Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Angiosperms → Eudicots → Rosids
- Order: Myrtales
- Family: Myrtaceae
- Genus: Eucalyptus
- Species: E. tumida
- Authority: Brooker & Hopper (1991)
Description
Eucalyptus tumida is a mallee‑type eucalypt native to the south‑coastal region of Western Australia. It typically attains a height of 1.5–4 m, though individuals may reach up to 8 m, and possesses a lignotuber that enables regeneration after fire or disturbance. The bark is smooth, varying in colour from brown to grey, and often appears creamy‑orange on younger stems.
Juvenile foliage consists of dull bluish‑green leaves measuring 60–75 mm long by 33–45 mm wide. Adult leaves are lanceolate, uniformly green on both surfaces, 60–100 mm long and 12–25 mm wide, with petioles 10–20 mm in length.
Flower buds are arranged in axillary clusters of eleven to fifteen on a flattened, unbranched peduncle 10–20 mm long; individual buds sit on short pedicels (1–4 mm). Mature buds are sausage‑shaped, 12–22 mm long and 3–5 mm wide, featuring a horn‑shaped operculum roughly three times the length of the floral cup. Flowering occurs from September to February, producing creamy white to pale yellow flowers. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule.
Taxonomic history and naming
The species was formally described in 1991 by botanists Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper in the journal Nuytsia, based on material collected near Esperance in 1983. The specific epithet “tumida” derives from the Latin tumidus meaning “swollen”, referring to the notably enlarged flowering buds, which are among the largest in the series Levispermae.
Distribution and habitat
Eucalyptus tumida is endemic to a narrow range along the south‑coast of Western Australia, occurring on flats and gentle rises between Ravensthorpe, Israelite Bay and Salmon Gums. It grows in calcareous sandy‑clay‑loam soils typical of near‑coastal environments.
Conservation status
The species is classified as “not threatened” by the Department of Parks and Wildlife of the Western Australian Government, indicating stable populations within its natural range.