Northern salmon gum

Appearance

"Eucalyptus bigalerita" is a tree that typically grows to a height of 6 to 18 metres and forms a lignotuber. The bark is smooth on the trunk and branches, pale orange to creamy-pink when newly exposed, fading to grey before it is shed. Leaves on young plants and on coppice regrowth are arranged alternately, dull greyish green, triangular to heart-shaped, 70–180 mm long, 65–160 mm wide and have a petiole. Adult leaves are triangular to more or less round, mostly 90–150 mm long, 70–150 mm wide on a petiole 3–12 mm long and usually the same glossy green on both sides. The leaves are often shed during the drier months prior to the wet season. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a peduncle usually 3–12 mm long, the individual flowers either sessile or on a pedicel up to 9 mm long. The mature flower buds are more or less spherical, 6–12 mm long, 6–11 mm wide with a rounded to shortly beaked operculum. Flowering occurs between June and September and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical to hemispherical capsule 6–9 mm long, 8–12 mm wide on a pedicel up to 6 mm long.

Naming

"Eucalyptus bigalerita" was first formally described in 1859 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in the "Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany". The specific epithet is derived from the Latin words "bi" meaning "two" or "double": 823  and "galeritus" meaning "wearing a hood": 183  referring to the double operculum of the flowers of this species - Mueller emphasised ""operculo duplici"" in his description.

"Eucalyptus bigalerita" belongs to a small group of species closely related to the red gums. Other members include "E. alba", "E. platyphylla", "E. tintinnans", "E. apodophylla" and "E. houseana". Within the group "E. bigalerita" is most closely related to "E. platyphylla" and "E. tintinnans" and is only weakly separated from both.

Distribution

The northern salmon gum is found in the north of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. In Western Australia it occurs along watercourses and low-lying flats in the Kimberley region where it grows in alluvium or sandy soils. In the Northern Territory it is found across the Top End, including the Tiwi Islands, the Cobourg Peninsula and as far south as Daly Waters.

Status

"Eucalyptus bigalerita" is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Cultural

The plant is easily propagated from seed which germinates readily.