Eucalyptus alligatrix

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Eucalyptus alligatrix
Eucalyptus alligatrix Gardenology.org-IMG 9342 rbgm10dec.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. alligatrix
Binomial name
Eucalyptus alligatrix

Eucalyptus alligatrix, commonly known as the silver stringybark, [3] is a tree endemic to southeastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually arranged in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped, bell-shaped or cone-shaped fruit.

Contents

E. alligatrix flower buds Eucalyptus alligatrix buds.jpg
E. alligatrix flower buds

Description

Eucalyptus alligatrix is a tree that sometimes grows to a height of 30 m (98.4 ft). It has thick, fibrous, furrowed bark on the trunk and branches. The leaves on young plants and on coppice regrowth are arranged in opposite pairs, broadly egg-shaped to more or less round, 20–45 millimetres (0.8–1.8 in) long, 25–50 mm (1.0–2.0 in) wide and lack a petiole. Juvenile leaves are also dull bluish green with a whitish bloom. Adult leaves are bluish green, lance-shaped, often curved, 55–200 millimetres (2.2–7.9 in) long and 10–28 mm (0.4–1.1 in) wide on a petiole 10–20 millimetres (0.4–0.8 in) long. [4] [5] [6]

The flowers buds are usually arranged in groups of three, sometimes seven, in leaf axils. The groups are on a peduncle 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long, individual buds on a pedicel up to 2 mm (0.1 in) long. The buds are diamond-shaped to spindle-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide. The operculum is cone-shaped and slightly shorter than the floral cup. The flowers are white and the fruit is a woody, cup-shaped, bell-shaped or cone-shaped capsule 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide. [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus alligatrix was first formally described in 1991 by Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill from a specimen collected south-west of Jamieson. The description was published in the journal Telopea . [7] The specific epithet (alligatrix) is the feminine form of the Latin word alligator meaning "one who binds", [8] hence "she who binds together", referring to the characteristics of this species that are intermediate between those of E. cinerea and E. cephalocarpa . [9]

In 1995, Ian Brooker and Andrew Slee described three subspecies and published the descriptions in Australian Systematic Botany :

Distribution and habitat

This eucalypt grows in woodland, often regenerating in previously cleared paddocks.

Conservation

Subspecies limaensis and miscella are both classified as "Vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . The main threats to Lima stringybark include clearing of land, mostly for agriculture and weed invasion. A recovery plan for the subspecies has been prepared. [16] Subspecies miscella is only known from a single grazing property near Rylstone where regeneration is minimal. The main threats to this subspecies include grazing by domestic livestock, clearing and habitat disruption due to human activities, inappropriate fire regimes and small population size. [17]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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

Eucalyptus baxteri, commonly known as brown stringybark, is a medium-sized tree that is endemic to the south-east of mainland Australia. It has rough, stringy bark to the thinnest branches, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, green to yellow flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

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<i>Eucalyptus globulus <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> maidenii</i> Subspecies of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii, commonly known as Maiden's gum, is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and conical, pedicellate, sometimes glaucous fruit that is more or less square in cross-section

<i>Eucalyptus globulus <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> pseudoglobulus</i> Subspecies of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus globulus subsp. pseudoglobulus, commonly known as Victorian eurabbie, is one of the four subspecies of Eucalyptus globulus and is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, pedicellate flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus camphora, commonly known as swamp gum is a flowering plant that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a species of small to medium-sized tree with smooth bark, sometimes rough at the base, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptic adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical fruit. There are two subspecies, subspecies camphora, commonly known as broad-leaved sally or swamp gum and subspecies humeana, commonly known as mountain swamp gum.

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

Eucalyptus mannifera, commonly known as the brittle gum or red spotted gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth, powdery white bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus capillosa, commonly known as wheatbelt wandoo, or mallee wandoo, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, grey bark, lance-shaped to elliptic adult leaves, spindle-shaped flower buds in groups of nine to thirteen, white flowers and barrel-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

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

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 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 conglobata</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus conglobata, also known as the cong mallee or Port Lincoln mallee, is a species of eucalypt that is native to the south coast of Western Australia and South Australia. It is a mallee with smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and clustered hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus mackintii, commonly known as the blue-crowned stringybark, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to Victoria. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flowers buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. acerina, commonly known as snow gum, is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, glossy green lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or conical fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having a dense crown and no parts that are glaucous.

Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. hedraia, commonly known as snow gum, is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has smooth bark, branchlets that are often glaucous, glossy green lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptical adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between eleven and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having larger, sessile, glaucous buds and broader, hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila, commonly known as snow gum, is a small tree or large shrub that is native to a few mountain peaks in eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, glossy green, lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptical leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or conical fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having more delicate, pedicellate flower buds and smaller leaves.

References

  1. Fensham, R.; Laffineur, B.; Collingwood, T. (2019). "Eucalyptus alligatrix". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T133377713A133377715. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T133377713A133377715.en . Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  2. "Eucalyptus alligatrix". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  3. "Eucalyptus alligatrix". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 Brooker, M. Ian; Slee, Andrew V. "Eucalyptus alligatrix". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. alligatrix". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus alligatrix". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  7. "Eucalyptus alligatrix". APNI. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  8. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 143.
  9. Hill, Kenneth D.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1 March 1991). "Systematic studies in the eucalypts - 3. New taxa and combinations in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 4 (2): 237–238.
  10. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. alligatrix". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. alligatrix". APNI. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. limaensis". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. limaensis". APNI. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. miscella". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  15. 1 2 "Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. miscella". APNI. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  16. Murphy, Anna H.; Downe, Judy. "National Recovery Plan for the Lima Stringybark Eucalyptus alligatrix subspecies limaensis" (PDF). Australian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  17. "Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. miscella (a stringybark)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 26 February 2019.