Eucalyptus cinerea subsp. cinerea (original) (raw)
Euclid - Online edition
Classification
Eucalyptus | Symphyomyrtus | Maidenaria | Euryotae | Argyrophyllae
Nomenclature
Eucalyptus cinerea F.Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Austral. 3: 239 (1867) subsp. cinerea.
T: Lachlan R. near Bathurst, NSW, A.Cunningham 39; syn: K.
E. pulverulenta var. lanceolata A.W.Howitt, Rep. 7th Meeting Austral. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 7: 518 (1898); E. stuartiana var. cordata R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm., Res. Eucalypts 105 (1902) [nom. illeg.](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fnom. illeg. "nomen illegitimum (illegitimate name)") [T](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5FT "
(type) the element of a taxon (for a species or subspecies, usually a botanical specimen) to which the name for that group is permanently attached, either as a correct name or as a synonym
"): between Pilot Ra. & Beechworth, Vic., F.Mueller s.n.; near Ovens R., Vic., C.Falk 4: syn: MEL; Ovens district, Vic., D.Ingle s.n., 1894; syn: MEL.[E. pulverulenta auct. non Sims: F.Mueller, Fragm. 2: 70 (1860).]
Note about Eucalyptus cinerea subsp. victoriensis Rule & N.G.Walsh, Muelleria 36: 87-90 (2018). T: Victoria: NNE of Beechworth, McFeeter’s Road, c. 2.5 km W [_here corrected_] of Beechworth-Chiltern Road, adjacent to the turn-off to Woolshed Falls, K.Rule 0315, 16.v.2015; holo: MEL 2418187; [iso](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fiso "
isotype (a duplicate specimen of the holotype, i.e. being part the same collection)
"): CANB, NSW. [Note that both McFeeter's Road and Woolshed Falls are west of Beechworth to Chiltern Road, fide A.V. Slee 25 April 2019]. The trees around Beechworth are discussed below in the Notes about [subspecies](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fsubspecies "a form of a species having a distinctive identity and occupying a particular habitat or region
"). The type specimen, Rule 0315, is similar to Eucalyptus cinerea subsp. triplex.Description
Tree to 15 m tall. Forming a [lignotuber](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Flignotuber "
a woody tuber developed in the axils of the cotyledons or the first few
leaf pairs, becoming massive in many mature trees or mallees, possessing
embedded vegetative buds for regeneration following crown destruction, for
example by fire 
Bark rough to small branches, thick, [fibrous](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ffibrous "
when the bark is non-decorticating and is held in short or long fibres, usually dense, but often held loosely on old branches or towards base of trunk
"), [furrowed](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ffurrowed "grooved, in eucalypts usually referring to the longitudinal grooves of the rough bark
") longitudinally, grey over red-brown.Juvenile growth (coppice or field [seedlings](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fseedlings "
the next growth phase of the leaves after the cotyledons but before the juvenile leaves
") to 50 cm): stems rounded, [glaucous](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fglaucous "covered with a white wax on the surface 
the growth phase of the leaves between the seedling and the intermediate
") leaves sessile, opposite for many pairs, [orbicular](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Forbicular "more or less round 
when the leaves are egg-shaped with the broadest part towards the petiole 
stem-clasping; when the sides of the base of the sessile leaf continue to the opposite side of the stem and overlap with the base of an opposite leaf if present 
of the leaves, notched at the end 
leaf stalks
") 0.4–1.5 cm, ovate to [lanceolate](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Flanceolate "lance-shaped, with the widest part below the middle and tapering to a point at the apex 
Crown of mature [tree](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ftree "
an erect single stemmed woody plant, usually at least 5 metres high 
the growth phase of the leaves between the juvenile and the adult
") leaves.Adult leaves (rarely formed) alternate, petiole to 1.1 cm long; blade lanceolate to slightly [falcate](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ffalcate "
curved like the blade of a sickle
"), 9–14 cm long, 1.5– 5 cm wide, base rounded or tapering to petiole, [concolorous](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fconcolorous "when the leaves are the same colour on both sides
"), dull, grey-green to glaucous, [side-veins](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fside-veins "the secondary veins of a leaf 
the primary vein of a leaf
network of veins in the leaf 
the prominent vein of a leaf near the margin and running more or less parallel with it 
when the leaf oil glands occur in the centre of the smallest unreticulated areas (areole) of the leaf, as opposed to intersectional oil glands that occur at the intersections of the veinlets 
in eucalypts, small or minute oil containing structures seen near the surface of the young stems, leaves, buds and fruits; also near, or at, the top of the connective of the anther; or in the pith of the branchlets
"). **Inflorescences** [axillary](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Faxillary "referring to the location of a plant organ in an axil, for example, the axillary inflorescence 
the common stalk of a cluster of flowers, buds 
or fruit
groups of cells (or a single cell) with a potential for active division for the initiation of vegetative or reproductive growth (in eucalypts, usually refers to the developing flower)
") 3 per [umbel](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fumbel "inflorescence with sessile or pedicellate flowers arising from the top of a peduncle; a simple inflorescence is a single umbel; a compound inflorescence has several to many umbels as subunits of the whole
"), sessile or with central [bud](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fbud "a group of cells (or a single cell) with a potential for active division for the initiation of vegetative or reproductive growth (in eucalypts, usually refers to the developing flower)
") shortly [pedicellate](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fpedicellate "with stalks
") (pedicels to 0.3 cm long). **Mature buds** [diamond-shaped](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fdiamond-shaped "rhomboidal, or ovoid and angular, usually referring to bud shape 
ring scar on the side of a flower bud left by the loss of the outer operculum 
in eucalypts, the cap of a flower bud which is formed by the fusion of the sepals or the petals, and dehisces at maturity exposing the reproductive organs 
a three dimensional shape, triangular in median longitudinal section and circular in cross-section 
the male reproductive parts of a flower comprising, in eucalypts, a long filament surmounted by a pollen-bearing anther
") [inflexed](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Finflexed "bent sharply inwards (in eucalypts usually referring to the regular
inflexion of the anther filaments) 
pollen-bearing organs at the apex of the stamens
") [cuneate](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fcuneate "wedge-shaped
"), versatile, [dorsifixed](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fdorsifixed "of an anther when the summit of the filament is attached to the connective of the anther on the back-side, i.e. the side away from the centre of the flower when the stamen is erect 
chambers of the ovary seen by cross-section of the bud or inside a dehisced fruit
") 3 or 4, the [placentae](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fplacentae "regions, within an ovary, to which ovules are attached
") each with [ovules](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fovules "organs of a seed-plant borne on the placenta that develop into seed after fertilisation
") in 4 vertical rows. [Flowers](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fflowers "reproductive structures of the plant, for eucalypts referring to the mature buds once they have shed the operculum to expose the stamens, the style and stigma.
") white. **Fruit** sessile or shortly pedicellate (pedicels to 0.2 cm long), [obconical](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fobconical "conical but inverted with the narrow end to the point of attachment 
bell-shaped; of the fruit, but seen upside-down 
sectors of the roof of the capsule of a eucalypt fruit which is formed by dehiscence and is usually raised to allow the passage of seed and chaff
") 3 or 4, [rim](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Frim "outer edge, usually circular and often raised, in eucalypts usually referring to the upper edge of the fruit 
egg-shaped (3 dimensional structures), with the broadest part at the base, usually referring to bud shape 
the scar on the seed indicating its point of attachment to the placenta 
of a lateral organ, facing towards the subtending axis (usually referring to the hilum position on seeds)
").Cultivated seedlings (measured at ca [node](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fnode " the point of attachment of leaves on a stem
the first pair of leaves in an embryo, seen following germination (seed leaf) 
heart-shaped, refers particularly to the indented base of the leaf 
when the edges of the leaves are smooth, i.e. unrelieved by crenulations, teeth, indentations, etc. 
with a weakly scalloped edge
"), apex rounded to emarginate, glaucous or blue-grey.Flowering Time
Flowering has been recorded in May, June, August, September, October and November.
Notes
Eucalyptus cinerea is a small tree [species](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fspecies "
the basic unit of classification which usually refers to one or several groups of plants or other living organisms that interbreed and maintain their distinctive identity through successive generations
") sporadically distributed on the Central and Southern Tablelands and adjacent Western Slopes of New South Wales, south to Beechworth in north-eastern Victoria. It is notable for the thick rough [bark](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fbark "the tissures, collectively outermost to the cambium of a woody plant
") and the mature [crown](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fcrown "the leafy head of a tree
") of largely grey or glaucous juvenile to intermediate leaves, and sometimes [adult](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fadult "the final growth phase of the leaves
") leaves.It consists of two subspecies:
E. cinerea subsp. cinerea
Has a high proportion of
opposite, sessile, orbicular to broadly ovate juvenile leaves
in the mature crown. In New South Wales it is common around Abercrombie River, Wattle Flat, Frogmore, Marulan, Bungonia, Gunning, Dalton, Rye Park north of Yass, south of Tumut on Wereboldera Hill, north-east of Nerriga at Touga. In Victoria it is known from near Beechworth.
E. cinerea subsp. triplex
Has a high proportion of opposite, [petiolate](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fpetiolate "
with a stalk
"), ovate intermediate leaves and alternate, petiolate, lanceolate adult leaves in the crown, but sessile leaves also may be present. Only known from granitic mountains south-west of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, plus a small population north-west of Captains Flat, another in Tinderry Nature Reserve in nearby New South Wales. Occasional trees matching subsp. triplex occur in populations where other trees match subsp. cinerea in regards "adultness" of the crown_,_ e.g. in the area between Yass, Dalton and Murrumbateman, Bungonia and Marulan in New South Wales and in Victoria in the Beechworth area.Eucalyptus cinerea belongs in Eucalyptus [subgenus](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fsubgenus "
a natural group between genus and section used in the classification of plants
") Symphyomyrtus [section](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fsection "a natural subgeneric grouping between subgenus and series level in the classification of plants
") Maidenaria, a large group of species more or less restricted to south-eastern Australia, characterised by bilobed cotyledons, [simple](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fsimple "unbranched (usually referring to unbranched inflorescences or unbranched hairs)
") axillary [inflorescences](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Finflorescences "arrangements of flowers on an axis, may be simple or compound
"), buds with two [opercula](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fopercula "in eucalypts, the caps of a flower bud which are formed by the fusion of the sepals and the petals, and dehisces at maturity exposing the reproductive organs
"), stamens with versatile anthers and flattened [seeds](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fseeds "mature ovules within which develops embryos, formed in the sexual reproductive cycle, consisting of protective coats enclosing the embryos and food reserves
") with a ventral hilum. Within this section, E. cinerea belongs in [series](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fseries "a natural subgeneric grouping between section and species level in the classification of plants
") Argyrophyllae having longitudinally furrowed fibrous rough bark throughout, orbicular or ovate juvenile leaves opposite for many [nodes](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fnodes "the points of attachment of leaves on a stem
") and small diamond-shaped buds in threes. Of the other species in the series E. alligatrix has a greener, more adult-leaved crown, E. conspicua has buds in sevens, E. cephalocarpa and E. nova-anglica have completely adult crown and buds in sevens. These 5 species form series Argyrophyllae.The related species Eucalyptus pulverulenta has a similar juvenile crown to E. cinerea subsp. cinerea but differs in having [mallee](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fmallee "
the growth form of many eucalypts, i.e. a multi-stemmed shrub with a
lignotuber; (sometimes used loosely for a low straggly short-trunked tree) 
the general appearance or characteristic growth-form of a plant
"), smooth bark shedding in ribbons, a sparse crown of stiffer leaves and larger buds with creamy-yellow stamens and larger [fruit](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ffruit "the final reproductive organ in a plant; in a eucalypt a composite structure of the seed-bearing capsule held within a woody hypanthium, opening at the top where the seed are shed after dehiscence
").In 2018 Rule & Walsh described as new E. cinerea subsp. victoriensis applied to the trees in the Beechworth area in north-eastern Victoria. They state that this population differs from both other subspecies of E. cinerea by: inner crown leaves juvenile and intermediate, outer crown leaves adult, more erect tree habit and slightly smaller buds and fruit. Recognized in EUCLID as being a population variable in adult crown leaf characteristics but see comment above under subsp. triplex, and note under Nomenclature_._ The authors of EUCLID regard the distinction between subsp. triplex and subsp. victoriensis as slight and may depend on regenerative state of the crown or even crown health. The Beechworth trees of E. cinerea regularly [flower](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Fflower "
the reproductive structure of the plant, for eucalypts referring to the mature bud once it has shed the operculum to expose the stamens, the style and stigma.
") in the [axils](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Faxils "the upper angles between the leaf and the stem
") of crown leaves regardless of developmental stage (juvenile, intermediate or adult leaves).Eucalyptus cinerea is one of the most popular of the temperate eucalypts in cultivation, especially in colder areas. It is commonly grown in southern Australia, New Zealand and many other countries.
Eucalyptus cinerea has become naturalised in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory and no doubt in other places. It is weedy in Hawai'i.
Origin of Name
Eucalyptus cinerea: Latin cinereus, ashen, referring to the white, waxy bloom of the leaves, flower buds and [fruits](glossary.htm#EUCLID Glossary%5Ffruits "
the final reproductive organs in a plant; in a eucalypt a composite structure of the seed-bearing capsule held within a woody hypanthium, opening at the top where the seed are shed after dehiscence
").Copyright © CANBR 2020, all rights reserved.
Copyright © CANBR 2020, all rights reserved.
