Tasmanian blue gum | |
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E. globulus globulus at Port Arthur | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Eucalyptus |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | E. g. subsp. globulus |
Trinomial name | |
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Eucalyptus globulusLabill. var. globulus |
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus, commonly known as the Tasmanian blue gum, southern blue gum, or blue gum, [2] is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, warty flower buds arranged singly in leaf axils, white flowers and hemispherical to conical fruit that is more or less square in cross-section.
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus is a tree that typically grows to a height of 70 m (230 ft) and forms a lignotuber. The bark is mostly smooth, shedding in long strips to leave a white or greyish surface. There is sometimes rough, partially shed bark at the base of the trunk and ribbons of shedding bark in the upper branches. Young plants and coppice regrowth have stems that are more or less square in cross-section, with a prominent wing on each corner. The juvenile leaves are sessile, arranged in opposite pairs, elliptic to egg-shaped, the lower surface covered by a white, waxy bloom, 40–105 mm (1.6–4.1 in) long and 22–50 mm (0.87–1.97 in) wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, glossy green, lance-shaped to curved, 120–300 mm (4.7–11.8 in) long and 17–30 mm (0.67–1.18 in) wide on a petiole 20–35 mm (0.79–1.38 in) long. [2] [3] [4]
The flower buds are arranged singly in leaf axils on a thick peduncle that is sessile or up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Mature buds are glaucous, conical and warty, 14–25 mm (0.55–0.98 in) long and 14–20 mm (0.55–0.79 in) wide with four ribs along the sides and a flattened operculum that has a central knob. Flowering occurs between May and January and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, sessile, hemispherical to conical capsule, square in cross-section, 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long and 14–27 mm (0.55–1.06 in) wide with four longitudinal ridges and the valves at about rim level. [2] [3] [4]
Tasmanian blue gum was first formally described in 1800 by Jacques Labillardière in his book, Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse . [5] [6] [7] In 1974, James Barrie Kirkpatrick described four subspecies of E. globulus and E. globulus subsp. globulus became the autonym. [8] [9]
This blue gum grows in woodland and forest in moist valleys in Victoria and Tasmania, including on Flinders and King Islands. It is common in lowland areas of Tasmania but is only found in the far south of Victoria, including in places like Port Franklin and Wilsons Promontory. [4] [3]
In 2021 an 80 metre tall specimen, regarded as being the largest known remaining Tasmanian blue gum and estimated as being 500 years old, was discovered in the Huon Valley, in a coup originally slated for logging in 2023. This tree, named "Lathamus Keep" by conservationists, is likely to be protected as a recognised giant tree by Sustainable Timber Tasmania, but conservationists are still concerned over its future. [10]
Eucalyptus pauciflora, commonly known as snow gum, cabbage gum or white sally, is a species of tree or mallee that is native to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, flower buds in clusters of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical fruit. It is widespread and locally common in woodland in cold sites above 700 m (2,300 ft) altitude.
Eucalyptus globulus, commonly known as southern blue gum or blue gum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is a tall, evergreen tree endemic to southeastern Australia. This Eucalyptus species has mostly smooth bark, juvenile leaves that are whitish and waxy on the lower surface, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, glaucous, ribbed flower buds arranged singly or in groups of three or seven in leaf axils, white flowers and woody fruit.
Eucalyptus viminalis, commonly known as the manna gum, white gum or ribbon gum, is a species of small to very tall tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough bark near the base, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus gunnii, commonly known as cider gum, is a species of large tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to the island of Tasmania, Australia. It has mostly smooth bark, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus morrisbyi, commonly known as Morrisby's gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to a restricted area of Tasmania. It has loose slabs of rough bark near the base of its trunk, smooth pale grey bark above, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and barrel-shaped or cylindrical fruit. It is only known in the wild from a few small populations but has been widely planted as an ornamental.
Eucalyptus radiata, commonly known as the narrow-leaved peppermint or Forth River peppermint, is a species of tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth grey bark on the thinner branches, lance-shaped to curved or almost linear leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven to twenty or more, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or shortened spherical fruit.
Eucalyptus cordata, commonly known as the heart-leaved silver gum is a shrub to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth bark throughout, mostly only juvenile, more or less heart-shaped, glaucous leaves, glaucous flower buds arranged in groups of three, white flowers and cylindrical or hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus rubida, commonly known as candlebark, ribbon gum or white gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough bark at the base, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or bell-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata, commonly known as the southern blue gum, eurabbie, blue gum or Victorian blue gum, is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, warty flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and hemispherical to conical fruit.
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii, commonly known as Maiden's gum, is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and conical, pedicellate, sometimes glaucous fruit that is more or less square in cross-section
Eucalyptus globulus subsp. pseudoglobulus, commonly known as Victorian eurabbie, is one of the four subspecies of Eucalyptus globulus and is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, pedicellate flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical fruit.
Eucalyptus nitens, commonly known as shining gum or silvertop, is a species of tall tree native to Victoria and eastern New South Wales. It has smooth greyish bark, sometimes with thin, rough bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped, barrel-shaped or cylindrical fruit. It grows in wet forests and rainforest margins on fertile soils in cool, high-rainfall areas.
Eucalyptus risdonii, commonly known as the Risdon peppermint, is a species of small tree that is endemic to a small area in southern Tasmania. It has smooth bark, a crown composed mostly of sessile, glaucous, egg-shaped juvenile leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The flower buds are arranged in groups of between nine and fifteen and the fruit are cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical.
Eucalyptus fraseri, commonly known as Balladonia gum, is a species of tree or mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth white to greyish bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus georgei, commonly known as Hyden blue gum, is a species of tree or mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, glaucous flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus rhomboidea, commonly known as the diamond gum, is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit that is glaucous at first.
Eucalyptus nebulosa, commonly known as the serpentine peppermint, is a species of small tree that is endemic to the northwest of Tasmania. It has smooth, creamy white bark, narrow elliptic adult leaves, flower buds usually arranged in groups of between seven and eleven, pale creamy white flowers and hemispherical or more or less top-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. acerina, commonly known as snow gum, is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, glossy green lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or conical fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having a dense crown and no parts that are glaucous.
Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. hedraia, commonly known as snow gum, is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has smooth bark, branchlets that are often glaucous, glossy green lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptical adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between eleven and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having larger, sessile, glaucous buds and broader, hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora, commonly known as snow gum, cabbage gum or white sally is a tree or mallee that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, glossy green, lance-shaped, curved or elliptical leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or conical fruit.