Northern blue box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern blue box |
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| Eucalyptus magnificata near Hillgrove | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
magnificata
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Eucalyptus magnificata, commonly known as blue box or northern blue box, is a species of small tree or sometimes a mallee that is restricted to a small area of New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark above, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white or pale yellow flowers and conical fruit.
Description
Eucalyptus magnificata is a tree or a mallee that typically grows to a height of 8–15 m (26–49 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish bark above. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped to more or less round leaves that are 35–80 mm (1.4–3.1 in) long and 35–65 mm (1.4–2.6 in) wide. Adult leaves are broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped, the same shade of green on both sides, 50–150 mm (2.0–5.9 in) long and 30–65 mm (1.2–2.6 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven, either in leaf axils or on the end of branchlets, sometimes on a branching peduncle. The peduncle is 7–13 mm (0.28–0.51 in) long and the individual buds are on pedicels 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long. Mature buds are oval, sometimes glaucous, about 5 mm (0.20 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide with a conical to beaked operculum. Flowering occurs in June and November and the flowers are white, pale yellow or lemon-coloured. The fruit is a woody, conical capsule 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long wide with the valves enclosed below a thin rim.
Taxonomy and naming
Eucalyptus magnificata was first formally described in 1990 by Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill from a specimen collected by Richard Cambage near Uralla in 1917. The specific epithet (magnificata) is a Latin word meaning "magnified", referring to the leaves, buds and fruit which are larger than in related eucalypts.
Distribution and habitat
Blue box grows in grassy woodland on shallow soils near Armidale in New South Wales and Stanthorpe in south-eastern Queensland.
Conservation status
This eucalypt is classified as "endangered" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
