eucalyptus

/ˈjukəˌlɪptəs/

/jukəˈlɪptɪs/

Other forms: eucalypti; eucalyptuses

Eucalyptus is an Australian plant that produces an oil with a strong, distinctive scent. Koalas are famously fond of eating eucalyptus leaves.

There are more than 600 species of eucalyptus trees and shrubs, many of which are known in their native habitat of Australia and Tasmania as "gumtrees." Most North American eucalyptus is raised for its astringent scent, or for use in cut flower arrangements. The word eucalyptus was coined by an 18th-century French botanist, from the Greek eu, "well," and kalyptos, "covered," a description of the plant's flower bud.

Definitions of eucalyptus

1. noun

   a tree of the genus Eucalyptus
   synonyms: eucalypt, eucalyptus tree

   types:

   flooded gum

   any of several Australian gum trees growing on moist or alluvial soil

   mallee

   any of several low-growing Australian eucalypts

   stringybark

   any of several Australian eucalypts having fibrous inner bark

   smoothbark

   any of several Australian eucalypts having the bark smooth except at or near the base of the trunk

   Eucalyptus amygdalina, peppermint, peppermint gum, red gum

   red gum tree of Tasmania

   Eucalyptus calophylla, marri, red gum

   very large red gum tree

   Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus rostrata, river gum, river red gum

   somewhat crooked red gum tree growing chiefly along rivers; has durable reddish lumber used in heavy construction

   Eucalyptus camphora, mountain swamp gum

   medium-sized swamp gum of New South Wales and Victoria

   Eucalyptus coriacea, Eucalyptus pauciflora, ghost gum, snow gum, white ash

   small to medium-sized tree of Australia and Tasmania having smooth white to light-grey bark shedding in patches or strips

   Eucalyptus delegatensis, alpine ash, mountain oak

   tall timber tree with hard heavy pinkish or light brown wood

   Eucalyptus fraxinoides, white mountain ash

   large tree with dark compact bark on lower trunk but smooth and white above; yields lumber similar to that of European or American ashes

   Eucalyptus globulus, blue gum, fever tree

   tall fast-growing timber tree with leaves containing a medicinal oil; young leaves are bluish

   Eucalypt ovata, swamp gum

   medium-sized tree of southern Australia

   Eucalyptus maculata, spotted gum

   large gum tree with mottled bark

   Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus maculata citriodora, lemon-scented gum

   similar to but smaller than the spotted gum and having lemon-scented leaves

   Eucalyptus regnans, mountain ash

   tree having wood similar to the alpine ash; tallest tree in Australia and tallest hardwood in the world

   Eucalyptus viminalis, manna gum

   tall tree yielding a false manna

   Eucalyptus dumosa, congoo mallee, white mallee

   small shrubby mallee

   Eucalyptusd eugenioides, thin-leaved stringybark, white stringybark

   stringybark having white wood

   Eucalypt grandis, rose gum

   very tall tree of Queensland and New South Wales

   Eucalypt gunnii, cider gum

   small to medium-sized tree of Tasmania

   Eucalytus stellulata, black gum, black mallee, black sally

   a small mallee with rough dark-colored bark toward the butt; yields a red eucalyptus kino gum

   Eucalypt tereticornis, forest red gum

   tall tree of Queensland and New South Wales and Victoria

   type of:

   gum, gum tree

   any of various trees of the genera Eucalyptus or Liquidambar or Nyssa that are sources of gum
2. noun

   wood of any of various eucalyptus trees valued as timber
   type of:

   wood

   the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees