Shiny-leaved mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shiny-leaved mallee.jpg |
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| Eucalyptus lucens near Hermannsburg, Northern Territory | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
lucens
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The Eucalyptus lucens, also known as the shiny-leaved mallee, is a special type of mallee tree. It grows only in northwestern Australia. This plant has smooth, pale bark and shiny, lance-shaped leaves. Its flowers are creamy white and grow in groups of seven. The fruit is shaped like a cone.
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What is the Shiny-leaved Mallee?
The shiny-leaved mallee is a type of Eucalyptus tree. It usually grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach 5 meters (16 feet) high! This plant has a special woody base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires.
How to Spot This Plant
The bark of the shiny-leaved mallee is usually smooth. It can be pale grey or brownish. Sometimes, you might see some rough bark near the bottom. Young plants have lance-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They are also about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit
Adult leaves are shiny green on both sides. They are also lance-shaped. These leaves are longer, about 80 to 120 millimeters (3 to 5 inches) long. They are about 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. The leaves have a short stem called a petiole.
The flowers grow in groups of seven. They are found at the ends of the branches. Each flower bud has a small stem called a pedicel. The flowers are creamy white. They bloom between December and March. After flowering, the plant produces woody, cone-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and wide.
This eucalyptus plant is quite rare. However, it stands out because of its very shiny leaves. These leaves sparkle, making it easy to spot among other plants.
How it Got Its Name
The shiny-leaved mallee was first officially described in 1978. Two scientists, Ian Brooker and Clyde Dunlop, named it. They found a sample of the plant on Mount Sonder in 1973. Its scientific name is Eucalyptus lucens. The word lucens comes from Latin. It means "shining," "glistening," or "polished." This name perfectly describes its bright, shiny leaves!
Where Does it Grow?
The shiny-leaved mallee grows in open areas with shrubs. It prefers shallow soils on sandstone and quartzite hills. You can mostly find it in the ranges west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. It also grows in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Protecting the Shiny-leaved Mallee
This mallee is considered "Priority One" in Western Australia. This means it is a very important plant to protect. It is known from only a few places. These locations could be at risk. The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife helps to protect it.
