Stands of the curly mallee are located to the east of Fowlers Gap Station in a narrow valley between two quartzite ridges. Curly mallees at Fowlers Gap are associated with Adelaidean dolomites and dolomitic slates of the Poolamacca Group. These rocks are labelled as Palaeozoic Coco Range Beds on the Torrowangee-Fowlers Gap 1:100,000 geological sheet, but we believe that this is incorrect.

Curly mallees are a low-growing multi-trunked small tree withe gnarled lower branches.

Bark: rough up to about 1 m above ground level, then grey and fibrous, becoming smooth and light grey to orange. New branches or stems are often stark white or orange.
Leaves: are whitish to silver, opposite, with consecutive pairs at 90 degrees to the last. Leaves are 4-5 cm long and 15-25 mm wide, are heart-shaped with two large lobes at the base, tending to spearhead-shaped.
Flowers: pale yellow, occurring in groups of 3-9 at the end of a stalk.
Fruit: white buds to 15 mm long and 7 mm wide with a beak, with older fruits being goblet-shaped, 5-8 mm wide and long.
Source: Frank Kutsche and Brendan Lay (2003). Field guide to the plants of outback South Australia. Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, South Australia, ISBN 0 7590 1052 8.
Photos: Ian Roach

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