Webster's mallee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Webster's mallee |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Eucalyptus websteriana in Kings Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
|
| Species: |
websteriana
|
Eucalyptus websteriana, also called Webster's mallee, heart-leaf mallee, or dainty mallee, is a special type of mallee tree. It only grows naturally in the Goldfields-Esperance area of Western Australia. This plant has reddish bark that peels off in thin strips, which is called minnirichi bark. Its adult leaves look like hearts or eggs. The flowers are pale cream or yellow, and the fruit is usually shaped like half a sphere.
Contents
What is Webster's Mallee?
Eucalyptus websteriana is a mallee, which means it's a type of eucalypt that grows many stems from a special woody base called a lignotuber. This plant usually grows to be about 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) tall. It has branches that spread out.
Bark and Leaves
The trunk and branches of Webster's mallee have reddish-brown minnirichi bark. This bark peels off in thin, curly strips. The adult leaves are a special heart shape. They are the same greyish-green color on both sides. Each leaf is about 1.8 to 4.5 centimeters (0.7 to 1.8 inches) long and 0.9 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) wide. They have a stem called a petiole that is about 0.5 to 1.7 centimeters (0.2 to 0.7 inches) long. The tree's top part, called the crown, is compact. It provides light shade, which helps smaller plants grow underneath.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds grow in groups of seven. They are found where the leaves meet the stem, which is called a leaf axil. These groups of buds grow on a stem called a peduncle, which is about 0.9 to 1.2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own small stem, called a pedicel, about 0.3 to 0.7 centimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) long.
When the buds are ready, they are round. They are about 0.5 to 1 centimeter (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. Each bud has a rounded cap called an operculum, which has a small point on top. This mallee flowers from July to November. Its flowers are pale cream or yellow. After flowering, the fruit forms. It is a woody capsule that is usually shaped like half a sphere, sometimes like a cone. The fruit is about 0.3 to 0.6 centimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and 0.7 to 1.2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds stick out a lot.
Where Does it Grow?
This mallee is found in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It grows on rocky hills. The main area where it is found is around Kalgoorlie. Its range stretches east to the edge of the Great Victoria Desert, near Cosmo Newberry. It also grows south to areas around Kambalda and Norseman. It prefers to grow in rocky soils.
How is it Protected?
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that this eucalypt is "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
