Eucalyptus longicornis

Red morrell
Sketches from A critical revision of the genus Eucalyptus of E. longicornis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Rosids
Order:Myrtales
Family:Myrtaceae
Genus:Eucalyptus
Species: E. longicornis
Binomial name
Eucalyptus longicornis
(F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Maiden
Synonyms

Eucalyptus oleosa var. longicornis F.Muell. Eucalyptus longicornis subsp. longicornis (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Maiden

Eucalyptus longicornis, or red morrell, is a mallee that is native to Western Australia.[1] The Noongar peoples know the tree as Morryl, Poot or Put.[2]

Description

The tree typically grows to a height of 2 to 24 metres (7 to 79 ft) and can reach as high as 30 m (98 ft). It has rough grey brown fibrous bark that is often fissured. It blooms between December and February producing white flowers.[1] The tree a distinctive crown of glossy green leaves crowded towards the end of the branches.[3] The adult leaves are disjunct, glossy, green, thick and concolorous. The blade has a narrow lanceolate shape that is not falcate, but is basally tapered. The petioles are narrowly flattened or channelled. When it flowers it produces a simple and axillary conflorescence with three to eleven flowered umbellasters on terete peduncles.[4]

Seed capsules form and persist on trees until at least the following year and often longer. The capsules contain over 200 seeds per gram.[3]

Taxonomy

The species was initially described by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller as Eucalyptus oleosa var. longicornis in 1878 as part of the work Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. It was consequently reclassified as Eucalyptus longicornis in 1919 by Joseph Maiden in the work Notes on Eucalyptus, No. VI. (with descriptions of two new species, in co-operation with Mr. R. H. Cambage) published in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. The only other synonym is Eucalyptus longicornis subsp. longicornis as described by Ian Brooker, A.V.Slee, J.R.Connors and S.M. Duffy in 2002in the work EUCLID Eucalypts of southern Australia Edn. 2.[5] Von Mueller had collected the original type specimen in the upper reaches of the Swan River in 1877.[4]

Distribution

It is distributed through the Wheatbelt and southern Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia.[1] It is found growing in loamy soils, often over limestone or clay loam on flats. The dark red loams, that are rich in minerals and often slightly saline, associated with the decomposition of the fine-grained dolerite gneiss dykes and outcropping units of the Yilgarn Block best suit the tree.[6]

Ecology

The species is usually found in woodland communities where it makes up part of the overstorey often as a pure stand but it can occur with Eucalyptus salmonophloia and Eucalyptus melanoxylon, and sometimes with Eucalyptus wandoo, Eucalyptus loxophleba, Eucalyptus astringens and Eucalyptus kondininensis. Associated species in the understorey include Sclerolaena diacantha, Lycium australe, Melaleuca merrallii, Melaleuca pauperiflora and Rhagodia drummondii.[6]

Uses

E. longicornis is a tall tree with potential to be cultivated on highly alkaline, saline and clayey soils It rates highly as an ornamental and as a windbreak species and is useful for apiculture. The wood of this species was used historically in the mining industry as a source of timber and fuelwood. The fine-textured, reddish to dark red-brown wood has considerable potential for use in high value furniture and craftwood.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Eucalyptus longicornis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  2. ↑ "Noongar names for plants". kippleonline.net. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Factsheet Eucalyptus longicornis". Florabank. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Eucalyptus longicornis (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex Maiden, For. Res. Western Australia 12 (1879)". Eucalink. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Eucalyptus longicornis (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Maiden". Atlas of Living Australia. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Eucalyptus longicornis (Red Morrel) woodland factsheet". Wheatbelt woodlands. Department of Environment and Conservation. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
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