Eucalyptus optima

Last updated

Eucalyptus optima
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. optima
Binomial name
Eucalyptus optima

Eucalyptus optima, is a species of small to medium-sized tree or a mallet that is endemic to a small area in the south of Western Australia. It has smooth white to greyish bark, sometimes with rough black bark on the base of the trunk, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or urn-shaped fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus optima is a tree or mallet that typically grows to a height of 20 m (66 ft) but does not form a lignotuber. Young plants have stems that are square in cross-section, with wings on the corners and dull greyish green, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves that are 30–170 mm (1.2–6.7 in) long and 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of dull bluish or greyish green on both sides, lance-shaped, 80–140 mm (3.1–5.5 in) long and 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven or nine on an unbranched, usually down-turned peduncle 10–18 mm (0.39–0.71 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long. Mature buds are oval to oblong, 16–20 mm (0.63–0.79 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide with a beaked to horn-shaped operculum. Flowering has been observed in May, August and September and the flowers are pale yellow. The fruit is a woody, cup-shaped, hemispherical or urn-shaped capsule 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) wide with the valves protruding strongly above the rim. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus optima was first formally described in 1999 by Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill in the journal Telopea from specimens collected near Balladonia roadhouse in 1983. [3] [5] The specific epithet (optima) is from the Latin optimus, meaning "best", referring to this species being the largest, with the largest buds and fruit in the Series Sociales. [3]

Distribution and habitat

This eucalypt grows in woodland between Balladonia and the Fraser Range in the Coolgardie, Mallee and Nullarbor biogeographic regions. [2] [3]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

Eucalyptus interstans is a species of small to medium-sized tree endemic to New South Wales and Queensland. It has smooth white or greyish bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus prava, commonly known as orange gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth, mottled bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped or hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus balladoniensis, commonly known as the Balladonia mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to an area in the south of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the lower half of its stems, smooth brownish bark above, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and hemispherical to more or less spherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus fraseri, commonly known as Balladonia gum, is a species of tree or mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth white to greyish bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus luculenta is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow to white flowers and cup-shaped, barrel-shaped or cylindrical fruit.

Eucalyptus ravida is a species of small mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical to hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus singularis is a species of mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with ribbons of rough bark at the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus spreta is a species of mallet or marlock that is endemic to the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus transcontinentalis, commonly known as redwood or boongul, is a species of small to medium-sized tree, sometimes a mallet, that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and urn-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus urna, commonly known as merrit, is a species of mallet or marlock that is endemic to southern areas of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to thirteen, creamy yellow to white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus yalatensis, commonly known as the Yalata mallee, is a species of mallee or a shrub that is endemic to southern Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the stems, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds mostly in groups of nine, creamy white or yellowish flowers and hemispherical to shortened spherical fruit.

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

Corymbia nesophila, commonly known as the Melville Island bloodwood, is a species of tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus extensa is a species of mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, yellowish green flowers and hemispherical fruit with the valves extended well beyond the level of the rim.

Eucalyptus kabiana, commonly known as Mt Beerwah mallee, is a species of mallee, rarely a small tree, that is endemic to Queensland. It has smooth white to grey bark, sometimes with a short stocking of rough, fibrous bark at the base. The adult leaves are lance-shaped or curved, the flower buds are arranged in groups of between seven and eleven, the flowers are white and the fruit is hemispherical with protruding valves.

Eucalyptus tephrodes is a species of small tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark above, egg-shaped to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three on the ends of branchlets and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus terebra, commonly known as Balladonia gimlet, is a species of gimlet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has satiny or glossy bark on its fluted trunk, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, yellowish flowers and conical to hemispherical fruit. It is one of the seven species of gimlet.

Eucalyptus assimilans is a tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth white or greyish bark shed in long ribbons, lance-shaped and curved leaves, buds in groups of seven in leaf axils and conical 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 notactites, commonly known as southern limestone mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth, greyish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between eleven and fifteen, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

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

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

References

  1. "Eucalyptus optima". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus optima". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Johnson, Lawrence A.S.; Hill, Kenneth D. (1999). "Systematic studies in the Eucalypts. 9. A review of series Sociales (Eucalyptus subgenus Symphyomyrtus, Section Bisectaria, Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 8 (2): 203. doi: 10.7751/telopea19993001 .
  4. 1 2 "Eucalyptus optima". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. "Eucalyptus optima". APNI. Retrieved 21 November 2019.