Gippsland mallee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gippsland mallee
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucalyptus
Species:	kitsoniana

The Gippsland mallee (scientific name: Eucalyptus kitsoniana) is a special type of small tree or bush found only in Victoria, Australia. It's also sometimes called the bog gum. This plant has mostly smooth bark, and its leaves can look different depending on how old they are. It grows white flowers in groups of seven, and its fruits are shaped like cups.

What Does the Gippsland Mallee Look Like?

The Gippsland mallee can grow as a small tree or a mallee, which is a bush with many stems growing from the ground. It usually reaches about 10 meters (33 feet) tall. It has a special woody lump at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow if the top part gets damaged, for example, by a bushfire.

Its bark is usually smooth and can be white or grey. Sometimes, you might see rough pieces of bark near the bottom of the tree, or ribbons of bark peeling off higher up.

The leaves on a Gippsland mallee can look different depending on their age:

• Young leaves are broad and sit directly on the stem without a stalk. They are lighter green underneath.
• Adult leaves are glossy green on both sides. They are longer and narrower than young leaves and grow on a flat stalk called a petiole.

The flowers of the Gippsland mallee are white. They grow in groups of seven. Each group of flowers sits on a stalk called a peduncle. The flower buds are oval-shaped and have a cap called an operculum. This cap protects the flower parts before they open. You can see these white flowers blooming between August and March.

After the flowers, the plant produces fruits. These fruits are shaped like cups or half-spheres and sit directly on the stem (they are sessile). They are a type of capsule, which means they are dry fruits that open to release seeds.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Gippsland mallee was first officially described in 1916 by a botanist named Joseph Maiden. He wrote about it in his book, A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus.

The plant's scientific name, kitsoniana, was chosen to honor Albert Ernest Kitson. He was a geologist and also loved studying nature, so the plant was named after him.

Where Does the Gippsland Mallee Grow?

The Gippsland mallee is an endemic plant, which means it is found only in Victoria, Australia. It often grows in small groups by itself. You can find it near rivers and streams inland, and also on coastal plains. Its main home is between Yarram and Cape Otway, and also near Portland and on Wilsons Promontory.

Images for kids

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  Flower buds of the Gippsland mallee

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  Fruit of the Gippsland mallee