Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red mallee |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Subspecies victoriensis near Cook in the Great Victoria Desert | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
E. s. subsp. victoriensis
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis D.Nicolle
|
|
The red mallee (scientific name: Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis) is a type of mallee tree. It grows only in southern inland Australia. This tree often has rough bark at the bottom of its trunk and smooth bark higher up. Its leaves are shaped like spears. It has pale yellow flowers that grow in groups of 7 to 11. The fruit looks like a small barrel, urn, or ball.
Contents
What the Red Mallee Looks Like
The red mallee is a type of mallee plant. It usually grows to be about 3 to 8 meters (10 to 26 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire.
Bark and Leaves
The bark at the bottom of the trunk is usually rough. It can be loose, stringy, or flaky. Higher up, the bark is smooth and can be tan or grey.
The adult leaves are a dull bluish-green color on both sides. They are shaped like a spear (lance-shaped). These leaves are about 80 to 152 millimeters (3 to 6 inches) long. They are also about 20 to 35 millimeters (0.8 to 1.4 inches) wide. Each leaf has a stalk called a petiole.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds grow in the leaf axils. This means they appear where the leaf meets the stem. They usually grow in groups of 7 to 11 buds. These buds are on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 4 to 18 millimeters long. Each individual bud has a smaller stalk called a pedicel, about 2 to 8 millimeters long.
When the buds are ready, they are 12.5 to 19 millimeters long and 4 to 6.5 millimeters wide. They have a horn-shaped cap called an operculum. This cap is longer than the part that holds the flower, called the floral cup. The flowers themselves are a pale creamy yellow color.
After flowering, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are called capsules. They can be shaped like a barrel, an urn, or a sphere. They are about 7 to 11 millimeters long and 6.5 to 9.5 millimeters wide.
How it was Named
The Eucalyptus socialis subsp. victoriensis was first officially described in 2005. This was done by a scientist named Dean Nicolle. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Australian Systematic Botany. He studied samples collected near Neale Junction in 1999. This area is close to the border between South Australia and Western Australia.
The name victoriensis refers to where this plant is found. It grows in the Great Victoria Desert.
Where the Red Mallee Grows
This red mallee grows in mallee areas. These are places with many mallee trees and shrubs. It likes to grow on sandy plains and between sand dunes.
You can often find it growing with other types of eucalypts. Some of these include E. concinna, E. eremicola, and E. pimpiniana. The red mallee is only found in the Great Victoria Desert. This desert stretches across parts of South Australia and Western Australia.
Conservation Status
The government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified this mallee subspecies. They say it is "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
