Illyarrie

Appearance

''Eucalyptus erythrocorys'' is a small tree or a mallee, with an open spreading habit and typically grows to a height of 3–10 m and a width of 3–6 m . The bark is smooth with a creamy colour but can have a few rough brown coloured patches where it persists on the trunk instead of being shed. The smooth bark sheds in short ribbons or small polygonal flakes. Young plants and coppice regrowth have hairy stems, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped or heart-shaped leaves 50–130 mm long and 30–60 mm wide. The adult leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, sickle-shaped, lance-shaped or curved, 90–200 mm and 12–30 mm wide on a flattened or channelled petiole 15–30 mm long. They are thick, the same glossy green colour on both sides.

The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of three on a peduncle 12–26 mm long, the individual buds on a pedicel 2–10 mm long. Mature buds are oval, 20–25 mm long and 20–26 mm wide with a flattened, bright red operculum that has four lobes. The flowers are bright yellow to greenish and appear between February and April and have the stamens arranged in four bundles. The fruit is a woody, broadly bell-shaped capsule 28–40 mm long and 30–55 mm wide. Sometimes the fruit are so numerous that they weight the tree down, giving it a weeping habit.

Distribution

The species has a limited distribution north of Perth where it is found on undulating limestone ridges and outcrops growing in sandy alkaline soils near Dongara as well as north of Kalbarri National Park. It is also found on sandy plains, particularly the Geraldton Sandplains between Shark Bay and Jurien.

Status

Illyarie is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.