Chrysoprase mallee facts for kids

The chrysoprase mallee (scientific name: Eucalyptus repullulans) is a special type of eucalyptus tree that grows in the dry, desert-like areas of Western Australia and the far north-west of South Australia. It's known for its smooth bark and pretty cream-colored flowers. This plant is a "mallee," which means it has many thin stems growing from a woody base called a lignotuber.

What Does It Look Like?

The chrysoprase mallee is a slender plant that usually grows about 3 to 6 meters (10 to 20 feet) tall. It has smooth bark that can be pink, grey, or cream-colored. This bark peels off in long strips or ribbons.

• Young Leaves: When the plant is young, or when new shoots grow from the base, its leaves are egg-shaped. They are about 4 to 8 centimeters (1.5 to 3 inches) long and 2 to 4 centimeters (1 to 1.5 inches) wide. These young leaves have a slightly waxy, grey-green look, which botanists call "glaucous." They also have small stems, or "petioles."

• Adult Leaves: The older, adult leaves are a dull blue-green color on both sides. They are shaped like a narrow spear, about 6 to 13.5 centimeters (2.5 to 5 inches) long and 1 to 2.8 centimeters (0.4 to 1.1 inches) wide. These leaves also have petioles, which are about 1.2 to 3.1 centimeters (0.5 to 1.2 inches) long.

• Flower Buds: The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, eleven, or thirteen. They are found where the leaves meet the stem, which is called the "leaf axil." Each group of buds sits on a short stalk called a "peduncle," about 6 to 20 millimeters (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, or "pedicel," about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long.

• Mature Buds: When the buds are ready to open, they look like a pear or a cylinder. They can be 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. Sometimes, they also have that waxy, grey-green "glaucous" look. The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is called the "operculum." It's ribbed and shaped like a cone or has a small beak.

• Flowers: The chrysoprase mallee usually flowers in May. Its flowers are a lovely creamy white color.

• Fruit: After flowering, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like an elongated cup, a cylinder, or a cone. Inside, they hold the seeds. The seeds are reddish-brown, flat, and oval-shaped, about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) long.

How It Was Named

The chrysoprase mallee was officially described in 1997 by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He first collected samples of this plant in 1994 from the top of Mount Nameless, near a town called Tom Price.

The scientific name, repullulans, comes from a Latin word. It means "sprouting again." This name was chosen because the plant is a mallee, which means it can regrow many stems from its base, even after fires or damage.

This eucalyptus belongs to a large group of eucalypts called subgenus Symphyomyrtus section Dumaria. It's part of an even bigger subgroup known as series Rufispermae, which includes many different eucalyptus species.

Where It Grows

You can find the chrysoprase mallee in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It also grows in the central mountain ranges of the far north-west of South Australia. This plant likes to grow on mountain slopes and summits. It often grows in rocky, thin soils, especially where you can see outcrops of a green mineral called chrysoprase.