Corymbia peltata, commonly known as yellowjacket or rustyjacket,[2] is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth yellowish bark above, a crown of mostly juvenile egg-shaped to round leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped, urn-shaped or shortened spherical fruit.

Yellowjacket
Flower buds and flowers of Corymbia peltata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Corymbia
Species:
C. peltata
Binomial name
Corymbia peltata
Synonyms[1]
  • Corymbia dimorpha (Brooker & A.R.Bean) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson
  • Eucalyptus peltata Benth.
  • Eucalyptus peltata subsp. dimorpha Brooker & A.R.Bean
  • Eucalyptus peltata Benth. subsp. peltata
  • Eucalyptus melissiodora auct. non Lindl.:F.Muell.
bark

Description

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Corymbia peltata is a tree that typically grows to a height of 10 m (33 ft), rarely to 20 m (66 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, tessellated or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth yellowish bark above. Young plants and coppice regrowth have more or less round to egg-shaped or elliptical leaves that are 80–210 mm (3.1–8.3 in) long, 60–120 mm (2.4–4.7 in) wide with a rough surface and petiolate. The leaves in the crown of the tree are almost all juvenile leaves that are usually arranged in opposite pairs, the same shade of dull green on both sides, more or less round to egg-shaped or elliptical, 60–135 mm (2.4–5.3 in) long and 35–110 mm (1.4–4.3 in) wide on a petiole 10–26 mm (0.39–1.02 in) long. The flower buds are arranged the ends of branchlets on branched peduncles 8–32 mm (0.31–1.26 in) long, each branch with seven more or less sessile buds. Mature buds are oval, 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide with an operculum that is rounded with a central knob or conical. The flowers are white and the fruit is a barrel-shaped, urn-shaped or shortened spherical capsule 7–14 mm (0.28–0.55 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) wide with the valves enclosed in the fruit.[2][3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

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This eucalypt was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham who gave it the name Eucalyptus peltata and published the description in Flora Australiensis.[6][7] In 1995 Ken Hill and Lawrie Johnson changed the name to Corymbia peltata.[3][8] The specific epithet (peltata) is from the Latin word peltatus meaning peltate, referring to the attachment of the petiole to the leaf blade.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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Corymbia peltata grows in tropical woodland and forest in northern Queensland, from the Newcastle Range near Georgetown to the Hervey Range near Townsville and the Burra Range near Hughenden.[2]

Conservation status

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Yellowjacket is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Corymbia peltata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Corymbia peltata". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b 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): 381–382. doi:10.7751/telopea19953017.
  4. ^ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus peltata". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Corymbia peltata (Benth.) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, Telopea 6: 381 (1995)". Eucalink. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Eucalyptus peltata". APNI. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  7. ^ Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australiensis. Lovell, Reeve and Co. pp. 254–255. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Corymbia peltata". APNI. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Species profile - Corymbia peltata (yellowjacket)". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 22 February 2020.