River Red Gum
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
-31.8846, 141.241
Field Notes
Description:
Growing right out of the middle of a sandy riverbed and up to 45 metres tall. Usually very thick trunks support much thinner to wispy branches. Bark is often creamy white but goes very dark and rough in patches. Leaves are smallish, very dark and thick. The timber is very dense and a deep red colour.
Habitat:
Found inside and next to most watercourses inland Australia. These ones are growing within a sandy river bed.
Notes:
Iconic eucalyptus with the greatest natural range of any E species. Due to it's resistance to termites and rot It was much sought after for long-term timber uses such as railway sleepers.
These trees are critically dependent upon a climatic regime of drought and flood. They are well equipped to last up to decades without rain by drawing on very deep water reserves in sandy river beds but they are also dependent upon floods to flower, produce and distribute seed.
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