Eucalyptus

This article is about the plant genus. For other uses, see Eucalyptus (disambiguation).

Eucalyptus
Temporal range: Eocene–Recent
Buds, capsules, flowers and foliage of E. tereticornis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Subfamily: Myrtoideae
Tribe: Eucalypteae
Genus: Eucalyptus
L'Hér.[1]
Type species
Eucalyptus obliqua
Species
Natural range
Synonyms[1]
  • Aromadendrum W.Anderson ex R.Br., 1810
  • Eudesmia R.Br., 1814
  • Symphyomyrtus Schauer in J.G.C.Lehmann, 1844

Eucalyptus (/ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs/)[2] is a genus of more than 700 species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. Most species of Eucalyptus are trees, often mallees, and a few are shrubs. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including Corymbia and Angophora, they are commonly known as eucalypts or "gum trees". Plants in the genus Eucalyptus have bark that is either smooth, fibrous, hard, or stringy and leaves that have oil glands. The sepals and petals are fused to form a "cap" or operculum over the stamens, hence the name from Greek eû ("well") and kaluptós ("covered").[3] The fruit is a woody capsule commonly referred to as a "gumnut".

Most species of Eucalyptus are native to Australia, and every state and territory has representative species. About three-quarters of Australian forests are eucalypt forests. Many eucalypt species have adapted to wildfire, are able to resprout after fire, or have seeds that survive fire.

A few species are native to islands north of Australia, and a smaller number are only found outside the continent. Eucalypts have been grown in plantations in many other countries because they are fast-growing, have valuable timber, or can be used for pulpwood, honey production, or essential oils. In some countries, however, they have been removed because of the danger of forest fires due to their high flammability.

  1. ^ a b "Eucalyptus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  2. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book (6th ed.). Sunset Publishing Corporation. 1995. pp. 606–7. ISBN 978-0-376-03851-7. OCLC 32666922.
  3. ^ Genaust, Helmut (1976). Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen. doi:10.1007/978-3-0348-7650-6. ISBN 978-3-0348-7651-3.