Kingdom Plantae Family Myrtaceae Scientific name Eucalyptus angophoroides | Order Myrtales Genus Eucalyptus Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Eucalyptus cretata, Eucalyptus angustissima, Eucalyptus copulans, Eucalyptus bosistoana, Eucalyptus conica | ||
Eucalyptus angophoroides, commonly known as the apple-topped box, is a common eucalyptus tree of the coastal areas of southern New South Wales and Victoria, Australia.
It is found on moist fertile soils from near Goulburn on the tablelands and Batemans Bay on the coast, southwards to the Strzelecki Ranges in the Gippsland region in the far southeast.
Description
The apple-topped box grows to 40 metres (130 ft) high. Its trunk has rough flaky grey-brown to grey fibrous bark. The adult foliage is alternately arranged along the stems (one leaf at each stem node), while the juvenile foliage is oppositely arranged (a pair of opposed leaves at each stem node). The adult leaves are narrow-lanceolate or lanceolate, around 10–20 centimetres (3.9–7.9 in) long and 1.5–2.5 centimetres (0.59–0.98 in) wide. They are dull green in color or almost shiny on the upper side, with a paler underside. The juvenile leaves are round, with a cordate (base of heart-shaped) base.
The fruits (gumnuts) are hemispherical or conical in shape, 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long and 6–7 millimetres (0.24–0.28 in) in diameter. The disc is flat or slightly raised. The valves are exserted (sharp wooden points emerging out of the top of the gumnut).