Eucalyptus coccifera, commonly known as the Tasmanian snow gum, is a small to medium-sized tree endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth, grey and cream-coloured bark, elliptic to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between three and nine, usually white flowers and conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit. Description Eucalyptus coccifera is a tree that typically grows to a height of but is sometimes a mallee to . The bark is smooth and light grey to white, with streaks of tan. Young plants and coppice regrowth have sessile, blue-green, elliptic to heart-shaped leaves long and wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, elliptic to lance-shaped, the same glossy green to bluish on both sides, long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are borne in groups of three, seven or nine in leaf axils on a peduncle long, the individual buds on a pedicel long. Mature buds are oval, glaucous, long and wide with a warty, hemispherical to more less flattened operculum. Flowering occurs between December and February and the flower are white, or rarely, pink. The fruit is a woody conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped capsule long and wide. Taxonomy and naming Eucalyptus coccifera was first formally described in 1847 by Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in William Jackson Hooker's London Journal of Botany. The specific epithet (coccifera) is derived from the New Latin coccus, from ancient Greek kokkos (κόκκος), "seed of tree fruit" and Latin ferre, "to carry", referring to the leaves having a Coccus infection. Eucalyptus coccifera is a member of the peppermint group (series Piperitae) within subgenus Eucalyptus (formerly Monocalyptus). It is endemic to central and southern Tasmania, where it generally occupies sub-alpine habitats above in altitude. Distribution and habitat Eucalyptus coccifera is endemic to Tasmania, and is the dominant species of many exposed, rocky, dolerite rich sub-alpine regions in Tasmania's south and Central Plateau. Ecology Reproduction and propagation Eucalyptus flower buds generally take around a year to fully develop, however development takes longer in E. coccifera and other high altitude species. Insects and birds pollinate the emergent flowers, and fertilization can take up to 20 days after pollination. E. coccifera flowering typically occurs between November and February. After fertilization, the hard woody capsule develops. Seeds are released through the capsule valves, which open when the capsule dries. This drying out is either caused by extreme heat and drought, or by fire. Dispersal of