Eucalyptus phenax

Eucalyptus phenax is a mallee or shrub that typically grows to a height of 3–8 m (9.8–26.2 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth, creamy grey bark that is shed in ribbons. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves that are 40–90 mm (1.6–3.5 in) long and 9–30 mm (0.35–1.18 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped, 50–120 mm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 8–35 mm (0.31–1.38 in) wide on a petiole 7–30 mm (0.28–1.18 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils, usually in groups of seven or nine on an unbranched peduncle 3–18 mm (0.12–0.71 in) long, the individual buds sessile or on pedicels up to 3 mm (0.12 in) long. Mature buds are cylindrical to oval, 7–11 mm (0.28–0.43 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide with a conical to rounded operculum. Flowering occurs between October and May and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, cup-shaped to cylindrical capsule 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) wide.

This eucalypt grows in mallee scrubs and is widely distributed in the southwest of Western Australia, the south-east of South Australia and the north-west of Victoria. It is most common in Western Australia where it occurs from near Bolgart through the southern wheatbelt to Esperance. Subspecies compressa is only known from the eastern side of Kangaroo Island and on the Fleurieu Peninsula.