- Eucalyptus radiata
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Narrow-leafed peppermint 
Eucalyptus radiata, Melbourne Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Myrtales Family: Myrtaceae Genus: Eucalyptus Species: E. radiata Binomial name Eucalyptus radiata 
E. radiata, field distribution Eucalyptus radiata (Narrow-leaved peppermint) is a medium to tall tree to 30 m high (rarely 50m) with persistent bark on the trunk and larger branches or persistent to smaller branches. The bark shortly fibrous ("peppermint"), grey to grey-brown, shedding in long ribbons. The branchlets are green. Adult leaves are narrow lanceolate or lanceolate, falcate, acute, basally tapered, glossy or semi-glossy, green, thin, concolorous, 7–15 cm long, 0.7–1.5 mm wide.
Summer flowers are cream yellow. [1]
Uses
E.radiata has six known chemotypes of essential oil. The leaves are distilled for cineole and phellandrene based eucalyptus oils. E.radiata was the first eucalyptus species to be commercially utilized for oil by Melbourne pharmacist, Joseph Bosisto, in 1854 as "Eucalyptus amygdalina". [2]
The piperitone chemotype is used in flavouring blends of black tea, Camelia sinensis.
References
- ^ CSIRO: Eucalyptus radiata
- ^ Boland, D.J., Brophy, J.J., and A.P.N. House, Eucalyptus Leaf Oils, 1991, ISBN 0-909605-69-6
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Adult leaves
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Bark and trunk detail
Categories:- Eucalyptus
- Myrtales of Australia
- Trees of Australia
- Flora of Victoria (Australia)
- Flora of New South Wales
- Crops originating from Australia
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