Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western , Series 4

Volume 1 Number 2 February, 1960 Article 2

1-1-1960

Trees of . 39. Comet Vale mallee ( comitae-vallis). 40. Woodline mallee (E. cylindrocarpa Blakely). 41. Ribbon-barked mallee (E. sheathiana Maiden). 42. Burracoppin mallee (E. burracoppinensis Maiden et Blakely). 43. Cap-fruited mallee (E. Dielsii C.A. Gardn.). 44. Spearwood mallee (E. doratoxylon F. Muell.) 45. Apple mallee (E. buprestium F. Muell.). 46. Goblet mallee (E. scyphocalyx (F. Muell.) Maiden et Blakely)

Charles Austin Gardner

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Recommended Citation Gardner, Charles Austin (1960) " of Western Australia. 39. Comet Vale mallee (Eucalyptus comitae- vallis). 40. Woodline mallee (E. cylindrocarpa Blakely). 41. Ribbon-barked mallee (E. sheathiana Maiden). 42. Burracoppin mallee (E. burracoppinensis Maiden et Blakely). 43. Cap-fruited mallee (E. Dielsii C.A. Gardn.). 44. Spearwood mallee (E. doratoxylon F. Muell.) 45. Apple mallee (E. buprestium F. Muell.). 46. Goblet mallee (E. scyphocalyx (F. Muell.) Maiden et Blakely)," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 1 : No. 2 , Article 2. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol1/iss2/2

This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE COMET VALE MALLEE (Eucalyptus comitae-vallis Maiden) A—Branchlets with buds, flowers and fruits; B—Branchlet with fruits; C—Flower-bud; D—Section of flower-bud; E—Stamens; F—Fruit; G—Section of fruit [Comet Vale, Jutson (type) ] 100

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 is very small and much narrower than the No. 39—COMET VALE MALLEE calyx, with a characteristic constriction of (Eucalyptus comitae-vallis Maiden) the bud where the bud-cap meets the calyx. Furthermore, the Bodallin mallees have a smooth white bark. Even more constricted npHIS mallee, formerly thought to be are the buds from the Mount Holland -*- restricted to the Comet Vale district, specimens. This form, also common be­ must be very rare in that locality, since tween Koorda and Wyalkatchem, was it is seldom found growing there, but on named Eucalyptus brachycorys by Blakely. the other hand it has an extensive range, being found as far west as Perenjori. Kal- annie and Kulja, thence eastwards to Comet Vale, and southward to Mount Holland which lies south of Southern No. 40—THE WOODLINE MALLEE Cross. (Eucalyptus cylindrocarpa Blakely)

It is particularly common between Kulja PECIMENS of this plant, originally and Mollerin, occurring as a mallee up to S collected by Professor J. B. Cleland, 20 ft. tall, with several stems from a large bore a label inscribed "Woodline—60 miles bulbous stock, or rarely with few stems, and south of Coolgardie, September 1926." The still more rarely as a small . The bark reference was, of course, to the "Kurra- of the upper stems and branches is smooth, grey and warm greenish-brown, thin and wang Woodline," which supplied fuel and shedding in small flakes, whilst the bark mining timbers to the goldfields, but appar­ of the lower parts is almost black and ently this was misread and, in a descrip­ fibrous, flaky, and persistent. The foliage tion published in 1934, the plant was re­ is a deep lustrous green except for one ferred to as the "Woodbine Mallee." patch seen close to the Kulja townsite. In these specimens, the bark is totally rough —not unlike that of the trunk of a York- This species has a wide range of distri­ gum—and the leaves are broader than in bution and is one of the commonest the typical form, and a dull grey-green in mallees to be found between Widgie- colour. mooltha and Kumarl, sometimes occurring The greatest variety is found in the bud- as a tree not unlike the salmon gum, with cap or operculum. The accompanying which the mallee form is not uncommonly plate is taken from the original (type) associated. specimen from Comet Vale, but between It extends eastward to Zanthus on the Kulja and Bodallin (on the eastern rail­ Transcontinental Railway. The typical way not far from Carrabin) the operculum form is a mallee about 18 ft. high with 101

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE WOODLINE MALLEE (.Eucalyptus cylindrocarpa Blakely) A—Leaf; B—Portion of leaf wltb epidermis removed snowing oil cavities and veins; C—Brancnlet wltb flower-buds; D and •—Flower-buds; F—Section of flower-bud; O—Anther; H—Twig with fruits; K—Section of fruit. 102

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE RIBBON-BARKED MAIXEE (Eucalyptus Sheathiana Maiden) A—Buds (King's Park. Perth—Sheath); B—Buds (near Nungarln-Brockway); C—Buds (Wyalkatchem—J. Reeves); D— Buds (Carrabln—Gardner 11828); E—Anthers from Sheath's specimens; F—Section of fruit (Gardner 11828) 103

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 a rough bark on the lower parts of the February until August in this peculiar stems and the bark of the upper portions fashion. The stocks and the stems are varying in colour from greenish red to usually freely attacked by termites which light grey. The tree form has a perfectly eat out all the heartwood, so that the older smooth bark resembling that of the salmon clumps usually have hollow and decaying gum, but the leaves are narrower and the stems surrounding the basal stock. The branchlets tend to droop. The leaves are writer has not yet discovered a mature rich in oil. stem that was not so attacked. Although Although the Woodline Mallee is closely the bark is commonly referred to as related to Eucalyptus Dundasi it does not smooth, it is rather rough and "prickly" resemble this tree in anything but the to the touch, and is a pale yellow-brown foliage and the buds and fruit which are in colour. The foliage is grey-green, and never constricted in the middle and never the blossoms are pale yellow in colour. angular. Eucalyptus Dundasi has a charac­ When in blossom (March to August) this teristic tessellated dark green bark which mallee is very attractive in its general renders it distinctive. appearance.

No. 41-THE RIBBON-BARKED No. 42-THE BIRRACOPPIN MALLEE MALLEE (Eucalyptus burracoppinensis Maiden (Eucalyptus sheathiana Maiden) et Blakely)

N 1915, the late J. H. Maiden described TT is unfortunate that some authors I a Eucalyptus from material received •*• should bestow place names on , from Mr. J. Sheath, the Superintendent of especially when they are found in country The King's Park, Perth, and which he which is botanically comparatively unex­ named after Mr. Sheath, who stated that plored. We have, for example, Eucalyptus seed was received from the Eastern Gold- ebbanoensis named after a water hole at fields near the South Australian border. Ebbano near Mingenew, but equally if not more common northwards from Kalgoorlie; In 1917, a further specimen from the Eucalyptus comitae-vallis from Comet Vale Kununoppin district was collected prob­ is another which has a very extensive dis­ ably by Victor, who stated that it occurred tribution, Comet Vale being at the eastern in a variety of soils. Much interest was limit of its occurrence, and the species now attached to this species because of these under consideration (Eucalyptus burracop­ circumstances, and it was not found to be common in the Kununoppin district, in pinensis) which was originally thought to fact, was not rediscovered until about be restricted to Burracoppin, but which three years ago when the writer connected extends from Wyalkatchem and Bungulla the name with the common ribbon-barked eastwards to Karallee, northwards to Lake mallee of the Yorkrakine area, growing on Brown and Campion, and southwards to grey alluvial loamy soil associated with near Kulin. wandoo. This mallee was found to be particularly common from Hine's Hill east­ wards to Ghooli, and still later was found Of all the inland mallees which have a commonly around Nembudding. place in agricultural development as The most peculiar feature of this species plants for windbreak purposes, this mallee is the bark, which sheds in long ribbon­ should be of paramount importance in like flakes from the branches to the base inland localities. Although in its natural of the stem, becoming free except at state it may attain a height of nearly 18 ft. the top, and hanging for many weeks from with erect rigid branches when growing 104

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE BURRACOPPDf MAIXEE (Eucalyptus burracoppinensis Maiden et Blakely) A—Twig with leaves and flower-buds; B—Flower-bud In section; C—Anther (enlarged); r>—Fruits; E—Section ol fruit 105

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE CAP-FRUITED MALLEE (Eucalyptus DielHi C. A. Oardn.) A and B—Branohlets with flower-buds and fruits; C—Flower buds; D—Section of flower-bud; E—Anthers; P—Fruit; G—Section of fruit. (C, D, E, F and O variously enlarged) [Icon origin. 106

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 in thicket formations, its behaviour in the outer crisped cinnamon-coloured bark. more open country, and especially along Eucalyptus Dielsii has erect bright green, roadsides is entirely different. Here it lustrous foliage like that of the gimlet seldom exceeds 10 ft. in height, and is tree, but the most notable feature is in often even more in diameter, the dense the disc of the fruit which is domed and branches spreading down to the ground, much broader than the calyx. This is the and forming a thick mass of branches and result of the development of the outer disc leaves rarely seen in other species if we which, at the time of flowering, lines the except some of the species of the south lower part of the bud-cap (operculum), coast. The bark of the trunk is a dark and is only to be found otherwise in the grey or almost black, that of the branches white mallee (Eucalyptus erythronema). smooth and red or green in colour, and The flowers of Eucalyptus Dielsii are al­ the foliage has a characteristic yellow- ways white, and appear in the summer green colour, sometimes almost a blue- months. green. The large flowers are creamy white, borne in clusters of three, and the species is eagerly sought by bees and other insects. It flowers from October to January. No. 44—THE SPEARW00D MALLEE (Eucalyptus doratoxylon F. Muell.) No. 43-THE CAP-FMHTED MA11EE HIS mallee is probably so-named be­ T cause the stems which are unusually (Eucalyptus Dielsii C. A. Gardn.) straight and slender, were used for making spears by the early south coastal natives. HIS species was first collected by Mr. T W. T. Brown, a farmer of Salmon Gams It is always a mallee, seldom exceeding 15 in January, 1925, and the description was ft. in height but more commonly 6 to 10 published in 1926. Like a number of hith­ ft. tall, the bark being white and smooth, erto unknown species it was regarded as thin in texture, and shedding in small rare until the writer in 1929 found it near reddish-purple flakes. Peak Charles in the Fitzgerald Peaks, and again between Salmon Gums and Grass The leaves are almost always opposite, Patch, where it is a common mallee of the erect or spreading, and a lively green in colour. The flowers and fruits are borne heavy clay "crab-hole" soils. It has sub­ on umbels with slender peduncles and sequently been found to extend to near pedicels, and are drooping. The bud-cap Ravensthorpe—at least to the Rabbit-proof or operculum is sharply beaked, and of a Fence, always being indicative of the soil yellowish-white colour which contrasts type mentioned. with the green calyx-tube. The filaments are white, and the flowers relatively small. It flowers in the late spring months. The species is a mallee with erect stems Altogether this species is both slender and from a small stock, and attains to a height very attractive. of 20 ft., although usually less than 12 ft. Eucalyptus doratoxylon is found mainly tall, with slender stems covered with a thin on the stony hills of the south coast from green or reddish bark not unlike that of the Stirling and Porongorup Ranges as far the gimlet. It is interesting to associate eastward as Cape Arid and the Russell types of bark with different soil conditions, Range. It exhibits a preference for pro­ since there is a definite connection with tected situations in rocky places, either many species, particularly those of the in granite, sandstone or quartzite, and heavy clay soils and those restricted to ascends the Stirling Range to an altitude granite outcrops, the latter frequently of 3,000 feet, and to the summits of the having a green inner bark overlaid by an Barren Mountains to the east. 107

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE SPEAKWOOD MALLEE (Eucalyptus doratoxylon F. Muell.) A—Branchlet with leaves and flower-buds; B—Flower-bud; C—Anther; D—Fruit In section; F-^Seeds [Toolbrunup, Gardner 108

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 No. 45—THE APPLE MALLEE No. 46—THE GOBLET MALLEE (Eucalyptus buprestium F. Muell.) (Eucalyptus scyphocalyx [ F. Muell. ] Maiden et Blakely) BOUT the year 1862, G. Maxwell, who A was collecting for Baron von Mueller, HE development and opening up of our Government Botanist of , collected T agricultural areas, while in some cases this mallee on the Kalgan Plains between leading to the unfortunate extermination Ellen's Peak and the Pallinup River. He of certain rare species, has, on the other noted that the flowers attracted large hand rendered accessible certain areas for numbers of jewel beetles (Buprestideae) botanical exploration which were previ­ and thus Mueller gave the species the name ously unknown. The mallee illustrated has buprestium. long been regarded as a very imperfectly- known and rare plant which was originally Apparently it was not at the time known discovered at Eyre's Relief Camp, on the that most of our summer-flowering mallees Great Australian Bight, probably by George commonly attract species of Stigmodera in Maxwell, who made no notes on its habit large numbers and of many species, so or distribution. that the name given to this plant is not very appropriate. On the other hand, the Mueller named it Eucalyptus dumosa var. fact that this Eucalyptus has a remarkable scyphocalyx on account of the goblet- characteristic in that the small globular shaped calyx, which can be seen by refer­ apple-like fruits remain soft until the ence to A on the accompanying plate, seeds are ripe, suggests the common name which was drawn from the original speci­ given above. men in the National Herbarium of the Eucalyptus buprestium has a somewhat Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. restricted range in the south, being found In May 1924, the writer discovered a only around the Stirling Range, on both mallee on the shores of a small salt lake the north and south sides, but more near Grass Patch, which was named commonly to the south. It is found in Eucalyptus Merrickae by Maiden and sandy places, and may reach a height of Blakely, and this proves to be no more 15 ft., but is commonly much smaller than a form of Eucalyptus scyphocalyx. (6 to 8 ft.) with thin erect stems and a Since then it has been found in similar pale yellow smooth bark, although the situations at Circle Valley, Grass Patch branchlets are purplish. The small leaves and East Dowak, while a variety of the are thin, bright green in colour, and species extends westward as far as Newde- prominently and openly veined. The small gate and South Kumminin, The Circle flowers are white and the globular fruits Valley and Grass Patch plants are densely- have a deeply immersed . It is branched, widely-spreading mallees up to related to the coastal blackbutt (Eucalyp­ 10 ft. in height, with narrow leaves of a tus Todtiana), (but is never a tree just as pale greyish or yellowish green, and a the latter is never a mallee), and has a rough grey bark, which gives them a dis­ characteristically rough prickly bark and tinctive appearance. Apparently the plant thicker pale leaves. The species, apart is highly salt-tolerant. This form is illus­ from the range given, occurs in a few trated in E to K. We know little concern­ places to the north. Mr. D. H. Perry found ing the variety, except that it is smooth- it on the Mundaring Catchment Area in barked in the upper parts, and sometimes 1952, and Mueller records it from the a small tree. It flowers in September. Arrowsmith River.

109

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE APPLE MALLEE (Eucalyptus buprestium F. Muell.) A—Branchlets with leaf and flower-buds; B—Leaf; O—Flower-buds taken from an umbel; D—Section of flower-bud; E—Anthers; F—Fruits; O—Fruits In section (note the free capsule); H—Seeds; I—Seedling; (C, D. E, O and H variously enlarged) [Icon origin. 110

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960 THE GOBLET MALLEE (Eucalyptus scyphocalyx [F. Muell.] Maiden et Blakely) A-D—The type specimen from Eyre's Belief; A—Branchlet with buds and flowers; B—Flower-bud; C—Anthers (after Floclcton); D—Fruit; (E to K—The Grasspatch form); E—Branchlet with buds; F—Flower-bud; G—Flower-bud in section; H—Fruits; I—Fruit; K—Section of fruit (B, C, D, F, G and I variously enlarged) [icon, origin. Ill

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Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 2 1960