Eucalyptus lockyeri

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

Eucalyptus lockyeri, also known as Lockyer's box, is a species in the genus Eucalyptus found in Northern Australia.[1]

Habitat

Australia is predominately dominated by trees and shrubs within the eucalyptus family, E. lockyeri being one of these.

Eucalyptus lockyeri is endemic to Australia and is one among more than 600 species of Eucalyptus, 98% of which are native to Australia.[2]

This species of Eucalyptus is predominately found along the northern and eastern coasts of Australia. This environment is primarily composed of sandstone and receives a moderate amount of rainfall each year (800–1200 mm).[3] Eucalyptus however, is a highly adaptable plant and is able to grow in a variety of environments.[4]

Description

Eucalyptus lockyeri is a small tree, up to 9m tall, native to Northern Australia. It is cultivated from a lignotuber.[5]

The tree possesses rough bark on its trunk, and smoother, flaking, reddish bark on its upper branches.[6]

Adult leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, characteristic of Myrtaceae, with lanceolate shape and lacking pubescence. The base of the leaf tapers to the petiole and the lamina of the leaf is blue-gray to green-gray. Oil glands are apparent throughout the leaf surface, producing the distinct Eucalyptus aroma.[5]

Flowers are umbellate, with seven buds per umbel. The flowers are white and are distinct with many erect stamens, also characteristic of Myrtaceae.[5]

Eucalyptus lockyeri belongs to a group of red gum trees and can be distinguished from others in this group by its glaucous leaves.[5]

Additionally, there are two subspecies of E. lockyeri, E. lockyeri subsp. lockyeri and E. lockyeri subsp. exuda. The two subspecies possess characteristics that allow them to be distinguished from one another. Subspecies lockyeri has blue-gray leaves and a trunk consisting of entirely rough bark, while the trunk of subspecies exuda is only partly rough and it usually has green leaves.[7]

Classification

Eucalyptus lockyeri was first collected by botanists Blaxell and Ken Hill in 1978. The species described was collected in Queensland, Australia. This is a relatively newly discovered species and has not been published on widely.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ LeRoy Santos, Robert (1998). "The Eucalyptus of California". Southern California Quarterly. 80 (2): 105–144. doi:10.2307/41171891. JSTOR 41171891.
  3. ↑ Hager, Tim; Benson, Doug (2010). "The Eucalypts of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area: distribution, classification and habitats of the species of Eucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia (family Myrtaceae) recorded in its eight conservation reserves" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 11 – via The Royal Botanical Garden Sydney.
  4. ↑ Myburg, Alexander A.; Grattapaglia, Dario; Tuskan, Gerald A.; Hellsten, Uffe; Hayes, Richard D.; Grimwood, Jane; Jenkins, Jerry; Lindquist, Erika; Tice, Hope (June 2014). "The genome of Eucalyptus grandis". Nature. 510 (7505): 356–362. doi:10.1038/nature13308. ISSN 1476-4687.
  5. 1 2 3 4 AV Slee, MIH Brooker, SM Duffy, JG West (2015). "Eucalyptus lockyeri subsp. lockyeri". EUCLID. 4 – via Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research.
  6. ↑ Franklin, Donald C. (15 November 2014). "Field key to the eucalypts of the Atherton Tablelands & vicinity" (PDF). https://riel.cdu.edu.au/. Charles Darwin University: Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods. External link in |website= (help)
  7. ↑ "Factsheet - Red gums". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  8. ↑ "Tropicos | Name - Eucalyptus lockyeri Blaxell & K.D. Hill". www.tropicos.org. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
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