or Gum-tree
n.
the popular namefor any tree of the various species of Eucalyptus. The word Gum is also used in its ordinary English sense ofexuded sap of certain trees and shrubs, ase.g. Wattle-gum (q.v.) in Australia, and Kauri-gum (q.v.) in New Zealand. In America, thegum-tree usually means «the Liquidambar styraciflua,favourite haunt of the opossum and the racoon, whence theproverbial possum up a gum-tree.» (`CurrentAmericanisms,' s.v. Gum)
The names of the various Australian Gum-trees are as follows – – Apple Gum, or Apple-scented Gum – – Eucalyptus stuartiana, F. v. M.
♣ Bastard G. – – Eucalyptus gunnii, Hook.
♣ Bastard Blue G. – – E. leucoxylon, F. v. M. (South Australia).
♣ Bastard White G. – – E. gunnii, Hook. (South Australia); E. radiata (Tasmania).
♣ Black G. – – E. stellulata, Sieb.
♣ Black-butted G. – – E. pillularis, Smith (Victoria); E. regnans, F. v. M. (New South Wales). See blackbutt.
♣ Blue G. [see also Blue-Gum] E. botryoides, Smith (New South Wales); E. diversicolor, F. v. M. [Karri]; E. globulus, Labill.; E. goniocalyx, F. v. M.; E. leucoxylon, F. v. M. (South Australia) [Ironbark]; E. saligna, Smith; E. tereticornis, Smith; E. viminalis, Labill. (West New South Wales).
♣ Botany Bay G, – – E. resinifera, Smith.
♣ Brittle G. – – E. haemastonza, Smith; E. micrantha, Smith.
♣ Brown G. – – E. robusta, Smith.
♣ Cabbage G. – – E. sieberiana, F. v. M. (Braidwood, New South Wales).
♣ Cider G. – – E. gunnii, Hook. (Tasmania).
♣ Citron-scented G. – – E. maculata, Hook.
♣ Creek G. – – E. rostrata, Schlecht (West New South Wales).
♣ Curly White G. – – E. radiata (Tasmania).
♣ Dark Red G. – – E. rostrata, Schlecht.
♣ Desert G. – – E. eudesmoides, F. v. M. (Central Australia); E. gracilis, F. v. M.
♣ Drooping G. – – E. pauciflora, Sieb. (Drooping Gum in Tasmania is E. risdoni, Hook., N.O. Myrtaceae; the tree is peculiar to Tasmania); E. viminalis, Labill. (New South Wales).
♣ Flood, or Flooded G. – – E. gunnii, Hook. (Bombala, New South Wales); E. microtheca, F. v. M. (Carpentaria and Central Australia); E. rostrata, Schlecht; E. saligna, Smith; E. tereticornis, Smith (New South Wales).
♣ Fluted G. – E. salubris, F. v. M.
♣ Forest G. – – E. rostrata, Schlecht (South Australia).
♣ Giant G. – – E. amygdalina, Labill.
♣ Gimlet G. – – E. salubris, F. v. M.
♣ Green G. – – E. stellulata, Sieb. (East Gippsland).
♣ Grey G. – – E. crebra, F. v. M.; E. goniocalyx, F. v. M. (New South Wales, east of Dividing range); E. punctata, De C. (South Coast of New South Wales); E. raveretiana, F.v.M; E. resinifera, Smith; E. saligna, Smith (New South Wales); E. tereticornis, Smith (New South Wales); E. viminalis, Labill (Sydney);
♣ Honey-scented G. – – E. melliodora, Cunn.
♣ Iron G. – – E. raveretiana, F. v. M.
♣ Lemon-scented, or Lemon G. – – E. citriodora, Hook. f.
♣ Lead G. – – E. stellulata, Cunn.
♣ Mallee G. – – E. dumosa (generally called simply Mallee, q.v.).
♣ Mountain G. – – E. tereticornis, Smith (South New South Wales).
♣ Mountain White G. – – E. pauciflora, Sieb. (Blue Mountains).
♣ Nankeen G. – – E. populifolia, Hook. (Northern Australia).
♣ Olive Green G. – – E. stellulata, Cunn. (Leichhardt's name).
♣ Pale Red G. – – E. rostrata, Schlecht.
♣ Peppermint G. – – E. viminalis, Labill.
♣ Poplar-leaved G. – – E. polyanthema, Schau.
♣ Red G. – – E. amygdalina, Labill. (Victoria); E. calophylla, R. Br.; E. gunnii, Hook. (Bombala); E. melliodora, Cunn. (Victoria); E. odorata, Behr (South Australia); E. punctata, De C.; E. resinifera, Smith; E. rostrata, Schlecht; E. stuartiana, F. v. M. (Tasmania); E. tereticornis, Smith (New South Wales).
♣ Ribbon G. – – E. amygdalina, Labill. Ribbony G. E. viminalis, Labill.
♣ Risdon G. – – E. amygdalina, Labill.
♣ River G. – – E. rostrata, Schlecht (New South Wales, Queensland, and Central Australia).
♣ River White G. – – E. radiata.
♣ Rough-barked, or Rough G. – – E. botryoides, Smith (Illawarra).
♣ Rusty G. – – E. eximia, Schau.
♣ Scribbly G. – – E. haemastoma, Smith.
♣ Scribbly Blue G. – – E. leucoxylon, F. v. M. (South Australia).
♣ Scrub G. – – E. cosmophylla, F. v. M.
♣ Slaty G. – – E. saligna, Smith (New South Wales); E. tereticornis, Smith (New South Wales and Queensland); E. largiflorens, F. v. M.
♣ Spotted G. – – E. capitellata, Smith (New England); E. goniocalyx, F. v. M.; E. haemastonza, Smith; E. maculata, Hook.
♣ Sugar G. – – E. corynocalyx, F. v. M.; E. gunnii, Hook.
♣ Swamp G. – – E. gunnii, Hook.; E. microtheca, F. v. M.; E. pauciflora, Sieb.; E. viminalis, Labill. (Tasmania).
♣ Weeping G. – – E. pauciflora, Sieb. (Tasmania); E. viminalis, Labill. (New South Wales).
♣ White G. – – E. amygdalina, Labill.; E. gomphocephala, De C. (Western Australia); E. goniocalyx, F. v. M. ; E. haemastoma, Smith; E. hemiphloia, F. v. M. (Sydney); E. leucoxylon, F. v. M. (South Australia); E. pauciflora, Sieb.; E. populifolia, Hook. (Queensland); E. radiata (New South Wales); E. redunca, Schau. (Western Australia); E. robusta, Schlecht. (South Australia); E. saligna, Smith (New South Wales); E. stellulata, Cunn.; E. stuartiana, F. v. M. (Victoria); E. viminalis, Labill.
♣ White Swamp G. – – E. gunnii, Hook. (South Australia).
♣ Yellow G. – – E. punctata, De C.
♣ York G. – – E. foecunda, Schau. (Western Australia).
This list has been compiled by collating many authorities. Butthe following note on Eucalyptus amygdalina (fromMaiden's `Useful Native Plants,' p. 429) will illustrate thedifficulty of assigning the vernacular names with absoluteaccuracy to the multitudinous species of Eucalyptus – – « Eucalyptus amygdalina, Labill.,Syn. E. fissilis, F. v. M.; E. radiata, Sieb.; E. elata, Dehn.; E. tenuiramis, Miq.; E. nitida, Hook, f.; E. longifolia, Lindl. ; E. Lindleyana, DC.; and perhaps E. Risdoni, Hook,f.; E. dives, Schauer. – – This Eucalypt has even morevernacular names than botanical synonyms. It is one of the`Peppermint Trees' (and variously `Narrow-leaved Peppermint,'`Brown Peppermint,' `White Peppermint,' and sometimes`Dandenong Peppermint'), and `Mountain Ashes' of the DandenongRanges of Victoria, and also of Tasmania and Southern New SouthWales. It is also called `Giant Gum' and `White Gum.' InVictoria it is one of the `Red Gums.' It is one of the NewSouth Wales `Stringybarks,' and a `Manna Gum.' Because it isallied to, or associated with, `Stringybark,' it is also knownby the name of `Messmate.' . . . A variety of this gum( E. radiata) is called in New South Wales `White Gum' or`River White Gum.' . . . A variety of E. amygdalinagrowing in the south coast district of New South Wales, goes bythe name of `Ribbon Gum,' in allusion to the very thin, easilydetachable, smooth bark. This is also E. radiata probably. Afurther New South Wales variety goes by the name of `Cut-tail'in the Braidwood district. The author has been unable toascertain the meaning of this absurd designation. Thesevarieties are, several of them, quite different in leaves,bark, and timber, and there is no species better than thepresent one to illustrate the danger in attempting to fitbotanical names on Eucalypts when only the vernacular names areknown.»
Various other trees not of the genus Eucalyptus are alsosometimes popularly called Gums, such as, for instance – – Broad-leaved Water Gum – – Tristania suavolens, Smith.
♣ Orange G. – – Angophora lanceolata, Cave.
♣ Water G. – – Callistemon lanceolatus, DeC. Tristania laurina, R. Br. T. neriifolia, R. Br.
And others.
In addition to this, poets and descriptive writers sometimesapply epithets, chiefly denoting colour or other outwardappearance, which are not names of distinct species, such as Cinnamon, Morrell, Salmon, Cable, Silver,etc. [See quotation under Silver Gum.]
1642. Abel Tasman, `Journal of the Voyage to the UnknownSouthland' (Translation by J. B. Walker in `Abel J. Tasman: HisLife, etc.' 1896)
[Under date Dec. 2, 1642, after describing the trees at FredrikHendrik's Bay (now Blackman's Bay, Forestier's Peninsula,Tasmania) 2 to 21/2 fathoms thick, 60 to 65 feet to the firstbranch, and with steps 5 feet apart cut in them, Tasman saysthat they found] «a little gum, fine in appearance, which dropsout of the trees, and has a resemblance to gum lac (gommalacca).»
1770. `Captain Cook's Journal' (ed. Wharton, 1893), p. 245:
«May 1st. – – We found two sorts of gum, one sort of which is likegum dragon, and is the same, I suppose, Tasman took for gumlac; it is extracted from the largest tree in the woods.
«May 6th. – – The biggest trees are as large or larger than ouroaks in England, and grow a good deal like them, and yield areddish gum; the wood itself is heavy, hard, and black like Lignum vitae.»
1788. Governor Phillip (Despatch, May 15) in `HistoricalRecords of New South Wales', vol. i. pt. ii. p. 128:
«What seeds could be collected are sent to Sir Joseph Banks, aslikewise the red gum taken from the large gum-tree by tapping,and the yellow gum which is found on the dwarf palm-tree.»
1789. Captain Watkin Tench, `Narrative of the Expedition toBotany Bay,' p. 119:
«The species of trees are few, and . . . the wood universallyof so bad a grain, as almost to preclude the possibility ofusing it. . . . These trees yield a profusion of thick red gum(not unlike the Sanguis draconis).»
1790. J. White, `Voyage to New South Wales,' p. 231:
«The red gum-tree, Eucalyptus resinifera. This is avery large and lofty tree, much exceeding the English oak insize.»
1793. Governor Hunter, `Voyage,' p. 69:
«I have likewise seen trees bearing three different kinds ofleaves, and frequently have found others, bearing the leaf ofthe gum-tree, with the gum exuding from it, and covered withbark of a very different kind.»
1820. W. C. Wentworth, `Description of New South Wales,' p. 66:
«Full-sized gums and iron barks, alongside of which theloftiest trees in this country would appear as pigmies, withthe beefwood tree, or, as it is generally termed, the forestoak, which is of much humbler growth, are the usual timber.»
1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. i.p. 200:
«The gum-trees are so designated as a body from producing agummy resinous matter, while the peculiarities of the barkusually fix the particular names of the species – – thus the blue,spotted, black-butted, and woolly gums are so nominated fromthe corresponding appearance of their respective barks; the redand white gums, from their wood; and the flooded gums fromgrowing in flooded land.»
1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,'vol. II. c. iii. p. 108:
«The silvery stems of the never-failing gum-trees.»
1857. H. Parkes, `Murmurs of Stream,' p. 56:
«Where now the hermit gum-tree stands on the plain's heart.»
1864. J. S. Moore, `Spring Life Lyrics,' p. 114:
«Amid grand old gums, dark cedars and pines.»
1873. A.Trollope, `Australia and New Zealand,' c. xiii. p. 209:
«The eternal gum-tree has become to me an Australian crest,giving evidence of Australian ugliness. The gum-tree isubiquitous, and is not the loveliest, though neither is it byany means the ugliest, of trees.»
1877. F. v. Muller, `Botanic Teachings,' p. 7:
«The vernacular name of gum-trees for the eucalypts is asunaptly given as that of most others of our native plants,on which popular appellations have been bestowed. Indeed ourwattles might far more appropriately be called gum-trees thanthe eucalypts, because the former exude a real gum (in thechemical meaning of the word); whereas the main exudation fromthe stems and branches of all eucalypts hardens to a kino-likesubstance, contains a large proportion of a particular tannin(kino-tannic acid), and is to a great extent or entirelysoluble in alcohol, thus very different from genuine gum.»
1884. R. L. A. Davies, `Poems and Literary Remains,' p. 176:
«Golden, 'mid a sunlit forest,
Stood the grand Titanic forms
Of the conquerors of storms;
Stood the gums, as if inspired,
Every branch and leaflet fired
With the glory of the sun,
In golden robes attired,
A grand priesthood of the sun.»
1889. P. Beveridge, `Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina,'p. 61:
«Nearly all the eucalyptus species exude gum, which the nativesutilise in the fabrication of their various weapons asEuropeans do glue. The myall and mimosa also exude gum; thesethe natives prefer before all other kinds when obtainable, theybeing less brittle and more adhesive than any of the others.»
i891. `Guide to Zoological Gardens, Melbourne':
«This is an exact representation of the camps which werescattered over the country not more than fifty years ago, andinhabited by the original lords of the soil. The beautifulshe-oak and red-gum forest that used to clothe the slopes ofRoyal Park was a very favourite camping-ground of theirs, asthe gum-tree was their most regular source of food supply. Thehollows of this tree contained the sleek and sleepy opossum,waiting to be dragged forth to the light of day and despatchedby a blow on the head. It was to the honey-laden blossoms ofthis tree that the noisy cockatoos and parrots used to flock.Let the kangaroo be wary and waterfowl shy, but whilst he hadhis beloved gum-tree, little cared the light-hearted black.»
1892. `The Times,' [Reprint] `Letters from Queensland,' p. 2:
«The immense extent of gum-trees stretches indefinitely,blotting out the conception of anything but its ownlightly-timbered pasture. It has not even the gloom andimpressiveness which we associate in England with the nameof forest land, for the trees are thinly scattered, their longleaves hang vertically from the branches, and sunlight filtersthrough with sufficient force to promote the growth of thetussocked grass beneath. The whole would be indescribablycommonplace, but that the vastness becomes at last by its ownforce impressive.»
The following quotations illustrate special uses of the word incomposition.
Apple Gum – – 1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 283:
«On the small flats the apple-gum grew.»
Ibid. c. viii. p. 264:
«Another Eucalyptus with a scaly butt . . . but with smoothupper trunk and cordate ovate leaves, which was also new to me;we called it the Apple-gum.»
Blue Gum – – 1802. D.Collins, `Account of New South Wales,' vol. ii. p. 235:
«The blue gum, she-oak, and cherry-tree of Port Jackson werecommon here.»
1832. J. Bischoff, `Van Diemen's Land,' p. 22:
«The Blue Gum is found in greater abundance; it is aloose-grained heavy wood.»
1851. James Mitchell, `Proceedings of the Royal Society of VanDiemen's Land,' p. 125:
«The name blue gum appears to have been derived from the bluishgray colour of the whole plant in the earliest stages of itsgrowth, which is occasioned by a covering of dust or bloomsimilar to that upon the sloe or damson.»
1884. R. L. A. Davies, `Poems and Literary Remains,' p. 199:
«I love to see the blue gums stand Majestically tall;
The giants of our southern woods,
The loftiest of all.»
Black-butted Gum – – 1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. II. c. viii. p. 236:
«One species . . . resembling strongly the black-butted gum.»
Cable Gum – – 1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. II. c. iv.p. 132:
«Cable-gum . . . like several stems twisted together, abundantin interior.»
Cider Gum (or Cider Tree) – – 1830. Ross, `Hobart Town Almanack,' p. 119:
«That species of eucalyptus called the cider tree, fromits exuding a quantity of saccharine liquid resemblingmolasses. Streaks of it were to be seen dripping down the barkin various parts, which we tasted, and found very palatable.The natives have a method at the proper season of grindingholes in the tree, from which the sweet juice flowsplentifully, and is collected in a hole at the root. We sawsome of these covered up with a flat stone, doubtless toprevent the wild animals from coming to drink it. When allowedto remain some time, and to ferment, it settles into a coarsesort of wine or cider, rather intoxicating.»
Cinnamon Gum – – 1893. `Sydney Morning Herald,' Aug. 19, p. 7, col. 1:
«A forest only fit for urban gnomes these twisted trunks. Hereare no straight and lofty trees, but sprawling cinnamon gums,their skin an unpleasing livid red, pock-marked; saplings inwhite and chilly grey, bleeding gum in ruddy stains, andfire-black boles and stumps to throw the greenery into brightrelief.»
Drooping Gum – – 1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. II. c. xii.p. 387:
«The trees, which grew only in the valleys, were small kindsof banksia, wattles and drooping gums.»
Flooded Gum – – 1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 7:
«Large flooded gum-trees (but no casuarinas) at the low banksof the lagoons.»
Lemon-scented Gum – – 1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 265:
«Among the Eucalypti or gum-trees growing in New SouthWales, a species named the lemon-scented gum-tree, Eucalyptus citriodora, is peculiar to the Wide Baydistrict, in the northern part of the colony.»
Mountain Gum – – 1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. I. c. iii, p. 118:
«The cypresses became mixed with casuarina, box andmountain-gum.»
Red Gum [see also Red-gum] – – 1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,'c. xi. p. 461:
«The red gum-tree. This is a very large and lofty tree,much exceeding the English oak in size.»
1846. G. H. Haydon, `Five Years in Australia Felix,' p. 33:
«Red gum, a wood which has of late years been exported toEngland in great quantities; it has all the properties ofmahogany.»
1868. W. Carleton, `Australian Nights,' p. 14:
«While she, the younger, went to fill
Her red-gum pitcher at the rill.»
1870. J. O. Tucker, `The Mute,' etc., p. 85:
«Then the dark savage `neath the red gum's shade
Told o'er his deeds.»
1890. `The Argus,' June 14, p. 4, col. I
«Those of the leaden hue are red gums.»
Rough Gum – – 1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. I. c. iii. p. 118:
«The rough-gum abounded near the creek.»
Rusty Gum – – 1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 48:
«The range was openly timbered with white gum, spotted gum,
Iron-bark, rusty gum and the cypress pine.»
Salmon Gum – – 1893. `The Australasian,' Aug. 3, p. 252, col. 4:
«The chief descriptions are salmon, morrel and white gums, andgimlet-wood. The bark of the salmon gum approaches in colourto a rich golden brown, but the satin-like sheen on it has theeffect of making it several shades lighter, and in the fullglare of the sun it is sufficiently near a rich salmon tint tojustify its name.»
Silver Gum – – 1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 113:
«When so many of our Australian trees were named `gums,' adistinguishing prefix for each variety was clearly necessary,and so the words red, blue, yellow, white and scarlet, asmarking some particular trait in the tree, have come intoeveryday use. Had the pioneer bush botanist seen at least oneof those trees at a certain stage in its growth, the term`silver gum' would have found expression.»
Spotted Gum – – 1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 11:
«Ironbark ridges here and there with spotted gum . . .diversified the sameness.»
Swamp Gum – – 1853. `Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of VanDiemen's Land,' vol. ii, p. 132 [James Mitchell, On theStrength of Timber, etc., read Nov.12, 1851]:
«The Swamp Gum grows to the largest size of any of this familyin Van Diemen's Land. Its growth is nearly twice as rapid asthat of the Blue Gum: the annular layers are sometimes verylarge; but the bark, and the whole tree indeed, is so like theBlue Gum, as not to be easily distinguished from it in outwardappearance. It grows best in moist places, which may probablyhave given rise to its name. Some extraordinary dimensionshave been recorded of trees of this species. I lately measuredan apparently sound one, and found it 21 feet in circumferenceat 8 feet from the ground and 87 feet to the first branches.Another was 18 1/2 feet in circumference at 10 feet from theground, and 213 feet to the highest branch or extreme top.A third reached the height of 251 feet to the highest branch:but I am told that these are pigmies compared to the giants ofeven the Blue Gum species found in the southern districts.»
1880. Garnet Watch, `Victoria in 1880,' p. 100:
«Groups of native trees, including the black wattle, silverbox, messmate, stringy bark, and the picturesque but lessuseful swamp gum.»
Water Gum – – 1847. L. Leichhhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 387:
«Long hollows surrounded with drooping tea-trees and the whitewatergums.»
Weeping Gum – – 1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 169:
«A kind of Eucalyptus, with long drooping leaves, calledthe `Weeping Gum,' is the most elegant of the family.»
White Gum – – 1827. Vigors and Horsfield, `Transactions of LinnaeanSociety,' vol. xv. p, 278:
«The natives tell me that it [the ground-parrot] chieflybreeds in a stump of a small White Gum-tree.»
1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 48:
«The range was openly timbered with white gum.»
1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 471:
« E. leucoxylon, F. v. M. The `blue or white gum' of SouthAustralia and Victoria is a gum-tree with smooth bark andlight-coloured wood (hence the specific name). The flowers andfruit of E. leucoxylon are very similar to those of E. sideroxylon, and in this way two trees have beenplaced under one name which are really quite distinct. BaronMueller points out that there are two well-marked varieties of E. leucoxylon in Victoria. That known as `white-gum'has the greater portion of the stem pale and smooth through theouter layers of the bark falling off. The variety knownchiefly as the `Victorian Ironbark,' retains the whole bark onthe stem, thus becoming deeply fissured and furrowed, and veryhard and dark coloured.»
Yellow Gum – – 1848. T. L. Mitchell, `Tropical Australia,' p. 107:
«We this day passed a small group of trees of the yellow gum,a species of eucalyptus growing only on the poor sandy soilnear Botany Bay, and other parts of the sea-coast near Sydney.»
York Gum – – 1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. II. c. iv.p. 132:
«York gum . . . abundant in York on good soil.»