Eucalyptus megacornuta  C. Gardn. Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family) West Australia Warted Yate

                                            April Photo

Plant Characteristics: Tree, +/- 10 m. tall and +/- as wide, branched above base; bark reddish-brown to gray-brown, mottled and deciduous in patches; juvenile lvs. ovate to lanceolate, opposite becoming alternate, gray-green to green, adult lvs. alternate and sometimes in pairs with one long and one short petiole, petioles terete to channeled, 1-2.5 cm. Long; lvs.  lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, to 8 cm. long, 1.7 cm. wide, shiny green both sides, petioles 1-2.5 cm. long; fls. in a stalked, umbellate peduncle, 1.5 cm. wide, 4 mm. thick, reflexed,  2-7 fls. per stalk; buds (lids) sessile, 7.5 cm. long, funnel shaped, dk. green, grooved, warty; stamens yellow-green; fr. campanulate 2.5 cm. in dia, valves slightly exserted.

Habitat:  Escape from gardens or may have been planted many years ago on Shellmaker Id.

Name:  Named by Charles Austin Gardner, (1896- ).  Greek, megas, great. Latin, cornutus, horned.  (Jaeger 151, 67).

General:  Rare in the study area with only two trees known, these adjacent to each other near the UCI rowing center on Shellmaker Id.  The size of the trees would indicate that they have been there for many years.  (my comments).        In Australia, you seldom find a eucalyptus leaf unchewed by insects; here by contrast, you almost never find one insect-chewed.  Importing has been entirely by seed; no natural pests have been imported by way of living plants.  There are no foliage-attacking diseases of eucalyptus here.  Plants do draw bees.  (Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book 1984. 286).        Recently, there have been reports of a wood-boring beetle that has established itself in Orange and nearby counties.  Certain species of eucalyptus are losing their leaves and dying.  (John Johnson).

Text Ref:  Bailey, Hortus Third, 453; Huxley, Vol. II 228.

Photo Ref:  Mar-April 01 #E, April-May 01 #1,3,6.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found:  April 2001.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 527.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004. 

Last edit 8/6/05.

                    April Photo                                                                     April Photo