Eucalyptus oleosa
| Eucalyptus oleosa | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. oleosa |
| Binomial name | |
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Eucalyptus oleosa F.Muell. ex Miq. |
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Eucalyptus oleosa, commonly known as the red mallee, glossy-leaved red mallee, acorn mallee,oil mallee or giant mallee. is a native tree of Australia The leaves were once harvested for the production of cineole based eucalyptus oil.Eucalyptus cneorifolia is now the predominant strain used in production due to a higher oil content in new growth.
The multi-stemmed tree or mallee typically grows to a height of 11 to 12 metres (36 to 39 ft) and has rough fibrous brown bark at the base that becomes smooth and grey above. It blooms between November and December producing yellow flowers. The adult leaves are around 130 millimetres (5.1 in) in length and 19 mm (0.7 in) wide. They have a narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate shap and are glossy and green in colour. The flower are axillary found in groups of 7-11. Smooth buds form later with a length of approximately to 10 mm (0.4 in) and a width of 4.5 mm (0.18 in). The bud-cap is cone-shaped to cylinder-shaped. Fruits are round-shaped with a diameter of about 7 mm (0.28 in) with a descending disc and 3 or 4 valves exserted with attenuate tips. The seeds are dark brown with an ovoid shape and a length of 2 mm (0.08 in).
It is one of the most widespread mallee species in Australia. In Western Australia it is found on hills, sand plains, flats and gravel pits in the southern Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions growing in sandy or loamy soils often over limestone. The species range extends east into most of southern and central South Australia and then into northern and eastern Victoria and south western New South Wales south of Coonbah and west of Koraleigh. It is often part of a codominant community of mallee shrubland on red aeolian sands.
The species is associated with the western mallee subgroup and the chenopod mallee subgroup. The western mallee subgroup is characterised by several eucalypts including Eucalyptus eremophila, Eucalyptus moderata, Eucalyptus incrassata, Eucalyptus foecunda, Eucalyptus redunca and Eucalyptus uncinata. The understorey is predominantly shrubby with species of Melaleuca and Acacia along with the occasional Triodia. The chenopod mallee subgroup has E. oleosa along with other trees including Eucalyptus gracilis, Eucalyptus dumosa and Eucalyptus calycogona the understorey includes species of Maireana, Sclerolaena, Enchylaena, Chenopodium and Zygophyllum.
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