Wattle-leaved peppermint facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wattle-leaved peppermint |
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| Eucalyptus acaciiformis in the Gibraltar Range National Park | |
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Eucalyptus
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acaciiformis
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The Wattle-leaved Peppermint (scientific name: Eucalyptus acaciiformis) is a type of tree. It can grow up to about 20 metres (66 ft) tall. This tree is special because it is endemic to a specific area. This means it only naturally grows in the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia.
This peppermint tree has rough, stringy bark. Its leaves are shaped like a spear, and it produces pretty white flowers. After the flowers, it grows fruit that looks like a small cup or bell. You can usually find these trees growing in soil that isn't very rich, often on hillsides and ridges.
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What Does the Wattle-leaved Peppermint Look Like?
The Wattle-leaved Peppermint is a medium-sized tree. It usually grows between 2.5–10 m (8–30 ft) tall. Its bark is rough and feels like fibers or strings. It's typically grey or grey-brown in color.
Leaves and Flowers
When the tree is young, its leaves are oval-shaped. They are about 20–45 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) wide. As the tree gets older, its leaves change. Adult leaves are dull green or grey-green on both sides. They are shaped like a lance (a spearhead). These adult leaves are longer, about 50–120 mm (2–5 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide. Each leaf has a small stem called a petiole, which is about 6–18 mm (0.24–0.71 in) long.
The flowers of the Wattle-leaved Peppermint grow in small groups. Each group can have up to seven flowers. They grow where the leaf meets the stem, which is called a leaf axil. The flowers are on a small stalk called a peduncle, about 2–6 mm (0.079–0.24 in) long. Each individual flower has an even smaller stalk called a pedicel, about 1–3 mm (0.039–0.12 in) long.
The flower buds are oval or spindle-shaped. They are about 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.12 in) wide. Inside the flowers, you'll find white stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. This tree usually blooms in December and January.
Fruit
After the flowers bloom, the tree produces its fruit. The fruit is shaped like a cup or a bell. It's quite small, about 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide.
How the Wattle-leaved Peppermint Got Its Name
The Wattle-leaved Peppermint was first officially described in 1899. Two scientists, Henry Deane and Joseph Maiden, wrote about it. They published their description in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.
The second part of its scientific name, acaciiformis, tells us something interesting about the tree. It means "shaped like Acacia". This is because the leaves of this peppermint tree look similar to the leaves of some plants in the Acacia genus. The Latin ending -formis means "shaped".
Where the Wattle-leaved Peppermint Lives
The Wattle-leaved Peppermint grows in the northern parts of the Northern Tablelands in New South Wales. You can find it from a place called Nowendoc almost all the way up to the border with Queensland.
It prefers to grow in poor, shallow soils. These trees are often found on slopes and ridges, usually as part of a woodland area.
