The Cross Town Loop: Tree 2168

I am pretty sure tree #2168 is an Australian Ironbark eucalyptus, but narrowing it down to species is another matter entirely. Tree #2168 spreads to three trunks giving it a wide-spread, open canopy.

"...Here are the eucalyptus trees

with their dripping leaves;

in the grey-blue light of early morning

they stand together in the grove

like

nine smooth-skinned dark-haired

sisters..." (Waiting for Spring, Ron Loewinsohn)

not exactly the smooth-skin of the poem, ironbarks have gnarly deeply-furrowed bark. like a lot of ironbarks in southern California, Tree 2168 seems to have that sap-dripping black rot which, I am guessing, will ultimately kill it, as has happened to many others around here.

right here, while I was taking a shot at this penstemon along Powerline, I heard the unmistakable sound of tires on dirt and rock. Sure enough the new Wednesday gravel ride passed by; you can maybe make out their shadows. Well, maybe not, the sky was kind of grey after all.

observatory at Pomona College