Eucalyptus morrisbyi

Last updated

Morrisby's gum
Eucalyptus morrisbyi at Calverts Hill Nature Reserve.JPG
Eucalyptus morrisbyi in Calverts Hill Nature Reserve, near Sandford
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. morrisbyi
Binomial name
Eucalyptus morrisbyi
leaves, flower buds and flowers Eucalyptus morrisbyi.jpg
leaves, flower buds and flowers

Eucalyptus morrisbyi, commonly known as Morrisby's gum, [2] is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to a restricted area of Tasmania. It has loose slabs of rough bark near the base of its trunk, smooth pale grey bark above, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and barrel-shaped or cylindrical fruit. It is only known in the wild from a few small populations but has been widely planted as an ornamental.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus morrisbyi is a tree that typically grows to a height of 6–16 m (20–52 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth, pale greyish, or brown bark, often with slabs of loose rough bark near the base of the trunk. Young plants and coppice regrowth have more or less round, sessile leaves that are glaucous, 10–45 mm (0.39–1.77 in) long, 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide arranged in opposite pairs and with usually wavy edges. Adult leaves are lance-shaped to egg-shaped or elliptical, the same shade of dull bluish green to glaucous on both sides, 47–100 mm (1.9–3.9 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 9–25 mm (0.35–0.98 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of three in leaf axils on an unbranched peduncle 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long, the individual buds sessile or on pedicels up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Mature buds are pear-shaped to oval, 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide with a conical to beaked operculum. Flowering occurs in most months, peaking from January to April, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody barrel-shaped or cylindrical capsule 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long and 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) wide with the valves below rim level. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus morrisbyi was first formally described in 1939 by Robert Brett in Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania . [5] [6] Brett did not give a reason for the specific epithet (morrisbyi) but noted that "J. R. Morrisby" had planted an avenue of this species. [6] John Robert Morrisby (1832–1923) gathered seed of the species and planted the species on a farm near Sandford that was still the home of a Morrisby family in 1978. [7]

Eucalyptus morrisbyi belongs in the subgenus Symphyomyrtus, section Maidenaria, section Orbiculares. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Morrisby's gum grows in dry woodland, mostly in gullies between hilly slopes, and mostly in relatively pure stands. It is only known from the wild in the Cremorne area, in two populations on the eastern shore of the River Derwent.

Conservation status

This eucalypt is unlikely to go extinct because of ornamental plantings, but there is a continuing decline in wild populations. The species is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Federal Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . The total population is estimated to number fewer than 2,500 mature plants in no more than five locations. The main threats to the species in the wild include land clearing, climate change, browsing by mammals such as possums, insect browsing, especially by the autumn gum moth ( Mnesampela privata ), competition, including by the native vine, Cassytha pubescens and introduced weeds including serrated tussock ( Nassella trichotoma ) and inappropriate fire regimes. [4] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Eucalyptus globulus</i> Species of tree endemic to southeastern Australia

Eucalyptus globulus, commonly known as southern blue gum or blue gum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is a tall, evergreen tree endemic to southeastern Australia. This Eucalyptus species has mostly smooth bark, juvenile leaves that are whitish and waxy on the lower surface, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, glaucous, ribbed flower buds arranged singly or in groups of three or seven in leaf axils, white flowers and woody fruit.

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

Eucalyptus viminalis, commonly known as the manna gum, white gum or ribbon gum, is a species of small to very tall tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough bark near the base, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus gunnii</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae

Eucalyptus gunnii, commonly known as cider gum, is a species of large tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to the island of Tasmania, Australia. It has mostly smooth bark, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus cordata, commonly known as the heart-leaved silver gum is a shrub to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth bark throughout, mostly only juvenile, more or less heart-shaped, glaucous leaves, glaucous flower buds arranged in groups of three, white flowers and cylindrical or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus pulverulenta, commonly known as silver-leaved mountain gum, is a species of straggly tree or mallee that is endemic to southern New South Wales. It has smooth bark, egg-shaped, heart-shaped or round, sessile leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical 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 globulus <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> bicostata</i> Subspecies of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata, commonly known as the southern blue gum, eurabbie, blue gum or Victorian blue gum, is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, warty flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and hemispherical to conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus coccifera, commonly known as the Tasmanian snow gum, is a small to medium-sized tree endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth, grey and cream-coloured bark, elliptic to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between three and nine, usually white flowers and conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus nitens, commonly known as shining gum or silvertop, is a species of tall tree native to Victoria and eastern New South Wales. It has smooth greyish bark, sometimes with thin, rough bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped, barrel-shaped or cylindrical fruit. It grows in wet forests and rainforest margins on fertile soils in cool, high-rainfall areas.

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

Eucalyptus vernicosa, commonly known as varnished gum, is a species of shrub or a mallee that is endemic to mountainous areas of Tasmania. It has smooth greyish bark, crowded, egg-shaped to elliptical or round leaves, flower buds singly or in groups of three in leaf axils, white flowers and hemispherical or bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus risdonii, commonly known as the Risdon peppermint, is a species of small tree that is endemic to a small area in southern Tasmania. It has smooth bark, a crown composed mostly of sessile, glaucous, egg-shaped juvenile leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The flower buds are arranged in groups of between nine and fifteen and the fruit are cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical.

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

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 subcrenulata</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus subcrenulata, commonly known as Tasmanian alpine yellow gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to the highlands of Tasmania. It has smooth bark, glossy green, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and hemispherical to bell-shaped fruit. It is similar to E. johnstonii, E. vernicosa and E. urnigera.

Eucalyptus conspicua, commonly known as Gippsland swamp-box, is a species of small tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has rough, thick, fibrous bark from the trunk to its small branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical or hemispherical fruit. The crown of the tree is composed of a dull bluish-green juvenile, intermediate and adult leaves.

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

Eucalyptus pantoleuca, commonly known as round-leaved gum or Panton River white gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It has smooth, powdery bark, more or less round adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical fruit that are glaucous at first.

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

Eucalyptus ceracea also known as the Seppelt Range gum or Seppelt Range yellow-jacket, is a species of small tree or mallee that is endemic to a small area in the north of Western Australia. It has thick, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, dull, glaucous, egg-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, bright orange flowers and urn-shaped fruit. The leaves, buds and fruit are covered with a white wax.

Eucalyptus chartaboma, commonly known as paperbark gum, is a eucalypt that is endemic to Queensland. It is a medium-sized tree with soft, papery, fibrous bark on the lower trunk, smooth white to pale cream-coloured bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, orange-coloured flowers and oval to urn-shaped fruit. The flower buds and fruit have distinct ribs along their sides.

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

Eucalyptus urnigera, commonly known as urn tree, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped or elliptical leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus rhomboidea, commonly known as the diamond gum, is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit that is glaucous at first.

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

Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus, commonly known as the Tasmanian blue gum, southern blue gum, or blue gum, is a subspecies of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has mostly smooth bark with some persistent slabs of old bark at the base, juvenile leaves with one glaucous side, glossy, lance-shaped adult leaves, warty flower buds arranged singly in leaf axils, white flowers and hemispherical to conical fruit that is more or less square in cross-section.

References

  1. "Eucalyptus morrisbyi". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus morrisbyi". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Eucalyptus morrisbyi". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Eucalyptus morrisbyi Morrisby's Gum" (PDF). Tasmanian threatened flora. Department of Primary Industries and Water. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  5. "Eucalyptus morrisbyi". apni. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  6. 1 2 Brett, Robert L.G. (1939). "The Description of a New Eucalypt Species" (PDF). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania: 129–130. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  7. "Morrisby, John Robert (1832 - 1923)". Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  8. "Eucalyptus morrisbyi — Morrisby's Gum, Morrisbys Gum". Species Profile and Threats Database. Australian Government . Retrieved 23 September 2017.