| Origins | Southeast Indonesian islands and Timor-Leste. |
|---|---|
| Meanings of name | The Chinese name “Tail-leafed Eucalypt (尾葉桉)” vividly illustrates the shape of its leaves, as the tip of the leaf extends into a “tail”. This Chinese name is derived from its scientific name, which the species epithet “urophylla” combines by the words “uro (tailed)” and “phyllus (leaved)”. Since the species grows on the mountains of Timor island, with trunk in colour of greyish white, it has also gained the English names “Timor White Gum” and “Timor Mountain Gum”. In Australia, this species is called the “Half-barked Tree”, which interestingly describes the characteristics of its bark which is peeling off yet partially attached to the main trunk. |
| Applications | The Timor White Gum is widely cultivated as plantations in tropical regions, including Brazil, Vietnam, China and Australia. The Timor White Gum is also an important economic crop, with its wood often turned into pulps and papers. Timber from old trees can be used for general construction, while younger trees provide good source of firewood and charcoal, and can be further processed into other wooden products such as boards, cabinets and plywood. |
| Ecology | The Timor White Gum is native to the montane forests generically composed of volcanic rocks. It grows in a wide range of altitudes, from the sea level to 3000 meters above sea level. It prefers a hot, humid and rainy environment. The species exhibit high adaptability, fast growth rate and ability to grow well in degraded and barren soil. It is noteworthy that Timor White Gum and other Eucalyptus species shows a certain degree of allelopathy, which inhibits the growth of other native plants. Planting Eucalyptus in large scales will sabotage the local habitats and disadvantage the biodiversity of ecosystem. |
