Eucalyptus pilularis

Eucalyptus pilularis, commonly known as blackbutt, is a common and dominant tree of the family Myrtaceae native to southeastern Australia. A large tree, it is identified by the stocking of rough bark, to about halfway up the trunk, above this is white smooth bark. The leaves are a uniform glossy to dark green and the white flowers occur from September to March. Blackbutt is the predominant tree species seen on the drive on the Pacific Highway between Taree and Coffs Harbour. Blackbutt is a koala food tree. Economically, it is one of Australia's most important hardwoods. First described by James Edward Smith, the species name of pilularis refers to the Latin pilula (small pill or rounded knob), referring to the shape of the gumnuts. The common name blackbutt refers to the black base of the tree after fires. The type specimen was collected from Sydney in the year 1794. First published in 1797 in Transactions of the Linnean Society by James Edward Smith. Within the genus Eucalyptus, it lies in the subgenus Eucalyptus and the section Pseudophloius, a group united by rough but not stringy bark, large opposite juvenile and glossy green adult leaves. Their leaves have adensely reticulated pattern, and the seed is red-brown, and smooth and pyramidal in shape. A taxon once described as E. pilularis var. pyriformis has been reclassified as the species E. pyrocarpa. Blackbutt can grow to 50 metres in height, and a trunk diameter of 4.1 metres. Though is mostly seen between 20 and 45 metres tall. Like many large eucalyptus species, the maximum height in the past is difficult to determine. Maximum heights of the blackbutt may have reached greater sizes than the largest trees still standing today. Blackbutt is a potential giant, of immense size. Blackbutt has dark fibrous grey-brown spongy bark covering the lower part of the trunk, which comes away in strips. The bark higher up and on the branches is a glossy cream, occasionally with scribbles from insect larvae. The branchlets are square in cross section. Juvenile specimens are conspicuous, with pairs of opposite, broad-lanceolate leaves, much paler below the leaf than above which may reach 17 cm (6.7 in) long by 4 cm (1.6 in) wide. Blackbutt is a Eucalyptus species without a lignotuber. The adult leaves are arranged alternately on the stem, lanceolate to slightly sickle shaped, 9 to 16 cm (3.5 to 6.3 in) long, and 1.5 to 3 cm (0.59 to 1.18 in) wide. Asymmetrical at the base, they are oblique in shape. The leaves are same shade of glossy to dark green above and below the leaf. The leaf stems are four sided or squarish with a flanged edge in cross section. Flowering occurs from September to March. The inflorescences are simple on the stem, and situated at the leaf axil, and consist of 2 to 15 white flowers. Peduncles flattened 1 to 1.7 cm long. Pedicels angular 0.3 to 0.6 cm long. The club- or spindle shaped flower buds are 0.8 to 1.1 cm long and 0.4 to 0.5 cm wide. The cap of the flower bud is cone shaped or beaked. The gumnuts are hemispherical or truncate globular in shape, 1.1 by 1.1 cm (0.43 by 0.43 in) in size. Gumnuts similar to the related stringybark group, however with longer stems. There are four valves inside the gumnut. The disc is either flat, ascending or descending. Regeneration from seed is easily accomplished.