Eucalyptus melanoleuca

Eucalyptus melanoleuca, commonly known as yarraman ironbark[2] or nanango ironbark,[3] is a species of tree that is endemic to south-east Queensland. It has rough ironbark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped, to cup-shaped or conical fruit.

Yarraman ironbark
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. melanoleuca
Binomial name
Eucalyptus melanoleuca

Description

Eucalyptus melanoleuca is a tree that typically grows to a height of 30 m (98 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough black bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth white bark above. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped leaves 45–85 mm (1.8–3.3 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) wide on a short petiole. Adult leaves are the same shade of glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped, 85–145 mm (3.3–5.7 in) long and 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils and on the ends of branchlets on a branching peduncle, each branch with groups of seven buds. The peduncle is 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long with each bud on a pedicel 2–7 mm (0.079–0.276 in) long. Mature buds are oval to pear-shaped, 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide with a conical operculum that is narrower and shorter that the floral cup. Flowering mainly occurs between June and September and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, barrel-shaped to cup-shaped or hemispherical capsule 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long and wide, with the valves below the level of the fruit.[4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus melanoleuca was first formally described by Stanley Thatcher Blake in the journal Austrobaileya from a specimen he collected near Yarraman.[6][7] The specific epithet (melanoleuca) refers to the strongly contrasted black and white trunk.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Yarraman ironbark grows in open forest and on the edges of rainforest between the Blackdown Tableland and Yarraman.[5]

Conservation status

This eucalypt is classed as "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Eucalyptus melanoleuca". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  2. "Eucalyptus melanoleuca Yarraman Ironbark". gaiaguide. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  3. "Nanango ironbark – Eucalyptus melanoleuca". The State of Queensland (Department of Environment and Science). Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  4. "Eucalyptus melanoleuca". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  5. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus melanoleuca". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  6. "Eucalyptus melanoleuca". APNI. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  7. Blake, Stanley Thatcher (1977). "Four new species of Eucalyptus". Austrobaileya. 1 (1): 6–7.
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