Thread: not really timber, just an interesting ID

I hope this thread grows Mick

I hope I can contribute

Question is why were you running is they caught you with the chainsaw

what you are posibly seeing is an intermediate stage of growth between juvenie foliage and adult foliage.

It is common for juvenile foliage to be larger wider or even a completely different shape (ie round as opposed lance shaped). It is also possible that it is a hybrid of some kind although I am less inclined t think that at this point.

The description I have for C. citridora says juvenile leaves are lanceolate (widest part below the middle of the leaf) with wavy margin which your photos indicate. Lemony smell when crushed (i tried scratching the monitor but no dice) slightly shorter and slightly wider than the adult leaf. The adult leaf is usually less than 2 cm at the widest part. (Costermans trees and shrubs of SE Australia )
Fruit for C Citriodora is similar to C maculata (slightly smaller) which yours appear to be.

I suggest investing in a copy of Costermans trees and shrubs of SE Australia. published by Reed New Holland. there is much more to accurate identification. style of tree, bark type and colour, number flowers in bracts and bud shapes , fruit (gumnuts) types and the number and positioning of the valves, leaves etc.

I will say though I 'm not sure how well costermans covers QLD so other suggestions welcome.

Originally Posted by dadpad

what you are posibly seeing is an intermediate stage of growth between juvenie foliage and adult foliage.

It is common for juvenile foliage to be larger wider or even a completely different shape (ie round as opposed lance shaped). It is also possible that it is a hybrid of some kind although I am less inclined t think that at this point.

The description I have for C. citridora says juvenile leaves are lanceolate (widest part below the middle of the leaf) with wavy margin which your photos indicate. Lemony smell when crushed (i tried scratching the monitor but no dice) slightly shorter and slightly wider than the adult leaf. The adult leaf is usually less than 2 cm at the widest part. (Costermans trees and shrubs of SE Australia )
Fruit for C Citriodora is similar to C maculata (slightly smaller) which yours appear to be.

I suggest investing in a copy of Costermans trees and shrubs of SE Australia. published by Reed New Holland. there is much more to accurate identification. style of tree, bark type and colour, number flowers in bracts and bud shapes , fruit (gumnuts) types and the number and positioning of the valves, leaves etc.

I will say though I 'm not sure how well costermans covers QLD so other suggestions welcome.

I'd agree with you dadpad, if it were a juvenille tree, but it is 10m + and been there as long as I can remember 10years +, and the adult torelliana leaf is the round one. I've got some good pages for ID, but coould do with more, so thanks for the tip on Costermans!

Cheers
Michael
I forgot to say the tree is definitely not pure citriodora nor maculata, nor Henryi, I'll get a photo of it tomorrow and a photo of a juvenille torelliana for the leaves.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

I hope this thread grows Mick

I hope I can contribute

Question is why were you running is they caught you with the chainsaw

hehe, no, just trying to hold back the sands of time. Hope you can contribute too.

Cheers
Michael

Here's some photos taken on my run today. First and second photos are of juvenile torelliana, first is no more than 1" diameter and second is ~2" diameter. Confirmed there are no different juvenille leaves. Third photo is not good but is of the tree sowing two types of leaves (you'll have to take my word for it). Last photo is the trunk and lower limbs of the tree - typical torelliana.

Cheers
Michael

that is a cadagi tree "Corymbia torreliana"

http://uqconnect.net/~zzrzabel/cadgai-tree.html

is is already a declared weed in most areas.

beautifully timber but lotsa sap.

it may have a disease that is causing the leaves to grow longer it has been known to happen before.

the big one we felled up here at the local hall (800mm diamiter) had round leaves that were always covered in soot. the one next to it only about 200mm diameter had longer thinner leaves and never had a problem with soot.

some species like gum top box and even bluegum and flooded gum can easily be mistaken for cadagi.

young leaves start out long and thin with a red tip then lose the red tip and broaden

Originally Posted by weisyboy

it may have a disease that is causing the leaves to grow longer it has been known to happen before.
young leaves start out long and thin with a red tip then lose the red tip and broaden

Ta Carl
Interesting... the crown is dying so the tree is in trouble for some reason. Do you have names or references/links to the diseases you're talking about?

The young leaves change as they grow, but the leaves of juvenile trees are the same as adult trees.

Cheers
Michael

i have no idea about disease names just like i wouldn't have a clue about scientific names i know what i call them and what all the old timers call them and every time i here a new name i register it in my head. like the cadagi is also commonly referd to as rose gum round here.

i take notice of trees and what is happening to them so i can look at a tree and say that is a (insert tree name here) and it (is or isn't sick) and those symptoms (will or wont) kill it.

oh well thanks anyway.

Cheers
Michael

That black soot on the leaves of Cadagi it the result of sugary excretions, as I understand things. It is a mould that grows on the excretions. Have yet to see a Cadagie without it.

Many adult trees throw juvenile or other malformed leaves when stressed due to disease, insect attack or external damage. I am currently doing insect monitoring on the north coast of Tasmania and I am seeing a lot of eucs, some over 30 years old, throwing juvenile leaves after being attacked by insects last season and some that were affected by minor bushfires. These leaves seem to attract the insects a lot more than the regular adult leaves. It was explained to me by an entymologist (etymologist?) that this is because the juvenile leaves have a high sugar content and the bugs just can't resist.

Thankyou Ravvin71, more food for thought.

Cheers
Michael