Eucalyptus megacarpa


Eucalyptus megacarpa, commonly known by its Noongar name of bullich, is a species of robust mallee or small to medium-sized tree with a scattered distribution in the forests of the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth bark throughout, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

Description

Eucalyptus megacarpa is a tree that typically grows to a height of or a robust mallee to, and forms a lignotuber. The bark is smooth throughout, mottled grey, reddish-grey or white. Young plants and coppice regrowth have sessile, broadly lance-shaped leaves that are long and wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of dull to slightly glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped to curved, long and wide on a petiole long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of three on a flat, unbranched peduncle long, the individual buds on pedicels up to long. Mature buds are oval or pear-shaped, long and wide with a beaked operculum. Flowering occurs between April and November and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical capsule long and wide.

Taxonomy

Eucalyptus megacarpa was first formally described by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1860 in Volume 2 of Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from samples collected by George Maxwell near Wilson Inlet in 1858. The specific epithet is a Latin word meaning "large-fruited".

Distribution and habitat

Bullich grows in forest near swamps and along the banks of streams, although the mallee or smaller tree form is found on hillsides. It occurs from near Perth to Cape Leeuwin, Albany and the Stirling Range in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions where it grows in sand and sandy loam soils over limestone.

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "not threatened" in Western Australia by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Use in horticulture

The tree is sold commercially either in seed form or as tube stock. It grows well in a full sun position, will tolerate extended dry period and light frost. The tree can grow in a variety of soil types. It has an average growth rate and is grown as a shade tree in bush style gardens where it attracts birds.