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with many distinct species at one time or another being included as synonyms or 
varieties (e.g see Maiden, Crit. Revis. Eucalyptus 1903-1933,1). 
A large number of taxa were added during the time of Maiden and Blakely, as in many 
other eucalypt groups. This was followed by a period of inactivity, then a resurgence 
of interest with many new taxa described by various authors in the past 20 years (Table 8). 
The group still requires intensive study of several complexes, and additional taxa 
beyond the ten described below await definition. 
The Eucalyptus pileata complex 
This is a group of 5 species occurring in the southern wheatbelt and southern 
goldfields regions of Western Australia. All are trees except £. pileata Blakely, and all 
display distinctively smooth bark that sheds in long, durable ribbons and typically 
hangs in trees long after shedding. See Table 9 for species included and their 
identification. 
13. Eucalyptus spreta L.A.S. Johnson & K.D. Hill, sp. nov. 
Ab E. fraseri distinguitur: alabastra minora, saepe elongata plus minusve rostrata; 
fructus minores; habitu arborescenti ramis a trunco brevi adscendentibus ('marlock'). 
Type: Western Australia: 60 km E. of Norseman on Highway 1 (32°04’S 122°22'E), K.D. 
Hill 692 & D.F. Blaxell, 14 Nov 1983 (holo NSW; iso CANB, K, PERTH). 
[E. species U, Brooker & Kleinig 1990: 329 (1990)] 
Tree to 10 m tall, branched near base ('Marlock' habit). Bark smooth to base, white, 
grey and pink, shedding in ribbons. Juvenile leaves ovate to broad-lanceolate, dull. 
Adult leaves disjunct, lanceolate, acute, glossy, 6.0-12.0 cm long, 1.0-2.5 cm wide; 
petioles terete or ± flattened, 0.8-2.0 cm long; young stems ± quadrangular; lateral 
veins at c. 30-45° to midrib, moderately spaced, ± degenerate; intramarginal vein 
present, indistinct and slightly degenerate, 0.5-1.5 mm from margin. Umbellasters 
axillary, 7-flowered. Peduncles terete or vaguely ribbed, 3-8 mm long, c. 2 mm thick. 
Pedicels ± ribbed, 0.5-2.0 mm long. Mature buds ovoid to ± fusiform, 10-12 mm long, 
c. 4 mm diam.; calyptra conical, acute, with a pronounced median constriction, ribbed, 
about as long as hypanthium. Fruits obconical, 4-locular, 6-8 mm long, 6-7 mm diam.; 
calyptra scar and stemonophore flat, c. 0.5 mm wide; disc sharply depressed, 1.0-1.5 mm 
wide; valves broadly triangular, enclosed, raised at c. 45°. Seeds irregular, flattened, 
shallowly reticulate, glossy deep red brown, 1.5-2.0 mm long; hilum ventral; chaff 
similar, angular, smaller (Fig. 16). 
E. spreta differs from E. fraseri in the smaller, often elongate and ± rostrate buds and the 
smaller fruits, and the 'marlock' habit. Tire 'marlock' habit (a low-branching tree with 
steeply ascending branches and a short bole) is also different from the habit of the 
related taxa £. fraseri and £. valens, and foliage is also distinctively stiff and erect. 
E. spreta has been included in a somewhat confused concept of E. pileata to date; the 
latter is a mallee species from further west with distinctively clavate buds with broad, 
flat calyptra (see also Table 9). 
Locally frequent south and east of Norseman to west of Balladonia (Fig. 17). Not well 
collected and probably more widespread. Hybrids with E. fraseri are known. 
Restricted to woodlands on calcareous loams or sandy loams, associated with various 
species including E. gracilis, E. flocktoniae, E. valens and E. fraseri. 
Conservation status: not considered to be at risk. 
