Eucryphia is a small genus of trees or large shrubs of the Antarctic flora, native to the south temperate regions of South America and coastal eastern Australia. Traditionally placed in a family of their own, the Eucryphiaceae, more recent classifications place them in the Cunoniaceae. There are seven species, two in South America and five in Australia, and several named hybrids. They are mostly evergreen though one species (E. glutinosa) is usually deciduous.
The leaves are opposite, and either simple or pinnate with 3-13 leaflets. The flowers are produced in late summer or autumn, are showy and sweetly scented, 3-6 cm diameter, with four creamy-white petals, and numerous stamens and styles. The fruit is a woody capsule 1-1.5 cm long containing several seeds, and maturing in 12-15 months.
Species
E. cordifolia Cav. Valdivian temperate rain forests of southern Chile. A tree to 20 m tall; leaves simple, crenate to serrated, evergreen, 3-7 cm long.
E. glutinosa (Poepp. & Endl.) Baill. Valdivian temperate rain forests of southern Chile and Argentina. A large shrub to 7 m tall; leaves pinnate, with 3-5 leaflets, serrated, deciduous or semi-evergreen, 3-6 cm long.
E. jinksii Forster & Hyland. Queensland. A tree to 25 m tall; leaves simple or with 3 leaflets, entire, evergreen, 5-10 cm long.
E. lucida (Labill.) Baill. Tasmania. A tree to 20-30 m tall; leaves simple, entire, evergreen, 3-7 cm long.
E. milliganii Hook. f. (syn. E. lucida var. milliganii). Tasmania. A tree to 6 m tall; leaves simple, entire, evergreen, 1.5-3 cm long.
E. moorei F. v. Muell. New South Wales, Victoria. A tree to 15 m tall; leaves pinnate, with 7-15 leaflets, entire, evergreen, 6-12 cm long.
E. wilkiei Forster & Hyland. Queensland (discovered 1994).
Hybrids
E. x intermedia (E. glutinosa x E. lucida)
E. x hillieri (E. moorei x E. lucida)
E. x nymansensis (E. cordifolia x E. glutinosa)
E. 'Penwith' (E. cordifolia x E. lucida)
Uses
The species and their hybrids are attractive small trees for gardens, typically with a slender conic crown when young, though widening with age. They are valued for their conspicuous scented flowers, produced in late summer and autumn when few or no other trees are in flower. Cultivation is restricted to areas with mild winters, cool summers and good rainfall; away from their native areas, this restricts them to the Atlantic coastal regions of Europe, the Pacific Northwest of North America, and New Zealand.
Eucryphia lucida, or Leatherwood as it is commonly called, is a medium-sized tree with a compact crown of glossy green leaves.
There are currently four cultivars of Eucryphia lucida: Pink Cloud', a pale to medium pink flowered variety; Ballerina' a pale pink flowered variety with deep pink stamens; Leatherwood Cream' a variegated leaf variety and Leatherwood Silver', a variety with silver edged leaves.
Eucryphia from the Greek words eu', meaning well, thoroughly, and kryphios, meaning hidden, cover, referring to the sepals which are joined at the apex of the buds.
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