Eucalyptus crucis

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Silver mallee
Eucalyptus crucis habit.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. crucis
Binomial name
Eucalyptus crucis

Eucalyptus crucis is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. There are three subspecies, commonly known as silver mallee or Southern Cross mallee, (subspecies crucis), narrow-leaved silver mallee, (subsp. lanceolata) and Paynes Find mallee, (subsp. praecipua). [2] [3] It has rough bark that is shed in curling flakes, more or less round, glaucous juvenile leaves, egg-shaped intermediate leaves and lance-shaped adult leaves. The type of bark and the proportion of juvenile, intermediate and adult leaves in the crown of mature plants varies with subspecies. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils, the flowers are whitish to pale yellow and the fruit is a conical to hemispherical capsule.

Contents

flower buds and flowers Eucalyptus crucis buds.jpg
flower buds and flowers
fruit Eucalyptus crucis fruit.jpg
fruit
"minni ritchi" bark Eucalyptus crucis bark.jpg
"minni ritchi" bark

Description

Eucalyptus crucis is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 2–15 m (6 ft 7 in–49 ft 3 in) and forms a lignotuber. It has rich, reddish brown, fibrous bark that in several subspecies is shed in curling "minni ritchi" patches about 10 cm (3.9 in) wide. Young plants, coppice regrowth, and sometimes the crown of mature trees have sessile, usually glaucous, more or less round leaves arranged in opposite pairs, 17–55 mm (0.67–2.17 in) long and 13–65 mm (0.51–2.56 in) wide. Intermediate leaves are arranged more or less in opposite pairs or alternately, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, up to 65 mm (2.6 in) long and 20–55 mm (0.79–2.17 in) wide with a short petiole. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, lance-shaped, 50–100 mm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in) wide on a petiole 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long. [2] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven on an unbranched peduncle 7–16 mm (0.28–0.63 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long. Mature buds are more or less oval, 9–15 mm (0.35–0.59 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide with a conical to rounded operculum 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs between September and March and the fruit is a woody cup-shaped to hemispherical capsule 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide. [2] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus crucis was first formally described in 1923 by Joseph Maiden from a specimen collected near Southern Cross by Henry Steedman in 1922. Maiden published the description in his book A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus. [7] [8] The specific epithet (crucis) is a Latin word meaning "cross", [9] referring to the type location. [7]

In 1982, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper described two subspecies, crucis and lanceolata, and in 1993 they described subspecies praecipua. The three subspecies have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census.

Distribution and habitat

Silver mallee is found in an area in the Goldfields-Esperance and Wheatbelt region of Western Australia where it grows in sandy, clay or loam soils amongst granite outcrops. [3] It is associated with sheoak ( Allocasuarina species), wattle ( Acacia species) and one-sided bottlebrush ( Calothamnus species). [2]

Subspecies crucis is only found between Merredin, Southern Cross and Westonia, subspecies lanceolata between Corrigin, Mount Churchman and Chiddarcooping Rock. Subspecies praecipua is only known from near Paynes Find. [5]

Conservation status

Subspecies lanceolata is classified as "not threatened" [15] but subspecies crucis [16] and praecipua [17] are classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia). Subspecies crucis (silver mallee) is also listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The main threats to this subspecies are recreational activities, pipeline maintenance, grazing and weed invasion. [18]

Use in horticulture

This eucalypt is frost and drought tolerant and is suitable for alkaline soils. It is commonly used as a windbreak, a street tree, for its decorative fruit, for erosion control, and as a honey producing or bird nesting plant. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Eucalyptus macrocarpa</i>

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<i>Eucalyptus ebbanoensis</i>

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<i>Eucalyptus loxophleba</i>

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

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<i>Eucalyptus arachnaea</i>

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<i>Eucalyptus calcicola</i>

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<i>Eucalyptus calycogona</i> species of plant in Australia

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<i>Eucalyptus capillosa</i>

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.

Eucalyptus crispata, commonly known as the Yandanooka mallee, is a species of tall mallee that is endemic to a small area on the east coast of Western Australia. It has a stocking of rough bark near the base of its trunk, smooth grey bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and eleven, whitish to yellowish cream flowers and cup-shaped, barrel-shaped or hemispherical to cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus effusa</i>

Eucalyptus effusa, commonly known as rough-barked gimlet, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus gittinsii</i>

Eucalyptus gittinsii, commonly known as northern sandplain mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth greyish bark, sometimes with rough flaky bark near the base, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, whitish flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus ligulata</i>

Eucalyptus ligulata, commonly known as Lucky Bay mallee, is a mallee that is native to a few small areas along the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark on the trunk and branches, narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and thirteen, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit with shallow ribs on the sides.

Eucalyptus pluricaulis, commonly known as the purple-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, dull bluish green, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, pale yellow flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus pruinosa, commonly known as silver box, silver leaf box, apple box or smoke tree, is a species of tree or a mallee that is endemic to northern Australia. The Jaminjung peoples know the tree as yarrirra or jarnbiny, the Jaru as wararn and the Wagiman as wararn. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the trunk and branches, a crown composed of juvenile, glaucous, heart-shaped to broadly elliptical leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds arranged in groups of seven on the ends of branches, creamy white to pale yellow flowers and cylindrical to conical fruit.

Eucalyptus subangusta is a species of tree, mallee or mallet that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of up to nineteen, white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus celastroides</i>

Eucalyptus celastroides, commonly known by the Noongar name of mirret, is a species of eucalypt that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a mallee, rarely a tree, and has rough bark on about half of the lower half of its tunk, smooth above, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

<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.

<i>Eucalyptus diversifolia</i>

Eucalyptus diversifolia, commonly known as the soap mallee, coastal white mallee, South Australian coastal mallee, or coast gum is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area along the southern coast of Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white to creamy yellow flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

<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.

References

  1. ↑ "Eucalyptus crispata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus crucis subsp. crucis (Silver Mallee)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Eucalyptus crucis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus crucis". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Eucalyptus crucis". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Brooker, M. Ian; Hopper, Stephen D. (1982). "New subspecies of Eucalyptus caesia and in E. crucis (Myrtaceae) of Western Australia". Nuytsia. 4 (1): 120–126. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Maiden, Joseph (1923). A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus (Volume 6). Sydney: Government Printer. pp. 514–515. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis". APNI. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  9. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 239.
  10. ↑ "Eucalyptus crispata subsp. crucis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "Eucalyptus crispata subsp. lanceolata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  13. ↑ "Eucalyptus crispata subsp. praecipua". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  14. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis subsp. praecipua". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  15. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  16. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis subsp. crucis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  17. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis subsp. praecipua". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  18. ↑ "Species profile and threats database: Eucalyptus crucis subsp. crucis - silver mallee". Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  19. ↑ "Eucalyptus crucis – Silver Mallee". Gardening with Angus. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
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