New England ash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New England ash |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| New England blackbutt at Mount Cabrebald, Barrington Tops, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
|
| Species: |
campanulata
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Eucalyptus andrewsii subsp. campanulata (R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm.) L.A.S.Johnson & Blaxell |
|
The New England blackbutt (scientific name: Eucalyptus campanulata) is a type of tree that grows only in eastern Australia. It's also known as the gum-topped peppermint or New England ash. This tree has rough, greyish bark on its trunk and larger branches. Its leaves are long and pointed, and it produces white flowers. The fruit of this tree looks like a small cup or cone.
Contents
What the New England Blackbutt Looks Like
The New England blackbutt is a tall tree. It usually grows about 25 meters (82 feet) high. Some can even reach 45 meters (148 feet)!
Its bark is rough and greyish-brown on the main trunk and big branches. But on the thinner branches, the bark is smooth and whitish.
Leaves and Flowers
When the tree is young, its leaves are shaped like a spear or an egg. They are about 7 to 13 centimeters (2.8 to 5.1 inches) long and 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2.0 inches) wide. These young leaves are a pretty bluish or greyish-green color.
As the tree gets older, its leaves become more pointed. They are usually 9 to 17.5 centimeters (3.5 to 6.9 inches) long and 1.5 to 4 centimeters (0.59 to 1.57 inches) wide. These adult leaves have a stem called a petiole, which is about 1.1 to 2.3 centimeters (0.43 to 0.91 inches) long. Both sides of the adult leaves are the same bluish-green color.
The flowers of the New England blackbutt are white. They grow in groups of 11 to 15 buds. Each group sits on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.39 to 0.79 inches) long. Each individual flower bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, about 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) long.
The mature flower buds are shaped like a club. They are about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is as wide as the base but shorter. This tree usually flowers from October to December.
Fruit
After flowering, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a capsule that looks like a bell or a cone. It's about 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) wide. Each fruit sits on a small pedicel, about 3 to 6 millimeters (0.12 to 0.24 inches) long.
This tree is different from a similar species, E. andrewsii, mainly because of its fruit shape. The New England blackbutt has bell-shaped fruit, while E. andrewsii has cup-shaped fruit.
How it Got its Name
The New England blackbutt was officially described in 1912. Two scientists, Richard Baker and Henry Smith, wrote about it in a scientific journal.
The scientific name, campanulata, comes from a Latin word. It means "bell-shaped," which describes the shape of the tree's fruit.
Where the New England Blackbutt Grows
The New England blackbutt is a common tree. It grows in areas with good soil and enough moisture. You can find it in south-east Queensland and down to the southern part of Barrington Tops in New South Wales. It's especially common on the eastern side of the Northern Tablelands.
- A Field Guide to Eucalypts - Brooker & Kleinig volume 1, ISBN: 0-909605-62-9 page 82
