About Eucalyptus yarraensis Maiden & Cambage
Eucalyptus yarraensis, commonly called Yarra gum, is a tree that typically reaches a height of 15 to 20 meters (49 to 66 feet), and it forms a lignotuber. It has rough, fibrous brown or greyish bark covering the trunk and larger branches, with smooth white to cream-colored bark on sections higher up. Young plants and coppice regrowth have glossy green leaves that are elliptical to egg-shaped, measuring 25 to 63 millimeters (0.98 to 2.48 inches) long and 20 to 43 millimeters (0.79 to 1.69 inches) wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, are the same shade of glossy green on both sides, and range from lance-shaped to elliptical or egg-shaped. They are 60 to 135 millimeters (2.4 to 5.3 inches) long and 17 to 40 millimeters (0.67 to 1.57 inches) wide, tapering to a petiole 10 to 28 millimeters (0.39 to 1.10 inches) long. Flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven, growing on an unbranched peduncle 4 to 15 millimeters (0.16 to 0.59 inches) long, with individual buds attached to pedicels 2 to 3 millimeters (0.079 to 0.118 inches) long. Mature buds are oval to diamond-shaped, 3 to 6 millimeters (0.12 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide, with a conical or beaked operculum that is roughly the same length as the floral cup. Flowering occurs from September to December, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical capsule 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) long and 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide, with its valves located near rim level. Yarra gum grows in valleys and adjacent slopes in open woodland, most of its original habitat has now been cleared for agricultural use. It occurs in the region between Melbourne, Daylesford and Ararat.
