Eucalyptus obliqua

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Messmate stringybark
Eucalyptus obliqua habit.jpg
Eucalyptus obliqua in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria
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. obliqua
Binomial name
Eucalyptus obliqua
Synonyms [2]
List
    • Eucalyptus fabrorum Schltdl.
    • Eucalyptus falcifolia Miq.
    • Eucalyptus heterophyllaMiq.
    • Eucalyptus nervosaMiq. nom. illeg.
    • Eucalyptus obliqua var. degressa Blakely
    • Eucalyptus obliqua var. megacarpaBlakely
    • Eucalyptus obliquaL'Hér. var. obliqua
    • Eucalyptus pallens DC.
    • Eucalyptus procera Dehnh.
Flowers and fruit Eucalyptus obliqua buds.jpg
Flowers and fruit

Eucalyptus obliqua, commonly known as messmate stringybark [3] or messmate, [4] but also known as brown top, brown top stringbark, stringybark or Tasmanian oak, [5] is a species of tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has rough, stringy or fibrous bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish bark on the thinnest branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to fifteen or more, white flowers and cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus obliqua is a tree that typically grows to a height of 90 m (300 ft) or sometimes a mallee and forms a lignotuber. The trunk is up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter and has thick, rough, stringy or fibrous bark. Branches more than 80 mm (3.1 in) in diameter have stringy bark and thinner branches have smooth greenish or greyish bark. Young plants and coppice regrowth have glossy green, broadly egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves that are 60–210 mm (2.4–8.3 in) long and 23–85 mm (0.91–3.35 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped to curved, 60–220 mm (2.4–8.7 in) long and 15–70 mm (0.59–2.76 in) wide on a petiole 7–34 mm (0.28–1.34 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of between seven and fifteen or more on an unbranched peduncle 4–25 mm (0.16–0.98 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long. Mature buds are oval to club-shaped, 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide with a conical to rounded operculum. Flowering occurs in most months and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, cup-shaped to barrel-shaped capsule 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) long and 5–11 mm (0.20–0.43 in) wide with the valves near rim level. [3] [4] [6] [7] The tallest known specimen in Tasmania is 86 m (282 ft) tall. [8] Trees up to 98.8 m (324 ft) tall have been recorded. [9]

Taxonomy

Eucalyptus obliqua was collected in 1777 by David Nelson and William Anderson during Cook's third expedition, and was the first eucalyptus species to be formally described. [10] The collections were made at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island in what is now Tasmania. The specimens were sent to the British Museum in London, where they were examined by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle. L'Héritier recognised the specimens as belonging to a new genus which he called Eucalyptus and gave the name Eucalyptus obliqua to the species. The type species is therefore E. obliqua. L'Héritier published the first formal description in 1789 in his book Sertum Anglicum. [11] [12] [13] [14] The specific epithet (obliqua) is from the Latin obliquus ("oblique"), in reference to the leaf bases of unequal length. [15]

Distribution and habitat

Messmate stringybark is widespread in cooler areas of south eastern Australia. It occurs from Kangaroo Island, through southeast South Australia, throughout Victoria and Tasmania, mainly east of the tablelands in New South Wales, with a few populations extending into southern Queensland. Thus the overall range of latitude is 28–431⁄2°S. It occurs from sea level up to elevations of 1,475 m (4,839 ft) in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. The climate is humid or subhumid, with temperatures ranging from cool to warm, and annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 2,400 mm (20 to 94 in). Severe winter frosts are common, severe drought extremely uncommon. [16]

It occurs on a wide range of soils in hilly or mountainous areas. In cool mountainous areas it forms open-forest with other Eucalyptus species such as E. fastigata (brown barrel), E. nitens (shining gum), E. cypellocarpa (mountain grey gum), E. viminalis (manna gum) and E. delegatensis (alpine ash). [16]

Uses

One of the most important Australian hardwoods, E. obliqua is often sold with E. regnans (mountain ash) as Victorian ash or Tasmanian oak depending on its origin. It is slightly denser than E. regnans – estimates of density range from 720 to 830 kg/m (1,500 to 1,700 lb/yd). The sapwood is pale brown, the heartwood light brown. It has an even texture, with straight grains sometimes interlocked, and well-defined rings. Gum veins are common. [16] [17]

The timber has moderate hardness and strength, but low durability. It splits easily, and is easily worked, glued and stained; it is also suitable for steam bending. It is mostly used for pulp production and for construction and manufacture, especially in house building, joinery, flooring, and furniture. [16] [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Eucalyptus regnans, known variously as mountain ash, swamp gum, or stringy gum, is a species of medium-sized to very tall forest tree that is native to the Australia states of Tasmania and Victoria. It is a straight-trunked tree with smooth grey bark, but with a stocking of rough brown bark at the base, glossy green, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers, and cup-shaped or conical fruit. It is the tallest of all flowering plants; the tallest measured living specimen, named Centurion, stands 100 metres tall in Tasmania.

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

Eucalyptus delegatensis, commonly known as alpine ash, gum-topped stringybark, white-top and in Victoria as woollybutt, is a species of tree that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It has a straight trunk with rough, fibrous to stringy bark on the lower half of the trunk, smooth white bark above, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and barrel-shaped or hemispherical 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 macrorhyncha</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus macrorhyncha, commonly known as the red stringybark, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, stringy, grey to brown bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus capitellata, commonly known as brown stringybark, is a species of tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It is a small to medium-sized tree with rough, stringy bark from the trunk to the thinnest branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, spindle-shaped or oblong flower buds in groups of seven or more, white flowers and clusters of flattened hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus baxteri, commonly known as brown stringybark, is a medium-sized tree that is endemic the south-east of Australia. It has rough, stringy bark to the thinnest branches, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, green to yellow flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus caliginosa, commonly known as broad-leaved stringybark or New England stringybark, is a tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has stringy bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and more or less hemispherical fruit. It is common on the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes of New South Wales and adjacent areas of Queensland.

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

Eucalyptus oreades, commonly known as the Blue Mountains ash, white ash or smooth-barked mountain ash, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is native to eastern Australia. It has smooth, powdery whitish bark with rough bark near the base, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus deanei, commonly known as mountain blue gum, round-leaved gum, or Deane's gum, is a species of large tree endemic to New South Wales. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped leaves that are paler on the lower surface, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped to bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus cephalocarpa, commonly known as mealy stringybark or silver stringybark is a species of small to medium-sized tree, that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, Flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and conical, bell-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus agglomerata, commonly known as blue-leaved stringybark, is a tree endemic to eastern Australia. It has persistent, stringy bark, green or greyish leaves with a bluish sheen, flower buds in groups of eleven to fifteen, white to cream-coloured flowers and crowded, flattened hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus blaxlandii, commonly known as Blaxland's stringybark, is a tree that is endemic to south eastern New South Wales. It is a stringybark with lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in group of nine or eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus eugenioides, commonly known as the thin-leaved stringybark or white stringybark, is a species of tree endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small to medium-sized tree with rough stringy bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, Flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus cameronii, commonly known as the diehard stringybark is a flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small to medium-sized tree with rough, stringy bark from the trunk to the small branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flowers buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or more or less spherical fruit. It mainly grows on the eastern side of the Northern Tablelands in New South Wales.

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

Eucalyptus mckieana, commonly known as McKie's stringybark, is a species of tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped, barrel-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus camfieldii, commonly known as Camfield's stringybark or heart-leaved stringybark, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has rough, fibrous and stringy bark, broadly lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of about eleven, white flowers and flattened hemispherical fruit. It grows in poor, sandy soil in the Sydney region.

<i>Corymbia jacobsiana</i> Species of plant

Corymbia jacobsiana, commonly known as Jacob's bloodwood or stringybark bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to the Northern Territory. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to elliptical or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus mackintii, commonly known as the blue-crowned stringybark, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to Victoria. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flowers buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus sphaerocarpa, commonly known as the Blackdown stringybark, is a species of tall forest tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough, stringy bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, nine or eleven, white flowers and shortened spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus aurifodina, commonly known as the small-leaved brown stringybark is a rare small tree that is endemic to the goldfields area of Victoria. It has rough, stringy bark on its trunk and branches, glossy green elliptic to egg-shaped adult leaves, oval or slightly club-shaped buds arranged in groups of seven to eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

References

  1. ↑ Fensham, R.; Laffineur, B.; Collingwood, T. (2019). "Eucalyptus obliqua". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T61914151A61914153. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T61914151A61914153.en . Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus obliqua". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 Brooker, M. Ian H.; Slee, Andrew V. "Eucalyptus obliqua". Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. 1 2 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus obliqua". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Australian Plant Common Name Database". Australian National Botanic Gardens . Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  6. ↑ "Eucalyptus obliqua". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus obliqua". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Giant Trees". Archived from the original on 2007-02-16.
  9. ↑ Carder, A. 2005: Giant Trees of Western America and The World. Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, Canada.
  10. ↑ Costermans, L. F. (1973). Trees of Victoria: a fully illustrated guide to the recognition of some 85 trees and large shrubs native to Victoria and three neighbouring states (3rd ed.). East Kew, Vic.: L.F. Costermans. p. 47. ISBN   0959910506.
  11. ↑ "Eucalyptus obliqua". APNI. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  12. ↑ L'Héritier, Charles Louis (1788). Sertum Anglicum, seu, Plantae rariores quae in hortis juxta Londinum : imprimis in horto regio Kewensi excoluntur, ab anno 1786 ad annum 1787 observatae (in Latin). Paris: Petri Francisci Didot. p. 11.
  13. ↑ "Anderson, William (1750 - 1788)". Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Nelson, David (? - 1789)". ouncil of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  15. ↑ "The History of Eucalyptus". EUCLID: Eucalypts of southern Australia (Second Edition). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Boland, D. J.; et al. (1985). Forest Trees of Australia (4th ed.). ISBN   0-643-05423-5.
  17. 1 2 Bootle, Keith R. (1983). Wood in Australia : types, properties and uses. Sydney: McGraw-Hill. ISBN   0-07-451047-9.
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