Corymbia tessellaris (F.Muell.) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson

Hill, K.D. & Johnson, L.A.S. (1995) Telopia 6: 402.

Moreton Bay Ash; Carbeen Bloodwood; Ash, Moreton Bay; Carbeen

Bark on the lower trunk flaky or tessellated but smooth and white or grey on the upper trunk and branches, the junction of the two bark types being very distinct and the transition very abrupt. Dead bark layered.

Leaf blades about 6.5-18 x 0.8-2.9 cm, about 5-15 times as long as wide. Lateral veins about 40-70 pairs. Intramarginal vein close to the margin.

Peduncles slightly angled to terete. Individual flowers pedicellate. Operculum patelliform, about 3-5 mm diam., much shorter than the calyx tube (hypanthium). Outer operculum shed early, well before the mature bud stage.

Fruits pedicellate, truncate-ovate to almost urceolate, not very woody, about 8-12 x 6-10 mm. Valves 3-4, included. Disk inconspicuous. Seeds with a rudimentary marginal wing.

Cotyledons reniform. Oil dots small, numerous, visible with a lens. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic; oil dots sparse, more numerous about the margin and towards the apex of the leaf blade. Lignotuber present. Seed germination time 5 to 9 days.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards to northern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in CYP and NEQ from sea level to 750 m. Grows in open forest, dry sclerophyll forest, beach forest and on rain forest margins. Also occurs in New Guinea.

A widespread tree often planted as a street tree and in parks and gardens. Its trunk is smooth with a short dark and strongly tessellated stocking.