The Cadda Road Mallee is an erect, robust tree mallee, 5Ð8 metres tall and to 15 metres wide. It
is a sprawling tree with rough flaky grey bark up to the branchlets. Seedling leaves are opposite
for 6Ð10 pairs, petiolate, oblong to elliptical, to 4.5 x 2.5 cm and dull green. Juvenile leaves are
alternating, petiolate, elliptical, to 6.3 x 3.5 cm and dull green. Adult leaves are alternating,
petiolate, lanceolate, to 10 x 2 cm, green, dull or slightly glossy, side veins very numerous.
Inflorescences are unbranched, 11-flowered, and 1Ð2 cm long. Stamens are inflexed, all fertile,
and cream. The style is twisted near the base. The fruit is very shortly pedicellate and
hemispherical, usually with four slightly exserted valves. The seed is dark grey with longitudinal
grooves (Grayling & Brooker 1992).
cadda road mallee |
Eucalyptus x balanites
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Eucalyptus x balanites
Threats The major threats to the Cadda Road Mallee are droughts (driven by climate change); inappropriate disturbance regimes; habitat destruction; disease; herbivory; competition with weeds and the genetic consequences of small subpopulations (Table 1).
Table 1 Threats impacting Cadda Road Mallee Threat Status and severity a Evidence Climate Change Increased frequency and Timing current future Climate projections for south severity of bushfire Confidence known western Australia include reduced rainfall; increased average Consequence major temperatures; and more frequent Trend increasing bushfires (CSIRO Bureau of Extent across the entire range Meteorology 2015).
Increased frequency and Timing current future Climate projections for south severity of drought Confidence known western Australia include reduced rainfall; increased average Consequence unknown temperatures; and more frequent Trend increasing droughts (CSIRO Bureau of Extent across the entire range Meteorology 2015).
Such changes in climate may cause widespread plant mortality; as many plants are vulnerable to drought stress and hydraulic failure (Allen et al. 2010 Choat et al. 2012).
Fire ecology Field observations indicate that plants are sensitive to high fire intensity; but may tolerate less intense fires (DEC 2004).
The species is threatened by several fire related threats; including high frequency fire; fire drought interactions; fire promoted weed invasion and possibly fire disease interactions.
Furthermore; Cadda Road Mallee may be subject to threat from fire drought interactions because resprouting stems are vulnerable to embolization and drastically lowered xylem hydraulic conductivity during post fire drought; increasing individual mortality risk (Pratt et al. 2014).
Inappropriate fire regime High frequency and severity Timing current While the Cadda Road Mallee is of fuel reduction burning Confidence inferred capable of tolerating occasional fires; the species is likely sensitive to very Consequence major frequent fires (Noble 2001).
Habitat destruction Roadside maintenance Timing current The Cadda Road Mallee occurs near activities Confidence inferred roadsides and may be threatened by accidental damage resulting from Consequence major road maintenance or related Trend unknown activities (e.g. fire break Extent across part of its range construction).
The species is threatened by several fire related threats; including high frequency fire; fire drought interactions; fire promoted weed invasion and possibly fire disease interactions.
Furthermore; Cadda Road Mallee may be subject to threat from fire drought interactions because resprouting stems are vulnerable to embolization and drastically lowered xylem hydraulic conductivity during post fire drought; increasing individual mortality risk (Pratt et al. 2014).
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