Tenterfield woollybutt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tenterfield woollybutt |
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| Eucalyptus banksii growing near Armidale | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
banksii
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The Tenterfield woollybutt (Eucalyptus banksii) is a special type of tree. It only grows naturally in eastern Australia. This tree has rough, stringy bark and long, curved leaves. Its flower buds grow in groups of seven and later open into white flowers. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like a small cup.
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What Does the Tenterfield Woollybutt Look Like?
The Tenterfield woollybutt is usually a tall tree, growing about 20 to 30 meters high. That's as tall as a seven-story building! Sometimes, it can be smaller and bushier, like a mallee plant.
Bark and Leaves
The bark on the main trunk and bigger branches is grey and feels rough or flaky. But on the smaller branches, the bark is smooth and yellow. Young plants have different leaves. They are egg-shaped or heart-shaped, about 35 to 85 millimeters long and 30 to 65 millimeters wide. These young leaves grow in pairs.
Adult leaves are long and curved, like a spear. They are shiny green on both sides. These leaves are about 100 to 190 millimeters long and 15 to 30 millimeters wide. Each leaf has a stem, called a petiole, which is about 18 to 40 millimeters long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds usually grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a short, thick stalk. The buds themselves are oblong or oval, about 4 to 7 millimeters long. They have a cap-like top that falls off when the flower is ready to open.
This tree blooms in autumn, and its flowers are white. After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is shaped like a hemisphere, a cup, or a cone. It's about 3 to 6 millimeters long and 6 to 11 millimeters wide. The parts that hold the seeds stick out a little.
Where Does the Tenterfield Woollybutt Grow?
The Tenterfield woollybutt prefers to grow in granite soils on hillsides. You can find it in a specific area of eastern Australia. This area stretches from Cunninghams Gap and the McPherson Range in Queensland down to Armidale in New South Wales.
How Was This Tree Named?
The Tenterfield woollybutt was first officially described in 1905. A scientist named Joseph Maiden gave it its formal name, Eucalyptus banksii. He studied a sample collected by John Luke Boorman from hills near the Wallangarra area. The name banksii was chosen to honor another famous botanist, Joseph Banks.
