Eucalyptus deglupta (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Eucalyptus deglupta Blume

Protologue: Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 1: 83 (1849).

Synonyms

• Eucalyptus multiflora Rich. ex A. Gray non Poir. (1854),
• Eucalyptus naudiniana F. v. Mueller (1886),
• Eucalyptus schlechteri Diels (1922).

Vernacular names

• Mindanao gum, deglupta (En)
• Indonesia: leda (general), galang (Sulawesi), aren (Moluccas)
• Papua New Guinea: kamarere
• Philippines: bagras (general), banikag (Agusan), amamanit (Zamboanga)
• Vietnam: bạch dàn vỏ dầy.

Distribution

The Philippines (Mindanao), Sulawesi, Seram, New Guinea and New Britain. Widely planted throughout the wet tropics.

Uses

E. deglupta is one of the most important eucalypts of humid tropical regions and is a source of general-purpose timber, but it is also a major plantation tree for pulp production. The wood is also used for veneer and plywood, particle board, hardboard and wood-wool board. E. deglupta is also used for reforestation and firewood.

Observations

• A huge evergreen tree of up to 60(-75) m tall, bole generally of good form, 50-70% of the tree height, up to 240 cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses of 3-4 m high, bark smooth, yellow, brown, and purple, but green after flaking, twigs square, often with 4 longitudinal wings.
• Juvenile leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, adult leaves opposite, subopposite to alternate, held almost horizontal on branches, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 7.5-15(-20) cm × 5-7.5(-10) cm, rounded to acute or slightly acuminate, shortly petiolate.
• Inflorescence compound, axial and terminal, umbels 3-7-flowered.
• Flower buds globular to subclavate, apiculate, operculum hemispherical, broader than long, double, the outer one early caducous.
• Fruit ovoid to club-shaped or globose, 3-5 mm × 3-5 mm, with 3-4 very small valves.

E. deglupta prefers non-stagnant river flats with adequate soil moisture and grows best on deep, moderately fertile sandy loams but also on volcanic ash, pumice and gravel soils. It grows typically in pure stands from sea-level up to 1800 m altitude. The density of the wood is 390-810 kg/m³ at 15% moisture content but the wood of young provenances is lighter. See also the table on wood properties.

Selected sources

52, 62, 69, 97, 102, 130, 159, 169, 170, 175, 223, 228, 229, 232, 236, 310, 314, 343, 359, 394, 462, 540, 551, 659, 714, 729, 769.

Main genus page

• Eucalyptus

Authors

• C.C.H. Jongkind (selection of species)