Index
|
Search
|
Home
Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl.
Myrtaceae
Swamp yate
Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. unpublished.
- Uses
- Folk Medicine
- Chemistry
- Description
- Germplasm
- Distribution
- Ecology
- Cultivation
- Harvesting
- Yields and Economics
- Energy
- Biotic Factors
- References
Reported as one of the hardest and straightest timbers of the world, with a
tensile strength only slightly below that of wrought iron. The wood is used
for wheelwright work (frames, vehicles, wheel parts) and construction. In
Western Australia, the tree is recommended as a shade tree, suitable for parks
because its light shade doesn't prevent grass. The bark was once used as a
source of tannin.
No data available.
The leaf is reported to contain 0.95% oil with aromadendren (or aromadendrol),
pinene, cineol, and sesquiterpenes. The bark is reported to contain 35–52%
tannin (Watt and Breyer Brandwijk, 1962).
Evergreen tree 15–28 m high, with stout erect trunk to 80 cm diameter;
flat-topped or umbrellalike crown. Bark dark gray or almost black, thick,
rough, fissured, fibrous, not shedding. Leaves alternate, narrowly to broadly
lanceolate, 10–14 cm long, 2–3 cm wide, acute at both ends, sides nearly equal,
entire, glabrous, thick, shiny dark green on both surfaces, petiole to 2 cm
long. Umbels single at leaf base, the stalk 15–25 mm long. Flowers 3–7,
short-stalked, the bud to 20 mm long. Stamens many, long, 8–20 mm long,
yellowish-white, thread-like, with tiny gland-dots, oblong anthers with oblong
gland. Pistil with inferior conical 4-celled ovary and long slender style.
Capsules short-stalked, bell-shaped, 10–18 mm long, 8–12 mm wide. Seeds few,
tiny, 2 mm long, brown (Little, 1983).
Reported from the Australian Center of Diversity, swamp yate, or cvs thereof,
is reported to tolerate alkalinity, drought, heavy soils, salinity, sand, and
brief waterlogging (NAS, 1980a; Little, 1983). It is reported to fare well on
soils with 8% chlorides. (2n = 22)
Native to the southwestern part of Western Australia (elev 50–300 m), the
species has been introduced to northern Africa and southwestern Asia.
Successful plantations are reported from Algeria, California, Hawaii, Iran,
Israel, Morocco, and Sri Lanka (NAS, 1980a).
Estimated to range from Subtropical Thorn to Dry through Warm
Temperate Thorn to Dry Forest Life Zones, swamp yate is estimated or reported
to tolerate annual precipitation of 3 to 10 dm, annual temperature of 16 to
23°C, and pH of 6.0 to 8.2. Summers where the species naturally grows may
attain 38°C, with a dry season up to 7 months; the winters may dip down to
2°C, with up to 20 frosts. Trees often occur in seasonally flooded alluvial
flats and adjacent to salt lakes, on clays.
No data available.
No data available.
Compared to other species of eucalypt, this is a slow grower. Webb et al.
(1980) reported wood yields of 3–8 m3/ha/yr.
The wood burns steadily with a hot fire.
NAS (1980a) reports no pests or diseases.
- Little, E.L. Jr. 1983. Common fuelwood crops: a handbook for their
identification. McClain Printing Co., Parsons, WV.
- N.A.S. 1980a. Firewood crops. Shrub and tree species for energy production.
National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.
- Watt, J.M. and Breyer-Brandwijk, M.G. 1962. The medicinal and poisonous plants
of southern and eastern Africa. 2nd ed. E.&S. Livingstone, Ltd., Edinburgh
and London.
- Webb, D.E., Wood, P.J., and Smith, J. 1980. A guide to species selection for
tropical and sub-tropical plantations. Tropical Forestry Papers 15. CFI, Oxford.
Complete list of references for Duke, Handbook of Energy Crops
Last update Tuesday, January 6, 1998 by aw