Eucalyptus diversicolor

Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the karri, is a eucalypt native to the wetter regions of southwestern Western Australia. The medium to tall forest tree typically grows to a height of 10 to 60 metres (33 to 197 ft) but can reach as high as 90 m (295 ft) making it the tallest tree in Western Australia and one of the tallest trees in the world. E. diversicolor ranks among the tallest trees in the world including the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans). The tree trunk with a typical diameter of 1.8 to 3.5 m (6 to 11 ft). The roots of the plants can grow to a depth of over 50 metres (164 ft) and can be seen growing through caves around Augusta.The wood has a green density of around 1,200 kilograms per cubic metre (75 lb/cu ft) with an air-dried density of about 900 kilograms per cubic metre (56 lb/cu ft). It has white to cream bark that turns brown as it matures and is shed in short ribbons or small polygonal flakes. The whitish trunk beneath takes on a patina of colours from white, grey, orange, salmon, yellow to deep brown. The trunk is without secondary trunks, but occasionally a twin trunk occurs where two trunks of the same diameter grow up from the seedling stage. Mature trees branch only from the top third of the trunk. The juvenile leaves have a broad oval shape. The broad lanceolate shaped adult leaves are dark glossy green on top and lighter underneath, and grow to a length of 90 to 140 millimetres (3.5 to 5.5 in) and 20 to 30 mm (0.8 to 1.2 in) broad. The leaves have a disjunct arrangement and are narrowly flattened or channelled petioles. The simple, axillary conflorescences contain cream-colored flowers arranged in groups of seven, each flower measuring about 18 to 28 mm (0.71 to 1.10 in) in diameter with long exserted stamens. Flowering occurs in spring and summer. It forms clavate buds with a calyx calyptrate that sheds early. The fruits that form later are squat and barrel-shaped woody capsules, with numerous small dry seeds. The fruit is up to a 1 cm (0.39 in) with a depressed disc and enclosed rim-level valves.The trees are thought to be able reach an age of up to 300 years. The species was first formally described by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1863 as part of the work Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. The type specimen was collected in 1860 by the botanist Augustus Frederick Oldfield near Wilson Inlet, the location given, in Latin, is In Australiae regionibus depressioribus quam Maxime austro occidentalibus, ubi Blue Gum-tree vocatur. The botanical name diversicolor is taken from the latin word diversus meaning to turn apart and color or “separate colours” and refers to the difference between the top of the leaf and its undersideThe common name is derived from the Noongar name for the tree Karri pronounces ka-ree.