Slaty gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slaty gum |
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| Eucalyptus dawsonii near Denman | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
dawsonii
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The Eucalyptus dawsonii, also known as slaty gum or slaty box, is a special type of tree. It is found only in a small part of New South Wales, Australia. This tree is usually small to medium-sized.
It has smooth bark that can be white, grey, or yellow. Sometimes, the bottom part of its trunk has rough, flaky bark. The leaves of adult trees are shaped like a spear or are slightly curved. Its flowers are white and grow in groups of seven. The fruit looks like a cone or a barrel.
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What Does the Slaty Gum Look Like?
The Slaty Gum tree typically grows to be about 20 to 30 meters tall. That's like a 7 to 10-story building! It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged.
Its bark is usually smooth and peels off in short strips. It can be white, grey, or yellow. Sometimes, the lower part of the trunk has rough, greyish bark.
Young Slaty Gum plants have dull bluish-green leaves. These leaves are usually round or triangle-shaped. They are about 4 to 9 centimeters long and 4 to 7 centimeters wide.
Adult leaves are different. They are shaped like a spear or are slightly curved. Both sides of the leaf are a dull color. These leaves are about 7 to 16 centimeters long and 1.2 to 3.2 centimeters wide. They grow on a stalk called a petiole, which is about 1.4 to 3 centimeters long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds grow in groups of seven on a branching stem. Each group of buds is about 4 to 10 millimeters long. Each individual bud has a tiny stalk about 1 to 3 millimeters long.
Mature buds are oval-shaped and look a bit dusty or waxy (this is called glaucous). They are about 3 to 5 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. They have a conical cap called an operculum.
Slaty Gum trees have been seen flowering in March and November. Their flowers are white.
After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule that looks like a cone or a barrel. It is about 3 to 5 millimeters long and 3 to 4 millimeters wide. The fruit also has a small stalk, up to 3 millimeters long.
How the Slaty Gum Got Its Name
The Slaty Gum was first officially described in 1899. A scientist named Richard Thomas Baker gave it its formal name, Eucalyptus dawsonii. He found a sample of the tree near the Goulburn River.
The second part of its name, dawsonii, honors a person named Mr. James Dawson. He was a surveyor who collected plant samples in the same area where the tree was found.
Where the Slaty Gum Lives
The Slaty Gum mainly grows in tall woodlands. You can find it between the towns of Scone and the Capertee Valley in New South Wales.
Images for kids
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Slaty Gum flower buds
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Slaty Gum fruit
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The bark on a Slaty Gum trunk
