Eucalyptus erectifolia

Last updated

Stirling Range mallee
Eucalyptus erectifolia.jpg
Eucalyptus erectifolia in the Stirling Range
Status DECF P4.svg
Priority Four — Rare Taxa (DEC)
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. erectifolia
Binomial name
Eucalyptus erectifolia

Eucalyptus erectifolia, commonly known as Stirling Range mallee, [1] is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and thirteen, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

Contents

flower buds Eucalyptus erectifolia buds.jpg
flower buds
fruit Eucalyptus erectifolia fruit.jpg
fruit

Description

Eucalyptus erectifolia is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 1–5 m (3 ft 3 in – 16 ft 5 in), has smooth grey bark and forms a lignotuber. Young plants and coppice regrowth have sessile, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves 50–120 mm (2.0–4.7 in) long, 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) wide and arranged in opposite pairs. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, narrow lance-shaped, 55–105 mm (2.2–4.1 in) long, 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) wide on a petiole 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of between seven and thirteen on an unbranched peduncle 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long. Mature buds are oval to spindle-shaped, 7–11 mm (0.28–0.43 in) long, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide with a conical operculum. Flowering occurs between March and May and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, broadly cup-shaped capsule 11–14 mm (0.43–0.55 in) long, 14–18 mm (0.55–0.71 in) wide with the valves near the level of the rim. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus erectifolia was first formally described in 1986 by Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper from a specimen collected in the Stirling Range in 1981. The description was published in the journal Nuytsia . [4] [5] The specific epithet (erectifolia) is derived from the Latin "erectus" [6] :827 and -folia meaning "leaved" [6] :46 referring to the way the leaves are held in the crown. [4]

This species is part of the subgenus Eucalyptus series Diversiformae, a group of mallees that all have adult leaves held erect, buds with a single unscarred operculum and pyramidal seeds. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Stirling Range mallee grows in sandy-loamy-gravelly soils in open shrubland on hillslopes and sandplains in the Stirling Range. [1] [3]

Conservation status

Eucalyptus erectifolia is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [1] meaning that is rare or near threatened. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

Eucalyptus dolorosa, commonly known as the Mount Misery mallee or Dandaragan mallee, is a species of eucalypt that is endemic to Western Australia. It is a mallee with a short skirt of rough flaky bark at the base of the trunk, smooth pale greyish brown above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to spherical 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.

Eucalyptus exigua is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, whitish bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and short barrel-shaped to conical fruit.

Eucalyptus gypsophila, also known as the kopi mallee, is a species of mallee that is native to Western Australia and South Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the lower part of the trunk, smooth light grey bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds mostly in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and conical to cylindrical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus hebetifolia is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Western Australia. It has smooth grey and brownish bark with loose ribbons of bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of up to thirteen, creamy white flowers and conical to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus histophylla is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to southern Western Australia. It has smooth bark, often with ribbons of shed bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups in leaf axils, white flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped or conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus impensa, commonly known as the Eneabba mallee, is a species of straggly mallee that is endemic to a small area of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, dull, light green, egg-shaped to broadly lance-shaped leaves, flower buds arranged singly in leaf axils, pink flowers and relatively large, flattened hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus incerata, commonly known as Mount Day mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds with a long, horn-shaped operculum and arranged in groups of seven, yellow flowers and barrel-shaped to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus lateritica</i> Rare species of malee eucalyptus tree native to Western Australia

Eucalyptus lateritica, commonly known as laterite mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the lower half of the trunk, smooth grey bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, white flowers and shortened spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus leprophloia, commonly known as scaly butt mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area in Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

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

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.

Eucalyptus quadrans is a species of mallee or a small tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth, greyish bark, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit that are square in cross-section.

Eucalyptus rigens, commonly known as saltlake mallee, is a species of sprawling mallee that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three on a flattened peduncle and sessile, ribbed fruit.

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

Eucalyptus suberea, commonly known as Mount Lesueur mallee or cork mallee, is a species of mallee or a small tree that is endemic to a small area on the west coast of Western Australia. It has rough bark on some or all of the trunk, smooth white bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven to twenty or more, white flowers and shortened spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus thamnoides, also known as brown mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to south western Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped, conical or bell-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus xanthonema, commonly known as yellow-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, linear adult leaves, flower buds in groups of up to eleven, white to pale lemon-coloured flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus captiosa is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, groups of three or seven, slightly ribbed flower buds arranged in leaf axils, pale yellow flowers and cup shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus cuprea, commonly known as the mallee box, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the base of its trunk, smooth coppery-coloured bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus diminuta, commonly known as the spring mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth, silvery to greyish bark, sometimes with rough flaky bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, pendulous, elongated flower buds arranged in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus alatissima is a mallee that is endemic to central parts of the Great Victoria Desert. It has rough bark on the lower part of its stems, smooth tan to cream-coloured bark on its upper parts, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves and buds in groups of three. The buds have a powdery covering and are prominently winged.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Eucalyptus erectifolia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus erectifolia". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus erectifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Brooker, M. Ian H.; Hopper, Stephen (1986). "Notes on the informal subgenus "Monocalyptus" of Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) and the description of three new upland species from south-west Western Australia". Nuytsia. 5 (3): 351–355. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  5. "Eucalyptus erectifolia". APNI. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  6. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  7. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 29 June 2019.