Monkey gum facts for kids

The Monkey Gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus quinniorum) is a special type of tree or large shrub. It grows only in northern New South Wales, Australia. This tree often has smooth bark, but near its base, the bark can be rough and stringy. It has long, narrow leaves, and its flowers are white. After the flowers, it grows interesting, ribbed fruits.

What is a Monkey Gum?

The Monkey Gum is usually a mallee, which means it has many stems growing from the ground, like a big bush. Sometimes, it can grow into a small to medium-sized tree, reaching about 16 meters (about 52 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after fires or damage.

Its bark is mostly smooth and greyish. However, near the bottom of the tree, you might see some rough, stringy bark.

Leaves of the Monkey Gum

When the plant is young, or when new shoots grow after being cut (this is called coppice regrowth), its leaves are shiny green. They are shaped like an egg or a wide spear, measuring between 4.5 and 23 centimeters (about 1.8 to 9 inches) long and 1.4 to 6 centimeters (about 0.5 to 2.4 inches) wide. These young leaves have a short stalk called a petiole.

Adult leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are shiny and dark green on both sides. These leaves are long and narrow, sometimes slightly curved, about 14 to 24 centimeters (about 5.5 to 9.4 inches) long and 1.6 to 3.4 centimeters (about 0.6 to 1.3 inches) wide. They also have a petiole, which is a bit longer than on the young leaves.

Flowers and Fruit

The Monkey Gum's flower buds grow in groups of seven. They appear where the leaves join the stem (this spot is called a leaf axil). These groups of buds sit on a flat stalk called a peduncle, which is about 0.5 to 1.3 centimeters (about 0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. Each individual flower bud doesn't have its own stalk; it's directly attached (this is called sessile).

When the buds are ready to open, they are shaped like an oblong or a club. They are about 0.9 to 1.3 centimeters (about 0.35 to 0.5 inches) long. Each bud has a cap called an operculum, which can be cone-shaped, half-sphere shaped, or even have a beak-like tip. The flowers themselves are white.

After the flowers bloom, they turn into fruit. The fruit is a ribbed capsule, shaped like a half-sphere or a cylinder. It's about 0.6 to 0.8 centimeters (about 0.24 to 0.31 inches) long and wide. The parts that open to release the seeds (called valves) stick out from the fruit.

How the Monkey Gum Got its Name

The scientific name Eucalyptus quinniorum was first officially described in 1999. Two scientists, John Hunter and Jeremy James Bruhl, wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea. They found the plant near a place called Barraba in 1998.

The second part of the scientific name, quinniorum, was chosen to honor Chris Quinn and Frances Quinn. They were staff members at the University of New England.

Where the Monkey Gum Lives

The Monkey Gum grows in areas with low woodlands. You can find it in separate groups (called disjunct populations) between Kingstown and Upper Moore Creek. This area is north of Tamworth in New South Wales.

See also

In Spanish: Eucalipto gris de montaña para niños