Silver-leaved ironbark Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Silver-leaved ironbark

Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	melanophloia

The silver-leaved ironbark (scientific name: Eucalyptus melanophloia) is a special tree. It grows only in northeastern Australia. This tree is small to medium-sized. It has rough, very hard bark on its trunk and branches. This bark is called ironbark.

The top part of the tree, called the crown, usually has young leaves. These leaves are dull and have a grey-blue color (this is called glaucous). They sit directly on the stem without a stalk (this is called sessile). They grow in pairs, one across from the other. The tree's flower buds grow in groups of seven. Its flowers are white. The fruit looks like a cup or half-sphere.

Flower buds of the silver-leaved ironbark

Fruit of the silver-leaved ironbark

What Does It Look Like?
Its Name and History
Where Does It Grow?
Is It Endangered?
Gallery
See also

What Does It Look Like?

The silver-leaved ironbark is usually a tree. It can grow up to 20 to 25 meters (about 65 to 82 feet) tall. Sometimes, it grows as a mallee, which is a type of eucalyptus that has many stems growing from a large underground woody base called a lignotuber.

Bark: The bark is hard, rough, and dark grey to black. It covers both the trunk and the branches.
Young Leaves: When the tree is young, or after it's been cut back, its leaves are often grey-blue (glaucous). They grow in opposite pairs and have no stalks. They can be round, egg-shaped, or heart-shaped. They are about 2 to 10 centimeters (0.8 to 4 inches) long and 1.3 to 10 centimeters (0.5 to 4 inches) wide.
Crown Leaves: The leaves at the top of a mature tree are usually still the young type. They are also grey-blue on both sides. They grow in opposite pairs and have no stalks. They can be egg-shaped, heart-shaped, or shaped like a spearhead. These leaves are about 3.5 to 9 centimeters (1.4 to 3.5 inches) long and 2 to 5 centimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) wide.
Flower Buds: The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found at the ends of the small branches. Each group of seven buds sits on a main stalk, called a peduncle, which is 5 to 15 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own small stalk, called a pedicel, which is 2 to 9 millimeters (0.08 to 0.35 inches) long. Mature buds are oval or diamond-shaped. They are about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide. They have a cone-shaped cap called an operculum.
Flowers: The tree has white flowers. It has been seen flowering in January, February, June, July, and August.
Fruit: After flowering, the tree produces a woody fruit. This fruit is a capsule that looks like a cup or half-sphere. It is about 3 to 8 millimeters (0.12 to 0.3 inches) long and wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are usually at or below the rim of the fruit.

Its Name and History

The silver-leaved ironbark was first officially described in 1859. This was done by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He published his description in a science journal called Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany.

The scientific name melanophloia comes from two ancient Greek words:

melas (μέλας), which means "black"
phloios (φλοιός), which means "bark"

So, melanophloia means "black bark," which describes the tree's dark bark.

Where Does It Grow?

The silver-leaved ironbark lives in woodlands. You can find it on flat plains and high tablelands. It grows in the eastern part of Queensland, south from a town called Mareeba. It also grows on the western side of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, north from Dubbo. You can also find it in a few separate spots in the Northern Territory.

Is It Endangered?

No, the silver-leaved ironbark is not considered endangered. The Queensland Government has classified it as "least concern." This means there are plenty of these trees, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.