Abstract
Trials to compare eucalypt species from the blue gum group, including Eucalyptus bicostata Maiden, Blakely & Simmons, E. globulus Labill., E. maidenii F. Muell., and E. pseudoglobulus Naudin ex Maiden were established in 1999 at three sites in the North Island of New Zealand (Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Hawke’s Bay). Each species was planted out in replicated 49-tree plots consisting of seven individuals from seven provenances. Only two provenances of E. pseudoglobulus were available and these were outcompeted by inter-planted E. globulus so were not formally assessed. Measurements taken at age seven years indicate a strong species × site effect for foliage health, stem straightness and survival. Generally, growth and foliar health were best at the Hawke’s Bay site. Provenance x site interaction was mostly absent for each of the blue gum species. However, there was a significant provenance variation for most traits within E. bicostata, and provenance x site interaction; both of which were largely driven by the performance of the northernmost Wollemi provenance. While some interactions occurred at the species × site level, E. maidenii performed consistently well in growth, stem straightness and health compared with the other taxa. Eucalyptus maidenii appears to be the fastest growing of the species tested within the broad region covered by the study sites, in the warmer coastal areas of New Zealand’s North Island.
Highlights
The blue gum group comprises four closely related taxa that are variously treated as separate species Eucalyptus bicostata Maiden, Blakely & Simmons, E. globulus Labill., E. maidenii F
Species × provenance trials containing E. bicostata, E. globulus, E. maidenii and E. pseudoglobulus were established at three North Island sites in the winter of 1999, one each at Otaua, Northland; Kawerau, Bay of Plenty; and McKinnon, Hawke’s Bay (Table 2, Figure 1)
The suppression of Eucalypus pseudoglobulus by E. globulus meant that results from only three species (E. globulus, E. maidenii and E. bicostata) are reported here
Summary
The blue gum group comprises four closely related taxa that are variously treated as separate species Eucalyptus bicostata Maiden, Blakely & Simmons, E. globulus Labill., E. maidenii F. Muell., and E. pseudoglobulus Naudin ex Maiden (Brooker, 2000) or as subspecies of E. globulus (Jordan et al, 1993; Kirkpatrick, 1975). For this paper, they are treated as separate species. The species complex appears to have radiated from an origin in eastern Victoria (Jones, 2002), with well-defined core populations (Figure 1), and extensive intergrades between species at the boundaries. Eucalyptus globulus has the most southerly distribution of the four species, occurring in Tasmania, the Bass Strait Islands and the southern extremities of eastern Victoria (Table 1).
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