Steel box
Eucalyptus rummeryi in Burrendong Arboretum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. rummeryi
Binomial name
Eucalyptus rummeryi

Eucalyptus rummeryi, commonly known as steel box, Rummery's box[2] or brown box,[3] is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to northern New South Wales. It has rough bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven on the ends of branchlets, white flowers and conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit.

Description

Eucalyptus rummeryi is a tree that typically grows to a height of 40 m (130 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, fibrous or flaky, grey to black bark on the trunk and branches. Young plants and coppice regrowth have stems that are square in cross-section and leaves that are dull green, paler on the lower side, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 55–110 mm (2.2–4.3 in) long and 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) wide and petiolate. Adult leaves are glossy green, paler on the lower surface, lance-shaped to curved, 80–170 mm (3.1–6.7 in) long and 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) wide tapering to a petiole 8–22 mm (0.31–0.87 in) long. The flower buds are arranged on the ends of branchlets in groups of three or seven on a branched peduncle 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long the individual buds on pedicels 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. Mature buds are oval to spindle-shaped, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide with a conical operculum. Flowering occurs from November to December and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped capsule 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and wide with the valves near rim level.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus rummeryi was first formally described in 1923 by Joseph Maiden in his book A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus from material collected from Busby's Flat, near Casino by Edward George Rummery (1877–1958), (named as George Edward Rummery by Maiden) in 1921.[5][6][7] The specific epithet (rummeryi) honours the collector of the type.[6]

Distribution and habitat

Steel box grows on slopes and ridges in wet or grassy forest from Dorrigo to north-west of Casino.[2][3][4]

References

  1. ↑ "Eucalyptus rummeryi". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus rummeryi". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus rummeryi". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus rummeryi". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Eucalyptus rummeryi". APNI. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. 1 2 Maiden, Joseph (1923). A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus. Sydney: New South Wales Government Printer. pp. 427–428. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "Rummery, Edward George (1877 - 1958)". Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
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