Poplar gum
Eucalyptus platyphylla, Fam. Myrtaceae
Small to medium tree from 6-20m, frequently crooked and sparsely branched, with smooth grey, white or cream bark. Canopy can be quite dense when in full leaf but the tree is deciduous or semi-deciduous in response to the dry season. It is the only eucalypt in central Queensland with deciduous leaves. From the Greek ‘platys’ flat and ‘phyllon’ a leaf, referring to the broad, flat leaves.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree, Med tree |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Leaf: | Juvenile leaves are large and rounded, adult leaves alternate, broadly ovate to triangular with long petioles, dull green and concolourous. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White |
| Flower description: | Axillary, unbranched, white flowers. Buds globular to ovoid with a hemispherical bud cap. August to November. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown, hemispherical and more or less sessile capsules, about 0.7-0.8mm, valves slightly exserted. |
| Habitat: | Woodland. |
| Distribution | Queensland. |
| Food source for: | Seeds eaten by the red tailed black cockatoo. Nectar eaten by the rainbow lorikeet and yellow honeyeater. Larvae of the moths Protolechia albifrons and Symphyta nyctopis (a sawfly) feed on the leaves and those of Uzucha borealis feed on the bark. Leaves occasionally eaten by the koala. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia. |
| Notes: | Grow from seed. Light red brown timber. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
