northern Territory and Queensland, it is classified as being of "least concern." This means there are plenty of these trees around, and they are not at risk of disappearing.
