Eucalyptus ligustrina

Privet-leaved Stringybark
relatively broad leaves of Eucalyptus ligustrina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	E. ligustrina
Binomial name
Eucalyptus ligustrina D.C.

Eucalyptus ligustrina, the Privet-leaved Stringybark is a seldom noticed eucalyptus of south eastern Australia.^[1] A feature of this plant is the relatively broad leaves, particularly in the juvenile form.

It occurs in New South Wales from Gibraltar Range National Park in the north to Deua National Park in the south. The principal area however, is in the Blue Mountains. The habitat is dry sclerophyll woodland on poor soils or heathland, derived from sandstone, or acidic granite.^[2]

This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the year 1828, in the Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. Authored by the prominent Swiss botanist, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.

Description

A small tree, occasionally a mallee. Mostly less than ten metres tall, though occasionally to 20 metres high. Stringy type bark, rough and thick, somewhat loose and criss-crossed. Grey over reddish brown.

Juvenile leaves are ovate with short stems, opposite on the stem. 4 cm long, 2 cm wide. Adult leaves alternate on the stem, elliptic, curved or broad lanceolate, 4 to 8 cm long, 0.7 to 1.3 cm wide. Glossy, with stiff hairs. Different coloured greens above and below the leaf. Flowering occurs in May and June. Gumnuts are typical for stringybarks, being stalk-less and crowded together 0.5 cm in diameter with three or four valves.

References