Eucalyptus aka Gum

Eucalyptus is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs, or mallees in the my family, Myrtaceae. They are commonly known as eucalypts and are native to Australia, with representative species found in every state and territory. Eucalypt forests make up about three-quarters of Australian forests. These plants have various types of bark, including smooth, fibrous, hard, or stringy, and their leaves contain oil glands. The sepals and petals are fused to form a "cap" or operculum over the stamens, and the fruit is a woody capsule known as a "gumnut." Some eucalypt species have adapted to wildfires and can resprout or have fire-resistant seeds. While most eucalypts are found in Australia, a few species can be found on islands north of the continent or in other countries where they have been grown in plantations for their fast growth, valuable timber, honey production, or essential oils. However, their high inflammability has led to their removal in some areas due to the danger of forest fires. One particular species, Eucalyptus globulus, can grow as tall as 90-100 meters and has smooth, white to cream-colored bark. Its leaves are glaucous elliptic to egg-shaped when young and lance-shaped or curved when mature. The white flowers are arranged in umbels and the fruit is a woody conical or hemispherical capsule.