Eucalyptus smithii

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Gully gum
Eucalyptus smithii.jpg
Eucalyptus smithii, Deua National Park, Australia
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. smithii
Binomial name
Eucalyptus smithii

Eucalyptus smithii, commonly known as the gully gum, gully peppermint, blackbutt peppermint, [2] or ironbark peppermint, [3] is a species of medium-sized to tall tree, sometimes a mallee, that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has rough, compact bark on the trunk, smooth ribbony bark above, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus smithii is a tree that typically grows to a height of 40–45 m (131–148 ft), or a mallee to 5 m (16 ft). The tree form has rough, fibrous, compact and dark grey-brown to black bark on the trunk. The bark on the branches and on the trunk and branches of mallees is smooth and white to cream-coloured. Upper branch bark is shed in long ribbons. The leaves of young plants to early sapling stage are arranged in opposite pairs, green to greyish, narrow lance-shaped, 50–110 mm (2.0–4.3 in) long and 6–25 mm (0.24–0.98 in) wide, with their bases clasping the stem. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, the same shade of slightly glossy green on both sides, narrow lance-shaped to curved, 60–210 mm (2.4–8.3 in) long and 7–16 mm (0.28–0.63 in) wide, with the base tapering to a petiole 5–28 mm (0.20–1.10 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven on an unbranched peduncle 5–13 mm (0.20–0.51 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long. Mature buds are oval to diamond-shaped, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide with a conical to beaked operculum. Flowering occurs from December to January and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical capsule 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide with valves strongly protruding above the rim. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus smithii was first formally described in 1899 by Richard Thomas Baker in Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales , from specimens collected by William Bäuerlen near Braidwood. [6] [7] The specific epithet (smithii) honours academic chemist Henry George Smith (1852 - 1954), for his pioneering work on essential oils of eucalypts and other Australian flora. [2] [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

Gully gum grows in shallow soils on sloping sites on the coast and tablelands south from Yerranderie in New South Wales to eastern Victoria where it occurs as a rough-barked tree in well-watered valleys or as a smooth-barked mallee on mountains. [3] [5]

Uses

The species is widely grown in southern Africa, and its leaves are used for the production of distilled eucalyptus oil. The oil is high in cineole (75–84%). [9] E. smithii also shows some promise in the pulpwood industry.


Related Research Articles

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<i>Eucalyptus campanulata</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus campanulata, commonly known as the New England blackbutt, gum-topped peppermint or New England ash, is a tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, finely fibrous greyish bark on the trunk and larger branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of between eleven and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

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<i>Eucalyptus porosa</i> Species of plant

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Eucalyptus croajingolensis, commonly known as the East Gippsland peppermint or Gippsland peppermint, is a species of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has rough, short-fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, sometimes smooth bark on the thinner branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or more, white flowers and hemispherical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus intertexta</i> Species of plant

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<i>Eucalyptus griffithsii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus griffithsii, commonly known as Griffith's grey gum, is a species of mallee or tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth grey to whitish bark, sometimes with rough, loose fibrous bark near the base of the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus pruiniramis, commonly known as Jingymia gum or midlands gum is a species of mallee or tree that is endemic to a small area of Western Australia. It usually has rough bark on the lower half of the trunk, smooth bark above, dull green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cylindrical to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus semota, commonly known as marymia mallee, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area in central Western Australia. It has rough, flaky to fibrous bark on the trunk, smooth grey or brown bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus striaticalyx</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus striaticalyx, commonly known as Cue York gum or kopi gum, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and thirteen, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus aequioperta</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus aequioperta, commonly known as the Welcome Hill gum, is a mallee, sometimes a tree and is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on the lower half of the trunk, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and more or less cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus ammophila</i> Species of eucalyptus

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<i>Eucalyptus willisii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus willisii, also known as shining peppermint or promontory peppermint, is a species of small to medium-sized tree, sometimes a mallee that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven to twenty five, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus arenicola, commonly known as the Holey Plains peppermint or Gippsland Lakes peppermint, is a tree or mallee that is endemic to south-east coastal areas of Victoria. It has rough, fibrous bark on its trunk and branches, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, club-shaped buds arranged in groups of eleven to twenty five, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus silvestris is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish brown bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

References

  1. "Eucalyptus smithii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus smithii". keyserver.lucidcentral.org. Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus smithii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus smithii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  5. 1 2 Brooker, M. Ian H.; Slee, Andrew V. "Eucalyptus smithii". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  6. "Eucalyptus sinuosa". APNI. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  7. 1 2 Baker, Richard Thomas (1899). "On three new species of Eucalyptus". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 24 (2): 292–294. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.7665 . Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  8. "Baeuerlen, William (1840 - 1917)". Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  9. Boland, D.J., Brophy, J.J., and A.P.N. House, Eucalyptus Leaf Oils, 1991, ISBN   0-909605-69-6