Eucalyptus subtilis facts for kids

Eucalyptus subtilis, also known as the narrow-leaved mallee, is a special type of eucalyptus plant. It's called a mallee because it usually grows as a shrub with many stems coming from the ground, rather than a single trunk. This plant is only found in Western Australia. It has smooth bark, long, thin adult leaves, and pretty cream-colored flowers. Its fruit usually looks like a small cup.

What it Looks Like

Eucalyptus subtilis is a mallee plant that typically grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire. Its bark is smooth and can be grey or a light orange color.

When the plant is young, or when new shoots grow from the base (called coppice regrowth), its leaves are a dull green or bluish. These young leaves are about 45 to 85 millimeters (1.8 to 3.3 inches) long and 3 to 10 millimeters (0.1 to 0.4 inches) wide.

The adult leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the stem. They stand upright and are dull to slightly shiny green. These leaves are long and thin, about 45 to 80 millimeters (1.8 to 3.1 inches) long and 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) wide. They have a pointed tip and narrow down towards a short stalk, called a petiole, which is 3 to 7 millimeters (0.12 to 0.28 inches) long.

Flowers and Fruit

The flower buds grow in groups of nine or eleven in the axils (the angle between a leaf and the stem). They are on an unbranched stalk called a peduncle, which is 4 to 10 millimeters (0.16 to 0.39 inches) long. Each individual bud has a tiny stalk, or pedicel, up to 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long.

When the buds are ready to open, they are spindle-shaped, meaning they are wider in the middle and taper at both ends. They are about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.24 to 0.31 inches) long and 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum that covers the flower parts.

Eucalyptus subtilis flowers between February and June. The flowers are usually cream-colored or white. After flowering, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule that is typically cup-shaped or like a short barrel. It is about 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) wide. The valves, which are parts that open to release seeds, are usually near the rim of the fruit.

Discovery and Name

Eucalyptus subtilis was officially described for the first time in 1991. Two botanists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper, wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. They studied specimens that Brooker had collected near Norseman in 1985.

The second part of its scientific name, subtilis, comes from a Latin word. Subtilis means "fine" or "delicate." This name was chosen because of the plant's thin, delicate leaves.

Where it Grows

The narrow-leaved mallee is found in a specific part of Western Australia. It grows on flat, sandy areas and small hills. You can find it in the region between Lake Grace and Norseman. This area is in the eastern part of the Wheatbelt and the western part of the Goldfields region. It prefers to grow in sandy-clay-loam soils, which are a mix of sand, clay, and loam.

Conservation Status

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified this eucalypt as "not threatened." This means that currently, there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.

Images for kids

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  Eucalyptus angustissima habit