Eucalyptus longifolia
Encyclopedia
Eucalyptus longifolia, known by the common name woollybutt, is a tree of the myrtle family myrtaceae
native to eastern Australia. It has thick, fibrous bark usually colored light gray and white, and long narrow grey-green leaves. The drooping flowerheads in groups of three are a distinguishing feature. It grows in heavy soils often near water.
in 1822. The specific epithet is the Latin
words longus "long" and folium "leaf". Within the genus Eucalyptus, it belongs in the subgenus Symphyomyrtus. The term woollybutt relates to the bark.
in central New South Wales south to the Victorian border. In the north of its range it is more scattered in its distribution, but becomes more common south of Nowra to Bega. It generally grows on clay soils and floodplains, sometimes in areas with poor drainage, in valleys and low areas. In open sclerophyll
forest, it grows alongside such trees as white mahogany (E. acmenoides
), grey box (E. moluccana
), forest red gum (E. tereticornis
), and rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda
), while in swampy areas it is found with swamp mahogany (E. robusta
) and paperbark species such as snow-in-summer (Melaleuca linariifolia
), prickly paperbark (M. styphelioides
) and swamp paperbark (M. ericifolia
).
(Pteropus poliocephalus) and Little Red Flying Fox (P. scapulatus) eat the flowers. The longhorn beetle
species Paroplites australis has been recorded from the woollybutt.
and other general construction. The woollybutt is also important in beekeeping and the honey industry. It is useful as a shade tree or windbreak in paddocks, but grows too large for the average garden.
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
native to eastern Australia. It has thick, fibrous bark usually colored light gray and white, and long narrow grey-green leaves. The drooping flowerheads in groups of three are a distinguishing feature. It grows in heavy soils often near water.
Taxonomy
The woollybutt was described by German naturalist Johann Heinrich Friedrich LinkJohann Heinrich Friedrich Link
Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link was a German naturalist and botanist.Link was born at Hildesheim as a son of the minister August Heinrich Link , who taught him the love for nature through collection of 'natural objects'...
in 1822. The specific epithet is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words longus "long" and folium "leaf". Within the genus Eucalyptus, it belongs in the subgenus Symphyomyrtus. The term woollybutt relates to the bark.
Description
Eucalyptus longifolia grows as a tall tree to 35 m (100 ft) high, with a trunk diameter attaining 1 m (3 ft). The long narrow leaves are lanceolate (spear-shaped) and measure 10–25 cm (4-10 in) long and 1.5–2.6 cm (0.6–1 in) wide. They are a uniform grey-green or blue-green in colour. The white flowerheads are arranged in groups of three, and droop.Distribution and habitat
The range is from MorisettMorisset, New South Wales
Morisset is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located west of Lake Macquarie just off the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway.-History:...
in central New South Wales south to the Victorian border. In the north of its range it is more scattered in its distribution, but becomes more common south of Nowra to Bega. It generally grows on clay soils and floodplains, sometimes in areas with poor drainage, in valleys and low areas. In open sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
forest, it grows alongside such trees as white mahogany (E. acmenoides
Eucalyptus acmenoides
Eucalyptus acmenoides, the White Mahogany is a common eucalyptus tree of eastern Australia. In the northern part of Sydney, where this tree grows on clay soils, the indigenous name is Barayly....
), grey box (E. moluccana
Eucalyptus moluccana
Eucalyptus moluccana, commonly known as the grey box or gum-topped box, is a medium sized to occasionally tall tree with rough, persistent bark on the lower trunk, shedding above to leave a smooth whitish or light grey, sometimes shiny surface; hence the original name Eucalyptus hemiphloia, from...
), forest red gum (E. tereticornis
Eucalyptus tereticornis
Eucalyptus tereticornis is a species of tree native to eastern Australia.It has a great many common names, of which Forest Red Gum is perhaps the most widely known...
), and rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda
Angophora floribunda
Angophora floribunda is a common woodland and forest tree of Eastern Australia and is known by a variety of names including Rough-barked apple, Apple box, Rusty gum, and Boondah....
), while in swampy areas it is found with swamp mahogany (E. robusta
Eucalyptus robusta
Eucalyptus robusta, commonly known as Swamp Mahogany, Swamp Messmate or Swamp Stringybark, is a tree native to eastern Australia.-Description:...
) and paperbark species such as snow-in-summer (Melaleuca linariifolia
Melaleuca linariifolia
Melaleuca linariifolia, popularly known as Snow-in-Summer, is a plant native to eastern Australia. Other names include Narrow-leaved Paperbark, Flax-leaved Paperbark and the Gadigal Budjur....
), prickly paperbark (M. styphelioides
Melaleuca styphelioides
Melaleuca styphelioides, known as the Prickly-leaved paperbark or Prickly Paperbark, is a plant native to eastern Australia.-Description:...
) and swamp paperbark (M. ericifolia
Melaleuca ericifolia
Melaleuca ericifolia is a shrub or small tree in the genus Melaleuca, native to Australia. The species grows to between 2 and 9 metres in height and has pale papery bark The linear leaves are dark green and scattered or in whorls of three. These are 7 to 15 mm long and about 1 mm wide...
).
Ecology
The woollybutt regenerates by regrowing from epicormic buds after bushfire. Trees live for over a hundred years. The Grey-headed Flying FoxGrey-headed Flying Fox
The Grey-headed Flying-Fox, Pteropus poliocephalus, is a megabat native to Australia.Members of the genus Pteropus include the largest bats in the world. The Pteropus genus has currently about 57 recognised species....
(Pteropus poliocephalus) and Little Red Flying Fox (P. scapulatus) eat the flowers. The longhorn beetle
Longhorn beetle
The longhorn beetles are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body...
species Paroplites australis has been recorded from the woollybutt.
Uses
The dark red timber is hard and resistant to water, and termites. It has been used in railway sleepersRailroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
and other general construction. The woollybutt is also important in beekeeping and the honey industry. It is useful as a shade tree or windbreak in paddocks, but grows too large for the average garden.