| Gimlet | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. salubris |
| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus salubris | |
Eucalyptus salubris, commonly known as gimlet, fluted gum tree, gimlet gum and silver-topped gimlet, [2] is a species of mallet that is endemic to low-rainfall areas of the wheatbelt and goldfields regions of Western Australia. [3]
Eucalyptus salubris grows as a mallet, usually from 4–15 m (13–49 ft) high but does not form a lignotuber. It is one of the nine true gimlet species that have buds in groups of seven. It has smooth, strongly fluted trunks and stems, and white or cream flowers from September to March. The adult leaves are arranged alternately on the branchlets and the same glossy green colour on both sides, with petioles that are 7–20 mm (0.28–0.79 in) long. The leaf blade is narrowly lance-shaped, usually 65–105 mm (2.6–4.1 in) long and 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) wide with the base tapering to the petiole, and a pointed apex. [4]
Flowering occurs from September to March and the flowers are white or cream flowers ,are arranged in groups of seven in the leaf axils on stout, unbranched peduncles. The groups are broadest near the tip and approximately 0.4 to 2 cm (0.16 to 0.79 in) long. The fruit are hemispherical to cone-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and 0.5 to 0.7 cm (0.20 to 0.28 in) wide. The rim of tissue around the edge of the fruit where the "cap" or operculum was attached is level to sloping. [4] [5]
The seed capsules remain on trees until the following spring and abundant quantities are often present. There are about 400 viable seeds found in every gram. [6] [7]
The species was first published in 1876 by Ferdinand von Mueller, based on specimens collected at Queen Victoria Spring by Jess Young during the Giles expedition of May 1875. [8] [9] The specific epithet (salubris) is a Latin word meaning "healthful", "wholesome" or "beneficial", [10] in reference to the healthy appearance of the tree. The common name refers to the fluted or twisted trunks, resembling a carpenter’s gimlet which is a boring tool. [11]
In 1919, Joseph Maiden described E.calyptus salubris var. glauca, [12] [13] but this was promoted to species rank as E. ravida in 1991. [14] Hybrids with E. tortilis have been reported. [15]
The species belongs in Eucalyptus subgenus Symphyomyrtus section Bisectae subsection Glandulosae. This section has buds with two opercula and the cotyledons are bisected and the branchlets have numerous oil glands in the pith. E. salubris also belongs to a well known small group, the gimlets, notable for the slender fluted, twisted shiny trunks. [4]
E. salubris is one of the nine true gimlet species that have buds in groups of seven, and the only gimlet that is a mallee. The other true gimlets are E. campaspe , E. creta , E. diptera , E. jimberlanica , E. ravida , E. terebra , E. effusa and E. tortilis . [16]
Eucalyptus tortilis is morphologically closest to E. salubris differing only in having larger buds with more acute operculum and slightly larger fruit. [4]
This gimlet has a wide distribution, occurring throughout the Avon Wheatbelt and Coolgardie biogeographic regions, with outliers as far west as Perth and as far south as Esperance. The relief is generally gentle slopes. It grows in a range of soils: red loams, red clay loams, yellow and red sand, and laterite. [7]
The species is widespread through the Wheatbelt and the southern part of the Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. It is found from Mullewa in the north-west extending to the south-east near Pingrup and extending east and north as far as Norseman and Zanthus to the western part of the Great Victoria Desert and north to around Laverton. [4]
Large and unfragmented populations of E. salubris produced approximately double the number of seeds per capsule as fragmented smaller populations. However, seed weight, seed germination, survival of seedlings and vigour of seedlings in the first year are found to be independent of population fragmentation or size. Data collected suggest that increased fragmentation and smaller population size can reduce pollen quality and/or quantity, so that seed production is also reduced. [17]
The species is used for fence posts, good ornamental attributes or shelterbelt or shade trees for stock. The flowers produce nectar for honey production, pollen has value for apiculture or high tannin content in bark. [6] The frost resistant and drought tolerant tree is grown throughout the world. In Western Australia its preference for rich loamy soils have resulted in large stands of the species being cleared for farmland. [5] [18]
Eucalyptus woodwardii, commonly known as lemon-flowered gum and also Woodward's blackbutt, is a small tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. The Noongar name for the tree is Gungurra.
Eucalyptus laeliae, commonly known as the Darling Range ghost gum or butter gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree occurring only on the western side of the Darling Range. It has smooth white, powdery bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus salmonophloia, commonly known as salmon gum, wurak or weerluk or woonert or marrlinja. is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and thirteen, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus loxophleba, commonly known as York gum, daarwet, goatta, twotta or yandee, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk, smooth olive to brownish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flowers buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and conical fruit.
Eucalyptus campaspe, commonly known as silver gimlet or the silver-topped gimlet, is a species of tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped or conical fruit.
Eucalyptus capillosa, commonly known as wheatbelt wandoo, or mallee wandoo, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, grey bark, lance-shaped to elliptic adult leaves, spindle-shaped flower buds in groups of nine to thirteen, white flowers and barrel-shaped to cylindrical fruit.
Eucalyptus effusa, commonly known as rough-barked gimlet, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.
Eucalyptus jimberlanica, commonly known as Norseman gimlet, is a species of mallet or a tree and is endemic to a small area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It has smooth, brownish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven and conical to cup-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus longicornis, commonly known as red morrel, morryl, poot or pu, is a species of large tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous, fissured bark on the trunk, smooth greyish bark above, flower buds in groups of seven or more, white flowers and shortened spherical 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 salicola, commonly known as salt gum, salt lake salmon gum or salt salmon gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth, powdery bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus sheathiana, commonly known as ribbon-barked gum or ribbon-barked mallee, is a species of tree or a mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark that is shed in long ribbons, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.
Eucalyptus tortilis is a species of mallet and a gimlet that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and hemispherical to cup-shaped fruit.
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 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.
Eucalyptus diptera, commonly known as the two-winged gimlet, is a mallet that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth greenish to brownish bark, linear to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three, each with two wings along the sides, creamy white to pale lemon-coloured flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit, also with two wings on the sides.
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 lane-poolei, commonly known as salmon white gum, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth but scaly-looking bark, narrow lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.
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.
A gimlet is one of nine species of eucalypt in the genus Eucalyptus, series Contortae. These species are mainly characterised by having smooth, shiny, fluted trunks. The most widely distributed of the gimlets, is E. salubris which is found throughout the south-west of Western Australia, other than in coastal areas and wet forests. The other eight species have a narrower distribution in the Goldfields-Esperance region. The only gimlet that is a mallee is E. effusa which forms a lignotuber from which it can resprout after fire. The other eight gimlets are mallets, do not form a lignotuber, are killed by fire and regenerate from seed. These species are E. campaspe, E. creta, E. diptera, E. jimberlanica, E. ravida, E. terebra, E. salubris and E. tortilis.