An Introduction to the Eucalypts
[This information taken from - Chippendale, G.M. Eucalyptus. In: Chippendale, G.M. (1988). Flora of Australia Vol. 19, Myrtaceae, Eucalyptus, Angophora, Australian Government Publising Service, Canberra. Slight modification to the description by Andrew Lyne.]
Eucalyptus stellulata Sieber ex DC.
Reference:
Sieber ex DC., Prodr. 3: 217 (1828).
Type:
T: Port Jackson to the Blue Mts, N.S.W., 1823, F.W.Sieber 478; holo: G; iso: BM, FI, K, L, MEL, NSW, W.
Illustrations:
N.Hall et al., Forest Trees Australia 3rd edn, 199 (1970); S.Kelly et al., Eucalypts 1: t. 169 (1983); M.I.H.Brooker & D.A.Kleinig, Field Guide to Eucalypts 1: 108 (1983).
Description:
Tree to 15 m or more rarely a mallee to c. 4 m. Bark dark grey, grey-black or olive green. Juvenile leaves opposite, sessile but becoming shortly petiolate, orbicular to ovate, green, discolorous. Adult leaves elliptic to broadly lanceolate, thick; lamina 5-9 cm long, 1.3-2.3 cm wide, shining; lateral veins conspicuous with 3 main veins; intramarginal vein 1-3 mm from margin; petiole terete or flattened, 4-9 mm long. Umbels 7-23-flowered; peduncle terete, 1-5 mm long. Operculum conical, acute, 3-4 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; hypanthium obconical, 2-3 mm long and wide. Fruits globular, 3-5 mm long and wide; disc level; valves included.
Common name:
Black Sallee.
Distribution:
Occurs from near Wallangarra, N.S.W., southwards to near Melbourne, Vic., usually on small flat areas among mountains and tablelands in open woodland.
Notes:
Differs from E. mitchelliana in the tree habit, smooth, olive green, dark grey or grey-black bark (the old compact bark persistent at base), small leaves with three veins almost parallel to the margin, shorter buds and smaller fruits. Leaves broader than in E. mitchelliana and E. moorei.
There is a rather anomalous mallee form of E. stellulata that occurs in Alpine National Park, Vic. and the high mountains of the A.C.T. - namely on the Scabby Range and around Mt Orroral. These mallee forms are unlike the tree forms in that they grow on ridgetops rather than the more usual damp, cold air drainage sites and they do not possess the rough stocking of bark that the tree form does. Apart from habit, habitat and basal bark, there appear to be no other distinguishing features - adult leaves, buds and fruits are similar.