Eucalyptus polybractea

taxobox
name = Blue-leaved Mallee

---

image_caption = "Eucalyptus polybractea" Melbourne
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Myrtales
familia = Myrtaceae
genus = "Eucalyptus"
species = "E. polybractea"
binomial = "Eucalyptus polybractea"
binomial_authority = R. Baker|

The Blue mallee, or Blue-leaved mallee ("Eucalyptus polybractea") is a small multi-trunked sclerophyll tree that grows naturally in western New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. The bark is smooth, and fibrous near the trunk base. Leaves are disjunct and linear to narrow-lanceolate. Juvenile leaves are glaucous, and adult leaves grey-green. Flowers are followed by woody capsules 3-6 mm long.

Essential oil

"E. polybractea" leaves are used to produce eucalyptus oil with very high levels of cineole (up to 91%), yielding 0.7-5% fresh weight overall. The oil is primarily used medicinally and for flavoring.

References

* Boland, D.J. "et al", "Eucalyptus Leaf Oils - Use, Chemistry, Distillation and Marketing", ISBN 0-909605-69-6.
* Harden, G.J., "Flora of New South Wales, Volume 2", ISBN 0-86840-164-1.