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

Voucher:  JAB143, JAB156, JAB160   Previously known as C. tumescens and also known as E. terminalis.

Family:  Myrtaceae.  Common name(s):  Long-fruited bloodwood, western bloodwood, inland bloodwood, pale bloodwood

Habit:  Tree to 18 m tall.  Distribution: Widespread in central and northern Australia occurring in Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales.

General features: Density 900-1100 kg/m3.   Heartwood red and darker than sapwood. Gum deposits visible to the naked eye. 

Microscopic features:

Vessels  Tangential vessel diameter: range 20-141 µm; mean 70 µm; SD 33 µm; average maximum 66-130 µm; n =   240 vessels.  Vessels per square millimetre: range 13-79 vessels per mm2;  n =   11 sampled areas.  Vessels in radial multiples usually of 2-3.  Perforation plates simple without prominent rim.    Heartwood vessels with tyloses.  Vessel to vessel pits with vestured pits.

Axial parenchyma  Axial parenchyma paratracheal and confluent to banded.  Banded parenchyma broken.  Marginal bands present (with white deposits).  

Rays Rays 1-2 or 1-3 cells wide with uniseriate rays present (n = 401 rays).  Rays of uniform width and not wider than vessels.  Rays 3-13 per tangential mm (n =   27 sampled areas).  Ray height: range 33-215 µm; mean 109 µm; SD 38 µm; n =    295 rays.  

Helical thickenings  Absent.

Physical and chemical tests:   Chrome azurol-s test negative.   Heartwood fluorescence present.  Froth test weakly positive to positive.   Ethanol extract colourless or discoloured.  Water extract discoloured.   Water extract fluorescence absent. 

Uses: 

Aboriginal  Spearthrower; digging bowl; unspecified artefacts (Kamminga 2002); carrying vessels made from burl wood; firewood; unspecified artefacts (Latz 1995); ceremonial artefacts (Bindon 1996)

European  Fencing (Bootle 1983); historical uses include buildings; slabs; posts; joists (Maiden 1889)

Notes:  Corymbia is distinguished from Eucalyptus and Melaleuca by the presence of vessels in radial multiples, marginal bands of parenchyma, and few and indistinctly bordered pits.  Absence of tyloses is not diagnostic and their presence is recorded only where they are abundant in heartwood (IAWA 1989: 261).