Eucalyptus platyphylla (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Eucalyptus platyphylla F. v. Mueller

Protologue: Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 3: 93 (1859).

Vernacular names

• Poplar gum (En).

Distribution

Eastern Queensland, Australia. Planted in the lowlands of Java.

Uses

The wood is used for construction purposes and as fuelwood.

Observations

• A small tree of up to 20 m tall, bark smooth, white, grey, or tan, often powdery.
• Juvenile leaves alternate, broadly lanceolate to ovate, adult leaves alternate, orbicular, cordate or rhomboid, rarely lanceolate, 7-13 cm × 5-9 cm, rounded or apiculate at apex, petiole 30-40 mm long.
• Inflorescence simple, umbels 3-7-flowered; flower buds ovoid, operculum hemispherical, sometimes apiculate.
• Fruit hemispherical to turbinate, 5-6 mm × 7-9 mm, several-ribbed, with 3 or 4 exserted valves.

E. platyphylla occurs on fertile flats which may be moist for long periods but also on ridges, generally on clayey soils. The name E. platyphylla has been used incorrectly for the hybrid between E. alba and E. urophylla. The density of the wood is 900-1010 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content.

Selected sources

232, 343, 659.

Main genus page

• Eucalyptus

Authors

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