| Sydney blue gum | |
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| Blue gum forest atMount Cabrebald | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. saligna |
| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus saligna | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Eucalyptus saligna, commonly known as theSydney blue gum orblue gum,[3] is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that isendemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, flaky bark near the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, nine or eleven, white flowers and cylindrical to conical or cup-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus saligna is a tree with a straight trunk that typically grows to a height of 30–55 m (98–180 ft), rarely to 65 m (213 ft), adbh of 2–2.5 m (6 ft 7 in – 8 ft 2 in), and forms alignotuber. The trunk has smooth pale grey or white bark with 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in) of rough brownish bark at the base. Young plants andcoppice regrowth have lance-shaped to egg-shaped or oblong leaves that are paler on the lower surface, 37–120 mm (1.5–4.7 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, glossy green, paler on the lower surface, lance-shaped to curved, 90–190 mm (3.5–7.5 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide, on apetiole 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leafaxils in groups of seven, nine or eleven on an unbranchedpeduncle 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long, the individual budssessile or onpedicels up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Mature buds are spindle-shaped, oval or diamond-shaped, 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide with a conical or beakedoperculum. Flowering occurs from December to March and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cylindrical, conical or cup-shapedcapsule 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) wide with the valves protruding above the rim.[3][4][5][6][7]
Eucalyptus saligna was first formally described in 1797 by English naturalistJames Edward Smith inTransactions of the Linnean Society of London, and still bears its original name.[8][9] The species namesaligna refers to some likeness to awillow, though what attribute this is, is unclear.[6] It has been classified in the subgenusSymphyomyrtus, SectionLatoangulatae, SeriesTransversae (eastern blue gums) byIan Brooker andDavid Kleinig. Its two closest relatives are the flooded gum (E. grandis) and the mountain blue gum (E. deanei).[10]
Sydney blue gum is generally found within 120 km (75 mi) of the coastline in its range fromSydney to Maryborough in central Queensland. To the northwest, it is found in disjunct populations in central Queensland, including inEungella National Park,Kroombit Tops, Consuelo Tableland,Blackdown Tableland andCarnarvon Gorge.[6] It grows in tall forests in more sheltered areas, on clay or loam soils, and alluvial sands.[6][5] It is a component of the endangeredblue gum high forest ecological community in the Sydney region.[5] Populations found south of Sydney are now not considered to beE. saligna.[4]
Associated trees include blackbutt (E. pilularis), grey ironbark (E. paniculata), mountain blue gum (E. deanei), flooded gum (E. grandis), tallowwood (E. microcorys), thin-leaved stringybark (E. eugenioides), manna gum (E. viminalis), river peppermint (E. elata), grey gums (E. punctata andE. propinqua ), rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda), spotted gum (Corymbia maculata), turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera), brush box (Lophostemon confertus) and forest oak (Allocasuarina torulosa).[6][5]
South ofSydney Harbour and theParramatta River, pure stands ofE. saligna give way to hybrid populations with bangalay (E. botryoides).[5]
Eucalyptus saligna regenerates by regrowing fromepicormic buds on the trunk and lower branches after bushfire. Trees live for over two hundred years. Thegrey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) eats the flowers, thekoala (Phascalarctos cinereus) eats the leaves, andcrimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) eats the seed.[5] Thelonghorn beetle speciesParoplites australis,[11]Agrianome spinicollis andTessaromma undatum have been recorded from the Sydney blue gum.[5]
The presence of the territorial and aggressivebell miner (Manorina melanophrys) and psyllid insects (Glycaspis) is correlated with dieback of the canopy ofE. saligna, a syndrome which has been termed bell-miner-associated dieback (BMAD), though the exact mechanism remains unclear.[12] After colonization byGlycaspis,E. salinga may then be infested by theambrosia beetleAmasa truncata.[13]
The wood of this species is heavy (about 850 kg/m3), fairly hard, coarse, even texturedand reasonably easy to work. It is used for general building construction, panelling, and boatbuilding, and is highly prized for flooring and furniture because of its rich dark honey colour.[14]
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Authority control databases: National |
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