Eucalyptus apiculata

Eucalyptus apiculata, commonly known as the narrow-leaved mallee ash[2] and is a mallee that is endemic to New South Wales. It has smooth white or greyish bark, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three to seven, white flowers and urn-shaped or barrel-shaped fruit.

foliage and flowers
flower buds

Narrow-leaved mallee ash
Eucalyptus apiculata habit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. apiculata
Binomial name
Eucalyptus apiculata
Synonyms[1]

Eucalyptus laophila L.A.S.Johnson & Blaxell

Description

Eucalyptus apiculata is a mallee with smooth white or greyish bark. Young plants and coppice regrowth have leaves arranged in opposite pairs, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves up to 160 mm (6 in) long and 8–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) wide. They are the same glossy green colour on both sides. Adult leaves are narrow lance-shaped, 35–110 mm (1–4 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide, the same glossy green on both sides. There is a small point or hook on the end of the leaves. The flower buds are arranged in groups of three to seven, the groups on a peduncle 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and the individual flowers a pedicel 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The mature buds are oval to club-shaped, 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide with a conical operculum that has a small point on its top. Flowering occurs between October and March and the flowers are white. The fruit is an urn-shaped or barrel-shaped capsule 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide on a pedicel 2–6 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus apiculata was first formally described in 1902 by Richard Thomas Baker and Henry George Smith who published the description in a paper entitled A research on the eucalypts : especially in regard to their essential oils.[6] The specific epithet (apiculata) is a Latin word meaning "apiculate", referring to the leaves.[4]

Distribution and habitat

The narrow-leaved mallee ash is a rare species with a restricted distribution between Linden and Berrima where it grows in mallee shrubland.[3]

References
  1. "Eucalyptus rodwayi". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  2. Brooker, M.I.H.; Kleinig, D.A. (2006). Field Guide to Eucalypts (Volume 1: South-eastern Australia) (3 ed.). Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 312. ISBN 1876473525.
  3. Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus apiculata". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  4. "Eucalyptus apiculata". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  5. Chippendale, George McCartney; George, Alex S. (ed.). "Eucalyptus apiculata". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 28 February 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  6. "Eucalyptus apiculata". APNI. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
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