 The specific epithet ("polybractea") is from the ancient Greek "poly-" and the Latin "bractea", referring to the many bracts of this species, although many eucalytps have "many bracts" at the base of immature flowers.In 2018, Kevin James Rule described two subspecies, "polybractea" and "suberea" but the names have not been accepted by the Australian Plant Census.Blue-leaved mallee has a wide, but sporadic distribution around West Wyalong in New South Wales and between Stawell and Bendigo in Victoria.