''Eucalyptus haemastoma'', commonly known as scribbly gum, is a species of tree that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the Sydney region. It has white or silvery grey bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and conical or hemispherical fruit. It is one of three eucalypts with prominent insect scribbles in the bark.

Description

''Eucalyptus haemastoma'' 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 smooth white, silvery grey or yellow bark with insect scribbles. 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 elliptical to oblong or egg-shaped leaves that are long and wide. Adult leaves are lance-shaped or curved, the same shade of green on both sides, long and wide on a petiole long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of between nine and fifteen on an unbranched peduncle long, the individual buds on

pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence. Such inflorescences are described as ''pedicellate''. Description Pedicel refers to a structure connecting a single flower to its inflorescence. In the absenc ...

long. Mature buds are oval, long and wide with a conical to rounded operculum. Flowering occurs between July and November and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical or hemispherical capsule long and wide with the valves near rim level.Brooker, I., ''Eucalyptus, Illustrated guide to identification'', Reed Books, Melbourne, 1996 This species intergrades with '' E. racemosa'', also a scribbly gum, mainly in the south of the Sydney area. A third scribbly gum, '' E. rossii'' is found further inland, on the slopes and tablelands between

Tenterfield Tenterfield is a regional town in New South Wales, Australia. At the , Tenterfield had a population of 4,066. Tenterfield's proximity to many regional centres and its position on the route between Sydney and Brisbane led to its development as a ...

and

Bombala Bombala is a town in the Monaro region of south-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in Snowy Monaro Regional Council. It is approximately south of the state capital, Sydney, and south of the town of Cooma. The name derives from an Aborigina ...

Taxonomy and naming

''Eucalyptus haemastoma'' was first formally described in 1797 by

James Edward Smith James Edward Smith may refer to: * James Edward Smith (botanist), English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society * James Edward Smith (murderer), American murderer * James Edward Smith (politician), Canadian businessman and mayor of Toronto * ...

in ''

Transactions of the Linnean Society of London The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature col ...

''. Smith noted " uit globose, cut off at the summit, its orifice surrounded by a broad deep-red border". The specific epithet is derived from the Greek ''haima'', 'blood' and ''stoma'', 'mouth', referring to the reddish disc of the fruit.

Distribution and habitat

This scribbly gum grows in woodland on shallow sandy soil derived from sandstone. It occurs in the Sydney region between

Lake Macquarie The City of Lake Macquarie is a local government area in Greater Newcastle and part of the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The area is situated adjacent to the city of Newcastle and is ...

and the

Royal National Park The Royal National Park is a protected national park that is located in Sutherland Shire in the Australian state of New South Wales, just south of Sydney. The national park is about south of the Sydney central business district near the loca ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2072579 Flora of New South Wales haemastoma Myrtales of Australia Trees of Australia Plants described in 1797 Taxa named by James Edward Smith

Description

Taxonomy and naming

Distribution and habitat

See also

References