Eucalyptus argophloia

Eucalyptus argophloia, commonly known as the Queensland western white gum,[2] Queensland white gum, Scrub gum, Lapunyah,[3] Burncluith gum[4] or Chinchilla white gum[5] is a tree that is endemic to a small area of Queensland. It has smooth white bark ageing to other colours, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, more or less spherical flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and small, hemispherical to cup-shaped fruit.

flower buds
Bark on a tree near Burncluith

Queensland white gum
Eucalyptus argophloia in the ANBG
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. argophloia
Binomial name
Eucalyptus argophloia

Description

Eucalyptus argophloia is tree that typically grows to a height of 18 to 30 metres (59 to 98 ft) with bark that is white but dappled with grey and brown and shed in long ribbons. Leaves on young plant and on coppice regrowth are arranged in opposite pairs and linear to narrow lance-shaped, 45 to 90 millimetres (1.8 to 3.5 in) long and 1 to 14 millimetres (0.0 to 0.6 in) wide. Adult leaves are lance-shaped, 65 to 140 millimetres (2.6 to 5.5 in) long, 8 to 20 millimetres (0.3 to 0.8 in) wide on a petiole 5 to 15 millimetres (0.2 to 0.6 in) long. The leaves are the same glossy green on both sides. The flowers buds are arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils on a peduncle 5 to 10 millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel 1 to 4 millimetres (0.04 to 0.16 in) long. Mature buds are oval to more or less spherical, 4 to 6 millimetres (0.16 to 0.24 in) long and 3 to 4 millimetres (0.12 to 0.16 in) wide with a rounded operculum. Flowering occurs in May and June and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical to cup-shaped capsule, 3 to 5 millimetres (0.12 to 0.20 in) long and 5 to 7 millimetres (0.20 to 0.28 in) wide.[2][4][6][7]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus argophloia was first formally described in 1934 by William Blakely and the description was published in his book A key to the Eucalypts from a specimen collected near Burncluith north of Chinchilla.[8] The specific epithet (argophloia) refers to the bark of this tree species.[4]

Distribution and habitat

Queensland white gum has a limited range and is known only from a small area north east of Chinchilla where it grows in brown to black clay or clay-loam soils. The number of populations and the total number of plants is unknown. It is often found in association with brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) or Eucalyptus microcarpa on flat terrain in areas that were once open forest.[6]

Conservation

This eucalypt is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992. The main threat to the species is habitat destruction caused by land clearing and grazing.[2][3]


Uses

It produces deep red timber, which is strong hard and durable.[9] It is one of the species selected for improvement under the New Zealand Dryland Forestry Initiative. [10]

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See also

References
  1. "Eucalyptus argophloia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. "Queensland western white gum – Eucalyptus argophloia". WetlandInfo. Queensland Government. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. "Eucalyptus argophloia — Queensland White Gum, Queensland Western White Gum, Lapunyah, Scrub Gum, White Gum". Species Profile and Threats Database. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  4. "Eucalyptus argophloia". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  5. "Forest 19 - Western Queensland white gum (Australian native)". National Arboretum Canberra. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  6. "Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus argophloia (Queensland White Gum)" (PDF). Department of Environment. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  7. Chippendale, George McCartney. "Eucalyptus argophloia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  8. "Eucalyptus argophloia". APNI. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  9. Kelly, Stan. (1978). Eucalypts. Chippendale, George McCartney., Johnston, R. D. Melbourne: Nelson. ISBN 0-17-001861-X. OCLC 56763132.
  10. "Selecting species". NZ Dryland Forests Initiative. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
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