DESCRIBING TREES

Most tree types have 2 names; a scientific (family) name and a common name.

EXAMPLE

Kurrajong is the common name for Brachychiton populneum. Scientific names are in in italics. Common names are popular but confusing. Many trees are called White gums but they are not all the same. The scientifica name means there is only one name for that type or species of tree and no other tree can have that name.

The scientific name consists of 2 words. Eg white box is eucalyptus albens.
  1. Eucalyptus is the genus name and means that all trees called Eucalyptus are similar in many ways.
  2. Albens means this tree is different from the other Eucalypts.

A number of characteristics are used to identify and describe trees. These are as follows:

LEAF ARRANGEMENT





LEAF SHAPE





TREE SHAPE




STALKING















EUCALYPT (GUM) NUT




BARK OF EUCALYPTS

GUM ----> smooth to touch
BOX -----> rough may be smooth on upper branches
IRONBARK ------> very rough, hard & corrugated
STRINGYBARK -----> rough pulls off in long strips
BLOODWOOD -------> rough with squareish pattern

BRACKS

SEGMENTS OF THE NUTS OF CYPRESS PINE

TRICK LEAVES

Not all trees have true leaves. Some leaves are so small it is almost impossible to see them. When this happens as with cypress pine the stem takes over the work of the leaves and is called a CLADODE.



In some wattles the leaves have disappeared entirely to be replaced with an enlarged leaf stalk called a PHYLLODE.




IDENTIFICATION


1. TREES THAT LOOK LIKE EUCALYPTS (GUMS)?



YES --> 2 NO --> G

  1. MATURE LEAVES OPPOSITE & NUTS RIDGED?



YES ----> B


  1. MATURE LEAVES ALTERNATE & NUTS SMOOTH?

YES----> C

B. ANGOPHORAS (NATIVE APPLES)


BARK SMOOTH, SALMON PINK?
YES ---> smooth barked apple (angophora costata)?

BARK ROUGH & LEAVES USUALLY WIDER THAN 2CM?
YER---> rough barked apple (angphora floribunda)


  1. EUCALYPTS

BARK MOSTLY SMOOTH. MAY BE ROUGH AT BASE OF TRUNK?
YES -----> D

BARK ROUGH ON TRUNK MAY BE SMOOTH ON UPPER BRANCHES

BARK VERY HARD DARK & CORRUGATED?

YES ---> ironbark ----> E

NO ----->F


  1. GUMS

TREE FOUND ON RIVER BANK OR FLOOD PLAIN?

LARGE TREE ALWAYS FOUND ON FLOOD PLAIN?

YES---->river red gum (e cameldulensis)

NO ---->LEAVES & BUDS ASHY. ROUGH BARK PARTWAY UP. TRUNK

YES--->RED GUM USUALLY FOUND SHALLOW STONEY SOILS.
hill red gum (e deelbata) BARK BLOTCHED BUT SMOOTH --> red gum
MORE COMMON ON DEEP SANDY SOILS ---> blakelys red gum (e blakelyi)





E. IRONBARKS

LEAVES BROAD & SILVERY, OPPOSITE & STALKLESS, RELATIVELY SHORT TRUNK. AND SPREADING CROWN.

YES ---> silver leaved ironbark (e melonophilia)

LEAVES NARROW & ASHY COLOURED. GENERALLY SMALL TREE. LEAVES ALTERNATE. FRUIT 6-12 MM.

YES----> blue leaved ironbark (e fibross)


LEAVES LONG & NARROW & DULL GREEN. ALTERNATE & STALKED. FRUITS SMALL 4-5MM.

YES ----> narrow leaved ironbark (e crebre)



F. BOXES

1. LEAVES SHINY & GREEN?

YES ---> LEAVES ROUNDED & BROAD?
YES -- > bimble box (e populnea)

LEAVES NARROW & LONG?
YES---->pilliga box (e pilligaaneis)


  1. LEAVES ASHY OR GREEN GREY – NOT SHINY?
YES---->SPREADING TREE, ASHY LEAVES. FRUIT 6-15MM?
YES ----> white box (e olbena)

  1. LARGE DROOPING TREE. FRUITS <6MM. MAY HAVE VERY LITTLE BARK ON TRUNK.
        YES-----> yellow box (e melliadora)

G. NON EUCALYPTS

  1. LEAVES REDUCED TO SCALES OR PHYLLODES?
    YES----> PHYLLODES. SMALL FLOWERS IN BRIGHT CLUSTERS?
    YES----> wattles

LEAVES REDUCED TO SCALE -----> H

DROOPING SHRUB. ASHY PHYLLODES. 5-9MMLONG X 3-8MM WIDE.
PODS FIST & WINGED – 1CM X 2-5CM LONG

YES---------> myall (boree) (acacia penduka)

PHYLLODES SILVER & CURVED, 10-20CM LONG
YES --> brigalow (a harophyllie)

PHYLLODES GREYISH. 2-5CM LONG X 2-9MM WIDE. THIN PODS SLIGHTLY CURVED. 2-5CM LONG.
YES-----> yarrah (a homalophylia)


  1. TREES WITH TRUE LEAVES
YES ----> I








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