Mann Range mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mann Range mallee |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
mannensis
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The Eucalyptus mannensis, often called the Mann Range mallee, is a type of mallee plant. It grows naturally in Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory in Australia. This plant usually has rough bark near the bottom of its trunk and smooth bark higher up. It has narrow, spear-shaped adult leaves. Its flowers grow in groups of seven to eleven and are creamy white. The fruit looks like a half-sphere.
What Does It Look Like?
The Eucalyptus mannensis is mostly a mallee, which means it's a shrub with many stems growing from the ground. Sometimes, it can be a small, straggly tree. It usually grows to be about 2 to 10 meters (6.5 to 33 feet) tall. This plant has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.
The bark on the lower part of the trunk is rough, flaky, or stringy. Higher up, the bark is smooth and greyish. Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have dull, grey-green leaves. These leaves are shaped like a spear and are about 4.5 to 8.5 centimeters (1.8 to 3.3 inches) long and 0.8 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Adult leaves are shiny green on both sides. They are narrow and spear-shaped or narrow and oval. They measure about 6.5 to 11.5 centimeters (2.6 to 4.5 inches) long and 0.7 to 2.3 centimeters (0.3 to 0.9 inches) wide. They narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is about 0.7 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) long.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. These groups of buds grow on a short stalk called a peduncle, which is about 0.3 to 1 centimeter (0.1 to 0.4 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, about 0.1 to 0.5 centimeters (0.04 to 0.2 inches) long.
When the buds are ready to open, they are oval-shaped. They are about 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 0.3 to 0.5 centimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide. The top part of the bud, which acts like a lid, is shaped like a cone or is rounded. This lid is called an operculum.
The Mann Range mallee flowers from April to October. Its flowers are a creamy white color. After flowering, the plant produces a woody, half-sphere-shaped fruit. This fruit is a type of seed pod called a capsule. It is about 0.3 to 0.6 centimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
How It Got Its Name
The Eucalyptus mannensis was first officially described in 1964. A scientist named Cliff Boomsma wrote about it after studying a plant sample from Angas Downs Head Station. His description was published in a scientific journal called Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
Later, in 1992, two other botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, described two different types, or subspecies, of Eucalyptus mannensis. These names are now accepted by the Australian Plant Census, which keeps track of plant names.
- Eucalyptus mannensis subsp. mannensis: This type has shiny adult leaves. The widest of these leaves are usually more than 1.2 centimeters (0.5 inches) wide.
- Eucalyptus mannensis subsp. vespertina: This type has adult leaves that are dull at first. The widest of these leaves are usually less than 1.2 centimeters (0.5 inches) wide.
Where Does It Grow?
The Mann Range mallee grows on flat lands and sand dunes. It is often found in open shrubland areas. This plant is spread widely across the central parts of Australia. You can find it in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
There are also some groups of these plants that are separated from the main population. These are called disjunct populations. You can find them in the Great Victoria Desert, near a town called Wiluna, and close to Shark Bay. The subspecies vespertina only grows near the coast, between the Murchison River and Shark Bay.
Is It Safe?
Good news! Both types of Eucalyptus mannensis (the subspecies) are considered "not threatened" in Western Australia. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of their status.
