Eucalyptus propinqua

Eucalyptus propinqua, commonly known as the grey gum or small-fruited grey gum,[2] is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth, mottled bark, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves that are paler on the lower surface, flower buds in groups of between seven and fifteen, white flowers and conical or hemispherical fruit.

Grey gum
Grey gum in the Ellenborough River valley
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. propinqua
Binomial name
Eucalyptus propinqua
Mature specimen in Silverwater

Description

Eucalyptus propinqua is a tree that typically grows to a height of 40 m (130 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth mottled grey, cream-coloured and yellowish bark that is shed in strips. Young plants and coppice regrowth have stems that are square in cross section and leaves that are a paler shade on the lower surface, 40–75 mm (1.6–3.0 in) long, 10–22 mm (0.39–0.87 in) wide and petiolate. Adult leaves are a paler shade of green on the lower side, lance-shaped to curved, 60–170 mm (2.4–6.7 in) long and 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 10–22 mm (0.39–0.87 in) long. The flower buds are mostly arranged in leaf axils in groups of between seven and fifteen on an unbranched peduncle 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 1–5 mm (0.039–0.197 in) long. Mature buds are club-shaped to oval, 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide with a conical to rounded or beaked operculum. Flowering occurs from January to April and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical or hemispherical capsule 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide with the valves strongly protruding.[2][3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus propinqua was first formally described in 1896 by Joseph Maiden and Henry Deane in Proecceding of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.[6][7] The specific epithet (propinqua) is from the Latin propinquus meaning "near", referring to the similarity of the bark to that of E. punctata.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Grey gum grows in open forest on low hills and ridges in coastal and near-coastal areas between Gympie in Queensland and the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales.[2][4]

Uses

Timber

The timber is very hard and heavy and is used for poles, piles, sleepers, heavy engineering construction, marine construction, flooring, and decking.[8]

Features of the small-fruited grey gum (Eucalyptus propinqua)
  • Adult leaves
    Adult leaves
  • Flowers
    Flowers
  • Inflorescence
    Inflorescence
  • Fruit
    Fruit
  • Trunk bark
    Trunk bark
  • Upper branch bark
    Upper branch bark

References
  1. "Eucalyptus propinqua". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  2. "Eucalyptus propinqua". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus propinqua". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus propinqua". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. Brooker, Ian; Kleinig, David (1990). Field guide to eucalypts (revised ed.). Melbourne: Inkata Press. p. 136. ISBN 0909605629.
  6. "Eucalyptus propinqua". APNI. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  7. Maiden, Joseph; Deane, Henry (1896). "The grey gum of the north coast districts". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Series 2. 10: 541–543. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  8. "www.timber.net.au - The Australian Database of Timber - Grey Gum". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
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