Eucalyptus L'Heritier 1789 is a diverse
genus of
flowering trees and shrubs (including a distinct group with a multiple-stem
mallee growth habit) in the
myrtle family,
Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of
Australia. The more than 700 species of eucalyptus are mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent areas of
New Guinea and
Indonesia. One species,
Eucalyptus deglupta, ranges as far north as the
Philippines. Only 15 species occur outside Australia, with just nine of these not occurring in Australia. Species of eucalyptus are cultivated widely in the tropical and temperate world, including the
Americas,
Europe,
Africa, the
Mediterranean Basin, the
Middle East,
China, and the
Indian subcontinent, though most species do not tolerate frost.
