Eucalyptus albens

Eucalyptus albens is a tree to 25 metres tall, forming a canopy to 10 metres wide.

It is a common tree in NSW, dominating some parts of the state, growing through the entirety of the western tablelands and central western slopes, just into the far western plains. It extends into Queensland, as far north as a round Kingaroy. It extends into Victoria, into the central and eastern areas, as far south as Melbourne-latitude.

The bark is persistent, light grey to pale and of box-type (finely-tessellated). Branches are smooth and white.

Eucalyptus spp. have simple and usually alternate adult leaves with juvenile leaves starting off opposite to alternate (disjunct). In this species, juvenile leaves and adult leaves are grey to bluish-green on both surfaces with juvenile leaves large and orbicular to ovate. Adult leaves are more lanceolate to 15 cm long and 6 cm wide.

The primary inflorescence of “eucalypts” (Angophora / Corymbia / Eucalyptus) is an umbellaster (an umbel-like cluster of flowers). In the flowers of Corymbia and Eucalyptus, the petals and sepals are fused into the distinctive calyptra / operculum (bud cap) which is shed when the flower opens (in some species, 2 bud caps (opercula) are shed). The flowers are conspicuously staminate – where many stamens are basically taking over the role of the petals, all surrounding one central carpel. In this species, the buds are carried in umbellasters of 3 to 7 and are spindle-shaped (see thumbnail) and glaucous – covered in a waxy resin, to about 18 mm long and 7 mm wide. Large, creamy-white flowers are profuse and conspicuous, to about 2 cm across.

Eucalyptus produce a capsule (gum-nut) which house valves which open to release the seed. The fruits (capsules) of some boxes have a cylindrical to urceolate shape. For this species, this editor has heard them described as looking like small champagne-flutes, which is a good description; each to about 15 mm long by 8 mm wide.