About Eucalyptus mannifera Mudie
Eucalyptus mannifera Mudie is a tree that typically reaches 20 to 25 metres (66 to 82 feet) in height, and forms a woody lignotuber at its base. It has smooth, powdery bark that is white or grey, sometimes marked with red patches, and the bark is shed in short ribbons, flakes or plates. Young plants and coppice regrowth have leaves that range from linear to lance-shaped or curved, measuring 40 to 100 millimetres (1.6 to 3.9 inches) long and 5 to 18 millimetres (0.20 to 0.71 inches) wide. Mature adult leaves are lance-shaped to curved, and are the same shade of green on both sides. Adult leaves are 70 to 185 millimetres (2.8 to 7.3 inches) long and 10 to 30 millimetres (0.39 to 1.18 inches) wide, tapering to a petiole 5 to 22 millimetres (0.20 to 0.87 inches) long. Flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven, growing on an unbranched peduncle 5 to 10 millimetres (0.20 to 0.39 inches) long, with individual buds attached to pedicels 1 to 5 millimetres (0.039 to 0.197 inches) long. Mature buds are oval, 4 to 6 millimetres (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and 2 to 4 millimetres (0.079 to 0.157 inches) wide, with a conical or rounded operculum. Flowering occurs between January and May, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody capsule that is cup-shaped, hemispherical or conical, 3 to 5 millimetres (0.12 to 0.20 inches) long and 4 to 7 millimetres (0.16 to 0.28 inches) wide, with valves that protrude above the fruit's rim.
Commonly called brittle gum, this species is widespread in south-eastern New South Wales (south from Rylstone) and in eastern Victoria. It usually grows in shallow, rocky soils. Two subspecies, praecox and gullickii, are only found in New South Wales, and both have broader leaves than the nominate subspecies mannifera.
