Eucalyptus globulus

 Eucalyptus globulus

English Name : southern blue gum or blue gum

Scientific Name:  Eucalyptus globulus Labill

Local Name: मसलाको रुख

Classification:

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Myrtales

Family : Myrtaceae

Genus: Eucalyptus

Species: globulus

 Eucalyptus globulus is commonly known as southern blue gum or blue gum, is a species of tall, evergreen tree endemic to southeastern Australia. This Eucalyptus species has mostly smooth bark, juvenile leaves that are whitish and waxy on the lower surface, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, glaucous, ribbed flower buds arranged singly or in groups of three or seven in leaf axils, white flowers and woody fruit.

There are four subspecies, each with a different distribution across Australia, occurring in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. The subspecies are the Victorian blue gum, Tasmanian blue gum, Maiden's gum, and Victorian eurabbie.

Description:

Eucalyptus globulus is a tree that typically grows to a height of 45 m (148 ft)but is sometimes a stunted shrub or 90-100 m (300-330 ft) tall under ideal conditions.  The bark is usually smooth, white to off-white, but may have a sheet of permanent unpeeled bark at the base. It has a stem that is almost square in cross-section, with protruding wings at each corner. Young leaves are mostly paired, sessile, bluish elliptical to ovate, up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long and 105 mm (4.1 in) wide. Adult leaves alternate, equally glossy dark green on both sides, lanceolate or curved, 150–300 mm (5.9–11.8 in) long, 17–30 mm (0.67–1.18 in) wide, The petiole is 1.5–6 mm long. Flower buds are solitary in leaf axils or in groups of 3 or 7, and may be sessile or on short thick peduncles. Individual buds are also usually sessile and may be attached to stems up to 5 mm long. Mature buds are cone-shaped, glassy or green-headed, with a flat hemispherical warty lid with a central hump. Flowering time varies by subspecies and distribution, but the flowers are always white. The fruit is a tree-like conical or hemispherical capsule with a valve near the rim.

Distribution :

Blue gum grows in the forests of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, including parts of the Bass Strait Islands. The subspecies bicostata inhabits the mountains and highlands between the Karai Plateau in northern New South Wales and the Pyrenees in Victoria. The globulus subspecies is found primarily in the lowlands of Tasmania, but is also found in several Bass Strait islands, including King Island, and southwestern Victoria. The subspecies Maidenii lives near the coast of southeastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria. The subspecies Pseudoglobulus is distributed mainly in eastern Gippsland, but there are isolated populations further inland and in the Nagye Nature Reserve in southeastern New South Wales.

Uses: 

1.Wood

Blue eucalyptus is yellow brown quite heavy, intergranular and difficult to age. It is a poorer wood due to growth stress problems, but is used in construction, fence posts and poles

2.Pulpwood

Main article: Eucalyptus § Pulp

3.Essential oil

The leaves are steam distilled to extract eucalyptus oil E globulus is a major source of eucalyptus oil production worldwide, with China being the largest commercial producer The oil has therapeutic, perfumery, flavoring, antibacterial and biocidal properties. Oil yields vary from 1.0 to 2.4% (fresh weight) with cineole as the main isolate The oil of E globulus has established itself internationally because it contains practically no phellandrene, an essential property for internal medical use. 

4.Herbal tea

Tasmanian blue gum leaves are used as herbal tea.