Eucalyptus adesmophloia

Eucalyptus adesmophloia is a mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its fresh bark is grey, the leaves are a glossy dark green, the flowers are white and borne in large groups, and the fruits are conical to hemispherical.

Eucalyptus adesmophloia
E. adesmophloia growing near Porongurup National Park
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. adesmophloia
Binomial name
Eucalyptus adesmophloia
flower buds
fruit

Description edit

Eucalyptus adesmophloia is a mallee that grows to a height of 7 m (20 ft). It has loose, rough bark that is shed in plates and short strips to reveal smooth grey and cream-coloured new bark. The leaves are lance-shaped, 15–80 mm (0.6–3 in) long and 16–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide, dull at first before becoming glossy and dark green. The flowers are borne in groups of between 9 and 27 on an angular peduncle 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, each flower on a pedicel up to 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The flower buds are greenish, 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide with a smooth, conical operculum as long as, or up to 50% longer than the floral cup. The stamens are white. The fruits are woody, conical to hemispherical capsules 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and wide.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming edit

This eucalypt was first formally described in 1993 by Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper who gave it the name Eucalyptus decipiens subsp. adesmophloia and published the description in the journal Nuytsia.[6] In 2012, Dean Nicolle and Malcolm French raised it to species status as Eucalyptus adesmophloia.[7] The specific epithet (adesmophloia) is derived from Greek, meaning "unfettered bark", referring to the loose, ribbony bark of this species.[4][8]

Distribution and habitat edit

Eucalyptus adesmophloia grows in mallee shrubland between the Stirling Range, Bremer Bay, Manypeaks and the Fitzgerald River National Park where it is common.[3][4]

Conservation edit

This eucalypt has been classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Fensham, R.; Laffineur, B.; Collingwood, T. (2019). "Eucalyptus adesmophloia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T133377658A133377660. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T133377658A133377660.en. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Eucalyptus adesmophloia". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. ^ a b Nicolle, Dean; French, Malcolm E. (2012). "A revision of Eucalyptus ser. Falcatae (Myrtaceae) from south-western Australia, including the description of new taxa and comments on the probable origin of E. balanites, E. balanopelex, and E. phylacis" (PDF). Nuytsia. 22 (6): 448–450. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Brooker, M. Ian; Hopper, Stephen (1993). "New series, subseries and subspecies of Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) from Western Australia and South Australia". Nuytsia. 9 (1): 22–23. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Eucalyptus adesmophloia". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  6. ^ "Eucalyptus decipiens subsp. adesmophloia". APNI. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Eucalyptus adesmophloia". APNI. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  8. ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 128. ISBN 9780958034180.