Eucalyptus sparsa

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Northern ranges box
Eucalyptus sparsa.jpg
Eucalyptus sparsa near Skirmish Hill
Status DECF P3.svg
Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. sparsa
Binomial name
Eucalyptus sparsa
flower buds Eucalyptus sparsa buds.jpg
flower buds

Eucalyptus sparsa, commonly known as the northern ranges box, [2] is a species of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia, near the border between the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia border. It has smooth pale grey and brown bark, often with rough bark on the base of larger trunks, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and shortened spherical to conical fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus sparsa is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 3–10 m (9.8–32.8 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth pale grey to pale brown bark, often with rough, fibrous or flaky bark on larger trunks. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, the same shade of glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped, 70–100 mm (2.8–3.9 in) long and 13–25 mm (0.51–0.98 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are arranged on the ends of branchlets, usually in groups of seven, on a branched peduncle 3–15 mm (0.12–0.59 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long. Mature buds are oval, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide with a conical to hemispherical operculum. Flowering occurs from July to September or from January to February and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody shortened spherical to conical capsule 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide with the valves usually below rim level. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus sparsa was first formally described in 1979 by Clifford David Boomsma near Betty's Creek Gorge in the Everard Ranges in 1974. [7] [8] The specific epithet (sparsa) refers to its sparse occurrence in South Australia. [8]

Distribution and habitat

The northern ranges box grows on sand dunes and on plains and slopes on well-drained soil. It is found near the Blackstone, Petermann, Tomkinson and Musgrave Ranges near the border between Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. [4] [5]

Conservation status

This mallee is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [4] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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<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>Eucalyptus concinna</i> Species of plant

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

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

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

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

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Eucalyptus longissima is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous or stringy bark on the trunk, smooth greyish brown bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in group of between seven and thirteen, white flowers and shortened spherical fruit.

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

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

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. socialis, commonly known as the summer red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to inland south-eastern 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 white flowers and barrel-shaped to urn-shaped or spherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis, commonly known as the red mallee, is a subspecies of mallee that is endemic to southern 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 sparsa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  2. Dean Nicolle. "Native Eucalypts of South Australia" . Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  3. "Eucalyptus sparsa". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus sparsa". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus sparsa". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  6. Nicolle, Dean (2013). Native Eucalypts of South Australia. Adelaide: Dean Nicolle. pp. 172–173. ISBN   9780646904108.
  7. "Eucalyptus sparsa". APNI. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 Boomsma, Clifford D. (1979). "Four new species of Eucalyptus L'Herit. from South Australia" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 1 (6): 363–366. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  9. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 29 December 2019.