Appearance
Spotted gum is a tall tree with a straight trunk, growing around 35-45 meters in height, with exceptionally big trees reaching 70 meters. However, there is an old reference to a 91 metre tall tree. Spotted gum has smooth powdery bark which is white, grey or pink; often with characteristic patches . The bark is shed in polygonal flakes.The juvenile leaves are glossy green and elliptic to ovate, while the adult leaves are lanceolate and are 10 to 21 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide.
It has small, white flowers occur from winter to spring followed by ovoid or slightly urceolate fruits, which are 10 to 14 mm long and 9 to 11 mm wide.
Umbellasters 3-flowered; peduncle terete, 5–20 mm long; pedicels terete, 3–7 mm long. Buds ovoid, 10–11 mm long, 6–7 mm diam., scar usually absent; calyptra hemispherical or rostrate, shorter than and as wide as hypanthium.
Fruit ovoid or slightly urceolate, 10–14 mm long, 9–11 mm diam.; disc depressed; valves enclosed.
Distribution
''Corymbia maculata'' is a dominant species of open forest in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. It occurs on infertile and dry sites and is associated with the presence of shales and slates.The species is naturalised in Western Australia and South Australia, and in areas of New South Wales and Victoria outside its natural range.
Uses
The hard and durable timber is utilised for a number of purposes.References:
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