Bottletree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bottletree |
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| branch with flower and fruits | |
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Sterculiaceae
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Brachychiton
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Brachychiton (say: Brak-ee-KY-ton) is a group of trees and large shrubs. They are often called bottletrees or kurrajongs because some of them have a special bottle-shaped trunk. There are 31 different kinds, or species, of these plants. You can find them growing naturally in Australia and New Guinea.
The name Brachychiton comes from two ancient Greek words. Brachys means "short", and chiton means "tunic". This name describes the loose covering around their seeds.
About Bottletrees
These amazing plants can grow quite tall. They can reach heights of 4 to 30 meters. That's as tall as a four-story building!
Their Flowers and Fruits
All Brachychiton species have special flowers. Each plant has both male and female flowers growing on it. The female flowers have five separate parts called carpels. Each of these carpels can turn into a tough, woody fruit. Inside these fruits, you'll find several seeds.
Ancient History
Scientists have found very old Fossils of Brachychiton plants. These fossils were discovered in New South Wales (Australia) and New Zealand. They are believed to be about 50 million years old! This shows that bottletrees have been around for a very long time.
Images for kids
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B. bidwillii flowers
See also
In Spanish: Brachychiton para niños
