162 MYRTACEAE 
Inflorescence of solitary axillary umbels on current 
seasons shoots. Peduncles 9-13 mm long. Buds on 
long pedicels, globular, 8-18 mm long incl. pedicels, 
4-5.5 mm wide; operculum longer than the 
hypanthium, hemispherical, apiculate. Capsules on 
pedicels 5-8 mm long; hypanthium hemispherical, 
2-3 mm long, 5-6.5 mm wide; valves strongly exsert. 
Flowering: Mar - Sept; fruiting: most months. 
Fig. 49 River Red Gum 
A common species on watercourses in inland 
Australia and the most widespread of all eucalypts, 
occurring in all mainland states. Not common in the 
DR. Used extensively in landscaping in Darwin. The 
form found in the DR differs from the subtropical 
and temperate forms in having a shorter operculum. 
E. clavigera A.Cunn. ex Schauer 
Tree to 10(18) m, deciduous; bark grey and neatly 
tessellated on the lower trunk, smooth and white 
above. Leaves opposite or alternate; petioles 13-30 
mm long; blades dull, concolorous, lanceolate or 
broadly lanceolate, 85-220 mm long, 28-70(90) mm 
wide, L/B (1.8)3-8.2. Inflorescence on last seasons 
wood, consisting of a series of contracted panicles of 
many flowered umbels. Buds on long pedicels, clavate 
to campanulate, 14-44 mm long incl. pedicels, 
4.6-6.3 mm wide; operculum saucer shaped, rounded. 
Capsules on pedicels 10-30 mm long; hypanthium 
obscurely striate, truncate-ovoid, 8-16 mm long, 
4-10 mm wide. Seed saucer shaped. Flowering: 
Sept - Nov; fruiting: Oct - Nov. Fig. 50 
Distributed from the Kimberley to eastern Arnhem 
Land. Widespread in the DR on a variety of well 
drained soils. The species drops its leaves in late July 
and immediately flushes with wine red foliage which 
turns green in a few days; flower buds are produced 
about the same time. 
E. confertiflora F.Muell. 
Tree to 12 m high, often with a broadly spreading 
crown; deciduous; bark neatly tessellated on lower 
trunk, smooth and white above. Branchlets glabrous 
or softly hairy or scabrous. Intermediate leaves 
petiolate, cordate, broadly ovate, with blades to 
290 mm long, to 300 mm wide. Petioles 0-17(30) mm 
long. Leaf blades concolorous, scabrous, cordate or 
obtuse at base, broadly lanceolate, narrowly lanceo- 
late or elliptic, 35-185 mm long, (20)32-85(140) mm 
wide, L/B 1.4-3.6. Inflorescence on last seasons (? or 
older) wood,“clavigera” type. Buds long pedicellate, 
clavate to campanulate, 15-25 mm long incl. pedicel, 
‘4-6 mm wide; operculum saucer shaped, rounded. 
Capsules on pedicels (6)13-25 mm long; hypanthium 
Eucalyptus 
truncate-ovoid or ellipsoid, obscurely striate, 8- 
12 mm long, 6-10 mm wide. Seed saucer shaped. 
Flowering: June - Nov; fruiting: July - Dec. Fig. 50 
Tropical Australia and New Guinea. Reasonably 
common in woodland communities in the southern 
part of the DR. E. confertiflora is characterised by its 
heavy flowering towards the end of the Dry season, 
often when still leafless. 
E. dichromophloia F.Muell. 
Tree to 9 m, deciduous; bark smooth, white, 
usually with red and brown persistent flakes on the 
trunk. Petioles 10-22 mm long. Leaf blades 
lanceolate, 60-150 mm long, 13-50 mm wide, L/B 
2.8-8.4. Inflorescence a terminal corymb. Buds 
pedicellate, globular or slightly obovoid, 8-12 mm 
long incl. pedicel, 3-5 mm wide; operculum saucer 
shaped, apiculate. Capsules on pedicels 2-5 mm long; 
hypanthium urceolate, rarely cylindrical, 6-8 mm 
long, 6-7 mm wide. Seed winged. Flowering: Mar - 
Apr; fruiting: May - July. Fig. 50 
Confined to the NT north of Katherine where it 
occurs in woodlands on skeletal soils. Not common 
in the DR; may be seen in the woodlands on the low 
hills just north of Pine Creek. 
E. ferruginea Schauer 
Tree to 12 m, usually smaller; bark bloodwood 
type to the outer branches; branchlets and new leaves 
scabrous with mustard to rusty coloured hairs, 
becoming glabrous with age. Leaves + opposite; 
petioles (0)4-6(20) mm long; blades elliptic or broadly 
lanceolate, 60-140 mm long, 30-60(100) mm wide, 
L/B 1.2-2.8, the base cordate or rarely obtuse, apex 
obtuse to acute, usually mucronate. Inflorescence a 
terminal panicle with branchlets, buds and young fruit 
scabrous hairy. Buds sessile or shortly pedicellate, 
obconic, 9-11 mm long incl. pedicel, 7-8 mm wide; 
operculum saucer shaped, + apiculate. Capsules on 
stout pedicels 1-3(6) mm long; hypanthium urceolate, 
sometimes globular, 13-35 mm long, 11-23 mm wide; 
valves deeply sunken. Seed winged. Flowering: Dec 
- June, mostly in Jan and Feb; fruiting: Apr - Oct. 
Fig. 50 
Distributed from the Kimberley to Arnhem Land 
but restricted to the southern part of the DR. A 
species of sandy soils. 
E. foelscheana F.Muell. 
Tree to 10 m, usually smaller; bark smooth 
throughout with flakes of bark persisting at least on 
the lower trunk. Intermediate leaves to 210 mm wide. 
