About Eucalyptus albens Miq.
Eucalyptus albens Miq. is a tree that grows 15–25 metres (49–82 ft) tall, with a straight trunk that makes up roughly half of its total height and a branched, spreading crown. Its trunk can reach 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) in diameter at breast height, and has rough, fibrous, pale grey, sometimes tessellated bark that extends to the base of its larger branches. The bark on higher parts of the tree is smooth and white, and is shed annually in short ribbons. Leaves on young plants are arranged alternately, range in shape from egg-shaped to almost round, and are bluish grey. They are 90–150 mm (4–6 in) long, 60–115 mm (2–5 in) wide, and each has a petiole. Adult leaves are lance-shaped, dull greyish green, and paler on one side. They measure 100–160 mm (4–6 in) long and 17–30 mm (0.7–1 in) wide, with a 15–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long petiole. Flower buds are arranged on a branching inflorescence, with seven buds in each group on every branch. The peduncle is flattened or angular, 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long, and each individual flower sits on a cylindrical pedicel up to 5 mm (0.2 in) long. The buds range from spindle-shaped to more or less cylindrical, 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide, with a cone-shaped operculum that is roughly the same length as the floral cup. The flowers are white, and bloom in autumn from March to May. The fruit is urn-shaped to barrel-shaped, 6–14 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. This tree, commonly called white box, grows in grassy eucalypt woodlands on plains or gently sloping areas, ranging from south-east Queensland through the western slopes of New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria as far south as Yea. Isolated populations are found in the Flinders Ranges and near Melrose in South Australia. It grows alongside inland grey box, Eucalyptus conica (fuzzy box), Eucalyptus melliodora (yellow box), Eucalyptus pilligaensis (Pilliga grey box), Eucalyptus sideroxylon (red ironbark), Eucalyptus crebra (narrow-leaved ironbark), Eucalyptus blakelyi (Blakely's red gum), Angophora (apple) species, Callitris endlicheri (black cypress), Callitris glaucophylla (white cypress), Brachychiton populneus (kurrajong) and Acacia (wattle) species. This tree produces heavy, hard wood that is used for railway sleepers and fence posts, and its flowers produce nectar for the honey industry.
