Date of issue: 17 July 1985
Designer: P. Leuver
Artist: May Gibbs

Plant: Corymbia species

Family: MYRTACEAE

Gum Trees

There are about 850 species of eucalypt, comprising three genera: Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Angophora.
most of them known as 'gum trees'.
They have woody seed capsules known as 'gum-nuts'.
The tree used for inspiration by May Gibbs was a species of Corymbia, but there is still some dispute over which species it was.
The genus Corymbia is characterised by 'urn-shaped' gum-nuts.

May Gibbs (1877-1981) introduced many people to Australian wildlife with her children's stories of 'gum nut babies' and their exploits in the bush.