Eucalyptus nitens | |
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Eucalyptus nitens - New England National Park, NSW | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Eucalyptus |
Species: | E. nitens |
Binomial name | |
Eucalyptus nitens H.Deane & Maiden |
Eucalyptus nitens, commonly known as shining gum, is a Eucalypt species native to Victoria and eastern New South Wales, Australia. It grows in wet forests and rainforest margins on fertile soils in cool high-rainfall areas.
Eucalyptus nitens is a tall to very tall forest tree growing to 60 m, in Victoria occasionally to 90 m tall. Bark is persistent on lower trunk, grey to grey-brown, fibrous-flaky, smooth above, white, grey or yellow, shedding in long ribbons. The juvenile leaves are opposite, ovate to elliptic, cordate, glaucous, and the adult leaves narrow-lanceolate or lanceolate, 15–25 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm wide, green, glossy, concolorous. The inflorescence is 7 flowered, the peduncle narrowly flattened or angular, 6–15 mm long. Buds are sessile, ovoid or cylindrical, 5–7 mm long, 3–4 mm in diameter, the ring scar caused by shedding of outer operculum is present; the calyptra is conical, acute or obtuse, shorter than and as wide as hypanthium. The fruit is cylindrical or ovoid, 4–7 mm long, 4–6 mm in diameter; the disc is depressed and the valves enclosed or rim-level.
In Tasmania Eucalyptus nitens is one of the most important plantation tree species along with Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian blue gum) and Pinus radiata (Monterey pine). The timber is mainly used in general construction but is beginning to be used in furniture where the discolourations may be a feature.