Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

Eucalyptus

Most eucalypts form lignotubers, a swelling at the junction of the root and stem. Lignotubers are produced by most Eucalyptus species at some stage. Eucalypts that produce lignotubers usually do so when they grow in areas that are near the limits of the range. Those subject to drought and fire on poor soils are most likely to produce lignotubers. Another adaptation that allows eucalypts to survive in so much of the driest continent with the most erratic climate is their ability to change their growth form to suit their local conditions.

Lignotubers become large, woody underground structures in Mallee eucalypts. Mallee eucalypts produce their multi-stemmed shrub habit from these oversized lignotubers.

see also mallee, vegetation type

Sources & Further reading

1. Mary E. White, The Nature of Hidden Worlds, Reed, 1993