Eucalyptus macrocarpa
Encyclopedia
Eucalyptus macocarpa, or Mottlecah, is a mallee
Eucalyptus
that is native to the south-west of Western Australia
and noted for its large, spectacular flowers.
, sessile and are up to 12 cm long and 8 cm wide. The red, pink or cream flowers are up to 100 mm in diameter and occur in early spring to summer and from late autumn to early winter. They are followed by large bowl-shaped "gumnuts" which give rise to the Greek-derived specific name macrocarpa – "makros" (large) and "karpos" (fruit). They are covered in a whitish bloom.
The flowers form a striking display, contrasting with the white powdery appearance of the leaves and branches, and, as William Jackson Hooker
says, "[t]he colour of the flowers is due to the stamens alone; for petals (as in the genus) there are none, and the calyx falls off like the lid of a box." He notes that it is common in the region of Drummond's collection, and that a name for the species was Morral. The first description of the species was by Hooker in Icones Plantarum
, using a dried specimen in James Drummond
's collection from the Guangan.
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...
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
that is native to the south-west of 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...
and noted for its large, spectacular flowers.
Description
It is sprawling in habit and grows to between 0.8 and 5 metres in height. The silver-grey leaves are ovate-ellipticLeaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
, sessile and are up to 12 cm long and 8 cm wide. The red, pink or cream flowers are up to 100 mm in diameter and occur in early spring to summer and from late autumn to early winter. They are followed by large bowl-shaped "gumnuts" which give rise to the Greek-derived specific name macrocarpa – "makros" (large) and "karpos" (fruit). They are covered in a whitish bloom.
The flowers form a striking display, contrasting with the white powdery appearance of the leaves and branches, and, as William Jackson Hooker
William Jackson Hooker
Sir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an English systematic botanist and organiser. He held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University, and was the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He enjoyed the friendship and support of Sir Joseph Banks for his exploring,...
says, "[t]he colour of the flowers is due to the stamens alone; for petals (as in the genus) there are none, and the calyx falls off like the lid of a box." He notes that it is common in the region of Drummond's collection, and that a name for the species was Morral. The first description of the species was by Hooker in Icones Plantarum
Icones Plantarum
Icones Plantarum is an extensive series of published volumes of botanical illustration, initiated by Sir William Jackson Hooker. The Latin name of the work means "Illustrations of Plants". The illustrations are drawn from herbarium specimens of Hooker's herbarium, and subsequently the herbarium of...
, using a dried specimen in James Drummond
James Drummond (botanist)
James Drummond was a botanist and naturalist who was an early settler in Western Australia.-Early life:...
's collection from the Guangan.
Subspecies
There are three subspecies as follows :- Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. elachantha BrookerIan BrookerMurray Ian Hill Brooker AM , better known as Ian Brooker, is an Australian botanist. He is widely recognised as the leading authority on the genus Eucalyptus....
& HopperStephen HopperStephen Donald Hopper is a Western Australian botanist, specialising in conservation biology and vascular plants. He has written eight books, and has over 200 publications to his name. He was Director of Kings Park in Perth for seven years, and CEO of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority for five...
- Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. elachyphylla BrookerIan BrookerMurray Ian Hill Brooker AM , better known as Ian Brooker, is an Australian botanist. He is widely recognised as the leading authority on the genus Eucalyptus....
& HopperStephen HopperStephen Donald Hopper is a Western Australian botanist, specialising in conservation biology and vascular plants. He has written eight books, and has over 200 publications to his name. He was Director of Kings Park in Perth for seven years, and CEO of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority for five...
- Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa