Eucalyptus major

Eucalyptus major, commonly known as grey gum,[2] is a species of tree that is endemic to a small area near the New South Wales - Queensland border. It has smooth greyish bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

flower buds

Grey gum
Eucalyptus major near Clifton
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. major
Binomial name
Eucalyptus major
Synonyms[1]

Eucalyptus propinqua var. major Maiden

Description

Eucalyptus major is a tree that typically grows to a height of 20 m (66 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth, blotched greyish bark that is shed in large plates or flakes. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped leaves that are a lighter shade of green on the lower side, 75–100 mm (3.0–3.9 in) long and 25–40 mm (0.98–1.57 in) wide. Adult leaves are lance-shaped to curved, dark green on the upper surface, paler below, 90–200 mm (3.5–7.9 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of seven on a flattened, unbranched peduncle 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) long, the individual buds sessile or a pedicels up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Mature buds are oval to diamond-shaped, 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide with a conical operculum. Flowering has been recorded in November and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical to cup-shaped capsule 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide with the valves protruding prominently above the rim of the fruit.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

This eucalypt was first formally described in 1923 by Joseph Maiden who gave it the name Eucalyptus propinqua var. major and published the description in his book A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus.[5][6] In 1934, William Blakely raised the variety to species status as Eucalyptus major, publishing the change in his book A Key to the Eucalypts.[7] The specific epithet (major) is a Latin word meaning "greater".[8]

Distribution and habitat

The grey gum grows in tall forest in coastal areas and nearby hills in south-eastern Queensland, south from the Blackdown Tableland to far northern New South Wales.[2][3][4]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classified as "least concern" in Queensland under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[9]

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References
  1. "Eucalyptus major". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  2. K.Hill. "New South Wales Flora Online: Eucalyptus major". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  3. "Eucalyptus major". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus major". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  5. "Eucalyptus propinqua var. major". APNI. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  6. Maiden, Joseph (1923). A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus. Sydney: New South Wales Government Printer. p. 504. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  7. "Eucalyptus major". APNI. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  8. Short, Emma; George, Alex (2013). A Primer of Botanical Latin with Vocabulary. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. p. 207. ISBN 9781107693753.
  9. "Mountain grey gum - Eucalyptus major". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
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