Lockyer's box facts for kids

Lockyer's box (Eucalyptus lockyeri) is a type of small tree found only in a small part of Queensland, Australia. It has rough bark at the bottom of its trunk and smooth bark higher up. Its leaves are shaped like a spear. The tree grows white flowers in groups of seven, and its fruit looks like a half-sphere.

What Does Lockyer's Box Look Like?

Lockyer's box is a small tree. It usually grows up to 9 m (30 ft) (about 30 feet) tall. This tree has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged, for example, by fire.

The bark near the bottom of the trunk is rough and can be fibrous or flaky. Higher up, the bark is smooth and can be grey or brownish.

Leaves and Flowers

Young Lockyer's box trees have dull bluish leaves. These leaves can be shaped like a spear or an egg. They are about 80–160 mm (3.1–6.3 in) (3 to 6 inches) long and 35–55 mm (1.4–2.2 in) (1 to 2 inches) wide.

Older, or "adult," leaves are also dull bluish-grey on both sides. They are a bit longer and narrower, about 90–150 mm (3.5–5.9 in) (3.5 to 6 inches) long and 20–35 mm (0.79–1.38 in) (0.8 to 1.4 inches) wide. These leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 10–32 mm (0.39–1.26 in) (0.4 to 1.3 inches) long.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 8–17 mm (0.31–0.67 in) (0.3 to 0.7 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, about 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) (0.08 to 0.2 inches) long.

Mature buds are often a dull, bluish-white color, which is called glaucous. They are oval-shaped, about 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is shaped like a cone or a horn. This top part is called an operculum.

Lockyer's box trees have been seen flowering in March, May, and December. Their flowers are white.

Fruit

After flowering, the tree produces a woody fruit. This fruit is shaped like a half-sphere, or hemisphere. It is about 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) (0.1 to 0.3 inches) long and 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. Sometimes, the fruit is also a dull, bluish-white color when it first forms. The parts that open to release the seeds, called valves, stick out above the rim of the fruit.

How Lockyer's Box Got Its Name

The scientific name for Lockyer's box, Eucalyptus lockyeri, was first officially described in 1991. This was done by two botanists, Donald Blaxell and Ken Hill. They wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.

The "lockyeri" part of the name is called the specific epithet. It was chosen to honor Michael Lockyer from Ravenshoe. He was the first person to show this special tree to the botanists.

Different Types of Lockyer's Box

In 1994, two other botanists, Ian Brooker and David Kleinig, described two slightly different types, or subspecies, of Lockyer's box. These differences are now accepted by plant experts in Australia:

• Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. exuta: This type has leaves, buds, and fruit that are not dull bluish-white (not glaucous).
• Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. lockyeri: This type has leaves, buds, and fruit that are dull bluish-white (glaucous).

Where Does Lockyer's Box Grow?

Lockyer's box is found only in a small area of Queensland, Australia. It grows between the towns of Ravenshoe and Herberton. You can usually find these trees growing on slopes and ridges. They prefer poor, rocky soil.

Is Lockyer's Box Endangered?

Both types of Lockyer's box (subspecies) are currently classified as "least concern" by the Queensland Government. This means that, for now, there are enough of these trees in the wild, and they are not considered to be at risk of disappearing.