Plunkett mallee
Eucalyptus curtisii in Maranoa Gardens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. curtisii
Binomial name
Eucalyptus curtisii

Eucalyptus curtisii, commonly known as Plunkett mallee,[2] is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to south-east Queensland in Australia. It has smooth grey to silvery bark, lance-shaped, narrow elliptic or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and wrinkled, cup-shaped fruit.

Description

Eucalyptus curtisii is a slender mallee or small tree that typically grows to a height of 7–12 m (23–39 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth grey to silvery bark that is shed in short curly flakes. Young plants and coppice regrowth have linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves that are 30–62 mm (1.2–2.4 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide and a slightly darker shade of green on the upper surface. Adult leaves are lance-shaped, elliptic or curved, glossy green but much paler on the lower surface. They are 60–140 mm (2.4–5.5 in) long and 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) wide on a petiole 7–18 mm (0.28–0.71 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a branching inflorescence near the ends of the stems, each branch with groups of seven buds. The groups are on a peduncle 7–17 mm (0.28–0.67 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. Mature buds are oval to pear-shaped, 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) wide with a rounded operculum. Flowering occurs from September to December and the flowers are white to creamy white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, wrinkled capsule 5–11 mm (0.20–0.43 in) long and 6–11 mm (0.24–0.43 in) wide.[2][3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus curtisii was first formally described in 1931 by William Blakely and Cyril White from a specimen collected on sandstone hills "near Plunkett, [now Plunkett Conservation Park], about 33 mi (53 km) south-west of Brisbane". The description was publish in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland.[6][7] The specific epithet (curtisii) honours Densil Curtis, a farmer and naturalist, who collected the type specimens in 1923 and 1929.[3][7]

Distribution and habitat

Plunkett mallee grows in shrubland and open forest in poorly drained sites between Beenleigh, Inglewood, Dalby, and Theodore in south-east Queensland .[2][3]

Cultural references

Eucalyptus curtisii was adopted by Ipswich City Council as its floral emblem in 1996.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Eucalyptus curtisii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus curtisii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus curtisii". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Plunkett mallee – Eucalyptus curtisii". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Eucalyptus curtisii". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Eucalyptus curtisii". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  7. 1 2 Blakely, William F. (1931). "Two Interesting Queensland Eucalypts". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 42 (9): 82–84. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Floral Emblem". Ipswich City Council. Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
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