''Eucalyptus bridgesiana'', commonly known as apple box, apple, apple gum or but-but, is a medium to large sized

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth grey bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit. Eucalyptus bridgesiana flowers

Description

''Eucalyptus bridgesiana'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of and forms a

lignotuber A lignotuber is a woody swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem, such as by fire. Other woody plants may develop basal burls as a similar survival strategy, often as a response t ...

. It has rough, fibrous, mottled grey and white, sometimes tessellated bark on the trunk and larger branches, with rough, grey, fibrous bark on its trunk and larger branches. Thinner branches have smooth grey bark with whitish patches, shed in short ribbons. Young plants and

coppice Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeate ...

regrowth have sessile, egg-shaped, heart-shaped or almost round leaves arranged in opposite pairs, long, wide, with wavy edges and covered with a powdery white bloom. The adult leaves are lance-shaped, the same glossy green on both sides, long and wide on a petiole long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a peduncle up to long, the individual buds on a pedicel long. The mature buds are oval, long and wide with a conical to beaked operculum. Flowering occurs from February to March and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical capsule, long and wide with the three valves extending above the rim.

Taxonomy and naming

''Eucalyptus bridgesiana'' was first formally described in 1898 by

Richard Thomas Baker Richard Thomas Baker (1 December 1854 – 14 July 1941) was an Australian economic Botany, botanist, museum curator and educator. Early life Baker was born in Woolwich, England, son of Richard Thomas Baker, a blacksmith, and his wife Sarah, née ...

and the description was published in ''

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes ''the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches'' and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales ( Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. History The Society su ...

''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bo ...

(''bridgesiana'') honours

Frederick Bridges Frederick Bridges (1840–1904) was an Australian educationalist and former chief inspector of schools. Early life Born in Windsor, New South Wales on 2 February 1840, Bridges was brought to Sydney as an infant. He was the son of a Scottish-b ...

(1840-1904) for his "promoting the opplication of economic science to our indigenous vegetable products".

Distribution and habitat

Apple box grows in open woodland and forest and is widespread from near

Stanthorpe Stanthorpe is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Stanthorpe had a population of 5,406 people. The area surrounding the town is known as the Granite Belt. Geography Stanthorpe lies on the New ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

and south through the slopes and ranges of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and eastern

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Uses

The wood of apple box is softer than that of other

eucalypt Eucalypt is a descriptive name for woody plants with capsule fruiting bodies belonging to seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australasia: ''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', '' Stockwellia'', ''Allosyn ...

s, and is considered poor for firewood or building timber. However, the honey produced by bees feeding on the small white flowers of the tree is of high quality.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4529674 bridgesiana Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Australian Capital Territory Flora of Victoria (Australia) Flora of Queensland Myrtales of Australia Plants described in 1898 Trees of Australia Taxa named by Richard Thomas Baker