A taxonomic revision of the Eucalyptus striaticalyx group (Eucalyptus series Rufispermae : Myrtaceae)

18 Pages·1997·5.7 MB·

by  Dean Nicolle

Nuytsia 11(3):365-382(1997) 365
A
taxonomic revision oftheEucalyptusstriaticalyxgroup
(Eucalyptus series Rufispermae Myrtaceae)
:
DeanNicolle
156 Pimpala Road, Morphett Vale, South Australia 5162
Abstract
D.Nicolle.AtaxonomicrevisionoftheEucalyptusstriaticalyxgroup(EucalyptusseriesRufispermae.
Myrtaceae). Nuytsia11 (3):365-382(1997). AtaxonomicrevisionofEucalyptusstriaticalyxW.Fitzg.
sens. lat. hasbeenundertakenbasedonmorphologicalcharacteristicsobservedthrough fieldstudies,
herbariumresearchandseedlingtrials. E.striaticalyxW.Fitzg.subsp.striaticalyx,fromthenorthern
goldfieldsandE.clelandiiF.Muell.fromthecentralgoldfieldsofWesternAustraliaaretreatedandnew
taxaaredescribedhereasE. striaticalyxsubsp.delicataNicolle&P.J. Lang,restrictedtoacoupleof
lunettesystemsinthenortherngoldfieldsofWestern Australia,E.gypsophilaNicolle,widespreadin
theGreatVictoriaDesertofWesternAustraliaandSouthAustralia,withremnantpopulationsextending
totheGascoyneRegionofWesternAustralia,E.repullulansNicollefromthePilbaraareaofWestern
Australia,and E. canescensNicolle(with subsp. canescensandsubsp. beadelliiNicolle), apparently
endemic to the southern Great Victoria Desert ofSouth Australia. Keys, maps and representative
illustrationsforallthedescribedspeciesareprovided.
Introduction
EucalyptusseriesRufispermaeMaiden(Myrtaceae)isoneofthelargestseriesintheeucalypts,with
manyundescribedandpoorlyknowntaxa, particularlyin WesternAustralia,wherethe series is best
representedintermsofspeciesnumbersanddiversity. Oneofthemostcomplexspeciesintheseries
has been Eucalyptus striaticalyx sens, lat., which has a widespread distribution in remote parts of
southernAustraliaandexhibitsgreatmorphologicalvariationacrossitsdistribution.Threenewspecies
andtwonewsubspeciesareheredescribedbasedonfieldstudies,herbariumresearchandseedlingtrials.
Field studies haveprovedmostuseful in revisingtheE. striaticalyxgroup as features such ashabit,
barktype,leafcolouretc.arerarelymentionedonherbariumsheets. Ihaveundertakensevenseparate
fieldtripsthroughtheGreatVictoriaDesertinthelastfouryears,whereplantsattributedtoE.striaticalyx
arewidelyrepresented. ThroughongoingseedlingtrialsofallthecloselyrelatedEucalyptusspecies
ithasbeenfoundthatseedlingswithinseriesRufispermaeasawholearesimilarandgenerallynotuseful
for distinguishing between taxa, unlike those ofmany other series within the eucalypts. E. ser.
Rufispermae is equivalentto Pryor& Johnson’s (1971) informal E. ser. Dumosaewithin E. section
Dumaria.
EucalyptusstriaticalyxwasdescribedbyFitzgerald(1904)fromspecimenshecollectedin 1903at
MillysSoak,nearCueinthenortherngoldfieldsofWesternAustralia. E.striaticalyxisdominantaround
MillysSoakwhereitformsarough-barkedtreemuchlargerthananyotherplantsformanykilometres
around.
2
366 Nuytsia Vol. 11, No. 3 (1997)
TheonlyothertaxonofthosetreatedherethathasbeenpreviouslydescribedisE.clelandii. Maiden
describedEucalyptusgonianthavar.clelandiiin1911 fromspecimenshecollectedatGoongarrie,also
inthenortherngoldfieldsandoneyearlaterMaidenraisedittospecificrank,andappearedtodissociate
itfromtheunrelatedE.gonianthaTurcz. AroundGoongarrie,E. clelandiigrowsasasingle-stemmed
treewithablackbuttandsmallpruinosebudsandfruits.
Lang(1983),inhisPh.D.ThesisontheseriesRufispermae,recognizedmuchofthevariationwithin
E. striaticalyx and E. clelandii but suggested they be sunk under E. dumosa A. Cunn. ex Oxley
(i.e.E. dumosasubsp.dumosaandsubsp.clelandiirespectively).Thissuggestionwasnevertakenup
byeucalypttaxonomists. However,potentialnewtaxawererecognizedbyLangandaretreatedhere
asE.canescens(Lang’sPCVH)andE.gypsophila'mpart(Lang’sPMARandPSL). SinceLang’swork,
nootherworkhasbeendoneonthetaxonomyofE. striaticalyx.
Eucalyptusstriaticalyxgroup
TheE.striaticalyxgroupisgeographicallydistinctfromothertaxaofseriesRufispermae,occurring
indrier,moreinlandareasthantherestoftheseriesandincludestheonlyspeciesintheseriesknown
t1o.occurinthetropics(E.repullulans). ItextendsfromthePilbaraareaofWesternAustraliasouth-east
tonearCedunainSouthAustralia. Distributionmapsforallthetaxaaregiven inFigures 1 and2.
2.
3T.hetaxatreatedheretogetherformasomewhatarbitrarygroupofcloselyrelatedtaxawithinthe
Rufispermae.Theycanbelooselydefinedwithintheseriesbythecombinationofinlandaridhabitat,
smalltreeormalleehabit,dulltoslightlyglossyadultleaves,7-15-floweredinflorescences,peduncles
to23 mm long,pedicels2-8 mmlong,budswithalightlytoheavilyribbedoperculumandcupularto
cylindrical,smoothtoribbedfruitswithaprominentoperculumscaranddescendingdisc.
Keytothespecies
Barksmooththroughout.HamersleyRangesonly 4.E.repullulans
1. Barkrough,atleastonlowerstem(s). GascoyneareaofWestern
AustraliatonearCedunain SouthAustralia, absentfromthe
HamersleyRanges 2
Tree. Operculumconicaltobeaked
Erecttreewithroughbarkfor0.5-2monly. Budsandfruitspruinose I.E.clelandii
3. Erectto depauperatetreewithrough barktobranches. Buds andfruits
not pruinose 2.E.striaticalyx
2. Mallee. Operculumhemisphericaltoconical 4
mm
4. Fruit6-10 long.Adultleavesmostlybroad-lanceolatetoovate,
18-25mmwide 3.E.gypsophiIa
mm
4. Fruit10-16 long.Adultleaveslanceolatetobroad-lanceolate,
22-55mmwide 5.E.canescens
1.Eucalyptusclelandii(Maiden)Maiden,Crit.Revis.Eucalyptus2: 189(191 ).-E.gonianthaTmcz.var.
clelandiiMaiden,Proc.W.Austral.Nat.Hist.Soc.3: 176(1911).Type:Goongarrie,WesternAustralia,
NSW
September 1909,J.H.Maiden(lecto: ,fideJ.H. Maiden, Crit. Revis. Eucalyptus2: 190 (1912);
isolecto:K,L,PERTH01377140).
D. Nicolle, A taxonomic revision ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group 367
111” 129°
a E.clelandii
• E.striaticalyx
subsp.striaticalyx
* E.striaticalyx
subsp.delicata
E.repullulans
o E.gypsophila
Figure 1. Distribution ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group in Western Australia.
129° 138°15'
26°
CD O
CD
o CooberPedy
o o E.gypsophila
A Maroalinga o0 a E.canescenssubsp.canescens
aE.canescenssubsp.beadellii
Cook
Tarcoola
Ceduna Port
Augusta
GreatAustralianBight
34°15'
Figure 2. Distribution ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group in South Australia.
;
368 Nuytsia Vol. 11, No. 3 (1997)
DistinguishedwithintheE.striaticalyxgroupbythecombinationoferecttreehabit,persistentrough
basal bark (blackbutt) then smooth above, pruinose twigs, buds and fruits, narrow-lanceolate to
lanceolateleaves,smallbudswitharibbed,beakedoperculumandsmallslightlyribbedfruits.
Small,erect-stemmedtree6-12mtall; lignotubersnotrecorded.Roughbarkpersistentatbaseto
O.5-2m,rough,thick,sub-fibrous,darkgreytoalmostblack,thensmooth,tanorpink-greyovercream
tolightgreythereafter,decorticatinginribbons.Branchletspruinose;pithglandspresent.Cotyledons
reniform; seedling leaves opposite for 3-6 pairs, petiolate, ovate, pruinose. Adult leaves alternate,
mm mm
petiolate,narrow-lanceolatetolanceolate,60-150 long, 10-25 wide,concolorous,dull,blue-green
togrey-green;reticulationdensewithmanyirregular,intersectionaloilglands;lateralveinsat35°-55°
frommidrib. Inflorescencesaxillary,unbranched,7-11-flowered;peduncleterete,6-20mmlong;pedicels
mm mm mm
2-5 long. Buds8-11 long, 4-6 diam.,pruinose;hypanthiumcupular,smoothtoribbed;
operculumequaltoorwiderthanhypanthium,ribbed,beaked,apiculate. Stamensstronglyinflexed,all
fertile;anthersversatile,oblong,openingbylongitudinalslits. FIowerscreamywhite. Ovulesin4vertical
mm mm
rows. Frwft5pruinose,cupulartoslightlycampanulate,smoothtoslightlyribbed,4-8 long, 5-7
mm mm
diam.;operculumscarascending, 1-2 wide;discleveltodescending,2-3 wide;valves(3)4,at
mm
rimleveltoexserted. Seedscompressedovoid,1.2-2 long,glossy,darkred-brown,reticulumshallow
tomoderate;chaffglossybrowntodarkred-brown.(Figure3)
Selectedspecimensexamined(westtoeast).WESTERNAUSTRALIA: 6.3kmEofDieHardyRange
roadonDiemals-Menziesroad,29°44’S,119°40’E,160ct. 1984,/.Brooker8696(AD,CANB.PERTII)
64kmSWofPaynesFind,29°28’S, 117°12’E, 18Oct. 1984,/. Brooker8716(AD,CANB,PERTH);
14.5kmbyroadNEofroadtoMtGibsonHomesteadonHighway95,9July1978,P.J.Lang1486,1487
(AD);1.3kmbyroadWofBullaBullingonSouthernCross-Coolgardieroad,11July1978,A./.Lang1514
(AD);4.9kmbyroadNWofCoolgardieonGreatEasternHighway,12July1978,P.J.Lang1519, 1520
(AD);RiseimmediatelyNofArrowLake(26.3kmbyroadNofKalgoorlieonroadtoMenzies),12July
1978,P.J.Lang1529(AD);5.9kmbyroadNofGoongarrieonroadtoMenzies,12July1978,P.J.Lang
1530(AD);3.7kmbyroadSofGoongarrieonKalgoorlietoMenziesroad,Eside,13July1978,P.J.Lang
1543(AD);NofCoolgardie,30°12'23"S,120°37’54"E,15Dec. 1992,D.Mco//e333(AD);NearMtGibson
Homestead,29°31’57"S,117°09'52"E,19Sep.1995,D.Nicolle1559(AD,CANB,PERTH);SofDiemals,
29°46'25"S, 119°18'l7"E,20Sep.\995,D.Nicolle1565(AD).
Intergrades. E. clelandii-E. striaticalyxsubsp. striaticalyx: WESTERNAUSTRALIA: 2 kmN of
MountMagnetTownshiponroadtoMeekatharra,creekside,MountMagnetGolfCourse,8Dec. 1978,
P.J.Lang1476(AD);SWofYouanmi,28°36'15"S,118°47'40"E,19Sep.1995,D.Nicolle1553(AD,CANB).
Distribution and habitat. Endemic to the goldfields of Western Australia from Mount Gibson
Homesteadnorth-eastofWubin,easttoMenziesandKalgoorlie. E.clelandiioccursonplainsandlow
stonyrises,sometimesinpurestands. Thesoilsarered-brownloams,oftenovergreenstoneoronrises
oflateritic ironstone. Associated species include E. campaspe, E. celastroides subsp. celastroides,
E. loxophlebasubsp.supralaevis, E. ravida, E. salmonophloia, E. salubrisandE.yilgarnensis,with
asparseunderstorey, oftendominatedby chenopods. (Figure 1)
Floweringperiod. Augustto February.
Conservationstatus. Widespreadand locally common andnotconsideredtobeatanyrisk.
D. Nicolle, A taxonomic revision ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group 369
Figure 3. Eucalyptus clelandii buds and fruits (life size, from D. Nicolle 1559)
Notes. Thewestern populations ofE. clelandii, aroundMountGibson Station were oncethoughtto
be an outlier from the more eastern populations (Brooker & Kleinig 1990), however, more recent
collectionsfromeast,southandwestofDiemalsHomesteadshowitsdistributiontobemorecontinuous,
withtheMountGibsonpopulationsformingthewesterlyextremityofitsdistribution. Inthesouth-west
ofitsdistribution,E.clelandiiisreplacedbyE.shealhianaMaiden,differinginitsvariabletreeormallee
habit,absenceofbasalrough barkandlessribbed,conicaltohemisphericaloperculum. Inthesouth-
eastE.clelandiiisreplacedbyE.politaBrooker&Hopper,differingintheabsenceofroughbasalbark,
smallerleavesandsmaller,generallynon-pruinoseandlessribbedbudsandfruits. Intermediateforms
(probablyintergrades)betweenE. clelandiiandE.politaorE.sheathianaareveryuncommonbutnot
unknown,wheretheirdistributionsadjoin. (Theseintergradescanberecognizedbytheirintermediate
stem, leaf,budandfruitmorphology,andusuallydonotdevelopthecharacteristicblackbuttseen in
E. clelandii.)
NorthofthedistributionofE. clelandii, intergradesbetweenE. clelandiiandE. striaticalyxsubsp.
striaticalyx occur and can be distinguished from E. clelandii by their more crooked stature, finer
textured,lightercolouredroughbarkoccurringfurtherupthetrunkandtheslightlypruinosetwigs,buds
andfruits.
Inthesouth-eastofitsdistribution,E.clelandiimaymorphologicallyapproachE.lesouefiiMaiden,
butthetwospeciesareusuallywelldefinedandeasilyseparated,E./esowe/?/havingglossy,greenadult
leaves (dull, blue-green in E. clelandii) and larger, more prominantly ribbed buds and fruits than
E. clelandii.
2.EucalyptusstriaticalyxW. Fitzg.,J.W.Austral.Nat.Hist.Soc. 1:20-21 (1904). Type'.MillysSoak,
WesternAustralia,September1903,W. V.Fitzgerald(lecto:PERTH01394584,heredesignated;isolecto:
E,NSW,PERTH01394592).
DistinguishedwithintheE. striaticalyxgroupbythe combinationofhabitatalongdrainage lines
orsaltlakes,treehabit,persistentroughbarkoverlowerhalftoalloftrunk,non-pruinosetwigs,leaves,
budsandfruits,dulltoslightlyglossy,blue-greentogrey-greenlanceolatetonarrow-lanceolateleaves,
slightlyribbed,smalltomedium-sizedbudswithabeakedoperculumandsmalltomedium,smoothfruits.
.
370 Nuytsia Vol. 11, No. 3 (1997)
Tree,5-12mtall; lignotubersnotrecorded. Rough6a/-/:persistent,subfibrousandflaky,grey-brown
todarkgreyovertrunkandlargerbranches,thensmoothandcream. Branchletsnotpruinoseorrarely
becoming slightly pruinose on drying, pith glands present. Cotyledons reniform; seedling leaves
opposite for 1-3 pairs then alternate, petiolate, ovate to broad-lanceolate. Adult leaves alternate,
mm mm
petiolate,narrow-lanceolatetobroad-lanceolate,70-160 long,7-25 diam.,concolorous,dullto
slightlyglossy, slightlyblue-greentogrey-green,neverpruinose;reticulationdense, with numerous
intersectionaloilglands,lateralveinsat40°-50°frommidrib. Inflorescencesaxillary,unbranched,7-13-
mm mm
flowered;pedunclethick,slightlyflattened,8-23 long; pedicels2-5 long. Budsnoipruinose,
6-12mmlong, 3-7mmdiam.;hypanthiumcupular,taperingtopedicel,smoothtoshallowlyribbed;
operculum conical to beaked, apiculate, equal in width or slightly wider than hypanthium, ribbed.
Stamensstronglyinflexed,allfertile;anthersversatile,oblong,openingbylongitudinalslits. Flowers
mm
creamywhite. Ovulesin4verticalrows. Fruitsnon-pruinose,cupulartoshortlycylindrical,5-10
long, 5-9mmdiam.,smoothtoshallowlyribbed;operculumscarconspicuous,ascending,1-2mmwide;
mm
discdescending, 1-3 wide;valves(3)4,atrimleveltoslightlyexserted. Seedscompressed-ovoid,
1.5-2.5mmlong,glossy,darkred-brown,reticulumfinetomedium;chaffglossyorangetored-brown.
Notes. E. striaticalyx istypicallyasingle-stemmedtree, however,manypopulationshave inthepast
beenperiodicallycutforthepastoralandminingactivitiesinthearea. Thisismostevidentatthetype
location,wherethepopulation,uponfirstappearance,mayappeartobeamixtureoftreesandlargemulti-
stemmedtree-mallees(plantsoftreeproportionandthickstemdiameterbutwithmorethanonestem
arisingfromgroundlevelasinatypicalniallee). Oncloserinspection,thetree-malleeindividualshave
evidenceofbeingcutapproximately0.5-1 metreabovegroundlevel, notjustonce,butinmostcases
twoorthreetimes. Onlytreeswithcurvedorsomewhatwavystemshavebeenleft,presumablythepoorer
treesunsuitablefortimber. E.striaticalyx isthedominanttreewhereveritoccursandissubstantially
tallerthananyothersurroundingvegetationformanykilometres. Thereforeitseemsthattheoriginal
habitofthistaxonhasbeenaltereddueto loppingforpostsandrails infencingandpropsandbeams
inmining. Plantsofayoungercohortatthetypelocality(lessthanabout20yearsold)allshowthetree
form, mosttreeswithstraightstemswithfewsidebranches. Thisinducedtree-malleeform isseenat
itsbestatMillysSoak. Atleastsomeplantsatmanysitesforthistaxonhavebeencutearlierthiscentury.
Thisinducedtree-malleehabitisnotseeninE. clelandiitoanygreatextent,possiblybecauseitoccurs
inamorewoodedhabitatwhereotherspeciessuchasE.salmonophloiaandE. melanoxylonwouldbe
thepreferredtimberspecies.
E.striaticalyxdiffersfromE.gypsophila,towhichitismostcloselyrelated,initslarger,treehabit,
itsmoreextensivepersistentbark, itsconsistentlynon-pruinosebuds andfruits and itsmorepointed
operculum.
RareintergradingpopulationswithE.clelandiitothesouthofitsdistributionandwithE.gypsophila
totheeastofitsdistribution areknown.
ThecommonnamesKopiMalleeandCueYorkGumhavebeenappliedtothisspecies.ThenameCue
YorkGum,inthestrictsense,refersonlytoE.striaticalyx ThenamereferstothetypelocalitynearCue
anditstreehabitlikethatoftheunrelatedYorkGum,E. loxophleba.ThecommonnameKopiMallee,
whichcontradictsCueYorkGum intermsofhabitwouldbemorecorrectlyappliedtoE.gypsophila.
There are two subspecies.
1. Crown notnoticeably pendulous, leaves lanceolateto
mm
broad-lanceolate,mostly12-25 wide 2a.subsp.striaticalyx
1. Crownnoticeablypendulous, leavesnarrow-lanceolate,
mostly7-14mmwide 2b.subsp.delicata
D. Nicolle, A taxonomic revision ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group 371
2a.EucalyptusstriaticalyxW.Fitzg.subsp.striaticalyx
Distinguished from subsp. delicata by its more robust form; its more extensive rough bark; its
(lbanucdeso8la-t1e2tmobmrolaodn-glaanncde4o-l7atmemadudlitalme.a;vfersu,it7s0-7-11600mmmmlloonnggabnyd172--925mmmmdiwaimd.e);;iatnsdlatrhgeercrbouwdns,awnhdifcruhitiss
notnotablypendulous. (Figure4)
Selectedspecimensexamined(northtosouth). WESTERNAUSTRALIA 42kmWofMeekatharraon
:
Beleleroad,26°26’S,118°04’E,29Aug.1984,1.Brooker8643(AD,CANB,PERTH);67kmfromPaynes
FindonYalgooRoad,28“57’S, 117°1 l’E,24Nov. 1986,K.HM25M&L.A.S.Johnson(CANB,PERTH,
MELB,NSW,CBG);MillysSoak,15kmdueNofCue,9July1978,P.J.Lang1481,1482,1483,1484,1485
L(AeDo)n;orLaakaenMdiLreainndsat,erN,o2f8L0ei1n7s'te3r1,"2S7,“41211'°220"8S',0122"0E°,32'1741S"eEp,.51O9c9t5.,19D9.3N,iDc.oNlilceol1l5e45446(A(DA)D;);WBeNtWweeonf
Meekatharra,26“28’14"S, 1 18“06’19"E, 18Sep.1995,£>.Nicolle1545(AD,CANB); MillysSoak,Nof
Cue,27°1710"S,117°55’44"E, 18Sep. 1995,D.Nicolle1548(AD,CANB,PERTH).
Intergrades. E. striaticalyx subsp. striaticalyx - E. clelandii intergrades are cited under the latter.
E.striaticalyxsubsp.striaticalyx-E.gypsophila: WESTERNAUSTRALIA: 22.1 kmEofjunctionS
sideofLakeMinigwal,25June1987,/.Brooker9673(CANB,PERTH);3kmEofMtCleaver,26°32’S,
120“31’E,5May1978,LA.Craven5397(CANB,PERTH);NEofLaverton,28“25'10"S,123“15'18"e’
17Sep. 1995,D.Nicolle1543(AD,CANB).
Distributionandhabitat. Endemictothenorthern goldfields ofWestern Australia, from north-west
ofMeekatharrasouth-westtowardsMongersLakeandnorth-easttoLakeCarnegiewithamoreoutlying
populationaroundLakeMinigwalinthesouth-eastofitsdistributionwhereitgradesintoE.gypsophila.
Althoughthetotaldistribution isfairlywide,subsp.striaticalyxoccursinveryscatteredpopulations.
Individualpopulationsmaybelarge,especiallywhereitoccursaroundsaltlakes,anditisusuallythe
dominantplantwhereitoccurs(eg.LakeWay,LakeMiranda). Italwaysgrowsimmediatelyaroundsalt
lakesorinbroad,shallowdrainagelinesinfairlyflatcountry'. Thesoil isusuallypowderyred-brown
or brown loams over white calcareous loams. It almost always occurs in pure stands often with
Selenothamnusorasparsechenopodunderstorey,althoughinthenorth-westofitsrangeitissometimes
associatedwithE. victrixandnearLakeMinigwalwithE. salicola. (Figure 1)
Floweringperiod. Poorlyknown.
Conservationstatus. Althoughoccurringoveralargerange,populationsarewidelyscatteredandthis
subspecies is not common (although usually locally dominant). It is not known to occur in any
conservation reserves and many populations have suffered disturbance as mentioned above.
Notes. E. striaticalyxsubsp. striaticalyxis more common andwidespreadthan subsp. delicata. It is
morerobustin form andhas largeradult leaves, buds andfruitsthan subsp. delicata.
2b.Eucalyptusstriaticalyxsubsp.delicataNicolle&P.J.Lang,subsp.nov.
A
subspecietypicahabitufruticoso,foliisangustioribus,alabastrisetfructibusminoribus,ramulis
etfoliisadultispedulisdiffert.
372 Nuytsia Vol. 11, No. 3 (1997)
Figure4.Eucalyptusstriaticalyxsubsp.striaticalyxhabitandbarkofspecimens atMillys Soak, Western Australia(note
the single-stemmed uncut tree with multi-stemmed trees that have been cut for timber on either side), and fruits (life
size, from D Nicolle 1548).
:
D. Nicolle, A taxonomic revision ofthe Eucalyptus striaticalyx group 373
Distinguishedfrom subsp. striaticalyxby its poorer, depauperatetreehabit; its lessextensiverough
mm mm
bark;itsnarrow-lanceolateadultleaves,70-160 longby7-14 wide;itssmallerbudsandfruits(buds
6-11mmlongby3-4mmdiam.;fruits5-9mmlongby5-7mmdiam.);andthenotablypendulousbranchlets.
Typus:LakeAnnean,SouthofMeekatharra,WesternAustralia,26°53'59"S,118°16'25"E,18September
1995,D.Nicolle\5‘\l(halo PERTH;iso:CANB).
Selectedspecimensexamined.WESTERNAUSTRALIA:LakeAustin, 12Aug. 1965,7.Brooker1996,
1997, 1998(PERTH);72.5kmbyroadNNEofCuetowardsMeekatharra,LakeAnnean-kopiduneeast
ofroad, 8 Dec. 1978, P.J. Lang 1478, 1479 (AD); Lake Annean, S ofMeekatharra, 26° 53’ 59"S,
118°16'25"E, 18Sep. 1995,D.Nicolle1546(AD,CANB).
Distribution andhabitat. Restricted to immediately around Lake Annean and Lake Austin in the
northern goldfields of Western Australia. It occurs in open, pure stands on gypseous low dunes
(lunettes)besidesaltlakesystems. Thesedunessupportverylittlevegetation,mostlySelenothamnus,
apartfromthistaxon.Thedunesconsistofverycalcareousfinewhitetobrownpowderysilt-loams.The
habitat is similar to that occupied by E. striaticalyx subsp. striaticalyx, but is somewhat harsher,
indicatedbytheverysparsevegetation coveringthe groundandthedepauperatenatureofthetrees.
(Figure1)
Floweringperiod. Notknown.
Conservationstatus. Ofrestricteddistributionandnotknowntooccurinaconservationreserve. Itis
locallydominantwhereitoccursalthoughseedlingregenerationisnotapparent. ListedasPriority1 by
the DepartmentofConservation andLandManagement.
Etymology.FromtheLatindelicata-meaningdelicateorsoft,referringtoitspendulouscrownofnarrow
leaves and small buds and fruitscomparedtothe type subspecies.
Notes.ThisisadistinctivesubspeciesofE.striaticalyx,notablebecauseofitsdepauperateform,narrow
leavesandnoticeablypendulousbranchletscomparedtosubsp.striaticalyx. Itoccupiesasimilarbut
harsherhabitattosubsp.striaticalyx beingtheonlyplantofsignificantsizewhereitgrowswithavery
,
sparseunderstoreyoffewspecies. E.striaticalyxsubsp.delicataoccurswithinthegeneraldistribution
ofE. striaticalyx subsp. striaticalyx, however, the two subspecies are not known to grow in mixed
stands. Althoughthissubspeciesisofrestricteddistribution,itiswellrepresentedinherbariaalthough
manyspecimensarepoorandconsistmainlyofstemandleafmaterial,withmostcollectionscomingfrom
aroundLakeAnnean.
3.EucalyptusgypsophilaNicolle,sp.nov.
Affinis E. striaticalyci sed characteribus sequentibus distinguitur: habitu pluricauli (“mallee”),
cortice fibroso in dimidio inferiore, ramulis variabile glaucis, alabastris fructibusque et operculis
hemisphericalvelacutisdiffert.
DistinguishedwithintheE.striaticalyxgroupbythecombinationofmalleehabit,persistentrough
barkonlowerhalfofstems,variablypruinosetwigs,budsandfruits,blue-greentogrey-greenlanceolate
leaves,slightlyribbed,medium-sizedbudswithaconicaltohemisphericaloperculumandmedium-sized
smoothto striated fruits.
1
374 Nuytsia Vol. 11, No. 3 (1997)
Typus:NorthernpartofYumbarraConservationPark,SouthAustralia,31°39'28"S,133°46'43"E,22July
1995,D.Nicolle1405(holo:PERTH;iso:AD).
Mallee,3-6mtall; lignotuberspresent. Roughbarkpersistent,sub-fibrousandflaky,grey-brown
m
to dark greyovertan for 1-3 (lowerhalfofstems),then smooth, tanto grey overcream to grey.
Branchletssometimespruinose, pithglands present. Cotyledonsreniform; seedling leaves opposite
for1-3pairsthenalternate, petiolate,ovate,blue-grey,usuallypruinose.Adultleavesalternate,petiolate,
mm mm
broad-lanceolatetolanceolate,90-130 long, 18-25 wide,concolorous,dull,blue-greentoblue-
grey,occasionallyslightlypruinose;reticulationdense,withnumerousintersectionaloilglands,lateral
veinsat40°-60°frommidrib.InflorescencesaxMary,unbranched,7-1 1-flowered,pedunclesthick,terete,
4-18mmlong;pedicles2-4mmlong.Budssometimespruinose,7-12mmlong,5-7mmdiam,;hypanthium
cupular,taperingtopedicel,smooth;operculumhemisphericaltoconical,apiculatetorounded,equal
inwidth orveryslightlywiderthan hypanthium, almostsmooth to lightlyribbed. Stamensstrongly
inflexed,allfertile;anthersversatile,oblong,openingbylongitudinalslits.Flowerscreamywhite. Ovules
mm mm
in4verticalrows.Fruitssometimespruinose,cupulartoshortlycylindrical,6-10 long,6-11 diam.,
mm
smoothtoslightlyribbed;operculumscarsometimesconspicuous,ascendingtolevel, 1-2 wide;disc
mm
leveltodescending,2-3 wide;valves(3)4,aroundrimlevel. Seedscompressedovoidtocompressed
mm
spherical, 1.2-2.5 long,glossy,darktan-browntored-brown,reticulumshallowtomedium;chaff
glossy,tantored-brown. (Figure5)
Figure 5. Eucalyptusgypsophila buds and fruits (life size, from D. Nicolle 1405).
Selectedspecimensexamined(westtoeast).WESTERNAUSTRALIA:62kmSofNealeJunction,Great
VictoriaDesert,28°45’S, 125°48’E,12May1984,1.Brooker8563(AD,PERTH);c. 1kmEofTallering
Peak,50kmNNEofMullewa,17Aug.1983,S.D.Hoppers136(PERTH);SavoWryCreek,KeartlandDistrict,
23°4 1S,121°36'E,12June1984,G.J.Morse127(CANB,PERTH);179km ofintersectionofCookto
VokesHillroadandOakValleytoTjuntjunjararoad,29°34'17"S,128°23'42"E,27Sep. 1993,D.Nicolle
499(AD,CANB);TrackSofLakeMinigwal,29°52'06"S,123°06'18"E,30Sep. 1993,D.Nicolle525(AD):
AnnBeadellHighway,justWofSerpentineLakes,28°30'35"S,128°59'40"E,16Sep. 1995,D.Nicolle
1520(AD,CANB);AnnBeadellHighwayjustWofSerpentineLakes,28°30'53"S,128°57'38"E,16Sep.
1995,D.Nicolle1521(AD);AnnBeadellHighway,EofNealeJunction,28°19'58"S, 127°20'44"E, 16
Sep.1995,D.Nicolle1529(AD,CANB);TalleringPeak,28°15'35"S,115°39'29"E,18Sep.1995,D.Nicolle
1550(AD,CANB,PERTH,NSW);26kmNNWofQueenVictoriaSpring,QueenVictoriaSpringNature
Reserve,30°15'S, 123°24'E,26May1990,D.J.Pearson810(PERTH).