Plant of the Month: All the colours of the rainbow!

Flora, Plant of the Month, The Scoop

Well, not really, that’s reserved for the Rainbow Gum (Eucalyptus deglupta) which is a native of the Philippines but we are getting into the “coloured” gums, Blues, Browns, Greys and Reds.

So, we’re on the smooth barked, valves “exserted” (sticking out) from the fruits.

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Grey gum seed pod, typical of Grey Gums and Red Gums

1 Adult leaves discolorous (different colours on each side)                                     2

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Eucalyptus canaliculata (Large Fruited Grey Gum) leaf showing dark green above, lighter green below, typical of the grey gums)

1* Adult leaves concolorous (Red Gums)

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Eucalyptus blakelyi (Blakely’s Red Gum), top and bottom of leaf the same colour, typical of Red Gums

2 Bark with granular (pimply) surface, mottled (Grey Gums)                                  3

2* Bark smooth above, rough persistent “stocking” (Blue Gums)          5

3 Fruits 3-6mm diameter, generally coastal, east of Dungog, tree to 40m, bark smooth, motley, brown to grey brown, matte, adult leaves lanceolate, 8-14 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, glossy green above, dull below, umbellasters 7 to greater than 11 flowered. 

Eucalyptus propinqua Small Fruited Grey Gum

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Image from” https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Eucalyptus~propinqua

3* Fruits larger than 1cm diameter 4

4 Buds pedicellate, ribbed, to 1.2 x 0.6cm, operculum blunt, fruits hemispherical, ribbed, to 1 x 1.5 cm. Tree to 30m, bark smooth, patchy, matte white, grey or pink shedding in large plates, from Martindale to Dungog.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Eucalyptus canaliculata Large Fruited Grey Gum

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Eucalyptus canaliculata fruit

4* Buds pedicellate, ovoid, to 1 x 0.5cm, operculum with slight point, fruits cylindrical or hemispherical, to 1 x 1 cm. Tree to 35m, bark smooth, patchy, matte, white, grey, grey brown, salmon or orange, low to medium fertility soils, often on sandstone,  common across the region.                                                                                                                                               Eucalyptus punctata                                      Grey Gum

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Eucalyptus punctata fruit

5 Valves incurved, twigs, buds and young fruits mostly glaucous, juvenile leaves ovate, fruit 6-8mm dia, frost sensitive. Tree to 50m (sometimes 70) bark persistent on lower trunk (a few metres only), grey, fibrous flaky, smooth above, wet forests on fertile alluvial soils, uncommon.                                                                                                                                    Eucalyptus grandis                          Flooded Gum

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The Grandis (Eucalyptus grandis) near Bulahdelah, tallest tree in NSW,  too big to fit in the one pic.

5* Valves erect or outcurved, twigs, buds, young fruits not glaucous, juvenile leaves broad lanceolate, fruit 5-7mm dia, frost tolerant. Tree to 50m, bark smooth, powdery, white or grey, shedding in short ribbons or flakes, sometimes persistent on lower trunk, wet forests, moderately fertile soils, Barrington Tops and Liverpool Range (Towarri NP).                                       

Eucalyptus saligna Sydney Blue Gum

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Eucalyptus saligna fruits and buds from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Eucalyptus~saligna