Mount Le Grand mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Le Grand mallee |
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| Eucalyptus aquilina at Cape Le Grand | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
aquilina
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The Eucalyptus aquilina, also known as the Mount Le Grand mallee, is a special type of mallee tree. It only grows in a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. This unique tree has smooth white and grey bark. It also has long, often curved leaves, interesting top-shaped or diamond-shaped flower buds, and white to cream-coloured flowers. Its fruits are shaped like cones and hang down on a curved stem.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Mount Le Grand mallee is a type of mallee tree. It usually grows to be about 2 to 7 meters (6.5 to 23 feet) tall. It has smooth bark that is white with grey patches. This tree also has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.
Leaves and Flowers
Young plants and new shoots have lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are slightly different shades of green on each side. The older, adult leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are shiny dark green on both sides. These leaves are shaped like a lance or are slightly curved. They are about 7 to 13.5 centimeters (2.7 to 5.3 inches) long and 1.2 to 2.5 centimeters (0.5 to 1 inch) wide. The base of the leaf narrows down to a stem called a petiole, which is about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long.
The flower buds grow where the leaves meet the stem. They are on a wide, flat stem that is 1.2 to 3.5 centimeters (0.5 to 1.4 inches) long. The buds look like tops or diamonds. They are about 2.8 to 3.2 centimeters (1.1 to 1.3 inches) long and 2.3 to 3.8 centimeters (0.9 to 1.5 inches) wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped or rounded cap with a small point on top. This cap is called an operculum. The Mount Le Grand mallee flowers between April and October. Its flowers are white or cream-coloured.
Fruit
After flowering, the tree produces fruit. These fruits are shaped like cones, with the narrower end at the bottom. They are about 2 to 2.9 centimeters (0.8 to 1.1 inches) long and 3.5 to 5 centimeters (1.4 to 2 inches) wide. The fruits hang down on a curved stem.
How It Was Named
The Eucalyptus aquilina was first officially described in 1974. This was done by a scientist named Ian Brooker. He found a sample of the tree near Cape Le Grand. The description was then published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, aquilina, comes from a Latin word. It means "of eagles." This name was chosen because the fruit of this tree has parts that look a bit like an eagle's claws or lobes.
Where It Lives
The Mount Le Grand mallee grows in a very small area. You can find it in the Cape Le Grand National Park in Western Australia. This park is located along the south coast, east of a town called Esperance.
This tree likes to grow in shallow valleys, along creek beds, and on hillsides. It often grows in thick, bushy areas called heathlands. The soil there is usually shallow and sits on top of granite rock.
Protecting This Tree
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of special plants. They have classified the Mount Le Grand mallee as "Priority Four." This means it is a rare plant or one that is almost threatened. It needs to be watched and protected so it doesn't disappear.
