''Eucalyptus scias'', known as the large-fruited red mahogany,
is a species of small, straggly to medium-sized tree that is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to the high rainfall coastal areas of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, white flowers and cup-shaped, conical or bell-shaped fruit.
Description
''Eucalyptus scias'' is a straggly tree but one that sometimes grows to a height of , and forms a
lignotuber
A lignotuber is a woody swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem, such as by fire. Other woody plants may develop basal burls as a similar survival strategy, often as a respons ...
. It has fibrous grey or brown bark in long slabs with shallow longitudinal furrows. Young plants and coppice regrowth have dull green leaves that are paler on the lower surface, broadly lance-shaped, long and wide. Adult leaves are glossy green but paler on the lower surface, lance-shaped to broadly lance-shaped or curved, long and wide, tapering to a Petiole (botany), petiole long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf wikt:axil, axils in groups of three or seven on an unbranched Peduncle (botany), peduncle long, the individual buds Sessility (botany), sessile or on Pedicel (botany), pedicels up to long. Mature buds are oval to spindle-shaped or diamond-shaped, long and wide with a conical to beaked Operculum (botany), operculum. Flowering has been recorded from January to February and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody cup-shaped, conical or bell-shaped Capsule (botany), capsule long and wide with two ribs on the sides and the valves protruding prominently.
Taxonomy and naming
''Eucalyptus scias'' was first Species description, formally described in 1990 by Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill (botanist), Ken Hill in the journal ''Telopea (journal), Telopea'' from specimens collected by Ian Brooker in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in 1971.
The Botanical name, specific epithet (''scias'') is from the ancient Greek ''skias'' meaning "a shade", referring to the broad-leaved Crown (botany), crown of this species.
In the same journal, Johnson and Hill described three subspecies, ''apoda'', ''callimastha'' and ''scias''. Two of the subspecies have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
* ''Eucalyptus scias'' subsp. ''apoda''
L.A.S.Johnson & K.D.Hill,
is commonly known as the Tenterfield red mahogany and is usually a poorly-formed tree with flower buds in groups of three;
* ''Eucalyptus scias''
L.A.S.Johnson & K.D.Hillsubsp. ''scias''
L.A.S.Johnson & K.D.Hill is a medium-sized tree that has flower buds in groups of seven.
Distribution and habitat
The large-fruited red mahogany grows in forests on soils of medium fertility. Subspecies ''apoda'' grows on soils derived from granite on the ranges east of Tenterfield, New South Wales, Tenterfield. Subspecies ''scias'' is mainly found in near-coastal areas between Cessnock, New South Wales, Cessnock and Narooma, New South Wales, Narooma.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5405709
Eucalyptus, scias
Myrtales of Australia
Flora of New South Wales
Trees of Australia
Plants described in 1990