''Eucalyptus vesiculosa'', commonly known as the Corackerup marlock,
is a species of
marlock A marlock or moort is a shrubby or small-tree form of ''Eucalyptus'' found in Western Australia. Unlike the mallee, it is single-stemmed and lacks a lignotuber. It has a dense canopy of leaves which often extends to near ground level.
Marlock spec ...
(a small, shrubby tree with a
crown extending to near ground level) that 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 elsew ...
to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, elliptical to egg-shaped leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, red flowers and conical fruit.
Description
''Eucalyptus vesiculosa'' is a marlock that typically grows to a height of but does not form a
lignotuber. It has smooth, shiny grey bark that is reddish brown when new. The adult leaves are arranged alternately, the same shade of green on both sides, thick, elliptical to egg-shaped or more or less round, long and wide, tapering to a
petiole long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf
axil
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
s in groups of seven on an unbranched
peduncle long, the individual buds
sessile
Sessility, or sessile, may refer to:
* Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about
* Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant
* Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...
or on
pedicels
In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence. Such inflorescences are described as ''pedicellate''.
Description
Pedicel refers to a structure connecting a single flower to its inflorescence. In the absenc ...
up to long. Mature buds are oval, shaped like an egg in an eggcup, long and wide with a warty, conical to rounded
operculum. Flowering has been observed in May, September and October and the flowers have red
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s with cream-coloured
anther
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...
s. The fruit is a woody conical
capsule long and wide with the valves near rim level.
Taxonomy and naming
''Eucalyptus vesiculosa'' was first formally described in 2002 by
Ian Brooker and
Stephen Hopper
Stephen Donald Hopper AC FLS FTSE (born 18 June 1951) is a Western Australian botanist. He graduated in Biology, specialising in conservation biology and vascular plants. Hopper has written eight books, and has over 200 publications to his n ...
in the journal ''
Nuytsia
''Nuytsia floribunda'' is a hemiparasitic tree found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as moodjar and, more recently, the Christmas tree or Western Australian Christmas tree. The display of intensely bright flowers during the ...
'' from specimens they collected in 1995 near the
Boxwood Hill -
Ongerup road.
The
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
(''vesiculosa'') is from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word ''vesiculosus'' meaning "covered with little blisters",
referring to the warty operculum.
Distribution and habitat
Corackerup marlock is only known from two localities near
Ongerup where it grows in more or less pure stands.
Conservation status
This eucalypt is classified as "
Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia
Department of Parks and Wildlife
The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the ''Conservation and Land Management Act 1984'' and implementing the state's conservation and e ...
,
meaning that is rare or near threatened.
See also
*
List of ''Eucalyptus'' species
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15356392
Eucalypts of Western Australia
vesiculosa
Myrtales of Australia
Plants described in 2002
Taxa named by Ian Brooker
Taxa named by Stephen Hopper