Botanical art
Common names
Sand Stringybark
Dune Stringybark
Desert Stringybark
Etymology
Eucalyptus from the Greek 'eu' meaning well and 'calyptos' meaning covered, alluding to the cap which covers the stamens in the bud. Arenacea from the Latin 'arenaceus' meaning of sand, referring to the species occurring on sandy soils.
Distribution and status
Found in the upper South-east in South Australia growing on ridges and rises of infertile white sand in low shrubland vegetation. Also found in Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Murray, South Eastern
NRM regions: South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Multi-stem tree or mallee to 10 m tall with rough, fibrous, grey-brown bark throughout. Juvenile leaves opposite for 5-6 pairs then becoming alternate and 6 mm wide; bud-cap conical about the same length as the base. This species is similar to Eucalyptus baxteri which differs by having juvenile leaves that become glabrous sooner, has broader adult leaves, larger warty buds and larger fruits with a more steeply ascending disc. Flowering between July and January. Fruits are woody globular fruit to 9 mm long and 12 mm wide; stalkless or with short stalk; disc level or raised with 3 or 4 valves at rim level or just above. Seed embryo type is folded.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Collect mature fruits that are dark and hard (difficult to break with a finger nail), with the valves un-open any time of year. Leave the fruits in a breathable container in a dry room for one to two weeks. This allows the valves on the fruit to open and release the seeds. Separate the seeds by placing all the materials into a bucket and shaking it to dislodge the seeds. Pass the material through a sieve to separate the unwanted material. The finer material will contain both seeds (soft) and frass (hard) usually distinguishable from each other but can be very similar in shape and colour. With finer sieves, the seeds can be separated from the frass but this is not essential for storage or propagation. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seeds are non-dormant, viable seed should germinate readily.