australian native vegetation assessment 2001 - National Program ...

Mallee (Eucalyptus gracilis, Beyeria opaca, Triodia
sp.) Calperum, near Renmark, South Australia
Mallee woodlands and shrublands
Grow from lignotubers and are multibranched
trees found in harsh site
conditions usually with a flattened canopy
which, in windswept coastal areas of
Australia, can be stunted or angled
Located in the winter rainfall belts of semiarid
areas of southern Australia, in southwestern
New South Wales, north-western
Victoria, southern South Australia and
south-western Western Australia
Widespread mallee species include
Eucalyptus Dumosa (white mallee), E.
socialis (red mallee), E. gracilis (yorrell), E.
oleosa (red mallee), E. incrassata (ridgefruited
mallee) and E. diversifolia (soap
mallee)
Eucalypt is the most widespread tree
component. It rarely exceeds 6 m in height.
Codominants can include species of
Melaleuca, Acacia and Hakea in areas such
as the Big Desert in Victoria, the Ninety
Mile Desert, parts of Eyre Peninsula and in
the wheatbelt and southern coastal areas of
Western Australia
Mallee communities in Victoria and parts of
South Australia have been extensively cleared,
with only isolated remnants remaining in some
areas. These communities are still widespread in
the arid zone of South Australia and Western
Australia but are subject to modification by
grazing of domestic stock and from feral
herbivores.
Low closed forests and closed
shrublands
Characterised by dense foliage in the upper
layers and by low stunted species usually
between 5 m to 10 m in height and are
sometimes referred to as ‘scrubs’
Occur in a range of climatic zones, but
many occur within coastal or subcoastal
environments dominated by Banksia,
Leptospermum and Kunzea species or
Melaleuca with a mix of other species.
A few occur in alpine environments in
Tasmania
Support a large range of species, partly as a
result of their geographical range and partly
from the variation in soils and site
conditions
They have been extensively cleared in many
coastal areas for agriculture or urban
development.
Coastal melaleuca, Bournda National Park, New South Wales
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FACTS and FIGURES