Eucalyptus macocarpa, or
Mottlecah, is a
malleeMallee 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...
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
that is native to the south-west of
Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
and noted for its large, spectacular flowers.
It is sprawling in habit and grows to between 0.8 and 5 metres in height. The silver-grey leaves are
ovate-ellipticIn 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.
Discussion
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Eucalyptus macocarpa, or
Mottlecah, is a
malleeMallee 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...
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
that is native to the south-west of
Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
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-ellipticIn 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 HookerSir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an important 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...
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 PlantarumIcones 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 DrummondJames 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 Brooker
Murray 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....
& Hopper-Mechanical parts:* A general term for a chute with additional width and depth to provide a volume for temporary storage of material. The bottom of the hopper chute typically has a mechanism to control the flow of materials, thus allowing them to be metered out at the desired rate.* Part of a...
- Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. elachyphylla Brooker
Murray 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....
& Hopper-Mechanical parts:* A general term for a chute with additional width and depth to provide a volume for temporary storage of material. The bottom of the hopper chute typically has a mechanism to control the flow of materials, thus allowing them to be metered out at the desired rate.* Part of a...
- Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa
Cultivation
Eucalyptus macrocarpa is easily grown from seed, but requires good drainage and a dry, frost-free climate. It was raised from seed in 1842 at Kew Gardens and flowered in 1847.