Eucalyptus gracilis

Last updated

Yorrell
Eucalyptus gracilis 1.jpg
E. gracilis in the Lincoln National Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. gracilis
Binomial name
Eucalyptus gracilis

Eucalyptus gracilis, commonly known as yorrell, snap and rattle, red mallee, white mallee [2] or kong mallee, [3] [4] is a species of mallee or small tree endemic to Australia, where it is found in south-western New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. It has smooth white bark, usually with rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the lower stems, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in group of between seven and eleven and cup-shaped, cylindrical or barrel-shaped fruit. [5] [6]

Contents

Eucalyptus gracilis flowers in the Barcelona Botanic Garden Eucalyptus gracilis 1c.JPG
Eucalyptus gracilis flowers in the Barcelona Botanic Garden
Eucalyptus gracilis fruit Eucalyptus gracilis fruit.jpg
Eucalyptus gracilis fruit

Description

Eucalyptus gracilis is an open to spreading, multi-stemmed mallee or tree that typically grows to a height of 7 m (23 ft) but sometimes to 20 m (66 ft). It has smooth white, grey and coppery-cream bark, but usually rough, fibrous or flaky bark at the base of the stems. Young plants and coppice regrowth have linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves 33–90 mm (1.3–3.5 in) long and 9–18 mm (0.35–0.71 in) wide. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, the same glossy green on both sides, linear to narrow lance-shaped or curved, 45–110 mm (1.8–4.3 in) long and 4–17 mm (0.16–0.67 in) wide on a petiole 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven, nine or eleven on an unbranched peduncle 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long and square in cross-section, the individual buds on pedicels 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. Mature buds are club-shaped, 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide with a flattened to rounded operculum. It blooms between March and October producing creamy-white flowers. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, cylindrical or barrel-shaped capsule 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide with the valves enclosed. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus gracilis was first formally described by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1855 in Transactions and Proceedings of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science, from specimens collected "in the desert on the Murray River". [13] [14] The species name is the Latin adjective gracilis "slender", likely referring to its branches and habit. [2]

Eucalyptus yilgarnensis was formerly considered a subspecies of this species. [2] [15]

Distribution and habitat

Yorrell grows on sand dunes and plains, crests of rises and along creek lines in the Eremaean and South West botanical regions of Western Australia where it grows in sandy-clay-loamy soils over limestone. [9] It is found throughout most of southern and central South Australia where it grows in mallee shrubland in a range of soils, often over limestone. In Victoria it is confined to the north-west of the state, mostly in the Big Desert and Sunset Country, east to Manangatang. It also occurs in south western New South Wales where it is found in mallee shrubland on red aeolian sands south from Yathong and west from West Wyalong. [6] [8] [10] [12]

Cultivation

E. gracilis is often cultivated in open areas, wider verges, in parks and reserves and as a shelter wind-break or for erosion control. It is also known to be good for honey production. Nectar-eating birds and insects use it for food and habitat. The yellow-tailed black cockatoo consumes the seeds of this species. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

Eucalyptus lansdowneana, commonly known as the crimson mallee or the red-flowered mallee box, is a species of slender stemmed, straggly mallee that is endemic to a restricted area of South Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark at the base, smooth, grey over creamy-white bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, crimson flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus dumosa, commonly known as the white mallee, dumosa mallee, or Congoo mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It usually has rough, flaky grey bark on the lower trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, cylindrical or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus viridis, commonly known as the green mallee, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to south-eastern, continental Australia. It has rough fibrous or flaky bark on the lower trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped 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 intertexta</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus intertexta, commonly known as inland red box, western red box, gum coolibah or the bastard coolibah, is a species of tree that is endemic to central Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the base of the trunk, smooth white to brownish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven on the ends of branchlets, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus calycogona, commonly known as the gooseberry mallee or square fruited mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds that are square in cross-section arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils, creamy white, sometimes pink flowers, and fruit that are square in cross-section.

Eucalyptus glomerosa, commonly known as jinjulu, is a species of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia. It has rough, fibrous and flaky bark near the base, smooth bark above, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, cream-coloured flowers and conical to hemispherical fruit. It is mainly found in the Great Victoria Desert of South Australia but also grows in eastern parts of Western Australia.

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 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.

Eucalyptus semota, commonly known as marymia mallee, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area in central Western Australia. It has rough, flaky to fibrous bark on the trunk, smooth grey or brown bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus sparsa, commonly known as the northern ranges box, is a species of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia, near the border between the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia border. It has smooth pale grey and brown bark, often with rough bark on the base of larger trunks, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and shortened spherical to conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus yilgarnensis, commonly known as yorrell or yorrel, is a species of mallee, rarely a small tree, that is endemic to Western Australia. It usually has rough bark on the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow elliptical or narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus calcareana, commonly known as the Nundroo mallee or Nundroo gum, is a mallee or a small tree that is endemic to the south coast of Australia. It has smooth, greyish or cream-coloured bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy-white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

Eucalyptus cajuputea, commonly known as the narrow-leaved peppermint box, is a tree or a mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It usually has rough, flaky bark on the trunk, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and smooth, cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus yumbarrana, commonly known as the Yumbarra mallee is a species of mallee that is endemic to South Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the lower trunk, smooth bark above, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white to yellow flowers and shortened spherical to cup-shaped 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 infracorticata is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area of Western Australia. It has rough, flaky or fibrous bark on the lower part of the trunk, broad lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven and short cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> socialis</i> Subspecies of plant

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. socialis, commonly known as the summer red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to inland 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 white flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> victoriensis</i> Subspecies of plant

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis, commonly known as the red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to southern inland 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.

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. ↑ "Eucalyptus gracilis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1992). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Vol. 4: Eu-Go. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 106–07. ISBN   0-85091-213-X.
  3. ↑ Nicolle, Dean (2013). Native Eucalypts of South Australia. Adelaide: Dean Nicolle. pp. 98–99. ISBN   9780646904108.
  4. ↑ Dean Nicolle. "Native Eucalypts of South Australia" . Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "New South Wales Flora Online: Eucalyptus gracilis". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  6. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus gracilis Yorrell". Plant Selector. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Eucalyptus gracilis". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Eucalyptus gracilis F.Muell". PlantNet. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney . Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. 1 2 "Eucalyptus gracilis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  10. 1 2 Brooker, M. Ian H.; Slee, Andrew V. "Eucalyptus gracilis". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  11. ↑ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus gracilis". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Eucalyptus gracilis". South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, Botanic Gardens of South Australia. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "Eucalyptus gracilis". APNI. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  14. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1855). Transactions and Proceedings of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science. Collins Street: George Robertson. p. 35. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "Eucalyptus gracilis". APNI. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.