Corymbia dunlopiana, commonly known as Dunlop's bloodwood, bongonyin,[2] or Oenpelli bloodwood[3] is a species of tree that is endemic to the Northern Territory. It has rough bark on the trunk and branches, a crown of sessile, juvenile leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds solitary or in groups of three, red flowers and urn-shaped fruit.

Dunlop's bloodwood
Corymbia dunlopiana near Edith Falls
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Corymbia
Species:
C. dunlopiana
Binomial name
Corymbia dunlopiana
Synonyms[1]

Eucalyptus dunlopiana (K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson) Brooker

Description edit

Corymbia dunlopiana is a tree that typically grows to a height of 7 metres (23 ft) and often has twisted irregular branches. The bark is rough, tessellated or flaky and grey-brown over reddish-brown. The branchlets, leaves and flower-buds are all rough and hairy. Young plants and coppice regrowth have sessile, heart-shaped to elliptical leaves that are 40–125 mm (1.6–4.9 in) long and 30–80 mm (1.2–3.1 in) wide with a rounded or stem-clasping base. The crown of the tree has only juvenile leaves that are sessile, heart-shaped or lance-shaped to oblong, 35–120 mm (1.4–4.7 in) long and 20–57 mm (0.79–2.24 in) wide and arranged in opposite pairs with a stem-clasping base. The leaves are the same shade of dull, yellow-green, light green to grey-green on both sides. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets on a branched peduncle up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long, each branch of the peduncle with one, three or (rarely) seven buds on pedicels 4–35 mm (0.16–1.38 in) long. Mature buds are pear-shaped, 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide with a beaked operculum. Flowering has been observed in most months but mostly from the end of the dry season to early in the wet season.[2][4][5][6]

Taxonomy and naming edit

Corymbia dunlopiana was first formally described in 1995 by Ken Hill and Lawrie Johnson from specimens collected near Pine Creek in 1985.[6][7] The specific epithet (dunlopiana) honours Clyde R. Dunlop, a Northern Territory botanist.[6] "Bongonyin" is the name given to the species in the Wagiman language.[2]

Distribution and habitat edit

The range of C. dunlopiana extends from west of Katherine to the Daly River and as far east as near Jim Jim in open savannah woodland. It prefers rising ground, outcrops and ridges usually with skeletal soils and often forms pure stands of small, twisted, shrubby individuals.[2][6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Corymbia dunlopiana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Corymbia dunlopiana K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson". NT Flora. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  3. ^ Dean Nicolle. "Eucalypt Diversity Gallery". Currency Creek Arboretum. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Corymbia dunlopiana". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  5. ^ Dean Nicolle (30 April 2010). "An illustrated guide to Australia's gum blossoms". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Hill, Kenneth D.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (13 December 1995). "Systematic studies in the eucalypts. 7. A revision of the bloodwoods, genus Corymbia (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 6 (2–3): 354–356. doi:10.7751/telopea19953017.
  7. ^ "Corymbia dunlopiana". APNI. Retrieved 9 February 2020.