Eucalyptus lockyeri

Eucalyptus lockyeri, commonly known as Lockyer's box,[2] is a species of small tree endemic to a small area in Queensland. It has rough bark near the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

Lockyer's box
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. lockyeri
Binomial name
Eucalyptus lockyeri

Description

Eucalyptus lockyeri is a small tree that typically grows to a height of 9 m (30 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the base of the trunk, smooth grey to brownish bark above. Young plants and coppice regrowth have dull bluish, lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves that are 80–160 mm (3.1–6.3 in) long and 35–55 mm (1.4–2.2 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same dull bluish grey on both sides, 90–150 mm (3.5–5.9 in) long and 20–35 mm (0.79–1.38 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 10–32 mm (0.39–1.26 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils on an unbranched peduncle 8–17 mm (0.31–0.67 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. Mature buds are sometimes glaucous, oval, 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide with a conical to horn-shaped operculum, Flowering has been recorded in March, May and December and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical capsule 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long, 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) wide, sometimes glaucous at first, with the valves protruding above the rim of the fruit.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus lockyeri was first formally described in 1991 by Donald Blaxell and Ken Hill from a specimen collected by Blaxell near Ravenshoe in 1978, and the description was published in the journal Telopea.[5][6] The specific epithet (lockyeri) "honours Michael Lockyer of Ravenshoe, who first drew the authors' attention to this taxon".[5]

In 1994, Ian Brooker and David Kleinig described two subspecies and the names have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

  • Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. exuta Brooker & Kleinig[7] has leaves, buds and fruit that are not glaucous;[3]
  • Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. lockyeriBlaxell & K.D.Hillsubsp. lockyeri[8] has glaucous leaves, buds and fruit.[3]

Distribution and habitat

Eucalyptus lockyeri is endemic to a restricted area of Queensland, occurring between Ravenshoe and near Herberton. It usually grows on slopes and ridges in poor, rocky soil.[3][5]

Conservation status

Both subspecies of E. lockyeri are classified as "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[9][10]

gollark: Break-even *if* you only mine stone.
gollark: Reinforced, that's it.
gollark: I mean the modifier, though.
gollark: Actually, yes, they do.
gollark: No, but on shurikens you get the head/extra traits from everything, I think.

References
  1. "Eucalyptus lockyeri". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  2. Franklin DC & Preece ND. 2014. The Eucalypts of Northern Australia: An Assessment of the Conservation Status of Taxa and Communities. A report to Kimberley to Cape and the Environment Centre NT, April 2014.
  3. "Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. lockyeri". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. Franklin, Donald C. "Draft Field guide to eucalypts of the Atherton Tableland and vicinity" (PDF). Charles Darwin University: Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  5. Hill, Kenneth D.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1991). "Systematic studies in the eucalypts - 3. New taxa and combination in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 4 (2): 231–233.
  6. "Eucalyptus lockyeri". APNI. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  7. "Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. exuta". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  8. "Eucalyptus lockyeri". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  9. "Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. lockyeri". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  10. "Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. exuta". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
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