Eucalyptus tetraptera

taxobox
name = Square-fruited mallee

---

image_caption = "Eucalyptus tetraptera", juvenile
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Myrtales
familia = Myrtaceae
genus = "Eucalyptus"
species = "E. tetraptera"
binomial = "Eucalyptus tetraptera"
binomial_authority = |

"Eucalyptus tetraptera", Square-fruited mallee,also Four-winged mallee [Chippendale, G.M. (1973) "Eucalypts of the Western Australian goldfields (and the adjacent wheatbelt)", Canberra. AGPS p.175 ] is a low, straggly mallee with smooth, grey or whitish-grey bark. Juvenile leaves are stalked, ovate to broadly elliptical, to 12 x 7 cm. Adult leaves are stalked, elliptical to lanceolate, thick, to 25 x 7 cm, concolorous and glossy green. Flowers are pink in late winter to mid summer. Fruit is red, sessile, oblong and winged along corners to 5 x 4.2 cm.

The distribution is limited to coastal sandplains of southern Western Australia, from the Stirling Ranges east to Israelite Bay.

"E. tetragona" is one of the most bizarre of the eucalypts with its spectacular, large, red buds and fruit. A popular ornamental. [Brooker, I. & Kleinig, D., "Eucalyptus, An illustrated guide to identification", Reed Books, Melbourne, 1996 ISBN 073010494Xpa]

References