Glazed mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glazed mallee |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
tenera
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Eucalyptus tenera, often called the glazed mallee or sand mallee, is a special type of eucalyptus tree that grows only in Western Australia. It's known for its smooth bark, long leaves, and pretty lemon yellow flowers. This plant is a native to Western Australia, meaning it's found nowhere else in the world!
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Meet the Glazed Mallee!
The Glazed Mallee is a type of mallee, which means it's a eucalyptus tree that grows with many stems from a special woody base. It usually grows to be about 2 to 5 metres (6.5 to 16 feet) tall. This plant has a special part called a lignotuber, which is a woody swelling at the base of its stem. This helps it regrow after fires!
Its bark is smooth and can be greyish or brownish. When the plant is young or regrowing, its leaves are shiny green and shaped like narrow spears. These young leaves are usually 30 to 90 millimetres (1 to 3.5 inches) long.
As the plant gets older, its leaves stay shiny green on both sides. They are shaped like narrow spears or ovals, about 40 to 90 millimetres (1.5 to 3.5 inches) long. Each leaf has a small stalk called a petiole, which connects it to the stem.
Flowers and Fruit
The Glazed Mallee's flower buds grow in groups of seven to eleven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each group of buds sits on a flat stalk, and each individual bud has its own small stem.
The mature buds are long and slender, about 28 to 40 millimetres (1 to 1.5 inches) long. They have a horn-shaped cap, which is much longer than the base of the bud.
When the Glazed Mallee flowers, usually in November, it produces beautiful lemon yellow flowers. After the flowers, it grows woody, cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 7 to 10 millimetres (0.25 to 0.4 inches) long.
How it Got its Name
The Glazed Mallee, Eucalyptus tenera, was first officially described in 1992. Two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, gave it its scientific name. They studied plant samples collected by another botanist, Ian Brooker, near a place called Bencubbin in 1984.
The second part of its scientific name, tenera, comes from a Latin word meaning "delicate." This name was chosen because this mallee seems more delicate compared to its relatives, like E. eremophila and E. tephroclada.
Where Does it Live?
The Glazed Mallee grows across a large area in the western and northern parts of Western Australia's wheatbelt region. You can find it between towns like Coorow, Chiddarcooping Rock, and Lake King.
It often grows alongside other mallee species in wandoo woodland areas. A woodland is a type of forest where the trees are not as dense as in a typical forest.
Is it Safe?
Good news! The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified this eucalypt as "not threatened." This means that for now, there are enough Glazed Mallee plants in the wild, and they are not considered to be in danger.
