Mount Yule silver mallet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Yule silver mallet |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
recta
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Eucalyptus recta, often called the silver mallet, Cadoux mallet, or Mount Yule silver mallet, is a special type of tree found only in a small area of Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny, silvery bark. This tree has long, narrow adult leaves, and its flower buds grow in groups of nine or eleven. When it blooms, you'll see creamy white or pale yellow flowers. After flowering, it produces round, flattened fruits that hang down.
Contents
What the Silver Mallet Looks Like
The Eucalyptus recta is a type of tree called a mallet. It usually grows up to 15 m (49 ft) tall, which is about the height of a four-story building! Its trunk is very straight for about 5 m (16 ft) from the ground. This tree does not form a lignotuber, which is a woody swelling at the base of some eucalypts that helps them regrow after a fire.
The bark of the silver mallet is smooth and has a beautiful pale silvery grey or white color. Its adult leaves are glossy dark green on both sides. They are shaped like a spearhead or are slightly curved, measuring 70–145 mm (2.8–5.7 in) long and 10–23 mm (0.39–0.91 in) wide. These leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 10–24 mm (0.39–0.94 in) long.
The flower buds grow where the leaves meet the stem, in groups of nine or eleven. They hang down on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long. Each individual bud has its own small stalk, a pedicel, about 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in) long. When the buds are ready to open, they are shaped like a long oval, 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long and 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) wide. They have a narrow, cone-shaped cap called an operculum.
The silver mallet flowers from January to May. Its flowers are creamy white or pale yellow. After the flowers, the tree produces a woody, flattened, round fruit. This fruit is a capsule that hangs down on a pedicel, and its parts (called valves) stick out strongly.
How the Silver Mallet Got Its Name
The Eucalyptus recta was first officially described in 1992. Two scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.
The second part of its scientific name, recta, comes from the Latin word rectus. This word means "straight." It was chosen because the silver mallet has a very straight trunk.
Where the Silver Mallet Lives
The silver mallet grows in special forests called mallet woodlands. Even though it's part of these woodlands, it often stands a little taller than the other plants around it.
This tree is only found in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia. Specifically, it grows near a town called Cadoux and in the foothills of the Wongan Hills. It likes to grow on gravelly hills and sandy slopes, which are common places for mallet eucalypts.
In the Cadoux area, you might find the silver mallet growing near other trees like the blue mallet (E. gardneri) and the salmon gum (Eucalyptus salmonophloia). Near Wongan Hills, it often grows with the salmon gum.
Sadly, many areas where this tree used to grow have been cleared for farming. This means its population is now spread out in small, separate groups. Scientists estimate that all the silver mallet trees together cover about 15.6 ha (39 acres). These scattered groups are spread across a larger area of 360 km2 (140 sq mi).
Protecting the Silver Mallet
The silver mallet is considered an "endangered" species by the Australian Government. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. The Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia) also lists it as "Threatened Flora."
There are several things that threaten the survival of the silver mallet:
- Grazing: Farm animals like cattle or sheep eating the young plants and trampling them.
- Wildfire: Bushfires can harm or destroy the trees.
- Chemical drift: Chemicals used in farming can blow onto the trees and hurt them.
- Weed invasion: Other plants (weeds) can grow and compete with the silver mallet for space and resources.
- Road maintenance: Work done on roads can sometimes damage the trees.
- Insect grazing: Insects eating too much of the tree's leaves or bark.
Scientists believe there are about 3,500 mature silver mallet trees left in total. Efforts are being made to protect these special trees.
See also
- List of Eucalyptus species
