Mottlecah - Eucalyptus macrocarpa
E. macrocarpa is a mallee tree growing to to 5 m high, and tends to be spreading or sprawling in form. Its bark is smooth and grey.
A mallee is a small (usually less than 10m) Eucalyptus tree often found in semi areas, which is a similar habitat to the mallets. A mallet different from a mallee in that a mallet form a single narrow stem or truck whereas a mallee form multi stems.
The trees form what is called a lignotuber. This is a woody swelling at the base of the tree below or just above the ground. It contains ‘adventitious’ buds i.e. new buds normally appear much higher in the tree but these ones are a useful adaption that allow the tree to develop new shoots if the top of the plant is breaks off or is burnt.
It’s endemic to Western Australia, and naturally found from just north of Geraldton, inland to around Kulin.
It can flower throughout the year but mostly from June to October. The fruit and flowers can be up to 10cm with the flowers usually bright red but pink-red forms have been observed. Flowering occurs from early spring to mid summer. The fruit or nuts have a powdery grey covering.
It’s now a common street tree.
The name ‘macrocarpa’ comes from Greek ‘macro’ (large, long) and ‘carpos’ (fruit).
Its common name is the name given to the tree by Noongar people.
The tree was planted in the Park in 1982.
Sources
Source: Flora of Australia - https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Eucalyptus%20macrocarpa
Source EUCLID - Eucalypts of Australia Forth Edition (2020).
https://apps.lucidcentral.org/euclid/text/entities/eucalyptus_macrocarpa_subsp._macrocarpa.htm
Gardner, C. A. (1987). Eucalypts of Western Australia. Perth, Western Australia, Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Agriculture.
Eucalyptus macrocarpa in the Park