Eucalyptus ceratocorys

Last updated

Horn-capped mallee
Eucalyptus ceratocorys.jpg
Eucalyptus ceratocorys in the Waite Arboretum
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. ceratocorys
Binomial name
Eucalyptus ceratocorys

Eucalyptus ceratocorys, also known as the horn-capped mallee, [2] is a mallee that is native to South Australia and Western Australia. It has rough, ribbony bark at the base of its trunk, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine with ridges along the sides, white to cream-coloured flowers and cylindrical fruit.

Contents

bark on a specimen near the Yumbarra Conservation Park Eucalyptus ceratocorys bark.jpg
bark on a specimen near the Yumbarra Conservation Park

Description

Eucalyptus ceratocorys is a mallee, rarely a straggly tree, that typically grows to a height of 2 to 10 metres (7 to 33 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough flaky bark near the base of the trunks and shaggy, ribbony bark above that does not shed cleanly. Young plants and coppice regrowth have stems that are square in cross-section and greyish green, egg-shaped leaves 65–85 mm (2.6–3.3 in) long and 40–45 mm (1.6–1.8 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped, 60–155 mm (2.4–6.1 in) long and 12–45 mm (0.47–1.77 in) wide on a petiole 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are usually arranged in groups of seven or nine on a peduncle 13–30 mm (0.51–1.18 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long. Mature buds are oval to pear-shaped with ridges along the sides, 17–30 mm (0.67–1.18 in) long and 6–11 mm (0.24–0.43 in) wide with a beaked operculum 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long. Flowering occurs between July and December and the flowers are white to cream coloured, rarely red. The fruit is a woody, cylindrical capsule 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long and 8–16 mm (0.31–0.63 in) wide with ridges along the sides. The fruit have a pedicel 1–7 mm (0.039–0.276 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The horn-capped mallee was first formally described in 1934 by William Blakely who gave it the name Eucalyptus angulosa var. ceratocorys from a specimen collected near Comet Vale. Blakely published the description in his book A key to the Eucalypts. [5] In 1988, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill raised the variety to species status as Eucalyptus ceratocorys. [6] The specific epithet (ceratocorys) is derived from the Ancient Greek words keras meaning "horn" [7] :194 and korys meaning "helmet", [7] :232 referring to the beaked operculum of this species. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Eucalyptus ceratocorys grows in sandy soil in shrubland between Koorda and the southern fringe of the Great Victoria Desert in the southern Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. [3]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Eucalyptus pyriformis, commonly known as pear-fruited mallee or Dowerin rose, is a species of low, straggly mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth greyish brown bark sometimes with ribbony bark near the base, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, red, pinkish or creamy white flowers and down-turned, conical fruit with prominent ribs.

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

Eucalyptus youngiana, commonly known as large-fruited mallee, Ooldea mallee and yarldarlba, is a species of mallee, less commonly a tree, that is native to arid and semi-arid areas of southern Western Australia and South Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on some or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, red, pink or bright yellow flowers and short, broad, conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus porosa, commonly known as mallee box, Quorn mallee or water mallee, is a species of mallee or a tree that is endemic to southern Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped or shortened spherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus aspratilis, commonly known as the soak yate or inland mallee-yate, is a mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark near its base, smooth silvery greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, pendulous buds in groups of seven, pale yellow or cream-coloured flowers and cylindrical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus balladoniensis, commonly known as the Balladonia mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to an area in the south of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the lower half of its stems, smooth brownish bark above, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and hemispherical to more or less spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus comitae-vallis</i> Species of flowering plants

Eucalyptus comitae-vallis, commonly known as Comet Vale mallee or Cowcowing mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, flaky to ribbony bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth withish bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and barrel-shaped, conical or cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus jucunda, commonly known as Yuna mallee, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flowering buds in groups of seven or nine, white or cream-coloured flowers and barrel-shaped or shortened spherical fruit with an unusually narrow opening.

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

Eucalyptus neutra, commonly known as the Newdegate mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has greyish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, pale yellow to white flowers and barrel-shaped to shortened spherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus oldfieldii, commonly known as Oldfield's mallee, is a species of mallee or tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has a sprawling or spreading habit, mostly smooth greyish or brownish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical, cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus olivina is a species of mallee or a tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth greyish bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy white flowers and short barrel-shaped to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus optima, is a species of small to medium-sized tree or a mallet that is endemic to a small area in the south of Western Australia. It has smooth white to greyish bark, sometimes with rough black bark on the base of the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or urn-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus oxymitra, commonly known as the sharp-capped mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to remote parts of Central Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white to pale yellow flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus platycorys, commonly known as Boorabbin mallee, is a species of mallee, rarely a small tree, that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, dark grey, fibrous and flaky bark on the trunk, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in group of three, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus rigidula, commonly known as stiff-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, linear to narrow elliptic or narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus singularis, also known as ridge-top mallet, is a species of mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with ribbons of rough bark at the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus conveniens is a species of small mallee or shrub that is endemic to a small area on the west coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with a short stocking of rough bark near its base, lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptic adult leaves, flowers buds in groups of three, whitish flowers and glaucous, barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus cyclostoma is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area in the south of Western Australia. It has smooth, greyish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and more or less spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus tephrodes is a species of small tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark above, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three on the ends of branchlets and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus capitanea, commonly known as the desert ridge-fruited mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It often has rough, flaky bark on the lower part of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, ribbed, oval flower buds in groups of seven, cream-coloured flowers and ribbed, urn-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus longissima is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous or stringy bark on the trunk, smooth greyish brown bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in group of between seven and thirteen, white flowers and shortened spherical fruit.

References

  1. "Eucalyptus ceratocorys". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus ceratocorys". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus ceratocorys". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus ceratocorys". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  5. "Eucalyptus angulosa var. ceratocorys". APNI. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  6. "Eucalyptus ceratocorys". APNI. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.