The 'Australian Forest'
The "Australian Forest" is characterized by the presence of big specimens of the genera Eucalyptus, Melaleuca and Brachychiton. Moreover, there are plants belonging to the genera Acacia, Callistemon, Grevillea and Tristania.
The
poverty of the undergrowth is rather evident, and is given to the
presence in the soil of toxic substances secreted by the roots of many
trees, above all by eucalypti: moreover, the latter are among the most
rapidly developing and the biggest trees in the Garden.
The genus Eucalyptus includes about 600 species of trees and shrubs. The eucalypti all come exclusively from Australia.
Some species are well-adapted and widespread in the Mediterranean region, like E. globulus and E. camaldulensis; others are very rare, like E. citriodora, whose leaves smell of lemon.
Among the trees of the Australian area there are some specimens of Melaleuca styphelioides (Myrtaceae),
coming from south-western Australia (New South Wales). Its bark is very
particular, since it comes off in very thin layers: as a matter of
fact, it was used in the past by the native population as paper.
Brachychiton discolor is a tree coming from Australia, cultivated in the parks and in the
gardens as an ornamental plant. The blooming begins in July and
continues all the summer long. The flowers, rose and bell-shaped, are
unisexual. The male flowers remain open on the branches for 1 or 2
days, then they fall. At the foot of the tree you will find a flower
bed. The female flowers remain open longer on the plant and, if
fecundated, they produce woody fruits opening only when the ripening
process is complete.
