Five-leaf bosistoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Five-leaf bosistoa |
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| In Coffs Harbour Botanic Garden | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Bosistoa
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| Species: |
floydii
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The Bosistoa floydii, often called the five-leaf bosistoa or five-leaved bonewood, is a special kind of small rainforest tree. It grows only in a specific area of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. This means it is endemic to that region. The tree has leaves that look like feathers, usually with five oval-shaped parts called leaflets. It also produces tiny, creamy white flowers.
What the Five-leaf Bosistoa Looks Like
The Five-leaf Bosistoa grows as a small tree. It can reach a height of about 15 to 20 meters (around 50 to 65 feet). It has a wide, spreading top, like a crown. The bottom of its trunk is often wide and strong, like a support. This wide base can be up to 75 centimeters (about 30 inches) across. The bark of the tree is grey.
Its leaves grow in pairs on thick green or light brown branches. Each leaf is long, measuring about 110 to 280 millimeters (4 to 11 inches). They grow on a stalk about 20 to 50 millimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) long. Most leaves have five shiny, oval-shaped leaflets, but some might have three to seven. Each leaflet is about 65 to 160 millimeters (2.5 to 6 inches) long and 15 to 35 millimeters (0.6 to 1.4 inches) wide. They have their own small stalks, about 5 to 25 millimeters (0.2 to 1 inch) long.
You can see tiny oil glands on the leaflets. The tip of each leaflet is pointed. In October and November, the tree produces tiny flowers. These flowers grow in clusters called panicles, which can be up to 200 millimeters (8 inches) long. Each flower has five small, hairy green parts called sepals, about 1 millimeter long. It also has five oval-shaped, white or creamy white petals, about 4 to 5 millimeters long. After the flowers, the tree grows small, bumpy, woody, yellow-brown fruits. Usually, there is one fruit, but sometimes two. These fruits become ripe in February.
Naming and Classification (Taxonomy)
The scientific name Bosistoa floydii was first given to this tree in 1977. This was done by a scientist named Thomas Gordon Hartley. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Journal of the Arnold Arboretum.
The first part of the name, Bosistoa, honors Joseph Bosisto. He was a person who made essential oils. The second part of the name, floydii, honors a well-known Australian botanist named Alexander Floyd. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants.
Where the Five-leaf Bosistoa Lives
The Five-leaf Bosistoa is found only in a specific type of forest. This is the subtropical rainforest in the Bellinger and Orara River areas. These areas are located in north-eastern New South Wales. The tree prefers to grow in rich, fertile soils. These soils are often made from basalt rock or are alluvial soils, which means they are deposited by rivers.
