Nodding mallee facts for kids

The Nodding Mallee (scientific name: Eucalyptus proxima) is a special type of tree or bush. People also call it the red-flowered mallee. It only grows in a small part of Western Australia. This plant has smooth grey bark and leaves shaped like a spear. Its flowers are usually red or pink, but sometimes yellow. The fruit looks like a small cone or bell.

What is the Nodding Mallee Like?

The Nodding Mallee is a type of mallee. This means it's a small tree or large bush that usually grows many stems from a special woody base. This base is called a lignotuber. It helps the plant regrow after a fire.

Most Nodding Mallee plants grow up to 3 m (9.8 ft) (about 10 feet) tall. They have smooth grey bark. This bark peels off to show new bark that is light orange or copper-colored.

Leaves and Flowers

Young Nodding Mallee plants have leaves shaped like an egg or a spear. These leaves are about 40–75 mm (1.6–3.0 in) long and 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) wide. As the plant gets older, its leaves become glossy green on both sides. They are spear-shaped and measure about 47–85 mm (1.9–3.3 in) long and 15–23 mm (0.59–0.91 in) wide. Each leaf has a stalk called a petiole, which is about 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long.

The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They hang downwards on a slightly flat stem called a peduncle. This stem is about 12–22 mm (0.47–0.87 in) long. Some buds are directly attached (called sessile), while others have short stalks (called pedicels) about 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long.

Mature flower buds are oval-shaped. They are about 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long and 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) wide. Each bud has a rounded cap on top, known as an operculum.

When Does it Flower?

The Nodding Mallee usually flowers from September to November. Its flowers are often red or pink. Sometimes, you might see yellowish flowers too.

After flowering, the plant produces fruit. This fruit is a woody capsule. It looks like a small cone or a bell. The fruit is about 9–13 mm (0.35–0.51 in) long and 8–14 mm (0.31–0.55 in) wide.

How Did it Get its Name?

The Nodding Mallee was first officially described in 2005. Two scientists, Dean Nicolle and Ian Brooker, gave it the scientific name Eucalyptus proxima. They found a sample of the plant near Jerdacuttup in 2002.

The word proxima comes from Latin. It means "nearest" or "most similar." This name was chosen because the Nodding Mallee looks very similar to another type of eucalyptus called E. cernua.

Where Does it Grow?

The Nodding Mallee grows in mallee shrubland. This is a type of bushland where many mallee plants grow together. You can find it in the area between Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun. This region is in the south-west of Western Australia.

Is it Safe?

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the Nodding Mallee. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not currently in danger of disappearing.