Ettrema mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ettrema mallee |
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| Eucalyptus sturgissiana near Tianjara Falls | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
sturgissiana
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The Eucalyptus sturgissiana, often called steel box or Ettrema mallee, is a special kind of mallee. A mallee is a type of eucalyptus plant that grows as a shrub or small tree with many stems coming from the ground. This plant is found only in a small part of New South Wales, Australia. It has smooth, colorful bark and long, narrow adult leaves. You might also see some younger leaves still on the plant. Its flowers are white, and they grow in groups of seven. After the flowers, it produces fruit that looks like a small bell.
What it Looks Like
The Eucalyptus sturgissiana is a mallee that usually grows up to 5 m (16 ft) (about 16 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This lignotuber helps the plant regrow if it gets damaged, for example, by a bushfire.
Its bark is smooth and has a mix of colors like grey, brown, or pink. It peels off in long strips. Young plants and new shoots have stems that look a bit waxy or powdery (this is called glaucous). Their leaves are dull green to greyish and are shaped like an egg or are round. These leaves are about 50–75 mm (2.0–3.0 in) (2-3 inches) long and 30–75 mm (1.2–3.0 in) (1-3 inches) wide. They grow directly on the stem without a stalk (this is called sessile) and are arranged in pairs opposite each other. Often, these younger leaves stay on the plant even as it gets older.
The adult leaves are usually shiny green on both sides. They are narrow and shaped like a spear, about 50–100 mm (2.0–3.9 in) (2-4 inches) long and 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) (0.3-0.5 inches) wide. They have a short stalk called a petiole, which can be up to 10 mm (0.39 in) (0.4 inches) long.
The plant's flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem (this is called the leaf axil). These groups of buds are on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) (0.2-0.5 inches) long. Each individual bud might sit directly on the stalk or have a very short stem (a pedicel) up to 4 mm (0.16 in) (0.16 inches) long.
When the buds are ready to open, they are oval or spindle-shaped, about 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) (0.24-0.28 inches) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) (0.16-0.2 inches) wide. They have a cone-shaped cap called an operculum. The flowers themselves are white.
After the flowers, the plant produces a woody fruit. This fruit is a type of capsule, which means it's a dry fruit that opens to release seeds. It's shaped like a hemisphere or a bell, about 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) (0.12-0.24 inches) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) (0.2-0.28 inches) wide. The parts that open to release the seeds (called valves) are usually close to the rim of the fruit.
How it Got its Name
The Eucalyptus sturgissiana was officially described for the first time in 1972. Two scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Donald Blaxell, gave it its scientific name. They found the first samples of this plant near the road between Nowra and Braidwood in 1970.
The second part of its name, sturgissiana, honors a person named James H. Sturgiss (1890-1983). He was very important because he found most of the places where this plant grows.
Where it Lives
The steel box eucalyptus usually grows in small groups of its own kind. You can find it on sandstone plateaus, which are flat areas of land made of sandstone rock. Most of these plants live in the Morton National Park in New South Wales.
