Open-fruited mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Open-fruited mallee |
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| Eucalyptus annulata growing near Jerramungup | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
annulata
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The Open-fruited Mallee (Eucalyptus annulata) is a special type of eucalyptus tree. It's called a "mallee" because it grows with many stems from the ground, like a big bush, instead of just one trunk. This plant is native to Western Australia.
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What Does It Look Like?
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The Open-fruited Mallee usually grows between 1.5 to 8 meters (about 5 to 26 feet) tall. Its top part, called the canopy, can spread out up to 7 meters (about 23 feet) wide. It has smooth bark that can be oily grey-green or red-brown.
Its leaves are shiny green and shaped like a narrow spear, about 6 to 11.5 centimeters (2.4 to 4.5 inches) long and 0.7 to 1.6 centimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide.
Flowers and Fruit
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This mallee blooms between June and December. Its flowers are yellow-white or cream-colored. They grow in small groups of three to seven flowers.
After the flowers, fruits start to form. These fruits are shaped like half a sphere and are about 0.8 to 1.2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. They have parts that stick out, which is why it's called "open-fruited."
How It Got Its Name
The Open-fruited Mallee was first officially described by a botanist named George Bentham in 1867. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. He wrote about it in a big book called Flora Australiensis. The first plant sample used to describe the species was found near the Salt River in Western Australia.
The name annulata comes from a Latin word, annulatus, which means "marked with a ring" or "ring-like." This name refers to the ring-like shape of the fruit's disc.
Eucalyptus annulata belongs to a large group of eucalyptus trees. It's related to other eucalyptus types, like the "gimlets," because they have similar ways of growing and similar bark. It is also closely related to two other mallee species, E. protensa and E. extansa.
Where Does It Grow?
The Open-fruited Mallee is found along the southern coast of Western Australia. You can find it in areas like the Great Southern and Wheatbelt regions, between towns like Albany, Western Australia, Ravensthorpe, and Gnowangerup. It likes to grow in soils that are a mix of sand, loam, and clay.
Growing the Open-fruited Mallee
This plant is sold as seeds, and like most eucalyptus trees, it's quite easy to grow from seed. It prefers to be in a sunny spot. Once it's grown a bit, it can handle light frost and dry periods (drought). People often grow it in gardens as a shade tree, or to create a natural screen or windbreak to protect other plants from strong winds.
