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 Corymbia ficifolia, Flowers
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Corymbia is a genus of about 113 species of tree that were classified as Eucalyptus species until the mid-1990s. It includes the bloodwoods, ghost gums, spotted gums amongst others. The bloodwoods had been recognised as a distinct group within the large and diverse Eucalyptus genus since 1867. Molecular research in the 1990s, however, showed that they, along with the rest of the Corymbia section, are more closely related to Angophora than to Eucalyptus, and are probably best regarded as a separate genus. All three genera - Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus - are closely related, often difficult to tell apart, and are still commonly and correctly referred to as "eucalypts". Groups of naturalists and conservationists do not recognise the Corymbia genus and still categorise its species within Eucalyptus.
Species
Corymbias are readily distinguished as "gum trees" that form Corymb inflorescences. A Corymb has the appearance of a compound umbel, however it has irregularly lengthened pedicels that help form a flat topped inflorescence.
The Angophora genus is a lot harder to distinguish from the the eucalyptus genus. The main distinguishing feature that separates the two, is that Angophoras have opposite leaf attachments at maturity and most eucalyptuses in most species don't.
Some of the better known corymbias are:
- Corymbia aparrerinja (Ghost Gum)
- Corymbia calophylla (Marri or Port Gregory Gum).
- Corymbia citriodora (Lemon-scented Gum). A tall, smooth-trunked tree native to central and northern Queensland and planted in many other areas, well known for the beauty of its white or light grey trunk and instantly recognisable by the strong lemon scent of its leaves.
- Corymbia ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum).
- Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gum). Another popular garden tree which sheds its bark in a distinctive irregular round patches which take on a range of different colours from cream through blue-grey to orange, pink or red. Native to coastal New South Wales and south-east Queensland but planted in many areas, the Spotted Gum is also valued for its tough, fine-grained timber, which is used for tool handles and other applications where hardness and resistance to warping is essential, e.g. axle blocks for wooden cart wheels.
- Corymbia opaca (Bloodwood). Native to Central Australia.
- Corymbia ptychocarpa (Swamp bloodwood). Native to Western Australia, this species is a very popular garden plant.
 Corymbia, capsules (Fruit) |
 Corymbia, flowers |
 Corymbia, capsules (Fruit |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Corymbia |
References
- Parra-O., C., M. Bayly, F. Udovicic & P. Ladiges. 2006. ETS sequences support the monophyly of the eucalypt genus Corymbia (Myrtaceae). Taxon 55(3):653–663.
External links
- A New Name for the Bloodwood and Ghost Gum Eucalypts
- A short essay about the eucalypts reclassification debate
- Currency Creek Arboretum Eucalypt Research at Currency Creek Arboretum
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