Gum-topped box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gum-topped box |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
moluccana
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| E. moluccana, field distribution | |
| Synonyms | |
The Gum-topped box (scientific name: Eucalyptus moluccana) is a type of tree found in Australia. It is also known as the grey box or terriyergro. This tree grows to be medium to tall. It has rough bark on its lower trunk and smooth bark higher up. Its leaves are shaped like spears. The flowers are white and grow in groups, and its fruit looks like a cup or barrel. You can find this tree in areas near the coast in Queensland and New South Wales.
Contents
What Does the Gum-topped Box Look Like?
The Gum-topped box tree can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) tall. It has rough, stringy bark on the bottom part of its trunk. The bark higher up is smooth and can be whitish or light grey, sometimes even shiny.
Leaves and Flowers
Young Gum-topped box trees have egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are paler on their underside and are about 40–80 mm (1.6–3.1 in) long. As the tree gets older, its leaves become spear-shaped. They are shiny green on both sides and measure 70–170 mm (2.8–6.7 in) long.
The tree's white flowers usually grow in groups of seven. They appear on the ends of the branches. The flower buds are shaped like a spindle or a diamond. You can see these trees flowering in most months of the year.
Fruit
After the flowers bloom, the tree produces woody fruit. This fruit is shaped like a cup or a barrel. It is about 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long.
How Did the Gum-topped Box Get Its Name?
The scientific name Eucalyptus moluccana was first officially written down in 1832. This was done by a person named William Roxburgh. The "moluccana" part of the name refers to the Moluccas Islands in Southeast Asia. However, this is a bit of a mistake because the tree is actually from Australia.
The Dharawal people, who are Indigenous Australians, call this tree terriyergro.
Where Does the Gum-topped Box Live?
The Gum-topped box tree is common along the coast of New South Wales. It grows north from Jervis Bay up to the area between Rockhampton and Mackay in Queensland.
There's a big gap in its distribution further north. You can find some trees in the ranges west of Paluma and in the southern part of the Atherton Tableland. There are also a couple of smaller, separate groups of trees east of Clermont.
Images for kids
- Features of the gum-topped box (''Eucalyptus moluccana'')
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leaves
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bark and leaves
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trunk bark
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upper branch bark
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fruit
See also
In Spanish: Boj gris para niños
