Brachychiton acerifolius
| Brachychiton acerifolius | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Brachychiton |
| Species: | B. acerifolius |
| Binomial name | |
| Brachychiton acerifolius (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) Macarthur & C. Moore | |
Brachychiton acerifolius, commonly known as the Illawarra flame tree, is a large tree of the family Malvaceae native to subtropical regions on the east coast of Australia. It is famous for the bright red bell-shaped flowers that often cover the whole tree when it is leafless. Along with other members of the genus Brachychiton, it is commonly referred to as a Kurrajong.
Naming and etymology
Brachychiton acerifolius was first described in 1855 by W. Macarthur and C. Moore.[1] It is sometimes spelled as Brachychiton acerifolium, under the assumption that the genus name Brachychiton is (Greek) neuter. In fact, Brachychiton is masculine (it is a bahuvrihi, and its first component is the descriptive component), and hence the correct species epithet is acerifolius. The name Brachychiton is derived from the Greek brachys, meaning short, and chiton, a type of tunic, as a reference to the coating on the seed. The specific epithet acerifolius suggests the appearance of the foliage is similar to that of the genus Acer, the maples.
Habit
This tree is tolerant of temperate climates and is now cultivated world-over for its beauty. However, the maximum height of 40 metres (130 ft) is reached only in the original, warmer, habitat. It usually grows to be about 20 metres (66 ft).[2]
Foliage and flowers
Similarly to its kurrajong relatives the leaves are variable, with up to 7 deep lobes. It is deciduous - shedding its leaves after the dry season. The spectacular flowering occurs in late spring and new foliage is ready for the summer rains. In areas where the winter is not particularly dry, this natural rhythm may become somewhat erratic and the tree may flower only partially.[2]
Flowers are scarlet bells with 5 partially fused petals.[2] The pod-like fruits (technically known as follicles) are dark brown, wide, boat-shaped and about 10 cm long. They contain masses of thin bristles that stick in the skin of humans, as well as yellow seeds. These are nutritious and were eaten by Aborigines after toasting.
Gallery
Flower detail.
Flame Tree flowering out of season in mid April 2009, Royal National Park, Australia
Leaves
See also
- Flame tree for other uses of flame tree.
References
- ↑ "Brachychiton acerifolius (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) Macarthur & C.Moore". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
- 1 2 3 "Full beauty of flame tree enjoyed for first time". The Leader. 8 December 2011. p. 8.
Notes
- Holliday, I. A field guide to Australian trees (3rd edition), Reed New Holland, 2002
- The University of Sydney: Our Indigenous garden
External links
Media related to Brachychiton acerifolius at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Brachychiton acerifolius at Wikispecies