Eucalyptus pulchella

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White peppermint
E pulchella.jpg
Eucalyptus pulchella grassy woodland
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. pulchella
Binomial name
Eucalyptus pulchella
Synonyms [1]
leaves and bark E.pulchella leaves.jpg
leaves and bark
buds, flowers and fruit Eucalyptus pulchella buds.jpg
buds, flowers and fruit
E. pulchella from A critical revision of the genus Eucalyptus A critical revision of the genus Eucalyptus (Pl. 35) (7374872840).jpg
E. pulchella from A critical revision of the genus Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus pulchella, commonly known as the white peppermint or narrow-leaved peppermint, [2] is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Tasmania. it has smooth bark, sometimes with rough fibrous bark on older trees, linear leaves, flower buds in groups of nine to twenty or more, white flowers and cup-shaped to shortened spherical fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus pulchella is an erect tree that typically grows to a height of 20 m (66 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth white or pale grey bark sometimes with rough, fibrous greyish bark on the trunk of older trees. Young plants and coppice regrowth have narrow lance-shaped to linear leaves that are 20–35 mm (0.79–1.38 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of glossy dark green on both sides, linear, 33–120 mm (1.3–4.7 in) long and 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 2–10 mm (0.079–0.394 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of nine to twenty or more on an unbranched peduncle 2–8 mm (0.079–0.315 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. Mature buds are oval to club-shaped, 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide with a rounded operculum. Flowering occurs from November to March and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, cup-shaped to shortened spherical capsule 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide with the valves near rim level. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy

Eucalyptus pulchella was first formally described in 1829 by the botanist René Louiche Desfontaines in his book Catalogus Plantarum Horti Regii Parisiensis. [7] [8] The Australian Plant Census lists the synonyms as Eucalyptus linearis, described in 1832 by Friedrich Dehnhardt in Catalogus Plantarum Horti Camaldulensis [9] and as Eucalyptus amygdalina var. angustifolia by Joseph Burtt Davy in Cyclopedia of American horticulture [10] from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller. [1] The species name pulchella is a diminutive of the word pulcher which in Latin means beautiful. The common name, white peppermint, refers to its smooth white trunk. [11]

Distribution and Habitat

Eucalyptus pulchella is endemic to the lowlands of south-east Tasmania where it inhabits undulating, hilly terrain at altitudes between 100-500m above sea level. [4] The interaction between aspect, soil type and water drainage play an important role in determining the distribution of E.pulchella. It occurs on the upper north-west facing slopes of free-draining dolerite capped hills where soils are shallow. On such ridgetops water availability is limited due to the binding capacity of the Jurassic dolerite substrate and the shallow soil depth. Dry conditions due to the effect of soil are enhanced by aspect affect in which north-west facing slopes receive high solar insolation loads and are susceptible to periods of drought stress. [12] [13] The ability of E. pulchella to resist occasional severe drought explains its distribution on dry dolerite ridgetops. Although locally widespread E. pulchella is restricted to south-east Tasmania which may be explained by a glacial tree line preventing its spread into suitable habitats further north. [14] Although E. pulchella extends outside its range reaching as far north as Bothwell, its true distribution is difficult to discern due to error involved with field identification due to a 'half barked' intergrading form of Eucalyptus amygdalina . [14]

E. pulchella is a lowland species where it occurs on the upper slopes of well-drained sites with a Jurassic dolerite substrate in grassy or heathy open forests. Such sites typically have a north-west facing aspect with exposure to high solar insolation loads resulting in periodic drought stress. [12]

Eucalyptus pulchella occurs as a small to medium-sized spreading tree as the dominant species in grassy to heathy dry sclerophyll open forest and woodlands. [12] Such dry sclerophyll communities have an open structure and rarely grow taller than 25m. The understory is typically dominated by the ground cover layer including native grasses and sedges such as Lomandra longifolia and is the most diverse. The shrub layer is sparse and typically includes species such as Exocarpos cupressiformis however, if the fire interval exceeds a 15-year interval the shrub may become dominant in the understory. [15] E. pulchella is not always the dominant species, in sections of the east coast, hybrids between E. pulchella and E. amygdalina and genetic variants of E. amygdalina may act as the dominant species. Eucalyptus pulchella also commonly forms mixed stands with E. globulus , E. viminalis and E. rubida . [16]

Ecology

Fire

Eucalyptus pulchella like many other species from the family Myrtaceae requires fire at least once in its lifetime to retain disclimax vegetation and complete its lifecycle. Seeds of Eucalyptus are held in woody capsules which often remain on the tree for several years after reaching maturity. A fire event is required to dry out and open the woody capsule to release the seed. Fire creates a sterile, nutrient enriched ashbed which favours shade-intolerant eucalypt seedlings by eliminating any competitors. [17] In fact, dry sclerophyll communities and Eucalyptus species are fire promoting. The flammable nature of eucalypt bark and leaf litter which persists on the forest floor and the volatile oils in the leaves held in the canopy promote a fire frequency of approximately 20 years in dry sclerophyll communities. [18]

As well as seed regeneration, eucalypts utilise vegetative regeneration to recover from fire depending on its intensity. Eucalypts can do this by basal sprouting from lignotubers or from the stem, sprouting from epicormic buds. [17]

Pollination

Eucalyptus are preferential outcrossers and production of seed is dependent on animal vectors to transfer pollen between flowers due to the unsuitability of the pollen to be transported by wind. [19] Pollinators are generally unspecific and tend to include both birds and insects which are attracted to the flower by a nectar reward. It is likely that pollen is transferred within a close proximity to its source due to the close to nearest-neighbour foraging pattern employed by birds. E. pulchella flowers at high intensity for approximately 2 months during summer reaching its peak around November [13]

Seed dispersal

In Eucalyptus seed is housed in a woody capsule and is released through valves which open after the capsule has dried out. The capsules tend to be retained in the canopy for several years after reaching maturity. Seed is released on mass following a fire event or extremely hot weather conditions. Seed is typically dispersed one canopy height away from the base of the tree and apart from seed harvesting by ants, movement is limited once it hits the ground. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Eucalyptus</i> Genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae

Eucalyptus is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including Corymbia, they are commonly known as eucalypts. Plants in the genus Eucalyptus have bark that is either smooth, fibrous, hard or stringy, leaves with oil glands, and sepals and petals that are fused to form a "cap" or operculum over the stamens. The fruit is a woody capsule commonly referred to as a "gumnut".

<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 102 metres tall in Tasmania.

<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 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 morrisbyi</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus morrisbyi, commonly known as Morrisby's gum, 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.

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

Eucalyptus radiata, commonly known as the narrow-leaved peppermint or Forth River peppermint, is a species of tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth grey bark on the thinner branches, lance-shaped to curved or almost linear leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven to twenty or more, white flowers and cup-shaped, hemispherical or shortened spherical 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 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 rossii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus rossii, commonly known as inland scribbly gum or white gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has smooth bark with insect scribbles, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or shortened spherical fruit.

<i>Leptospermum lanigerum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum lanigerum, commonly known as the woolly teatree, is a small tree or medium shrub from the plant family Myrtaceae. Its common name derives from the conspicuously hairy capsules produced as fruit, along with the fine, silky hairs present on branches and leaves. L. lanigerum is widespread in many habitats, particularly in waterlogged areas such as moist, sandy coastal heaths, on river banks, riparian scrub, woodlands and on the fringe of montane grasslands. This species is endemic to Australia, with native populations occurring in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

<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 amygdalina</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus amygdalina, commonly known as black peppermint, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to Tasmania. It is a small to medium-sized tree with rough bark on park of the trunk, smooth grey to brown bark above, lance-shaped to linear adult leaves, oval to club-shaped flower buds, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus ligustrina, commonly known as the privet-leaved stringybark, is a species of shrub, mallee or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has rough, stringy bark, lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and hemispherical or shortened spherical fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian dry sclerophyll forests</span>

Dry sclerophyll forests occur throughout northern and eastern Tasmania. Characterised by the population of hard-leafed (sclerophyll) and often spiky, drought-adapted plants, dry sclerophyll forests are found in regions of where annual rainfall is below 1000mm.

Tasmania can be broadly divided into two distinct regions, eastern and western, that exhibit major differences in climate, geology and vegetation. This divide, termed Tyler’s Corridor, runs from just south of the northwestern corner, and continues south, cutting roughly down the center of the island. The vegetation changes occur principally due to variations in soil types, which are a result of the geological composition, and the vast difference in climate across the state. Generally, the west has a higher mean rainfall but poor acidic soil while the east has a lower mean rainfall but slightly more fertile soil. This results in a larger proportion of rainforest, moorland and wet sclerophyll vegetation dominating in the west and predominantly dry sclerophyll in the east.

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

Eucalyptus helidonica is a species of tree that is endemic to an area near Helidon in Queensland. It has rough, finely fibrous bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves that are paler on the lower surface, flower buds in groups of eleven or more, white flowers and shortened spherical or barrel-shaped fruit.

<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 rodwayi, commonly known as the swamp peppermint, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Tasmania. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the trunk and branches, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and conical to hemispherical fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian temperate forests</span> Ecoregion in Tasmania, Australia

The Tasmanian temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in Australia. The ecoregion occupies the eastern portion of the island of Tasmania, which lies south of the Australian mainland.

<i>Bedfordia salicina</i> Species of flowering plant

Bedfordia salicina, commonly known as Tasmanian blanketleaf, is an endemic angiosperm of Tasmania, Australia. It is widespread throughout wet sclerophyll forests, moist gullies and intermediate forests and woodlands between wet and dry sclerophyll communities. Bedfordia salicina is abundant at low elevations, on dolerite, sandstone and mudstone substrate, east of Tylers line. Alternating leaves droop down to blanket the stem, coining the species common name, blanketleaf.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus pulchella". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus pulchella". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Jordan, Greg (2011). "Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants". University of Tasmania.
  4. 1 2 Wiltshere, R.; Potts, B. (2007). EucaFlip: Life-size guide to the eucalypts of Tasmania.
  5. ↑ The Unique Flora of Tasmania Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine , Hobart District Group of The Australian Plants Society - Tasmania Inc.
  6. ↑ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus pulchella". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "Eucalyptus pulchella". APNI. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  8. ↑ Desfontaines, René Louiche (1829). Catalogus Plantarum Horti regii parisiensis cum annotationibus de plantis novis aut minus cognitis. Paris: J. S. Chaudé. p. 408. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Eucalyptus linearis". APNI. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Eucalyptus amygdalina var. angustifolia". APNI. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Wapstra, Mark; Wapstra, Annie; Wapstra, Hans (2010). Tasmanian Plant Names Unravelled. Burwood, Victoria: Fullers Bookshop. pp. 200–201. ISBN   978-09804720-2-8.
  12. 1 2 3 Williams, K.J.; Potts, B.M. (1996). "The natural distribution of Eucalyptus species in Tasmania". Tasforests. 8: 39–149.
  13. 1 2 3 Reid, J.B.; Potts, B.M. (1999). "Eucalypt Biology". Vegetation of Tasmania. pp. 198–223.
  14. 1 2 Kirkpatrick, J.B.; Potts, B.M. (1987). "Isolated intermediates - product of long distance gene dispersal, phantom hybrids or convergent evolution? The case of the half barked Eucalyptus amygdalina". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 121: 15–22. doi: 10.26749/rstpp.121.15 .
  15. ↑ Kirkpatrick, J.B. (1999). "Grassy Vegetation and Subalpine Eucalypt Communities". Vegetation of Tasmania. pp. 198–223.
  16. ↑ Kitchener, A.; Harris, S. (2013). From Forest to Fjaeldmark: Descriptions of Tasmania's Vegetation (2 ed.). Tasmania: Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.
  17. 1 2 Duncan, F. (1999). "Dry Sclerophyll Forests and Woodlands". Vegetation of Tasmania. pp. 244–264.
  18. ↑ Mount, A.B. (1979). "Natural Regeneration Processes in Tasmanian Forests". Search. 10: 180–186.
  19. ↑ Hingston, A.B.; Potts, B.M. (1998). "Floral visitors of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus in eastern Tasmania". Tasforests. 10: 125–139.
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