Eucalyptus cladocalyx

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Sugar gum
Eucalyptus cladocalyx (1).jpg
Eucalyptus cladocalyx habit
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. cladocalyx
Binomial name
Eucalyptus cladocalyx
E. cladocalyx.JPG
E. cladocalyx, field distribution
Synonyms [2]

Eucalyptus corynocalyxF.Muell. nom. illeg., nom. superfl.

Contents

Eucalyptus cladocalyx leaves and bark Eucalyptus cladocalyx leaves and bark.jpg
Eucalyptus cladocalyx leaves and bark
Kino oozing from a small fissure on a Eucalyptus cladocalyx Kino oozing from a small fissure on a Eucalyptus cladocalyx.jpg
Kino oozing from a small fissure on a Eucalyptus cladocalyx
Eucalyptus cladocalyx fruit Starr 020203-0037 Eucalyptus cladocalyx.jpg
Eucalyptus cladocalyx fruit
Two sugar gums growing next to the Wollundry Lagoon in Wagga Wagga Two Sugar Gums growing next to the Wollundry Lagoon in the Victory Memorial Gardens.jpg
Two sugar gums growing next to the Wollundry Lagoon in Wagga Wagga

Eucalyptus cladocalyx, commonly known as sugar gum, is a species of eucalypt tree found in the Australian state of South Australia. It is found naturally in three distinct populations - in the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula and on Kangaroo Island.

Description

The tree notable for its mottled colourful yellow to orange bark, strongly discolourous leaves and inflorescences grouped on leafless branchlets inside the tree crown. The old bark is smooth and grey, shedding in irregular patches to expose the fresh yellowy-brown bark. Flowers are creamy-white in summer. The capsules are barrel to urn shaped.

Sugar gums in the Flinders Ranges reach up to 35 metres (115 ft) in height [3] and have the classic "gum" habit, with a straight trunk having a diameter at breast height (dbh) of 1 to 1.5 m (3 ft 3 in to 4 ft 11 in) and steep branches occurring about halfway up. Each main branch ends with its own little canopy. They are commonly cultivated as farm windbreaks and for timber. However, Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island trees are much shorter, typically between 8 and 15 m (26 and 49 ft) in height, and often have crooked trunks and a dbh of 0.4 m (1 ft 4 in). [3] The crown has an open spreading habit with a typical spread of 12 to 15 m (39 to 49 ft). [4]

The strongly discolorous, glossy adult leaves are arranged alternately supported on a petiole that is 0.9 to 2.7 cm (0.35 to 1.06 in) in length. The leaf blade is darker green on upper side and paler below with slightly falcate to lanceolate shape, a length of 8 to 17 cm (3.1 to 6.7 in) and a width of 1.2 to 3.2 cm (0.47 to 1.26 in), with a base usually tapering to the petiole. The side-veins in the leaf are at an acute or wider angle and densely reticulate. The intramarginal vein is parallel to but removed from margin, with small and obscure oil glands. [5]

It flowers in summer, producing white-cream-yellow flowers. [4] The axillary unbranched inflorescence occur in groups of buds 7, 9 or 11 buds per umbel. The oblong pale green, yellow to creamy mature buds have a length of 0.8 to 1.1 cm (0.31 to 0.43 in) and a width of 0.4 to 0.5 cm (0.16 to 0.20 in). The buds are often longitudinally striated and scarred, with a rounded operculum, inflexed stamens and cuboid to oblong anthers. The urceolate or barrel-shaped, longitudinally ribbed fruits that form after flowering are 0.7 to 1.5 cm (0.28 to 0.59 in) in length and 0.5 to 1 cm (0.20 to 0.39 in) wide, with a descending disc and three or four enclosed valves. The light grey to brown seeds within the fruit have a flattened-ovoid shape that can be pointed at one end and are 1.5 to 3 mm (0.059 to 0.118 in) long. [5]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1853 by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, in the journal Linnaea: Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde. [6] [7]

In 1860, von Mueller referred to Eucalyptus corynocalyx in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae , [8] citing several earlier publications, including the Linnaea journal article, but all only have a description of E. cladocalyx. Eucalyptus corynocalyx is therefore a nomen illegitimum and a synonym of E. cladocalyx. [9]

The specific epithet is taken from the Ancient Greek words klados, meaning branch, "twig" or "stem" [10] : 162  and kalyx, meaning "cup", "cover" or "outer envelope of a flower", [10] : 181  in reference to the leafless branchlets that bear the flowers. [5]

In 2013, Dean Nicolle describe three subspecies of E. cladocalyx and the names have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census: [11]

Distribution

Eucalyptus cladocalyx is endemic to a few limited areas in southern South Australia. There are three distinct populations: in the southern and central-eastern parts of the Eyre Peninsula, through much of the Flinders Ranges, and on Kangaroo Island. It is most likely part of relic forests of wetter climates from the past. [5] [15]

E. cladocalx has now become naturalised in the South West region of Western Australia, in southern Victoria, and in some parts of south-eastern South Australia, beyond its native range. It is also naturalised overseas in northern and southern Africa, California, Hawaii, [16] Arizona, Israel, Chile, Greece, Portugal and Spain. [17]

Subspecies cladocalyx is restricted to the southern and eastern Eyre Peninsula, subspecies crassa to Kangaroo Island and subspecies petila to the southern Flinders Ranges. [11]

Uses

The tree has been widely planted across southern Australia, often as a windbreak or shelterbelt, but also for timber and firewood production. The wood is termite resistant, with moderate strength and durability, and can be used for furniture, flooring, posts, construction timber and railway sleepers. [3]

It is a fast-growing tree but is best planted in open sun in clay, loamy or sandy soils. [4] It is an efficient user of water [17] and drought and frost tolerant, with flowers that attract bees. It is also known to be a suitable breeding habitat for the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo. [4]

E. cladocalyx is well adapted to regular bushfires and can resprout epicormically. It also produces a large number of seedlings through wind dispersal of seeds. [17]

The hard and heavy heartwood is a pale yellow-brown colour and has fine uniform texture with an interlocked grain. The density of air-dried wood is around 1,105 kg/m3 (1,863 lb/cu yd) and is moderately durable. [18] [19]

The dwarf subspecies cladocalyx is sold in the nursery trade as E. cladocalyx 'Nana'. [11]

Weed potential

E. cladocalyx has invaded bushland in Western Australian, where it was introduced. It has the capacity to spread up to 70 metres away from locations where it has been planted, and seems to survive bush fires more effectively than several endemic eucalypt species. It has become an invasive species in South Africa, where it is now registered as a category 2 invader plant. [20]

Related Research Articles

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

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<i>Eucalyptus salubris</i> Species of grass

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

Eucalyptus leucoxylon, commonly known as yellow gum, blue gum or white ironbark, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has smooth yellowish bark with some rough bark near the base, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three and cylindrical, barrel-shaped or shortened spherical fruit. A widely cultivated species, it has white, red or pink flowers.

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

Eucalyptus goniocalyx, commonly known as long-leaved box, olive-barked box or bundy, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, cylindrical or barrel-shaped 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 flocktoniae</i> Species of eucalyptus

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

Eucalyptus odorata, commonly known as peppermint box, is a species of mallee or a small tree that is endemic to South Australia. It has rough, hard bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish bark on the thinner branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cylindrical or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus parramattensis, commonly known as the Parramatta red gum or drooping red gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It has smooth, mottled bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus fasciculosa</i> Species of eucalypt tree

Eucalyptus fasciculosa, commonly known as pink gum, hill gum or scrub gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to southern Australia. It has mostly smooth, light grey to pinkish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical to barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus albopurpurea, commonly known as the purple-flowered mallee box or Port Lincoln mallee, 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.

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

Eucalyptus socialis, commonly known as the red mallee, or grey mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia.

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

Eucalyptus kessellii, commonly known as Jerdacuttup mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area along the south coast of Western Australia. It has very hard, rough bark on the trunk of larger specimens, smooth greyish and brownish bark above, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, creamy white flowers and downturned, conical to cup-shaped 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 sargentii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus sargentii, commonly known as Salt River gum, is a species of mallet, mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, whitish to creamy yellow flowers and conical 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 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.

Eucalyptus paludicola, commonly known as Mount Compass swamp gum, marsh gum or Fleurieu swamp gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to the south-east of South Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, creamy white flowers, and cylindrical, conical or bell-shaped fruit. It is only known from the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.

<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.

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 cladocalyx. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T133378591A133378593. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T133378591A133378593.en. Downloaded on 22 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Florabank. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Factsheet. Botanic Gardens of South Australia. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Euclid. CSIRO . Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". APNI. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1853). "Diagnoses et descriptiones plantarum novarum, quas in Nova Hollandia". Linnaea: Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange. 25: 388. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  8. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1860). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae (Volume 2). Vol. 2. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 43. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  9. ↑ "Eucalyptus corynocalyx". APNI. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  10. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Nicolle, Dean (2013). Native eucalypts of South Australia. Adelaide: Dean Nicolle. pp. 30–35. ISBN   9780646904108.
  12. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  13. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx subsp. crassa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  14. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx subsp. petila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  15. ↑ Brooker, M. Ian H. (2006). Field guide to eucalypts (Volume 1) (3rd ed.). Bloomings Books Pty Ltd. p. 68. ISBN   9781876473525.
  16. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx F.Muell". Weeds of Australia. Queensland Government . Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  17. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus cladocalyx (sugar gum)". Invasive Species Compendium. Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International . Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  18. ↑ "Sugar gum Eucalyptus cladocalyx". Forest Products Commission Western Australia. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  19. ↑ "Gum, Sugar". Wood Solutions. Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  20. ↑ "Eucalyptus cladocalyx (sugar gum)". Invasive Species Compendium. CAB International. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
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