Eucalypt
Encyclopedia
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:
Eucalyptus
, Corymbia
and Angophora
.
In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the new genus Corymbia. Although separate, the three groups are allied and it remains acceptable to refer to the members of all three genera Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus as "eucalypts"
These advantages work well in areas affected by long dry spells.
There are over 700 species of Eucalypt that dominates landscapes all over Australia, but it is reduced in diversity in the rainforests and arid envrironments.
, which only eats some varieties, and only sometimes.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
, Corymbia
Corymbia
Corymbia is a genus of about 113 species of tree that were classified as Eucalyptus species until the mid-1990s. It includes the bloodwoods, ghost gums and spotted gums. The bloodwoods had been recognised as a distinct group within the large and diverse Eucalyptus genus since 1867...
and Angophora
Angophora
Angophora is a genus of ten species of trees or large shrubs in the myrtle family , native to eastern Australia. It is closely related to Corymbia and Eucalyptus, and all three are often referred to as "eucalypts". The differences are that Angophora have opposite leaves rather than alternate, and...
.
In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the new genus Corymbia. Although separate, the three groups are allied and it remains acceptable to refer to the members of all three genera Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus as "eucalypts"
Bushfires
Eucalypts are attuned to withstand fire in several ways:- Their seeds are often held in an insulated capsule, which is only opened in response to and after the devastation of a bushfireBushfires in AustraliaBushfires in Australia are frequently occurring events during the hotter months of the year due to Australia's mostly hot, dry climate. Large areas of land are ravaged every year by bushfires, which also cause property damage and loss of life....
. Once cooled down, it is a freshly fertilised seed bed. - Oils in the leaves tend to make the fire more severe and therefore more damaging to less attuned species.
- Epicormic budsEpicormic shootAn epicormic shoot is a shoot growing from an epicormic bud which lies underneath the bark of a trunk, stem, or branch of a plant.-Epicormic buds:...
under the often thick barkBarkBark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
of the trunkTrunk (botany)In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...
and branchBranchA branch or tree branch is a woody structural member connected to but not part of the central trunk of a tree...
es are ready to sprout new stemStem-Science:* Plant stem, the above ground structures that have vascular tissue and that support leaves and flowers Also see similar:**Stipe **Stipe * Stem cell...
s and leavesLeaves-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
after a fire.
These advantages work well in areas affected by long dry spells.
There are over 700 species of Eucalypt that dominates landscapes all over Australia, but it is reduced in diversity in the rainforests and arid envrironments.
Koala
Eucalypt leaves are low in protein and high in toxins. The main consumer of Eucalypt leaves is the KoalaKoala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
, which only eats some varieties, and only sometimes.
External links
- Currency Creek Arboretum - Eucalypt Research at Currency Creek ArboretumCurrency Creek Arboretumthumb|right|270px|[[Dean Nicolle]] and [[Eucalyptus deanei]]thumb|right|270px|Eucalyptus conferruminataThe Currency Creek Arboretum is located in South Australia near the geographical feature and small town of Currency Creek, up from the mouth of the Murray River at Goolwa, and south of Adelaide...