Sweedman's sprawling mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sweedman's sprawling mallee |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
sweedmaniana
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Eucalyptus sweedmaniana is a special type of Eucalyptus plant. It's more like a big, sprawling bush than a tall tree! It grows low to the ground and spreads out wide. You can only find this unique plant in a small area of Cape Arid National Park in Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that one spot. It has smooth, shiny, silvery-grey bark. Its leaves are glossy green and shaped like a wide spear. When it blooms, it has single, red, hanging flower buds that open into pretty pink flowers. After the flowers, it grows interesting fruit with prominent wings.
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What Does Eucalyptus sweedmaniana Look Like?
Eucalyptus sweedmaniana is a sprawling or low-growing mallee. This means it's a type of eucalyptus that grows as a multi-stemmed shrub, usually less than 5 m (16 ft) tall. This particular mallee grows to about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high and can spread out up to 5 m (16 ft) wide. It also has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after fires.
Its bark is smooth and shiny, starting as silvery-grey and fading to a duller grey. Young plants have reddish-green leaves that are shaped like a spear or oval. These young leaves are about 42–63 mm (1.7–2.5 in) long and 19–25 mm (0.75–0.98 in) wide. They grow on a small stalk called a petiole, which is 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long.
The adult leaves are glossy green on both sides. They are broadly spear-shaped, about 165–263 mm (6.5–10.4 in) long and 45–67 mm (1.8–2.6 in) wide. These leaves have thick, flattened petioles that are 38–48 mm (1.5–1.9 in) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds of Eucalyptus sweedmaniana grow one by one in the leaf axils (the spot where the leaf joins the stem). They hang downwards on a winged stalk called a peduncle. The mature flower buds are red and have a square shape when you look at them from the end. They also have noticeable wings. The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is red and shaped like a pyramid. This top part is called an operculum.
This plant has been seen flowering from November to February, and its flowers are a beautiful pink color. After the flowers, it produces a woody, cube-shaped to oblong fruit. This fruit is a type of capsule. It is also square when seen from the end, about 34–38 mm (1.3–1.5 in) long and 30–41 mm (1.2–1.6 in) wide. The fruit has prominent wings, and its valves (the parts that open to release seeds) are tucked inside below the rim.
How it Got Its Name
Eucalyptus sweedmaniana was first officially described in 2009. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Nathan K. McQuoid, wrote about it. Their description was published in a science journal called Australian Systematic Botany. They found the first plant they studied in Cape Arid National Park in 2006.
The second part of its scientific name, sweedmaniana, is called the specific epithet. It was chosen to honor Luke Sweedman. He is the curator (someone who manages a collection) of the Western Australian Seed Technology Centre, which is part of the Western Australian Botanic Garden, Kings Park and Botanic Garden.
Where Does It Live?
This special mallee plant is only found in one specific place: the lower coastal slopes of Mount Arid. This area is very close to the ocean, so the plants there are often exposed to a lot of salt spray from the sea.
Protecting This Special Plant
Eucalyptus sweedmaniana is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means it is a plant that is not very well known. It has only been found in one or a few locations. Because it's so rare and only grows in a small area, it's very important to protect it so it can continue to thrive.
