Yanchep Mallee

Eucalyptus argutifolia is a mallee that grows to a height of about 4 m (10 ft) with smooth grey or pale copper-coloured bark. Leaves on young plants and on coppice regrowth are egg-shaped to more or less round, 40–70 mm (1.6–2.8 in) long, 30–55 mm (1–2 in) wide, glossy green and have a petiole. Adult leaves are lance-shaped, 73–120 mm (2.9–4.7 in) long and 12–30 mm (0.5–1 in) wide on a petiole 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) long. The adult leaves are the same glossy green on both sides. Leaves intermediate between juvenile and adult are also usually present. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven or nine on a thick peduncle 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long, the individual buds on a pedicel up to 5 mm (0.2 in) long or absent. Mature buds are oval, 7–11 mm (0.28–0.43 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide with a rounded operculum 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) and about the same width as the floral cup. The flowers are white and appear in the autumn (March to April in areas where they occur naturally) and are followed by fruit that are cylindrical to conical or cup-shaped, 6–11 mm (0.24–0.43 in) long and 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) wide.

Wabling Hill mallee occurs naturally on Wabling Hill and Parrot Ridge to the north of Yanchep and to the south of Seabird on shallow soils of limestone ridges, on slopes and in gullies.