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<big>''[[Eucalyptus alba]]'' Reinw. ex Blume</big>

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Eucalyptus alba'' (PROTA)}}

:Protologue: Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. 17: 1101 (1827).

== Synonyms ==

== Vernacular names ==

Air-dried leaves from Burkina Faso yielded 1.2% oil, with as main compounds β-pinene (31.0%), α-pinene (20.1%), limonene (16.8%), β-caryophyllene (6.6%), γ-terpinene (5.6%), p-cymene (3.2%), α-terpineol (3.1%) and bicyclogermacrene (2.0%). Fresh leaves from Nigeria yielded 0.28% essential oil. The major compounds were α-thujene (32.9%), 1,8-cineole (13.3%), p-cymene (12.9%), β -caryophyllene (7.8%), α-terpineol (2.6%), spathulenol (2.2%) and caryophyllenoxide (1.9%). The oil showed activity against the bacteria ''Escherichia coli'' and ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'', but not against the bacteria ''Bacillus cereus'' and ''Staphylococcus aureus'' and the fungus ''Candida albicans''. Fresh leaves from DR Congo yielded 0.22% essential oil, with as main compounds β-pinene (25.3%), β-terpineol (13.6%), p-cymene (7.4%), α-terpineol (6.2%), 1,8-cineole (5.2%), limonene (4.6%), β-eudesmol (4.6%), α-pinene (4.3%), β-caryophyllene (4.3%) and spathulenol (4.1%). This oil showed activity against a range of bacteria and fungi.

More or less deciduous, small to large tree up to 25(–40) m tall; bole often of poor form, up to 60(–80) cm in diameter; bark smooth, pink-red to white or cream, surface covered with powdery bloom, exfoliating. Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole flattened or angular, 10–33 mm long; blade lanceolate or ovate, 7–21 cm × 2–5 cm, acuminate at apex, thin, green, concolorous, lateral veins conspicuous. Inflorescence axillary, simple; umbels 3–7-flowered; peduncle terete or angular, up to 2 cm long. Flowers bisexual, regular; pedicel absent or angular, up to 7 mm long; flower buds globular to ovoid, 8–9 mm long, divided into a hemispherical hypanthium (lower part), 3–5 mm × 4–7 mm, and a hemispherical operculum (upper part), 3–5 mm × 4–7 mm, which is shed at anthesis; stamens numerous; ovary inferior. Fruit a hemispherical to obconical capsule 4–7 mm × 5–8 mm, opening with 3–4 exserted valves, many-seeded. Seedling with epigeal germination.

Around Pointe Noire (Congo) large areas have been planted with clones of the hybrid E. PF1 (clones 1–41), which resulted from natural crosses between 2 or 3 individuals of ''Eucalyptus alba'' (mother tree) and a group of poorly identified hybrids from Brazil (father tree). The average productivity of 7-year-old plantations of this hybrid in Congo was 20 m³/ha/year.

== Ecology ==

''Eucalyptus alba'' is well adapted to dry lowland climates. It grows in areas with an average annual rainfall of (600–)750–2000(–2500) mm, with a dry period of (2–)4–8 months, and a mean annual temperature of 21–30°C, a mean temperature of the warmest month of 32–35°C, and a mean temperature of the coldest month of 5–10°C. It is fairly tolerant of flooding. In its native area ''Eucalyptus alba'' grows in flat and undulating country, often near the coast or near watercourses, on heavy soil in woodland and open forest from sea level to 700 m altitude.

== Management ==

* Samaté, A.D., Nacro, M., Menut, C., Lamaty, G. & Bessière, J.M., 1998. Aromatic plants of tropical West Africa. 7. Chemical composition of the essential oils of two Eucalyptus species (Myrtaceae) from Burkina Faso: Eucalyptus alba Muell. and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnhardt. Journal of Essential Oil Research 10(3): 321–324.

== Author(s) ==

== Correct citation of this article ==

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