snappy gum

English

Noun

snappy gum (plural snappy gums)

1. (Australia) Any of various eucalypts having brittle timber, including Eucalyptus brevifolia, Eucalyptus haemastoma and Eucalyptus rossii.
   • 1902 July 15, The Australasian Beekeeper, page 9:

     The timber consists of Scribbly gum (known here as Snappy Gum), Mountain Ash, pepperment, interspersed with patches of Bloodwood, Mohogany, Stringy Bark, and Apple and on the sides of the mountain gullies to the south grows sparsely Iron Bark, box (Eupts. quadrangulata) and Water Gum.

   • 2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 14:

     The first six children born had sat beside her under the shade of a snappy gum until she erected a more permanent shade with two blankets.

Related terms

• brittle gum
• scribbly gum