Eucalyptus steedmanii

Last updated

Steedman's gum
Eucalyptus steedmanii.jpg
Eucalyptus steedmanii on the Hyden-Norseman Road
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. steedmanii
Binomial name
Eucalyptus steedmanii

Eucalyptus steedmanii, commonly known as Steedman's gum [2] or Steedman's mallet, [3] is a species of mallet that is endemic to a small region of Western Australia. It has smooth, satiny bark, narrow elliptical leaves, flower buds in groups of three, white flowers and conical, four-winged fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus steedmanii is a mallet that typically grows to a height of 2–12 m (6 ft 7 in – 39 ft 4 in) and does not form a lignotuber. The bark is smooth and satiny, ranging from grey to red-brown or a bright coppery colour. It has numerous ascending branches from low on the trunk, forming a dense crown. Adult leaves are the same glossy, olive-green on both sides, crowded with oil glands, narrow oblong to elliptical, 30–85 mm (1.2–3.3 in) long and 6–15 mm (0.24–0.59 in) wide. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of three on a downturned, unbranched peduncle 15–31 mm (0.59–1.22 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long. Mature buds are yellowish-brown, spindle-shaped and square in cross-section, 20–32 mm (0.79–1.26 in) long and 9–14 mm (0.35–0.55 in) wide, the operculum splitting into four as the bud develops. It blooms between January and March producing white flowers. The fruit is a woody, conical, four-winged capsule 14–20 mm (0.55–0.79 in) long and 13–22 mm (0.51–0.87 in) wide with the valves near rim level. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus steedmanii was first formally described by the botanist Charles Gardner in 1933 in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia from a specimen collected by Henry Steedman south of Southern Cross in 1928. [7] [8] The specific epithet (steedmanii) honours Steedman. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Steedman's gum is found on low hills and undulating plains between Ravensthorpe in the Goldfields-Esperance and Kondinin in the Wheatbelt region where it grows in gravelly loamy soils over ironstone. [2] Six populations are known, five of these occur on unallocated Crown land, and one which is split occurs on Crown land and a road verge. It is estimated that there is a total population of 24 500 mature plants that are spread over an area of 83.6 square kilometres (32 sq mi) and tend to occur in pure stands. [4]

Conservation status

This mallet was listed as Vulnerable in 2008 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia). [2] [4] The main threat to the tree is fire which kills adult plants, but regeneration by seed has been observed. Other threats include mining operations, firebreak maintenance and recreation activities. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Eucalyptus platypus, also known as moort or maalok, is a species of mallee or marlock that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, broadly elliptical to more or less round adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine on a broad, flattened peduncle, usually creamy white flowers and conical, down-turned fruit.

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

Eucalyptus preissiana, commonly known as bell-fruited mallee, is a species of small tree or shrub that occurs in an area between Albany and Esperance in Western Australia. It has a spreading habit, smooth bark, elliptical to egg-shaped or oblong leaves, flower buds in groups of three, yellow flowers and cup-shaped, conical or bell-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus parvula, commonly known as small-leaved gum, is a species of small tree that is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales. It has mostly smooth bark, elliptical to lance-shaped adult leaves but with many juvenile of intermediate leaves in the crown, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus rhodantha</i> Species of shrub from Western Australia

Eucalyptus rhodantha, commonly known as rose mallee or rose gum, is a species of straggly mallee or shrub native to parts of Western Australia. It has smooth bark and a crown composed entirely of circular to heart-shaped juvenile leaves arranged in opposite pairs and attached directly to the stems with no stalks. The flower buds appear singly in the leaf axils and are red, the fruits hemispherical to conical and pendent. The rose mallee is grown as an ornamental shrub suitable for gardens in hot and dry climates. It is found more often in urban gardens and cultivation than in the wild and is readily available in seed form.

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

Eucalyptus burdettiana, commonly known as Burdett gum or Burdett's mallee, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a mallee or shrub with smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds with an elongated horn-shaped operculum, greenish-yellow flowers and cup-shaped or bell-shaped 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.

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

Eucalyptus formanii, commonly known as Die Hardy mallee, Forman's mallee, or feather gum, is a species of tree or mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark over most, or all of its trunk, smooth bark above, linear adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus georgei, commonly known as Hyden blue gum, is a species of tree or mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, glaucous flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus mimica is a species of mallet that is endemic to a small area of Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, linear to narrow elliptical leaves held erect, flower buds in groups of three and conical fruit with ribbed sides.

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

Eucalyptus mooreana, commonly known as Moore's gum, mountain white gum or King Leopold Range mallee, is a species of stunted, straggly tree or mallee that is endemic to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It has smooth, powdery white bark, a crown of juvenile, sessile, stem-clasping leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus newbeyi, commonly known as Beaufort Inlet mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth, mottled bark, narrow leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, yellowish green flowers and bell-shaped to conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus ornata, commonly known as silver mallet, is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, grey bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and broadly conical to hemispherical fruit.

Eucalyptus pterocarpa is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to a small area in the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical or cup-shaped fruit.

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

Eucalyptus sargentii, commonly known as Salt River gum, is a species of mallet, mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on part or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, whitish to creamy yellow flowers and conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus trivalva, commonly known as Victoria Spring mallee or desert mallee, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to arid areas of central Australia. It has rough, partly shed bark on some or all of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped to elliptical adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped, cylindrical or conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus coronata, commonly known as the crowned mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small part of the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds with pronounced ribs, arranged in groups of three in leaf axils, white to cream-coloured or yellow flowers and conical, prominently ribbed fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus crucis</i> Species of grass

Eucalyptus crucis is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. There are three subspecies, commonly known as silver mallee or Southern Cross mallee,, narrow-leaved silver mallee, and Paynes Find mallee,. It has rough bark that is shed in curling flakes, more or less round, glaucous juvenile leaves, egg-shaped intermediate leaves and lance-shaped adult leaves. The type of bark and the proportion of juvenile, intermediate and adult leaves in the crown of mature plants varies with subspecies. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils, the flowers are whitish to pale yellow and the fruit is a conical to hemispherical capsule.

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

Eucalyptus cupularis, commonly known as the Halls Creek white gum, or in the local indigenous Djaru peoples' language as wawulinggi, is a species of small tree that is endemic to an area in northwestern Australia. It has smooth, powdery white bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

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

Eucalyptus dielsii, commonly known as the cap-fruited mallee or cap-fruited mallet is a species of mallet that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, yellow to yellowish green flowers and cylindrical to hemispherical fruit with a flange near the rim.

Eucalyptus rhomboidea, commonly known as the diamond gum, is a species of mallet or tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit that is glaucous at first.

References

  1. "Eucalyptus steedmanii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus steedmanii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus steedmanii". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus steedmanii (Steedmans Gum)" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  5. "Eucalyptus steedmanii Steedman's Mallet". Windmill Outback Nursery. 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  6. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus steedmanii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  7. "Eucalyptus steedmanii". APNI. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  8. Gardner, Charles A. (1933). "Contribution to the Flora of Western Australia, No. 8". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 19: 87–88. Retrieved 30 December 2019.