Eucalyptus - from the Greek words eu-, well, and kaluptos, cover, meaning "well-covered", describes the bud cap (botanically called an operculum).



The most readily recognisable characteristics of Eucalyptus species are the distinctive flowers and fruits.

A tree's budcaps are formed from modified petals and they fall off as the flowers open.

The flowers having no petals, decorate themselves instead with many showy stamens (as seen in the image).

Eucalypts' woody fruits, known as gumnuts, are roughly cone-shaped and have valves at the end which open to release the seeds.