Parker Range mallet facts for kids

Eucalyptus polita is a special type of tree or a small, woody plant called a mallet. It grows only in the southwest part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area, found nowhere else in the world! This plant is known for its smooth, grey bark. It has long, narrow leaves, and its flowers are white. After the flowers, it grows small, cup-shaped fruits.

What Does Eucalyptus polita Look Like?

Eucalyptus polita is usually a mallet or a small tree. It can grow to be about 3 to 10 meters (10 to 33 feet) tall. Unlike some other eucalyptus trees, it does not have a lignotuber. A lignotuber is a woody swelling at the base of the plant that helps it regrow after a fire.

Its bark is smooth and grey. It peels off in long strips, showing new, orange-colored bark underneath. Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have dull green leaves. These leaves are shaped like a spear, about 5.5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. They are also about 0.8 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide.

The adult leaves are shiny green on both sides. They are narrow and spear-shaped, about 7 to 12 centimeters (2.8 to 4.7 inches) long. They are also about 0.7 to 1.5 centimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide. These leaves narrow down to a stalk called a petiole, which is about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long.

Flowers and Fruit

The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They appear where the leaves meet the stem (called leaf axils). These groups of buds are on a flat stalk called a peduncle, which is about 0.4 to 1 centimeter (0.16 to 0.4 inches) long. Each individual bud might be directly attached (sessile) or have a very short stalk (pedicel) up to 1 millimeter long.

When the buds are ready to open, they are oval or cylinder-shaped. They are about 6 to 7 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum with small lines on it. The flowers themselves are white. After flowering, the plant produces a woody, cup-shaped fruit. This fruit is a type of capsule, about 4 to 5 millimeters long and 4 to 7 millimeters wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are almost at the same level as the rim of the fruit.

How it Got its Name

Eucalyptus polita was first officially described in 1993. Two scientists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper, wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. They studied a sample collected by Brooker in 1983. This sample was found near the Hyden - Norseman track in Western Australia.

The name polita comes from the Latin word politus. This word means "polished." It was chosen because of the tree's smooth, shiny bark.

Where Does it Grow?

This mallet eucalyptus grows in Western Australia. You can find it around salt lakes and on flat areas. Its range stretches from Forrestania to near Marvel Loch. These areas are part of different natural regions like the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, and Mallee biogeographic regions.

Is it Endangered?

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Eucalyptus polita. They have classified this mallee eucalypt as "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.