''Arillastrum'' is a
monotypic genus
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
of
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s in the myrtle family,
Myrtaceae, containing the single species ''Arillastrum gummiferum''. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to southern
New Caledonia.
[Wilcox, M. (2004)]
''Le chêne gomme'' (''Arillastrum gummiferum'') – New Caledonia's eucalypt.
''Auckland Bot. Soc. J'' 59(1), 43-44. It is related to ''
Eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...
'', but more closely to ''
Angophora'' and ''
Corymbia''.
[Thornhill, Andrew H., Simon Y.W. Ho, Carsten Külheim, and Michael D. Crisp. (2015) "Interpreting the Modern Distribution of Myrtaceae Using a Dated Molecular Phylogeny." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 93: 29–43. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.07.007.]
It is a tree up to 35 meters tall with a trunk over a meter wide. It might flower only every seven years. The flowers each have four clusters of
stamens and
staminodes.
[
This species grows on ]ultramafic rock
Ultramafic rocks (also referred to as ultrabasic rocks, although the terms are not wholly equivalent) are igneous and meta-igneous rocks with a very low silica content (less than 45%), generally >18% MgO, high FeO, low potassium, and are composed ...
substrates. It grows in stands with other individuals of its species.[
The species has been called "one of New Caledonia's most economically and ecologically significant trees".][ It has been heavily exploited for its strong, dark red, resinous ]wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin ...
, which is useful for the construction of buildings, bridges, boats, and telephone poles
''Telephone Poles'' is the second book of poetry written by American writer John Updike.
Publication
The collection was published by Alfred A. Knopf, Knopf in 1963.
Reception
In ''The New York Times'', critic X.J. Kennedy wrote, "Of younger w ...
. Its populations have been significantly reduced by logging.[
]
References
Myrtaceae
Monotypic Myrtaceae genera
Endemic flora of New Caledonia
Taxa named by Henri Ernest Baillon
Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart
Taxa named by Jean Antoine Arthur Gris
Taxa named by Jean Armand Isidore Pancher
{{Myrtaceae-stub