Black Box

Scientific Name:	Eucalyptus largiflorens	Black Box Photograph courtesy of Viridans Biological Databases (external link)
Status:	Native to South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
Other Common Names:	Swamp Box, Flooded Box, River Box, Cooburn, Ironbark, Slaty Gum, Murray Box, River Black Box
Plant Description:	Medium sized tree, 10 m or sometimes to 20 m high, with a large spreading crown and drooping branches. Bark persistent throughout except on the smallest branches, hard, dark, rough and somewhat furrowed. Leaves alternate, lanceolate, 6 – 12 cm long, 1.5 – 2.7 cm wide, somewhat thick, dull green or grey, stalked. Flowers off white, borne in clusters of 3 – 7, each cluster at the end of a slender common stalk 5 – 8 mm long and part of a large terminal or axillary panicle. Buds 5 mm long, 3 – 4 mm wide, the cap hemispherical, shorter than the base. Fruit hemispherical, about 5 mm diameter, on a very short stalk, the valves enclosed. Flowering spring – summer.
Habitat:	Heavy clay soils of periodically flooded alluvial plains and along dry lake margins. Occurring in monospecific stands or in association with River Red-gum. Also in depressions and drainage lines in practically all communities. Is moderately tolerant of salinity and waterlogging.

Black Box - tree Photo: A J Brown	Black Box - normal white flowers Photo: A J Brown	Black Box - rare pink flowers Photo: A J Brown
Black Box - buds Photo: A J Brown	Black Box - mature fruit Photo: A J Brown	Black Box - old and young leaves Photo: A J Brown