Rock mallee grows in shallow soil on limestone ridges, up to a height of 4 m. It is quite rare. Its species name petrensis comes from the Latin and means “found among rocks” and refers to its limestone habitat. It has smooth, shiny bark. In autumn, old grey bark is shed in long strips to reveal new copper-coloured bark. Twigs and leaf stalks are orange-red. Flowering occurs in autumn.
Ref:
“Leaf and branch: trees and tall shrubs of Perth” by Robert Powell. Published by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation, 2009.
“Eucalypts of Western Australia. The south-west coast and ranges”. Second edition. By Malcolm French and Dean Nicolle. 2024.
Bushwalks in the south-west”. Department of Conservation and Land management 1997.