Eucalyptus benthamii

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Camden white gum
Eucalyptus benthamii 02.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. benthamii
Binomial name
Eucalyptus benthamii

Eucalyptus benthamii, commonly known as Camden white gum, Bentham's gum, [3] Nepean River gum, [4] kayer-ro [5] or durrum-by-ang, [6] is a species of tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has mostly smooth bluish grey or white bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, bell-shaped or conical fruit.

Contents

flower buds Eucalyptus benthamii buds.jpg
flower buds
fruit Eucalyptus benthamii fruit.jpg
fruit
habit Eucalyptus benthamii 01.jpg
habit

Description

Eucalyptus benthamii is a tree that grows to a height of 35 or 40 metres (115 or 131 ft) with a trunk diameter attaining 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth bluish grey or white bark which is shed in ribbons, except for about 1 metre (3.3 ft) of rough brownish bark at the base of the trunk. The leaves on young plants and on coppice regrowth are arranged in opposite pairs, egg-shaped to heart-shaped, 30–90 mm (1–4 in) long, 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) wide and sessile. Adult leaves are lance-shaped to curved, 80–230 mm (3–9 in) long, 17–27 mm (0.7–1 in) wide on a petiole 5–35 mm (0.2–1 in) long and the same colour on both sides. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a peduncle 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, the individual buds sessile or on a pedicel up to 2 mm (0.08 in) long. Mature buds are oval, 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide with a rounded operculum. Flowering occurs between March and September and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, bell-shaped or conical capsule 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. [3] [7] [8] [9]

Camden white gum is related to E. viminalis . [10] Eucalyptus dorrigoensis is a species from the Dorrigo Plateau that was previously classified as a subspecies of E. benthamii, but does not appear especially related. [9]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus benthamii was first formally described by Joseph Maiden and Richard Hind Cambage in 1915 from a specimen collected "from the banks of the Nepean River near Cobbity". The description was published in Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales . [11] [12] Maiden and Cambage did not give a reason for the specific epithet (benthamii) but it is assumed to honour George Bentham. [9] This tree was well-known to the Aboriginal people of the area, who knew it as durrum-by-ang. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Camden white gum grows on alluvial plains on sand or loam over clay along the Nepean River and its tributaries, in tall open forest, where it either forms a pure stand or is found with other eucalypts such as mountain blue gum ( E. deanei ) and river peppermint ( E. elata ). [9] Other associated trees include grey box ( E. moluccana ), forest red gum ( E. tereticornis ), [9] grey gum ( E. punctata ), cabbage gum ( E. amplifolia ), narrow-leaved ironbark ( E. crebra ) and broad-leaved apple ( Angophora subvelutina ), while associated understory species include blackthorn ( Bursaria spinosa ), bracken ( Pteridium esculentum ) tantoon ( Leptospermum polygalifolium ) and fern-leaved wattle ( Acacia filicifolia ). [13]

Conservation

This eucalypt is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . It is known from two main populations, one near the Kedumba River in the Blue Mountains National Park, the other at Bents Basin State Recreation Area south of Wallacia. Scattered trees are found around Camden, Cobbity and in Nattai National Park. Some 10,000 trees are estimated to grow at Kedumba and about 400 at Bents Basin. Land clearing and the flooding of most of its distribution to create Warragamba Dam have severely impacted its population. [10] [13]

Use in horticulture

Camden white gum is a fast-growing and adaptable tree in cultivation and is being investigated in South Africa and South America for pulpwood plantations. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Eucalyptus dalrympleana, commonly known as mountain gum, mountain white gum, white gum and broad-leaved ribbon gum, is a species of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

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

Eucalyptus nicholii, commonly known as the narrow-leaved black peppermint or willow peppermint, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has thick, rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, small, narrow adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and small, hemispherical, bell-shaped or conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus scoparia, commonly known as the Wallangarra white gum or willow gum, is a small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to a small area of eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, linear to lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or bell-shaped fruit. It is restricted to a few rocky mountains near the border between New South Wales and Queensland but is widely cultivated.

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

Eucalyptus pulverulenta, commonly known as silver-leaved mountain gum, is a species of straggly tree or mallee that is endemic to southern New South Wales. It has smooth bark, egg-shaped, heart-shaped or round, sessile leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus rubida, commonly known as candlebark, ribbon gum or white gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough bark at the base, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus macarthurii, commonly known as the Camden woollybutt or Paddy's river box, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth above, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and small conical to bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus notabilis, commonly known as Blue Mountains mahogany or mountain mahogany, is a species of small to medium-sized tree endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and hemispherical or conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus deanei, commonly known as mountain blue gum, round-leaved gum, or Deane's gum, is a species of large tree endemic to New South Wales. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped leaves that are paler on the lower surface, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped to bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus albens, known as the white box, is a common tree of the western slopes and plains of New South Wales and adjacent areas in Queensland and Victoria. It has rough, fibrous bark on the base of its trunk and smooth, white bark above. The leaves are lance-shaped and groups of seven spindle-shaped flower buds are arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of the branches. White flowers are mostly present between August and February and the fruit are barrel-shaped to urn-shaped.

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

Eucalyptus agglomerata, commonly known as blue-leaved stringybark, is a tree endemic to eastern Australia. It has persistent, stringy bark, green or greyish leaves with a bluish sheen, flower buds in groups of eleven to fifteen, white to cream-coloured flowers and crowded, flattened hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus parvula, commonly known as small-leaved gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales. It has mostly smooth bark, elliptical to lance-shaped adult leaves but with many juvenile of intermediate leaves in the crown, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus kartzoffiana</i> Species of tree

Eucalyptus kartzoffiana, commonly known as the Araluen gum, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to a small area of southeastern New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on part or most of its trunk, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and sessile, bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus dorrigoensis, commonly known as the Dorrigo white gum, is a species of tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has smooth white, grey or pink bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus cambageana, commonly known as the Dawson River blackbutt, Dawson gum or Coowarra box, is a species of tree that is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is a medium-sized tree with hard, rough bark on the lower trunk, smooth white to cream-coloured bark above, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus major, commonly known as grey gum, is a species of tree that is endemic to a small area near the New South Wales - Queensland border. It has smooth greyish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus pachycalyx, commonly known as the shiny-barked gum, is a species of tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has smooth, pale grey, mottled bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus seeana, or narrow-leaved red gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus albida, commonly known as the white-leaved mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth white or greyish brown bark, lance shaped adult leaves, and flowers in groups of between seven and eleven. The flowers are creamy white and the fruit are hemispherical to cone-shaped. The juvenile leaves that are often retained on mature plants are arranged in opposite pairs, egg-shaped to heart-shaped and bluish grey.

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

Eucalyptus camfieldii, commonly known as Camfield's stringybark or heart-leaved stringybark, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous and stringy bark, broadly lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of about eleven, white flowers and flattened hemispherical fruit. It grows in poor, sandy soil in the Sydney region.

References

  1. ↑ Fensham, R., Laffineur, B. & Collingwood, T. 2019. Eucalyptus benthamii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T133378075A133378077. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T133378075A133378077.en. Downloaded on 20 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Eucalyptus benthamii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. 1 2 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus benthamii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  4. ↑ "Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus benthamii (Camden white gum)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Robinson, Les (1991). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney. Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 32. ISBN   0864171927.
  6. 1 2 Parsons, Susan. "Camden White Gum". National Arboretum Canberra. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Eucalyptus benthamii Camden white gum". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus benthamii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Boland, Douglas J.; Brooker, M. Ian.; Chippendale, George M.; McDonald, Maurice William (2006). Forest trees of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 396. ISBN   0-643-06969-0.
  10. 1 2 Skinner, Alison (2003). "The effects of tree isolation on the genetic diversity and seed production of Camden White Gum (Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage)". Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  11. ↑ "Eucalyptus benthamii". APNI. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Maiden, Joseph H.; Cambage, Richard H. (1915). "On some reputed Australian Eucalyptus hybrids". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 48: 418–422. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  13. 1 2 "Camden White Gum - profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  14. ↑ International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, DANIDA Forest Seed Centre (2001). Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Management: Overview, concepts and some systematic approaches. Bioversity International. p. 16. ISBN   92-9043-648-4.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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