Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii

Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii, commonly known as the broad-leaved box[2] or the paper-barked box,[3] is a tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, flaky bark, flower buds arranged in groups of seven and bell-shaped to urn-shaped fruit.

Broad-leaved box

Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. fitzgeraldii
Binomial name
Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii

Description

Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii is a tree that typically grows to a height of 5 to 15 metres (16 to 49 ft) and has rough, grey, fibrous or flaky bark that is shed in papery flakes. Adult leaves are egg-shaped to more or less round, glossy when fresh, up to 100 mm (3.9 in) long and 120 mm (4.7 in) wide on a petiole up to 40 mm (1.6 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a peduncle 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Mature buds have a conical to bell-shaped floral cup 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and wide with a conical to hemispherical operculum 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wude. Flowering occurs between August and September and the flowers are whitish cream.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy

Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii was first formally described in 1934 by William Blakely from a specimen collected between Tabletop Mountain and the Artesian Range near the Charnley River by William Vincent Fitzgerald.[6] The specific epithet (fitzgeraldii) honours the collector of the type specimen.[7][8]

Distribution

The broad-leaved box is found on rocky hillsides and plains in the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia where it grows in clay soils around basalt or dolerite.[4]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife[4] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations.[9]

See also

References
  1. "Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  2. "Eucalypts of Northern Australia: ecological & conservation values. A Summary" (PDF). Kimberley to Cape. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  4. "Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. "Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii". Eucalink. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  6. "Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii". APNI. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  7. "Fitzgerald, William Vincent". Encyclopedia of Australian science. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  8. "Fitzgerald, William Vincent". Trove; National Library of Australia. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  9. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
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