Bollygum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bollygum |
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| Litsea reticulata bark at Coorabakh National Park, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Litsea
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| Species: |
reticulata
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| Synonyms | |
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Tetranthera reticulata, Meisn. |
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Litsea reticulata is a common Australian tree. It is often called bollygum, bolly wood, or brown beech. This tree grows in rainforests, from near Milton, New South Wales up to the Bunya Mountains in Queensland. It prefers most types of rainforests, but not the very dry ones.
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About the Bollygum Tree
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps everyone know exactly which plant or animal they are talking about. Litsea reticulata was first named Tetranthera reticulata by a scientist named Meisner in 1864. Later, in 1882, another scientist named von Mueller gave it its current name, Litsea reticulata. Besides bollygum, people also call it bolly beech, brown beech, or brown bollygum.
What the Bollygum Looks Like
The bollygum tree can grow to be quite large. It can reach up to 40 metres tall, which is like a 10-story building! Its trunk can be as wide as 150 cm across.
The bark of the bollygum tree is grey and brown. It looks scaly and has many small dents. These dents are left behind when round pieces of bark, called "bollies," fall off. The new bark underneath is lighter, making the trunk look patchy. The base of the tree might also have slight bumps or ridges.
Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit
The leaves of the bollygum tree are not toothed (smooth edges). They are usually 5 to 10 cm long and can be blunt or slightly pointed. If you look at the underside of the leaves, you can see many veins. The stalks that hold the leaves are about 5 to 12 mm long.
Bollygum trees have separate male and female flowers, meaning you need both a male and a female tree for fruit to grow. The flowers are cream or green, sometimes with a hint of pink. They usually bloom from May to July.
The fruit of the bollygum tree ripens between November and April. It is a purple-black fruit, about 14 mm long, and looks like a small plum (a type of fruit called a drupe). It sits in a green, cup-shaped holder and has one seed inside, about 11 mm long.
If you want to grow a bollygum from seed, it can take some time for the seeds to sprout. However, sometimes about 60% of the seeds can sprout within a month. It's important to remove the fleshy part of the fruit before planting the seeds. Many rainforest birds love to eat these fruits, including the wompoo fruit dove, catbird, topknot pigeon, and white-headed pigeon.
Gallery
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Litsea reticulata growing near the Hacking River, Australia
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Litsea reticulata seedlings
See also
In Spanish: Litsea reticulata para niños
