Eucalyptus leucoxylon
| Eucalyptus leucoxylon | |
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| Eucalyptus leucoxylon, Melbourne | |
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| Species: | E. leucoxylon
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| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus leucoxylon | |
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| E. leucoxylon, field distribution | |
Eucalyptus leucoxylon, commonly known as yellow gum, blue gum or white ironbark, is a species eucalypt that is endemic to Australia. It is widely distributed on plains and nearby mountain ranges or coastal South Australia, where it is known as the Blue Gum and extends into the western half of Victoria where it is known as the yellow gum.
Description
Yellow gum is a small to medium-sized tree with rough bark on the lower 1–2 m of the trunk, above this, the bark becomes smooth with a white, yellow or bluish-grey surface. Adult leaves are stalked, lanceolate to broad-lanceolate, to 13 x 2.5 cm, concolorous, dull, green. The white, pink or red flowers appear during winter. The leaves are distilled for the production of cineole based eucalyptus oil.[1]
Variation
The species has been divided into numerous varieties and subspecies.
- A spectacular red-flowered form of uncertain provenance Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’ is widely planted as an ornamental plant, it flowers profusely in winter.[2]
- A threatened subspecies known as the Bellarine yellow gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon subsp. bellarinensis) is endemic to the Bellarine Peninsula at the south-eastern end of the species' range.[3]
- South Australian blue gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp leucoxylon) is endemic to several regions of South Australia, particularly Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island[4]
- Another variety known as Euky Dwarf is very popular as a street and garden tree, growing around 5-6m in height.[5]
- Eucalyptus leucoxylon pruinosa Eucalyptus leucoxylon pruinosa (Eucalyptus leucoxylon subsp. pruinosa) is found in western Victoria; including the Brisbane Ranges, and the Little Desert, to the north of South Australia. [6]
References
- ^ Boland, D.J., Brophy, J.J., and A.P.N. House, Eucalyptus Leaf Oils, 1991, ISBN 0-909605-69-6
- ^ Brooker, M.I.H. & Kleinig, D.A. Field Guide to Eucalyptus, Bloomings, Melbourne 2001
- ^ Longmore, Sue; Smithyman, Steve; Crawley, Matt (2010). Inland Plants of the Bellarine Peninsula. Bellarine Catchment Network.
- ^ "South Australian blue gum". State Flora. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ "Eucalyptus Euky Dwarf". Austraflora. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ^ Brooker. M. I. H.; Kleinig, D. A (2006). Field Guide to Eucalypts: Volume 1 South Eastern Australia. Bloomings Books. ISBN 1876473525.