Eucalyptus drummondii
Encyclopedia
Eucalyptus drummondii is a mallee
eucalypt native to southwest Western Australia
.
in 1867, in Volume 3 of his Flora Australiensis
. Bentham based the species on a specimen collected "[b]etween Swan River and King George's Sound" by James Drummond
in 1842. In 1913, Joseph Henry Maiden demoted it to a variety of Eucalyptus oldfieldii, but this is no longer upheld.
No infraspecific taxa have been published, though a number of subspecies have been tentatively identified. Some have been abandoned without ever being published, but two are still tentatively recognised; these are referred to by the informal manuscript names E. drummondii subsp. Moora (D. Nicolle 1653) and E. drummondii subsp. York (D. Nicolle & M. French DN 3684). And of course, should either of these be published in future, this would also invoke the autonym
ic subspecies.
and Jarrah Forest
regions of the Southwest Botanical Province, and also extents somewhat into the Avon Wheatbelt
, Geraldton Sandplains
and Warren
regions. It is often found on outcrops of laterite
.
Mallee (habit)
Mallee is the growth habit of certain eucalypt species that grow with multiple stems springing from an underground lignotuber, usually to a height of no more than ten metres...
eucalypt native to southwest Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Description
It grows as a mallee or tree up to 9 meters tall, with smooth, powdery, bark that is white, pink or grey in colour. Leaves at grey-green in colour. The flowers are white, and arise from pink buds on stems up to 2 centimetres long. Flower occur in clusters of up to seven.Taxonomy
It was first published by George BenthamGeorge Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in 1867, in Volume 3 of his Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory, more commonly referred to as Flora Australiensis, and also known by its standard abbreviation Fl. Austral., is a seven-volume flora of Australia published between 1863 and 1878 by George Bentham, with the assistance of...
. Bentham based the species on a specimen collected "[b]etween Swan River and King George's Sound" by James Drummond
James Drummond
James Drummond may refer to:*James Drummond, 1st Baron Maderty*James Drummond , Bishop of Brechin*James Drummond , Scottish-born botanist and naturalist, early settler in Western Australia....
in 1842. In 1913, Joseph Henry Maiden demoted it to a variety of Eucalyptus oldfieldii, but this is no longer upheld.
No infraspecific taxa have been published, though a number of subspecies have been tentatively identified. Some have been abandoned without ever being published, but two are still tentatively recognised; these are referred to by the informal manuscript names E. drummondii subsp. Moora (D. Nicolle 1653) and E. drummondii subsp. York (D. Nicolle & M. French DN 3684). And of course, should either of these be published in future, this would also invoke the autonym
Autonym (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, autonyms are automatically created names, as regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature . Autonyms are cited without an author. Relevant provisions are in articles 6.8, 22.1-3 and 26.1-3....
ic subspecies.
Distribution and habitat
E. drummondii occurs throughout the Swan Coastal PlainSwan Coastal Plain
The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geological and biological zone, one of Western Australia's...
and Jarrah Forest
Jarrah Forest
Jarrah Forest is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia.-Location and description:The ecoregion stands on the 300m high Yilgarn block inland plateau and includes wooded valleys such as those of Western Australia's Murray River and the Helena River near...
regions of the Southwest Botanical Province, and also extents somewhat into the Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.-Further reading:...
, Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.It has two sub regions: -* Geraldton Hills sub region* Lesuer sub region...
and Warren
Warren (biogeographic region)
Warren, also known as Karri Forest Region and the Jarrah-Karri forest and shrublands ecoregion, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia. Located in the southwest corner of Western Australia between Cape Naturaliste and Albany, it is bordered to the north and east by the Jarrah...
regions. It is often found on outcrops of laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
.