Union nut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Union nut |
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| Near Mount Mellum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Bouchardatia
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| Species: |
neurococca
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| Synonyms | |
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The union nut (scientific name: Bouchardatia neurococca) is a small tree. It is found only in the rainforests of eastern Australia. This tree has special leaves that look like feathers. Each leaf has three or five long, thin leaflets. Its flowers are white and grow in clusters. The fruits are oval-shaped pods.
What Does the Union Nut Look Like?
The union nut tree usually grows up to 8 m (26 ft) tall. It has smooth bark that can be greyish brown or dark brown.
Its leaves grow in pairs, one opposite the other. Each leaf is "pinnate," meaning it has smaller leaflets arranged along a central stem. There are usually three or five leaflets on each leaf. These leaflets are narrow and shaped like an ellipse or a spear.
A whole leaf can be 100–200 mm (3.9–7.9 in) long. The stem that holds the leaf, called a petiole, is 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) long. Each small leaflet is 55–130 mm (2.2–5.1 in) long and 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) wide. The top side of the leaves is shiny dark green. The bottom side is yellowish green. You might also see tiny, hairy bumps called domatia on the leaves.
The flowers grow in groups called "panicles." These panicles are 50–100 mm (2.0–3.9 in) long. They appear at the ends of branches or where leaves meet the stem. Each flower has four small green parts called sepals, which are 0.8–1.5 mm (0.031–0.059 in) long. It also has four white petals, about 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long. Inside the flower are eight stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. They are different lengths.
After the flowers, the tree produces fruits. These fruits are oval-shaped pods called follicles. They are about 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long.
How Did the Union Nut Get Its Name?
The union nut was first officially described in 1858. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Euodia neurococca. He wrote about it in a publication called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.
Later, in 1870, another scientist named Henri Ernest Baillon changed its name. He renamed it Bouchardatia neurococca in a journal called Adansonia. This is the scientific name it still has today.
Where Does the Union Nut Grow?
The union nut lives in subtropical and dry rainforests. It can be found from areas near the sea up to 730 m (2,400 ft) high.
You can find this tree in central-eastern Queensland, near a place called Mackay. It also grows south into north-eastern New South Wales, as far as the Richmond River.
