Blue Mountains mallee ash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue Mountains mallee ash |
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| Blue Mountains mallee ash at Woodford | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
stricta
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| Synonyms | |
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synonyms
Eucalyptus spectatrix L.A.S.Johnson & Blaxell
Eucalyptus stricta Sieber ex Spreng. var. stricta Eucalyptus stricta var. subcampanulata Blakely Eucalyptus virgata var. stricta (Sieber ex Spreng.) Maiden |
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The Eucalyptus stricta, often called the Blue Mountains mallee ash, is a unique type of plant. It's a "mallee," which means it's a shrubby tree with many stems. This plant is found only in eastern New South Wales, Australia. It has smooth, colorful bark and often shows insect scribbles. Its leaves are long and narrow, and it produces white flowers.
What it Looks Like
The Blue Mountains mallee ash is a mallee, meaning it grows as a multi-stemmed shrub. It usually reaches a height of about 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 feet). It has a special woody base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a bushfire.
Bark and Leaves
The bark of this plant is smooth and has a mix of pale grey-brown and pink colors. You might even see wiggly lines on it, which are made by insects. Young plants have shiny green leaves that are shaped like a spear. These leaves are about 70 to 140 mm (2.8 to 5.5 inches) long. Adult leaves are also shiny green on both sides. They are narrower, about 60 to 110 mm (2.4 to 4.3 inches) long. The base of the leaf tapers down to a small stalk called a petiole.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers grow in groups of seven. They appear in the "axils" of the leaves, which are the spots where the leaf joins the stem. Each group of flowers grows on a small stalk called a peduncle. The individual flower buds are oval or pear-shaped. They are about 6 to 9 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long. Each bud has a cap called an operculum. The flowers are white and can be seen in most months of the year. After flowering, the plant produces woody, urn-shaped or barrel-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 6 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long.
Name and History
The scientific name for this plant, Eucalyptus stricta, was first officially described in 1827. This description was made by Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel. He used notes from another scientist, Franz Sieber. The word stricta comes from Latin. It means "drawn together," "upright," or "straight." This name might refer to the many straight stems that grow from this mallee plant.
Where it Lives
The Blue Mountains mallee ash is found in different spots across eastern New South Wales. You can find it from the Central Coast area through the Blue Mountains. It also grows as far south as the Budawang Range. This plant is quite common in these areas. It prefers to grow in heathlands and shrublands. These are areas with low-growing plants. It likes shallow, sandy soils found on flat areas and ridge-tops.
