HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Eucalyptus pilularis'', commonly known as blackbutt, is a species of medium-sized to tall 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 eastern Australia. It has rough, finely fibrous greyish bark on the lower half of the trunk, smooth white, grey or cream-coloured bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or shortened spherical fruit.


Description

''Eucalyptus pilularis'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of but does not form 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 finely fibrous, greyish brown bark on the lower half of the trunk, white to grey or cream-coloured bark above, often with insect scribbles. Young plants have stems that are more or less square in cross-section and leaves that are dull green, paler on the lower surface,
sessile Sessility, or sessile, may refer to: * Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about * Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant * Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...
and mostly arranged in opposite pairs. The juvenile leaves are lance-shaped, long and wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, more or less the same shade of glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped or curved, long and wide, tapering to a petiole long. The flowers are arranged in leaf
axil A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
s in groups of between seven and fifteen on a flattened, 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 to club-shaped or spindle-shaped, long and wide with a conical to beaked operculum. Flowering mainly occurs from January to April or from October to December and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical, shortened spherical or oval capsule long and wide with four valves near rim level or below it.Forest Trees of Australia, D.J. Boland et al. 1992 page 292


Taxonomy and naming

''Eucalyptus pilularis'' was first formally described in 1797 by James Edward Smith 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 ...
''. The
species name 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, bot ...
(''pilularis'') is a
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
word meaning "a small pill", referring to the shape of the fruit. The type specimen was collected at
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
by Surgeon White. Within the genus ''
Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as ...
'', it lies in the subgenus ''Eucalyptus'' and the section ''Pseudophloius'', a group united by rough but not stringy bark, large opposite juvenile and glossy green adult leaves. Their leaves have adensely reticulated pattern, and the seed is red-brown, and smooth and pyramidal in shape. A taxon once described as ''E. pilularis'' var. ''pyriformis'' has been reclassified as the species '' E. pyrocarpa''.


Similar species

Blackbutt can be confused with Sydney peppermint (''
Eucalyptus piperita ''Eucalyptus piperita'', commonly known as Sydney peppermint and urn-fruited peppermint, is a small to medium forest tree native to New South Wales, Australia. Description It has grey, rough and finely fibrous bark on its trunk, but its branch ...
'') or Sydney blue gum ('' E. saligna''), but can be distinguished by the strong V-shape of the branch forks, which are preferred resting places for koalas.


Distribution and habitat

Found in wet sclerophyll or grassy coastal forests. North from Eden on the far south coast of New South Wales up to south eastern
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 ...
. The latitudinal range is 37.5 to 25.5 degrees south of the equator. Usually seen at low to mid altitudes, though growing at above sea level near Wauchope, where it is a dominant species. Usually seen on coastal sandy loams, but also grows well on clays and volcanic soils. Reaches large size on drier slopes near rainforest. The rainfall range is between 900 mm and 2000 mm per year. The climate for much of the distribution range is warm and humid. The mean minimum of the coldest month is around 5 to 10 degrees C, and 24 to 32 degrees C for the hottest month mean temperature. Frosts may occur in some sites away from the coast and at higher altitude.


Associated species

Blackbutt grows with a large number of other tree types. In the higher quality forests, associate species include
Sydney blue gum ''Eucalyptus saligna'', commonly known as the Sydney blue gum or blue gum, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, flaky bark near the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped to c ...
, tallowwood, white mahogany, grey ironbark, red mahogany, coast grey box,
brush box ''Lophostemon confertus'' (syn. ''Tristania conferta''), is an evergreen tree native to Australia, though it is cultivated in the United States and elsewhere. Common names include brush box, Queensland box, Brisbane box, pink box, box scrub, a ...
and
turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...
. In drier areas it grows with trees such as
spotted gum Spotted gum usually refers to the Australian tree species ''Corymbia maculata'' but may also refer to other closely related species within the genus ''Corymbia'' as follows: *''Corymbia citriodora'' (usually referred to as the lemon-scented gum) *'' ...
, ''
Angophora costata ''Angophora costata'', commonly known as Sydney red gum, rusty gum or smooth-barked apple, is a species of tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. Reaching in height, the species has distinctive smooth bark that is pinkish or orange-brown wh ...
'', Sydney peppermint and scribbly gum.


Ecology

Blackbutt forms an important element of the canopy of several endangered communities, including blue gum high forest, Illawarra lowlands, bangalay sand forest, and grassy woodland.


Timber and forestry

A significant commercial species, blackbutt is well regarded by foresters for the high quality of timber, easy regeneration and quick growth. Uses include making poles, railway sleepers,
flooring Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface ...
, building framework, cladding,
joinery Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining pieces of wood, engineered lumber, or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate), to produce more complex items. Some woodworking joints employ mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, ...
, lining boards,
furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating ( tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks) ...
,
woodchipping Woodchips are small- to medium-sized pieces of wood formed by cutting or chipping larger pieces of wood such as trees, branches, logging residues, stumps, roots, and wood waste. Woodchips may be used as a biomass solid fuel and are raw material ...
and decking. Wood density is about 900 kg per cubic metre. The sapwood is resistant to attack by
lyctus Lyctus or Lyttos ( Greek: or ), was one of the most considerable cities in ancient Crete, which appears in the Homeric catalogue. Lyttos is now a village in the municipality of Minoa Pediada. Lyctus in mythology According to Hesiod, ''Theogon ...
borers, the
heartwood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...
is yellowish brown to light brown. Coarse textured, fairly straight grained, common small gum veins. Hard, strong, tough but not particularly difficult to work. Slow drying of mid to good levels of durability. Blackbutt timber is used in the flooring of
Parliament House, Canberra Parliament House, also referred to as Capital Hill or simply Parliament, is the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia, and the seat of the legislative branch of the Australian Government. Located in Canberra, the Parliament building is ...
.


Significant individuals

An 85-metre tall blackbutt was felled near Bulli.


Named in its honour

The towns of Blackbutt, Benarkin in
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 the nearby Blackbutt Range are named after the Eucalyptus pilularis. There is also a
nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological o ...
near
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
named Blackbutt Reserve, in
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 ...
. There is also the suburb of Blackbutt located in the Illawarra region on the South Coast of NSW, with the Blackbutt forest reserve being the largest natural bushland reserve in the illawarra.


See also

* List of ''Eucalyptus'' species *''
Eucalyptus patens ''Eucalyptus patens'', commonly known as yarri or blackbutt, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is Endemism, endemic to the Southwest Australia, south-west of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk and branch ...
'' known as blackbutt in southwestern Australia *''
Eucalyptus todtiana ''Eucalyptus todtiana'', commonly known as coastal blackbutt pricklybark or , is a species of tree or a Mallee (habit), mallee that is Endemism, endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous and flaky bark on the trunk, s ...
'' known as blackbutt in southwestern Australia


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5405669 pilularis Myrtales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Trees of Australia Plants described in 1797 Taxa named by James Edward Smith