Eucalyptus recurva

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Mongarlowe mallee
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. recurva
Binomial name
Eucalyptus recurva

Eucalyptus recurva, commonly known as Mongarlowe mallee, [3] is a species of dense mallee shrub that is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It has smooth bark, a crown consisting of unusually small, juvenile leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and hemispherical fruit. It is only known from six extremely old multi-stemmed individual plants and is classed as "critically endangered".

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus recurva is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 1.5–4.2 m (4 ft 11 in – 13 ft 9 in) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth grey, orange, green or yellow bark that is shed in long ribbons. Young plants and coppice regrowth have sessile, elliptical to egg-shaped leaves that are arranged in opposite pairs, each leaf 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide. The crown of mature trees is composed of juvenile leaves that are paler on the lower surface, up to 32 mm (1.3 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide with the tip turned down. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of three on an unbranched peduncle 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long, the individual buds sessile or on very short pedicels. Mature buds are broadly oval and wrinkled, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide with a rounded operculum that is shorter and narrower than the floral cup at the join. Flowering occurs in a short period in January and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical capsule 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide with the valves protruding. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The remaining wild specimens are thought to be extremely old. Based on the size of its lignotuber, the largest single specimen is estimated to be 3,000 years old, given that its lignotuber grows at only 2mm per year. However, it is possible that two other specimens are actually the result of a split in the original rootstock, and based on their spread of 26m would be estimated at 13,000 years old, which if correct would make it the oldest single tree known to be alive on earth. [7]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus recurva was first formally described in 1988 by Michael Crisp from material collected near Braidwood. The species was discovered by "Ms. R. Jean, a landholder from near Braidwood" who first brought specimens to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in August 1985. [6] [8] The specific epithet (recurva) is a Latin word meaning "curved backwards", referring to the conspicuously recurved leaves of this mallee. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Mongarlowe mallee is found on sloping sites in low heathland and at the margins of the heathland and low woodland. It is only known from six individual plants growing at four sites near Mongarlowe and Windellama.

Conservation status

This mallee is classed as "critically endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Government Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 . The main threat to the species is visitation pressure, including collection of plant material, soil compaction and damage by vehicles. [5]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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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 × phylacis, commonly known as the Meelup mallee, is a species of tree or a robust mallee that is endemic to a small area in the southwest of Western Australia. It has rough, hard and corky bark on the trunk and larger branches, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit. It is possibly a hybrid between E. decipiens and E. virginea.

Eucalyptus quaerenda is a species of mallee that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an often rounded mallee with foliage reaching the ground and has smooth bark, linear adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and shallow, cup-shaped to flattened spherical fruit.

Eucalyptus suggrandis is a species of mallee that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, linear to elliptical leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

<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 creta, commonly known as the large-fruited gimlet, is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three in leaf axils, relatively large white to creamy yellow flowers, and broadly hemispherical to bell-shaped fruit.

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

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<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.

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

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. ↑ Fensham, R.; Laffineur, B.; Collingwood, T. (2019). "Eucalyptus recurva". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T34924A168317460. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T34924A168317460.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Eucalyptus recurva". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Eucalyptus recurva". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus recurva". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Conservation Advice Eucalyptus recurva Mongarlowe mallee" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Crisp, Michael (26 May 1988). "Eucalyptus recurva (Myrtaceae), a new species from the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales". Telopea. 3 (2): 223–230. doi: 10.7751/telopea19884809 .
  7. ↑ "Draft Recovery Plan for the Mongarlowe Mallee (Eucalyptus recurva)" (PDF). Sydney, Australia: National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW. 2002.
  8. ↑ "Eucalyptus recurva". APNI. Retrieved 10 December 2019.

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