TREES OF HEPBURN SHIRE AND THE WOMBAT FOREST

(listed in order of botanical name)

Under construction - more species and descriptions to be added

Acacia dealbata | Silver Wattle

Shrub or small tree, typically <7m, but sometimes considerably more depending on provenance and position in landscape. Blue-green bipinnate leaves. Slight gap between pinnules. Bright yellow flowers globular and in long clusters (racemes). Very widespread tree throughout Hepburn Shire, often noted on roadsides.

Acacia implexa | Lightwood

Small tree typically to 6m. Sickle shaped leaves (phyllodes), with several main veins running parallel. Leaves generally more narrow than A. melanoxylon. Silvery-grey bark. Pale yellow globular flowerheads in loose cluster (racemes). Largely confined to drier parts of Hepburn Shire such as Creswick, Clunes, Hepburn Springs and Porcupine Ridge.

Acacia mearnsii | Black Wattle

Tree typically to 15m. Dark-green sub-glossy bipinnate leaves. Leaf glands irregularly spaced between pinnae pairs (as opposed to A. dealbata which has leaf glands regularly centred between pinnae pairs). Pale yellow globular flowers (flowers later than A. dealbata and A. nanodealbata). Scattered throughout Hepburn Shire and drier parts of the Wombat Forest.

Acacia melanoxylon | Blackwood

A variable tree, can remain small on infertile sites or reach 30-40m in fertile gully lines. Foliage often dense and dark green. Leaves (phyllodes) have multiple main veins running lengthways along leaf. Globular flowers cream to pale yellow in small clusters (racemes). Seed pods somewhat coiled. Seeds attached to pod by a red funicle (funicle shown in image; a handy identification feature).

Acacia nanodealbata | Dwarf Silver Wattle

Small tree typically to 6m. Distinguishable from A. dealbata by the pinnules (small divisions of the leaflets) being touching rather than spaced slightly apart. Pods on A. nanodealbata are shorter and wider. Most occurences within Hepburn Shire are in the Wombat Forest near Bullarto and Trentham. A few records to the south of Creswick (and beyond into Ballarat)

Acacia pycnantha | Golden Wattle

Slender small tree typically to 7m. Wide bright-green leaves (phyllodes) with one main vein down centre. Golden-yellow globular flowers in large clusters (racemes). Common to the north of Daylesford (Hepburn Springs, Dry Diggings, Shepherds Flat etc.) and around Creswick. Uncommon or absent in other parts of Hepburn Shire.

Allocasuarina littoralis | Black Sheoke

A small upright tree to 10m. Deeply fissured grey bark. Green foliage (photosynthetic stems), narrow and mostly held upright. Generally dioecious (separate male and female plants), although sometimes monoecious (as pictured). Male flowerheads in bright red spikes. Females forming cones. Within Hepburn Shire, this species is almost exclusively confined to Creswick. Absent within the Wombat Forest.

Allocasuarina verticillata | Drooping Sheoke

Small tree typically to 7m. Weeping grey-green needle-like foliage. Typically dioecious (separate male and female plants). Males bearing orange-red flowerhead clusters, females bearing cones with sharply pointed valves. Almost black coloured bark on established trees. Recorded in the west of Hepburn Shire around Creswick and Clunes (abundant on Mt. Beckworth) and in the north at Elevated Plains and Glenlyon. Absent in other parts of shire.

Eucalyptus aromaphloia | Scent-bark

A medium sized tree typically to 20m. Bark fibrous and corky, persistent to small branches, some say it has a distinctive odour (debated). Fruit and buds vary between clusters but often in 7's. Fruit almost spherical, exsert rounded valves. Juvenile leaves roughly egg-shaped. Adult leaves relatively narrow and mostly under 20cm in length. Occurs in a line running Porcupine Ridge, Hepburn Springs, Blampied, Creswick in dry forests and woodlands.

Eucalyptus brookeriana | Brooker's Gum

A tree to 40m typically of higher rainfall fertile forests and woodlands. Usually in swampy ground or low-lying areas. Persistent bark for several metres up trunk, often slightly corky and covered in mosses etc. Upper trunk and branches relatively clean white bark. Adult leaves glossy green, lance shaped, usually 10-15cm long x 20-50mm wide. Juvenile leaves are the best identification feature; have a deep blue hue, are often covered in small glands on close inspection and margin is minutely wavy (crenulate). Fruit and buds usually in 7's. Fruit triangular in profile (cone shaped), often slightly more rounded that E. ovata at base. Eucalyptus brookeriana is common in the Triangle between Musk, Trentham and Blackwood. It also occurs south of Creswick. Very similar to E. ovata and E. yarraensis.

Eucalyptus camaldulensis | River Red Gum

A large tree to 40m, often with a rounded spreading canopy. Trunk and branches largely clean-barked white and grey, some rough bark at base of trunk. Adult leaves pale green, narrow. Juvenile leaves opposite or alternate, broad lanceolate. Buds often in 7's (9's or 11's), strongly beaked. Distinctive fruit small with strongly protruding valves. Occurs in the west and north of Hepburn Shire. Absent within the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus dalrympleana | Mountain Gum

Tall tree typically <40m. Buds in 3's, rounded juvenile leaves with a point at tip. Very similar to E. rubida but has slightly larger fruit with longer pedicels (stems on fruit), valves more protruding (exsert) and a flatter or more squared off rim. Leaves wider than E.rubida in some instances. Occurs throughout the Wombat Forest (more common than E. rubida in the W.F.), particularly on hillsides and gentle slopes. Uncommon in other parts of Hepburn Shire.

Eucalyptus dives | Broad-leaf Peppermint

A medium-sized tree typically <20m. Juvenile leaves are stem-clasping and grey. Adult leaves generally more than 20mm wide. Usually 10 or so buds per cluster. Fruit larger than E. radiata. Common in well-drained dry forest communities throughout Hepburn Shire and the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus goniocalyx | Long-leaf Box

A gnarly box-barked tree typically to 15m. Common in dry low-fertility forests around Creswick, Clunes, Hepburn Springs and Porcupine Ridge. Rounded juvenile leaves grey-green. Adult leaves long, often >20cm and mid-green. Large cup-shaped fruit in clusters of 7 or less. Standing trees and fallen branches form good hollows. Similar to E. nortonii which has distinctly glaucous (powdery) buds and juvenile leaves.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp. pruinosa | Yellow Gum

A large tree to 25m, erect or with a spreading shape (reminiscent of E. camaldulensis). White trunk and branches with grey streaks. Some rough bark and ribbons on lower trunk. Adult leaves narrow and pale green. Juvenile leaves teardrop shaped, opposite, glaucous grey green. Buds usually in 3's, globular with pointed cap. Fruit cup shaped with deeply recessed valves (a good identification feature to separate from E. camaldulensis). Largely confined to Creswick, Clunes and Campbelltown areas within Hepburn Shire (prevalent beyond to the north and west). Absent within the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus melliodora | Yellow Box

A medium-sized box-barked tree typically to 25m. Bark usually persistent to small branches. However, large old individuals sometimes clean on larger branches and upper trunk. Adult leaves pale green / grey-green usually <15cm long and relatively narrow. Juvenile leaves dull green and egg-shaped. Buds and fruit in clusters of 7 or less. Fruit small. Can superficially resemble E.radiata which can be distinguished by fruit and buds in clusters of >8. Common in drier parts of Hepburn Shire in forest or woodland around Creswick and Clunes, Hepburn Springs and Glenlyon. Absent or almost so within the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus nortonii | Mealy Bundy

A fibrous-barked tree to 15m, often gnarly or multi-trunked. Adult leaves large and long, blue-green and non-glossy. Can be distinguished from E. goniocalyx by silvery or glaucous juvenile leaves and associated stems and typically glaucous (powdery white) buds. Occurs in Clunes and north from Daylesford (e.g. Yandoit, Porcupine Ridge)

Eucalyptus obliqua | Messmate

A variable stringy-barked species sometimes reaching 50m in fertile high rainfall areas, substantially smaller on dry infertile sites. Adult leaves dark green, slightly glossy, 10-20cm long. Juvenile leaves smaller and opposite, often dotted with glands on seedlings. Wine glass shaped fruit in clusters of 7 to 15, approximately 8mm across, valves recessed. A very widespread species throughout Hepburn Shire and the Wombat Forest, occurring in moist and dry forest situations.

Eucalyptus ovata | Swamp Gum

A tree typically to 25m, often quite broad owing to long branches. Bark usually persistent for a few metres on trunk, shed in ribbons above Adult leaves broad, dark green, slightly glossy, wavy/undulating on margins. Juvenile leaves oval and opposite. Buds and fruit usually in 7's. Fruit triangular in profile (cone shaped). Widespread across Hepburn Shire in depressions in the landscape or seasonally swampy ground. Occurs in the Wombat Forest, although E. brookeriana is more prevalent, particularly between Bullarto, Trentham and Blakeville. Very similar to E. yarraensis and E. brookeriana.

Eucalyptus pauciflora | Snow Gum

A gnarled medium to erect tall tree, local form occasionally reaching 30m. Trunk relatively clean barked and similar to E. rubida, E. viminalis etc. in appearance. Fruit distinct, large, approximately 1cm across, rounded with a flat end, valves below rim level. Adult leaves leathery with secondary veins relatively prominent running length-ways. Juvenile leaves egg-shaped and pointed. Uncommon though widespread within Hepburn Shire, occurring from Creswick through to Trentham. Largely absent within the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus polyanthemos | Red Box

Typically a small tree to 15m owing to it's slow growth and usual position in infertile landscapes. Leaves rounded, blue-green, sometimes obcordate (heart shaped, v at leaf tip). Juvenile leaves larger, softer/thinner, sometimes wider than long. Bark grey-brown, box-type (rough but not stringy), persistent to smallest branches. Buds and fruit in 3-7. Fruit small, pear-shaped, valves below rim level, pedicels (stalk on individual fruits) distinct. Confined to the drier parts of Hepburn Shire, Drummond, Porcupine Ridge, north from Daylesford, north from Creswick. Absent or nearly so in the Wombat Forest.

Eucalyptus radiata | Narrow-leaf Peppermint

A medium sized tree typically to 30m. Bark persistent to small branches, sometimes larger branches clean on very old individuals. Juvenile leaves opposite. Adult and juvenile leaves narrow (<2cm width), matt olive-green, fragrant. Buds and fruits are numerous per cluster, typically between 7 and 16, sometimes more. Fruit small, cup shaped, valves below rim level. Widespread throughout most of Hepburn Shire and the Wombat Forest. Prefers more moisture than E.dives, E. melliodora, E. goniocalyx, as such, typically occurs in lower or more fertile niches within landscape.

Eucalyptus rubida Candlebark

A variable tree between 15m and 30m tall. Typically relatively clean-barked with green, grey and/or salmon highlights on white trunk. Juvenile leaves a good identification tool: Grey-green rounded juvenile leaves usually wider than they are long, sometimes notched at tip, sometimes slightly pointed. Buds and fruit in clusters of 3. Fruit usually slightly smaller than E. viminalis and E. dalrympleana and stems (peduncles) on fruit short so that the fruit are touching or almost so. Adult leaves often slightly paler (greyer) than E. viminalis. Occurs in both dry and damp situations and is widespread throughout much of Hepburn Shire and the Wombat Forest. Sometimes a gnarly tree forming good hollows, particularly on less fertile sites.

Eucalyptus viminalis Manna Gum

Large tree, can exceed 50m in fertile gully situations. Green, slightly glossy, narrow pendulous leaves to 20cm. Juvenile leaves (top right in photo) are the best identification tool if present - narrow, stalkless, bright green, opposite (paired). Smooth white trunk with bark ribbons shedding or hanging in branches. Often some persistent bark at base of trunk. Buds and fruit usually in 3's. Fruit rounded, pedicels (stem on fruit) short, pedicel on middle fruit often longer, valves exsert. E. viminalis, E. rubida and E. dalrympleana are superficially very similar. E. viminalis and E. rubida are both common across Hepburn Shire. E. viminalis has a tendency to grow on lower sites and more fertile ground. Juvenile leaves are the easiest method of identification where present.

Eucalyptus yarraensis | Yarra Gum

A tree typically to 15m or so, with short trunk or multiple trunks. Bark persistent to small branches (aids in distinguishing from E. brookeriana and E. ovata). Juvenile leaves oval and alternate, slightly glossy. Buds and fruit usually in 7's. Fruit somewhat triangular in profile (although less so than E. ovata) and noticeably smaller than E. ovata and E. brookeriana. Typically occurs on low-lying or swampy ground. Most local occurrences are around Creswick and in the western parts of the Wombat Forest. Sparse occurrences elsewhere. Critically endangered at the state level (FFG Act).