Eucalyptus

From ArticleWorld

The diverse group of trees which has dominated the Australian continent is the eucalyptus. There are about 700 species, most which are found in Australia with a few in New Guinea and Indonesia. Some of the names given to these trees include gum tress, box, ironbark and ash.

Description

The Eucalyptus trees are easily recognizable by their flowers and fruits. The flowers have no petals as these manifest as a cap which falls off when the flower opens. The fruits are cone-shaped and possess valves at the end which when open release the seeds. They tend to be evergreens with few exceptions. The leaves produce oils and also shoe leaf dimorphism. This is where when young the leaves exhibit a form alternative to the form when they are mature. The trees do not flower of bear fruit until this adult foliage is present. The bark of the tree dies every year and the species may be classified according to the appearance of the bark.

Uses

Eucalypt leaves have a powerful chemical which may be toxic in large quantities however this is tolerable by some marsupial herbivores such as the koalas. They feed on these leaves and determine whether they can safely consume them based on smell. The eucalypts also support the larvae of several insect species which also consume them. Eucalyptus trees are of economic value as they serve many purposes. They are valuable as timber, firewood, pulpwood and ornaments. Due to their high growth rate they may also be used as wind breakers. They have roots that absorb a lot of water and this finds applications such as the reduction of water tables and the draining of soils that may otherwise cause the buildup of mosquitoes. The eucalyptus oil is also useful as a food additive in minimal quantities and nectar extracts from some plants can be used to produce honey. There are some tranquilizer properties exhibited by some of the plants.

Hazards

These trees tend to shed entire branches in drought making them very dangerous and resulting in many deaths. The trees are also very flammable and this results in bush fires that can be easily spread due to the oils in the eucalyptus leaves. This usually assists these trees in spreading into other areas as they are very resilient however means other valuable species are lost. The spread of these trees is an ecological hazard in many areas as they are invasive and inhospitable to animals.