Eucalyptus luehmanniana
| Yellow Top Mallee Ash | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Eucalyptus luehmanniana at Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. luehmanniana |
| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus luehmanniana F.Muell. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Eucalyptus luehmanniana, the Yellow Top Mallee Ash is a rare eucalyptus of eastern Australia. It grows in high rainfall areas on poor rocky soils near Sydney. Eucalyptus luehmanniana is a mallee, growing to six metres tall. A threatened species, with a rarity rating of 2RCa on ROTAP.
Despite its rarity, this plant can be locally abundant in suitable sites with poor drainage. Found from Bulli in the south to the Hawkesbury River in the north. A most attractive eucalyptus species, with large thick greyish green leaves. The curved and drooping foliage with yellow stems adds to the visual appeal. Cream coloured flowers appear in late winter and spring. The multiple trunk stems are whitish, with a hint of blue, often with scribbles. Long strips of bark hang down from the stems.
This plant was named in honour of Johann George Luehmann, the secretary of the describing botanist Ferdinand Mueller. The original specimen was collected in sandy rocky ground by W.Kirton, "eight miles north of Bulli at an elevation of 2000 feet".
It was previously confused with other tree species, (the Scribbly Gum and the Blue Mountains Mallee Ash) despite the obvious dissimilarities. The fruit of this species appeared on the original five dollar note.[1]
References
- ↑ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 9780731812110 page 49
