Eucalyptus moluccana

Last updated

Grey box
Eucalyptus molucanna.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. moluccana
Binomial name
Eucalyptus moluccana
E. moluccana.JPG
E. moluccana, field distribution
Synonyms [1]
  • Eucalyptus hemiphloia F.Muell. ex Benth.
  • Eucalyptus hemiphloiaF.Muell. ex Benth. var. hemiphloia
  • Eucalyptus moluccana subsp. crassifoliaGillison nom. inval., nom. nud.
  • Eucalyptus moluccana subsp. pedicellataGillison nom. inval., nom. nud.
  • Eucalyptus moluccana subsp. queenslandicaGillison

Eucalyptus moluccana, commonly known as the grey box, gum-topped box [2] or terriyergro, [3] is a medium-sized to tall tree with rough bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit. It is found in near-coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus moluccana is a tree that typically grows to a height of 30 m (98 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has persistent rough, fibrous or flaky bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth whitish or light grey bark above, sometimes with a shiny surface. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped leaves that are paler on the lower surface, 40–80 mm (1.6–3.1 in) long, 25–55 mm (0.98–2.17 in) wide and petiolate. Adult leaves are lance-shaped to broadly lance-shaped, the same glossy green on both sides, 70–170 mm (2.8–6.7 in) long and 15–65 mm (0.59–2.56 in) wide on a petiole 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long and with many oil glands. The flower buds are arranged on the ends of branchlets in groups of usually seven, on a branched peduncle 6–13 mm (0.24–0.51 in) wide, the individual buds on pedicels 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. The buds are spindle-shaped to diamond-shaped, 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide with a conical operculum. Flowering has been recorded in most months and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped to barrel-shaped capsule 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide with the valves enclosed. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus moluccana was first formally described in 1832 by William Roxburgh in his Flora Indica; or descriptions of Indian Plants. [6] [7] The specific epithet refers to the Moluccas, islands of Southeast Asia but is a misnomer. [2] The Dharawal people know this species as terriyergro. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Grey box is widespread on the coastal plains and ranges northwards from Jervis Bay in New South Wales to the area between Rockhampton and Mackay in Queensland. Further north there is a substantial gap, with occurrences in the ranges from west of Paluma to the southern part of the Atherton Tableland and two small disjunct patches east of Clermont near Eungella Dam. [8]

Related Research Articles

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

Eucalyptus olida is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It has rough, flaky and fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to fifteen or more, white flowers and barrel-shaped or bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus melliodora, commonly known as yellow box, honey box or yellow ironbark, is a species of medium-sized to occasionally tall tree that is endemic to south-eastern, continental Australia. It has rough, flaky or fibrous bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth greyish to yellowish bark above. The adult leaves are lance-shaped to egg-shaped, the flower buds are arranged in groups of seven and the fruit is more or less hemispherical.

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

Eucalyptus chapmaniana, commonly known as the Bogong gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree endemic to montane and eastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous and fissured bark on most of the trunk and smooth light brown to grey bark often shed in long ribbons on the branches. The adult leaves are lance-shaped to curved, the flower buds in groups of three and the fruit a conical or bell-shaped capsule.

<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 microcarpa</i> species of tree

Eucalyptus microcarpa, commonly known as grey box, is a species of tree that is endemic to southeastern continental Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk, smooth whitish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and oval, cylindrical or urn-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus michaeliana, commonly known as Hillgrove gum or brittle gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth mottled greyish bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in compound umbels, white flowers and cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus propinqua, commonly known as the grey gum or small-fruited grey gum, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth, mottled bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves that are paler on the lower surface, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and conical or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus albens, known as the white box, is a common tree of the western slopes and plains of New South Wales and adjacent areas in Queensland and Victoria. It has rough, fibrous bark on the base of its trunk and smooth, white bark above. The leaves are lance-shaped and groups of seven spindle-shaped flower buds are arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of the branches. White flowers are mostly present between August and February and the fruit are barrel-shaped to urn-shaped.

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

Eucalyptus racemosa, commonly known as snappy gum or narrow-leaved scribbly gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth, mottled bark, lance-shaped to curved or egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus dawsonii, known as slaty gum or slaty box, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It has smooth, white, grey or yellow bark, sometimes with a short stocking of rough, flaky bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven on a branching inflorescence, white flowers and conical to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus kartzoffiana</i>

Eucalyptus kartzoffiana, commonly known as the Araluen gum, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to a small area of southeastern New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on part or most of its trunk, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and sessile, bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus bridgesiana, commonly known as apple box, apple, apple gum or but-but, is a medium to large sized tree. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth grey bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus dunnii, commonly known as Dunn's white gum or simply white gum, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough bark near the base, smooth white to cream-coloured bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical 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 largeana</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus largeana, commonly known as the Craven grey box, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. 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 cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus lacrimans, commonly known as weeping snow gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has smooth white bark, lance-shaped adult leaves with more or less parallel veins, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven or more, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus rudderi, or Rudder's box, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern New South Wales. It has rough fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped or hemispherical 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 decorticans</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus decorticans, commonly known as the gum-top ironbark, is a species of tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough, dark grey or black "ironbark" on the trunk and larger branches, smooth white bark on the thinner branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical, cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus howittiana, commonly known as Howitt's box, is a species of tree that is endemic to a small area of Queensland. It has rough, fibrous and flaky bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped or egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and shortened spherical to barrel-shaped fruit.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eucalyptus moluccana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus moluccana". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus moluccana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus moluccana". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. Brooker, M. I. H. (2000). "A new classification of the genus Eucalyptus". Australian Systematic Botany. CSIRO Publishing. 13 (1): 79–148. doi:10.1071/sb98008 . Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  6. "Eucalyptus moluccana". APNI. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  7. Roxburgh, William (1832). Flora indica, or, Descriptions of Indian plants. Serampore :Printed for W. Thacker. p. 498. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  8. Brooker, M.I.H. & Kleinig, D.A. Field Guide to Eucalyptus, Bloomings, Melbourne 2001