Eucalyptus tetraptera

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Square-fruited mallee
Eucalyptus tetraptera1.jpg
Eucalyptus tetraptera
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. tetraptera
Binomial name
Eucalyptus tetraptera
E. tetraptera.JPG
E. tetraptera, field distribution
Synonyms [1]

Eucalyptus acutangulaTurcz.

Habit Eucalyptus tetraptera.jpg
Habit
Distinctive conflorescence Eucalyptus tetraptera 1.jpg
Distinctive conflorescence

Eucalyptus tetraptera, commonly known as square-fruited mallee or four-winged mallee, [2] is a mallee that is endemic to the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, thick lance-shaped to oblong adult leaves, single flower buds arranged in leaf axils, red to pink flowers and square, prominently winged fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus tetraptera is low, straggly mallee that typically grows to a height of 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) and a similar width. It usually has a single low branching trunk with smooth, grey or whitish-grey bark. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped to broadly elliptical leaves that are 50–120 mm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 25–70 mm (0.98–2.76 in) wide and petiolate. Adult leaves are arranged alternately, the same shade of glossy green on both sides, thick, lance-shaped to oblong, 90–250 mm (3.5–9.8 in) long and 28–75 mm (1.1–3.0 in) wide, the base tapering to a narrowly flattened petiole 30–45 mm (1.2–1.8 in) long. The flower buds are arranged singly in leaf axils on a rigidly down-turned peduncle 5–60 mm (0.20–2.36 in) long, the peduncle often wider than long. Mature buds are cubic with broad, curved wings, 34–65 mm (1.3–2.6 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) wide with a pyramid-shaped operculum 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) long. Flowering occurs from late winter to mid summer and the flowers are red to pink. The fruit is a woody, red, sessile, oblong capsule, 35–55 mm (1.4–2.2 in) long and 25–55 mm (0.98–2.17 in) wide including the wings on each corner. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus tetraptera was first formally described by the Russian botanist Nikolai Turczaninow in 1849 in the journal, Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou from specimens collected in 1848 by James Drummond. [5] [8] [9] The specific epithet (tetraptera) is from ancient Greek words meaning "four" and "winged" referring to the fruit of this species. [6]

Distribution and habitat

The distribution of the square-fruited mallee is limited to coastal sandplains where it is also found among granite outcrops of southern Western Australia, north from the Stirling Ranges and south to around Albany east to Israelite Bay in the Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions where it grows in white or grey sandy soils in heath. [3] [7]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [3]

Uses

E. tetraptera is one of the most bizarre of the eucalypts with its spectacular, large, red buds and fruit. A popular ornamental, [10] it grows well in full sun in semi-arid climates but is slower growing in cooler climates. It is smog and frost resistant and can be kept in containers. As the plant becomes straggly with age it can be cut back to ground level to rejuvenate. [11] The plant is commercially available as seedlings or as seeds. As for most Eucalypts, the seeds will germinate readily. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Eucalyptus erythronema, commonly known as the red-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee or tree and is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, dark pink to red bark that is shed to reveal whitish bark, and has lance-shaped adult leaves, pendulous flower buds mostly arranged in groups of three, red or yellow flowers and conical fruit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eucalyptus eudesmioides, commonly known as mallalie, desert gum or mallabie is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It is a rounded, bushy mallee with smooth bark, egg-shaped to heart-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, club-shaped flower buds arranged in groups of three, whitish flowers and cylindrical to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus calycogona</i> Species of plant in Australia

Eucalyptus calycogona, commonly known as the gooseberry mallee or square fruited mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds that are square in cross-section arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils, creamy white, sometimes pink flowers, and fruit that are square in cross-section.

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

Eucalyptus falcata, commonly known as silver mallet or toolyumuck, is a species of mallee or marlock that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of eleven or thirteen, creamy white or yellowish green flowers and flattened spherical fruit.

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

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

Eucalyptus incrassata, commonly known as the lerp mallee, yellow mallee, ridge fruited mallee or rib fruited mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough, ribbony bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white, pale yellow, sometimes pink or red flowers, and cylindrical, barrel-shaped or bell-shaped fruit.

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

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

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

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

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Eucalyptus xanthonema, commonly known as yellow-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, linear adult leaves, flower buds in groups of up to eleven, white to pale lemon-coloured flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Corymbia ferriticola</i> Species of plant

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

Eucalyptus concinna, commonly known as the Victoria Desert mallee, is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to Australia. It usually has rough, grey-brown on the lower part of its trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cup-shaped fruit. It has a widespread distribution in South Australia and Western Australia, centred on the Great Victoria Desert.

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

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

Eucalyptus ceratocorys, also known as the horn-capped mallee, is a mallee that is native to South Australia and Western Australia. It has rough, ribbony bark at the base of its trunk, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine with ridges along the sides, white to cream-coloured flowers and cylindrical fruit.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. 1 2 Chippendale, G.M. (1973) Eucalypts of the Western Australian goldfields (and the adjacent wheatbelt), Canberra. AGPS p.175
  3. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus tetraptera". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. 1 2 "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Australian Seed. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Eucalink. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  8. "Eucalyptus tetraptera". APNI. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  9. Turczaninow, Nikolai (1849). "Decas sexta generum plantarum hucusque non descriptorum adjectis descriptionibus specierum nonnullarum". Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. 22 (3): 22–23. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  10. Brooker, I. & Kleinig, D., Eucalyptus, An illustrated guide to identification, Reed Books, Melbourne, 1996 ISBN   0-7301-0494-X
  11. "Eucalyptus tetraptera". Australian Native Plants. Retrieved 12 November 2017.