Corymbia ficifolia

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Corymbia ficifolia
Corymbia ficifolia Flowers.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Corymbia
Species:
C. ficifolia
Binomial name
Corymbia ficifolia
Synonyms [1]
Corymbia ficifolia in Albany.jpg
Little wattlebird feeding on a flowering specimen Anthochaera chrysoptera.jpg
Little wattlebird feeding on a flowering specimen
Eukalyptus (Eucalyptus ficifolia).JPG

Corymbia ficifolia, commonly known as red flowering gum, [2] is a species of small tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, egg-shaped to broadly lance-shape adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, bright red, pink or orange flowers and urn-shaped fruit. It has a restricted distribution in the wild but is one of the most commonly planted ornamental eucalypts.

Contents

Description

Corymbia ficifolia is a straggly tree that typically grows to a height of 10 m (33 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, fibrous brownish bark on the trunk and branches. The adult leaves are dull to slightly glossy, paler on the lower surface, egg-shaped to broadly lance-shaped, 70–130 mm (2.8–5.1 in) long and 25–50 mm (0.98–1.97 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in) long. The flower buds are arranged on the ends of branchlets on a branched peduncle 15–32 mm (0.59–1.26 in) long, each branch of the peduncle with seven buds on pedicels 13–27 mm (0.51–1.06 in) long. Mature buds are oval to pear-shaped, 12–18 mm (0.47–0.71 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide with a rounded to flattened operculum. Flowering occurs from December to May and the flowers are bright red to pink or orange. The fruit is a woody urn-shaped capsule 20–42 mm (0.79–1.65 in) long and 18–30 mm (0.71–1.18 in) wide with the valves enclosed in the fruit. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The other two bloodwoods found in the south-west of Western Australia are C. haemotoxylon and marri ( C. calophylla ). Unlike C. ficifolia, they have tessellated bark rather than fibrous bark.

Taxonomy

Red-flowering gum was first formally described in 1860 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Eucalyptus ficifolia and published the description in his book, Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae . [6] [7] In 1995, Ken Hill and Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson changed the name to Corymbia ficifolia. [5] [8]

In 2009, Parra-O and colleagues published a combined analysis of nuclear rDNA (ETS + ITS) and morphological characters published to clarify relationships within the genus Corymbia. C. ficifolia was shown to comprise a natural group with two other Western Australian species C. calophylla and C. haematoxylon . They classified the group as section Calophyllae within the subgenus Corymbia. [9]

The botanical Latin specific epithet ficifolia is from ficus meaning "fig" and folium, "a leaf", referring to the similarity of its leaves to some species of Ficus . [7] [10]

The type specimen was collected from around the Broke Inlet by George Maxwell. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Corymbia ficifolia grows in sandy soil in low forest on slopes and is restricted to a sub-coastal distribution south-east of Perth, east of Mount Frankland, Walpole and the Stirling Range. [2] [11]

Use in horticulture

Red-flowering gum is one of the most widely cultivated of all eucalypts, both in Australia and overseas. It is best suited to temperate districts with low summer rainfall and is rarely reliable on the east coast of Australia. In suitable climates it is moderately fast-growing and is often larger and more vigorous in cultivation than in the wild. Eucalypts are difficult to grow from cuttings and are usually grown from seed. As a result, flower colour cannot be guaranteed, although some small forms have become available as grafted plants. [12]

In nature Corymbia ficifolia prefers infertile, sandy soils but it is readily adaptable to most temperate locations, provided it is not exposed to severe frost or sustained tropical damp. It is an ideal street tree as it is hardy, moderately fast growing, and rarely grows large enough to require pruning. The largest known single-stemmed tree of this species in the world (216.5 cm diameter) is located on Princes Street in Hamilton, New Zealand. [13] Because of its big and lovely colourful flowers, genetic improvement for cold resistance in Dublin area in Ireland is being carried out by collecting seeds from Western and Southern Australia in the coldest parts of Australia where it grows. In Ireland most of the plants were killed by severe frosts but the surviving shoots have been kept by tissue culture. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Corymbia calophylla</i> Tree found in Western Australia

Corymbia calophylla, commonly known as marri, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a tree or mallee with rough bark on part or all of the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, branched clusters of cup-shaped or pear-shaped flower buds, each branch with three or seven buds, white to pink flowers, and relatively large oval to urn-shaped fruit, colloquially known as honky nuts. Marri wood has had many uses, both for Aboriginal people, and in the construction industry.

<i>Corymbia citriodora</i> Species of plant

Corymbia citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented gum and other common names, is a species of tall tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has smooth white to pink bark, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and urn-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia abergiana</i> Species of plant

Corymbia abergiana, commonly known as range bloodwood or Rockingham Bay bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark on the smaller branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped fruit with a very thick rim.

<i>Corymbia gummifera</i> Species of plant

Corymbia gummifera, commonly known as red bloodwood, is a species of tree, rarely a mallee, that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia intermedia</i> Species of plant

Corymbia intermedia, commonly known as pink bloodwood, is a species of medium to tall tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and oval to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia polycarpa</i> Species of plant

Corymbia polycarpa, also known as long-fruited bloodwood or small-flowered bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. Indigenous Australians of different language groups have different names for the tree. The Nungali peoples know the tree as narrga or gunjid, the Mulluk-Mulluk know it as dawart, the Yangman know it as bodog, the Gurindji peoples as jadburru and the Wagiman as jagatjjin. It is a medium-sized tree with rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white or cream-coloured flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia opaca</i> Species of plant

Corymbia opaca, also known as desert bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has rough bark on part or all of the trunk, lance-shaped leaves, club-shaped flower buds and urn-shaped fruit. Several parts of this plant are used by Aboriginal Australians in traditional medicine.

<i>Corymbia terminalis</i> Species of plant

Corymbia terminalis, also known as tjuta, joolta, bloodwood, desert bloodwood, plains bloodwood, northern bloodwood, western bloodwood or inland bloodwood, is a species of small to medium-sized tree, rarely a mallee that is endemic to Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on some or all of the trunk, sometimes also on the larger branches, smooth white to cream-coloured bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia haematoxylon</i> Species of plant

Corymbia haematoxylon, commonly known as mountain marri, is a species of tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to narrow egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia zygophylla</i> Species of plant

Corymbia zygophylla, commonly known as the Broome bloodwood, is a species of small tree or a mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, tessellated to fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, a crown of juvenile heart-shaped to lance-shaped, stem-clasping leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and urn-shaped to shortened spherical fruit.

<i>Corymbia arenaria</i> Species of plant

Corymbia arenaria, commonly known as bundah bundah or black bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flower and spherical urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia bleeseri</i> Species of plant

Corymbia bleeseri, commonly known as glossy-leaved bloodwood or smooth-stemmed bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has thin, rough bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia collina</i> Species of plant

Corymbia collina, commonly known as silver-leaved bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin patchy rough bark on some or all of the trunk, smooth white to pale grey bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia dichromophloia</i> Species of plant

Corymbia dichromophloia, commonly known as small-fruited bloodwood, variably-barked bloodwood or gum-topped bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has smooth white bark sometimes with flaky bark on the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia erythrophloia</i> Species of plant

Corymbia erythrophloia, commonly known as red bloodwood, variable-barked bloodwood, red-barked bloodwood or gum-topped bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough bark on the trunk and branches, egg-shaped or lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped to spherical fruit.

<i>Corymbia foelscheana</i> Species of plant

Corymbia foelscheana, commonly known as broad-leaved bloodwood, fan-leaved bloodwood or smooth-barked bloodwood, is a species of small tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has thin, rough, tessellated bark on some or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, broadly egg-shaped to broadly lance- shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia jacobsiana</i> Species of plant

Corymbia jacobsiana, commonly known as Jacob's bloodwood or stringybark bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to the Northern Territory. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to elliptical or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia nesophila</i> Species of plant

Corymbia nesophila, commonly known as Melville Island bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia setosa</i> Species of plant

Corymbia setosa, commonly known as rough leaved bloodwood or desert bloodwood, is a species of small tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has rough, tessellated brown bark on the trunk and branches, a crown of juvenile, heart-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and urn-shaped to shortened spherical fruit.

<i>Corymbia watsoniana</i> Species of plant

Corymbia watsoniana, commonly known as large-fruited yellowjacket, is a species of tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, egg-shaped to broadly lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped or urn-shaped fruit.

References

  1. 1 2 "Corymbia ficifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Corymbia ficifolia". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. Dean Nicolle (30 April 2010). "An illustrated guide to Australia's gum blossoms". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus ficifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 Hill, Kenneth D.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (13 December 1995). "Systematic studies in the eucalypts. 7. A revision of the bloodwoods, genus Corymbia (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 6 (2–3): 245–247. doi: 10.7751/telopea19953017 .
  6. "Eucalyptus ficifolia". APNI. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  7. 1 2 von Mueller, Ferdinand (1860). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae (Volume 2). Vol. 2. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 85. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  8. "Corymbia ficifolia". APNI. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. Parra-O., C.; Bayly, M. J.; Drinnan, A.; Udovicic, F.; Ladiges, P. (2009). "Phylogeny, major clades and infrageneric classification of Corymbia(Myrtaceae), based on nuclear ribosomal DNA and morphology". Australian Systematic Botany. 22 (5): 384–399. doi:10.1071/SB09028.
  10. "Corymbia ficifolia". Government of Western Australia: Botanic Gardens and Park Authority. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  11. "Corymbia ficifolia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  12. "Corymbia ficifolia". Australian Native Plant Society (Australia). Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  13. "Tree Information". The Zealand Tree Register. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  14. "Climatic zone plants". Earlscliffe. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-08-17.