Eucalyptus albopurpurea

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Purple-flowered mallee box
Eucalyptus albopurpurea flowers.jpg
Eucalyptus albopurpurea (cultivated specimen in Moora)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. albopurpurea
Binomial name
Eucalyptus albopurpurea
(Boomsma) D.Nicolle [2]
Synonyms [2]
  • Eucalyptus lansdowneana subsp. albopurpureaBoomsma
  • Eucalyptus behriana var. purpurascensBenth.
  • Eucalyptus hemiphloia var. purpurascens(Benth.) Maiden
  • Eucalyptus odorata var. purpurascens(Benth.) Maiden
  • Eucalyptus lansdowneana var. leucanthaBlakely
  • Eucalyptus lansdowneanaF.Muell. & J.E.Br.

Eucalyptus albopurpurea, commonly known as the purple-flowered mallee box or Port Lincoln mallee, [3] is a mallee or sometimes a tree that is endemic to South Australia. It has loose, fibrous grey-brown bark on the lower park of the trunk and smooth grey bark that is shed in strips on its upper parts. The leaves are lance-shaped to egg-shaped, the flower buds are spindle-shaped to club-shaped and the flowers are white, pink, mauve or purple. Flowering can occur in most months and the fruit are cup-shaped or barrel-shaped capsules.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus albopurpurea is a mallee that grows to a height of 5 m (20 ft) or sometimes a tree 5–18 m (20–60 ft) high and has a lignotuber. It has rough, loose, fibrous bark on the lower part of the trunk and smooth coppery to pinkish grey bark that is shed in strips higher up. The leaves on young plants and coppice regrowth are in opposite pairs, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 40–110 mm (2–4 in) long, 23–47 mm (0.9–2 in) wide and the same dull bluish green on both sides. The adult leaves are arranged alternately, lance-shaped, 70–140 mm (3–6 in) long and 12–30 mm (0.5–1 in) wide on a petiole 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long. The adult leaves are the same glossy, dark green colour on both sides. The flower buds are arranged in branching inflorescences on a peduncle 7–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) long with between seven and eleven flowers in each umbel. Mature buds are club-shaped to oblong, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide on a pedicel up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long. The operculum is conical to rounded. White, pink, mauve or purple flowers appear in most months. The fruit is cup-shaped to barrel-shaped or more or less cylindrical, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

The purple-flowered mallee box was first formally described in 1974 by Clifford David Boomsma who gave it the name Eucalyptus lansdowneana subsp. albopurpurea and published the description in the South Australian Naturalist from a specimen collected by Reginald Allan Dorward. [7] [8] In 2000, Dean Nicolle raised it to species status as Eucalyptus albopurpurea. [9] The specific epithet (albopurpurea) is derived from the Latin words albus meaning "white" [10] :856 and purpureus meaning "purple", [10] :643 referring to the variation in the flower colour. [5]

Distribution and habitat

Eucalyptus albopurpurea is only known from Kangaroo Island and the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula where it grows on sandhills near the ocean and around seasonally wet areas. [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eucalyptus erythronema</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus erythronema, commonly known as the red-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee or tree and is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, dark pink to red bark that is shed to reveal whitish bark, and has lance-shaped adult leaves, pendulous flower buds mostly arranged in groups of three, red or yellow flowers and conical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus lansdowneana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus lansdowneana, commonly known as the crimson mallee or the red-flowered mallee box, is a species of slender stemmed, straggly mallee that is endemic to a restricted area of South Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark at the base, smooth, grey over creamy-white bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, crimson flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus kochii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus kochii, commonly known as oil mallee, is a species of mallee, sometimes a tree, and is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, flaky or fibrous bark on the trunk, smooth grey bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine to fifteen, white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus cooperiana</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus cooperiana, commonly known as the many-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area along the south coast of Western Australia. It is described as being "of striking appearance by reason of its smooth, white bark and acutely angled branchlets". It has lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and thirteen or more, creamy yellow flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus mannensis</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus mannensis, commonly known as Mann Range mallee, is a species of mallee that is native to Western Australia, South Australian and the Northern Territory. It has rough bark at the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus phenax, commonly known as green dumosa mallee or white mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus striaticalyx</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus striaticalyx, commonly known as Cue York gum or kopi gum, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and thirteen, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus yalatensis</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus yalatensis, commonly known as the Yalata mallee, is a species of mallee or a shrub that is endemic to southern Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the stems, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds mostly in groups of nine, creamy white or yellowish flowers and hemispherical to shortened spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus remota, commonly known as the Kangaroo Island ash, Kangaroo Island mallee ash, or Mount Taylor mallee, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It has smooth bark, often with rough, fibrous bark on the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in group of between nine and twenty one, white flowers and hemispherical or shortened spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus wimmerensis</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus wimmerensis, commonly known as the Wimmera mallee box or the broad-leaved green mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area around the border between Victoria and South Australia. It usually has smooth bark on the trunk and branches, linear to narrow oblong leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus vokesensis, commonly known as the Vokes Hill mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It has rough bark on the lower stems and larger branches, broadly lance-shaped to broadly egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in group of nine to thirteen, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus falciformis</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus falciformis, commonly known as the Grampians peppermint or western peppermint, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough, fibrous bark at the base, narrow lance-shaped to egg-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven to twenty one, white flowers and cup-shaped to shortly cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus arcana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus arcana, commonly known as the Mallee manna gum or Carpenter Rocks gum is a mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It has rough bark from the base of the trunk to the thinnest branches, lance-shaped, sometimes curved leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit. It is only known from a single population near Carpenter Rocks.

<i>Eucalyptus yumbarrana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus yumbarrana, commonly known as the Yumbarra mallee is a species of mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the lower trunk, smooth bark above, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white to yellow flowers and shortened spherical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus alatissima</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus alatissima is a mallee that is endemic to central parts of the Great Victoria Desert. It has rough bark on the lower part of its stems, smooth tan to cream-coloured bark on its upper parts, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves and buds in groups of three. The buds have a powdery covering and are prominently winged.

<i>Eucalyptus canescens</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus canescens, commonly known as the Ooldea Range mallee or Beadell's mallee, depending on subspecies, is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has rough bark from the base of the trunk to the thicker branches, smooth bark on the thin branches, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and smooth cup-shaped to conical, and sometimes ribbed fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> eucentrica</i> Subspecies of plant

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. eucentrica, commonly known as the inland red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia. It usually has rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, pale creamy yellow flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> socialis</i> Subspecies of plant

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. socialis, commonly known as the summer red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to inland south-eastern Australia. It usually has rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, pale creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> victoriensis</i> Subspecies of plant

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis, commonly known as the red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to southern inland Australia. It usually has rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, pale creamy yellow flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. viridans, commonly known as the green-leaved red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It usually has rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, pale creamy yellow flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

References

  1. Fensham, R., Laffineur, B. & Collingwood, T. 2019. Eucalyptus albopurpurea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T133377698A133377700. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T133377698A133377700.en. Downloaded on 20 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus albopurpurea". APC. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. Dean Nicolle. "Native Eucalypts of South Australia" . Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 Nicolle, Dean (2013). Native eucalypts of South Australia. Adelaide: Dean Nicolle. pp. 182–183. ISBN   9780646904108.
  5. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus albopurpurea". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  6. Nicolle, Dean (2000). "New taxa of Eucalyptus informal subgenus Symphymomyrtus (Myrtaceae), endemic to South Australia" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 19: 90–91. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  7. "Eucalyptus lansdowneana subsp. albopurpurea". APNI. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  8. "Dorward, Reginald Allan (1924 - extant 1990)". Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  9. "Eucalyptus albopurpurea". APNI. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.