Scribbly gum is a name given to a variety of different Australian Eucalyptus trees which play host to the larvae of scribbly gum moths which leave distinctive scribbly burrowing patterns on the bark. [1]
Eucalyptus L'Héritier 1789 is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia, and include Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest known flowering plant on Earth. Australia is covered by 92,000,000 hectares of eucalypt forest, comprising three quarters of the area covered by native forest.
Ogmograptis, the scribbly gum moths, is a genus in the Bucculatricidae family and were first described by Edward Meyrick in 1935, as a monotypic genus. They are found in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland. However in 2007, Cooke and Edwards argued that the patterning of the scribbles was different for each of the three eucalypts, Eucalyptus pauciflora, E. racemosa ssp. rossii, and E. delegatensis) and that it was likely that these differing patterns were caused by different species of scribbly gum moths.
Trees often referred to as scribbly gums include:
- Eucalyptus haemastoma , the best known type occurring near Sydney
- Eucalyptus sclerophylla , similar to Eucalyptus haemastoma, with smaller gumnuts
- Eucalyptus racemosa , often a larger and a broader trunked scribbly gum
- Eucalyptus signata , occurring in the north coast of New South Wales and in Queensland
- Eucalyptus rossii , occurring west of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales
Eucalyptus haemastoma, the scribbly gum, is an Australian eucalypt that is named after the "scribbles" on its bark. These zigzag tracks are tunnels made by the larvae of the scribbly gum moth and follow the insect's life cycle. Eggs are laid between layers of old and new bark. The larvae burrow into the new bark and, as the old bark falls away, the trails are revealed. The diameters of the tunnels increase as the larvae grow, and the ends of the tracks are where the larvae stopped to pupate.
Eucalyptus sclerophylla, known as the scribbly gum, is a tree native to eastern Australia. Very similar to the related Scribbly Gum , a better known tree. The best way of distinguishing the species is the smaller hemispherical to pear shaped gumnuts of Eucalyptus sclerophylla, being 0.6 cm by 0.6 cm in size. Flower buds are also smaller. sclerophylla literally means hard leaf. Both species have hard leaves, but Eucalyptus sclerophylla's leaves are particularly hard edged.
Eucalyptus racemosa, known as the scribbly gum or snappy gum, is a tree native to eastern Australia. An alternative name is narrow leaved scribbly gum, as the leaves are different from the related Eucalyptus haemastoma, a similar and better known tree.
Many other Eucalyptus trees have scribbles and are not known as "scribbly gums", such as Eucalyptus pilularis (blackbutt), [2] Eucalyptus saligna (Sydney blue gum), Eucalyptus stenostoma (Jilliga ash), Eucalyptus pauciflora (snow gum) and Eucalyptus fraxinoides (white ash).
Eucalyptus pilularis, commonly known as blackbutt, is a common and dominant tree of the family Myrtaceae native to southeastern Australia. A large tree, it is identified by the stocking of rough bark, to about halfway up the trunk, above this is white smooth bark. The leaves are a uniform glossy to dark green and the white flowers occur from September to March. Blackbutt is the predominant tree species seen on the drive on the Pacific Highway between Taree and Coffs Harbour. Blackbutt is a koala food tree. Economically, it is one of Australia's most important hardwoods.
Eucalyptus saligna, known as the Sydney blue gum, is a large Australian hardwood (flowering) tree common along the New South Wales seaboard and into Queensland, which can reach a maximum of 65 metres in height. It is a common plantation timber in Australia and South Africa. See also: Southern blue gum.
Eucalyptus stenostoma, the Jillaga ash, is a rarely seen eucalyptus tree of eastern Australia. It grows in remote forests on the tablelands of south eastern New South Wales. Eucalyptus stenostoma is a small to mid-sized tree, usually 10 to 20 metres tall, often with a leaning trunk. The tallest are around 25 metres. The original specimen was collected by D.J. Hynd. in July 1965. Located north west of Nerrigundah at the head of the Tuross River, elevation 865 metres, parish of Jilliga, county of Dampier. The specific epithet is from the Greek stenos, narrow, referring to the narrow stoma on the leaves.
 | This page is an index of articles on plant species (or higher taxonomic groups) with the same common name (vernacular name). If an internal link led you here, you may wish to edit the linking article so that it links directly to the intended article. |
