Cossinia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cossinia |
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| Cossinia pinnata foliage | |
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| Cossinia pinnata flowers and developing fruits | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Subfamily: | Dodonaeoideae |
| Genus: | Cossinia Comm. ex Lam. |
| Type species | |
| Cossinia pinnata Lam.
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| Species | |
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See text |
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| Synonyms | |
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Melicopsidium Baill. |
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Cossinia is a group of four kinds of rainforest trees. They are part of the plant family called Sapindaceae. These trees grow in different parts of the world, like the Mascarene Islands, Australia, New Caledonia, and Fiji. This is called a "disjunct distribution."
They naturally live in rainforests. Some of these rainforests can get dry during certain seasons.
One type, Cossinia trifoliata, only grows in New Caledonia. It was listed as "vulnerable" to disappearing from the world in 1998. This was done by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Another type, Cossinia australiana, only grows in certain parts of Queensland, Australia. The governments there say it is "endangered." This means it is at high risk of disappearing. The places where these trees grow have lost a lot of their natural plants. They are still threatened today.
Contents
What is Cossinia?
Cossinia is a genus. A genus is a group of closely related living things. In this case, it's a group of trees. There are four known types, or species, of Cossinia trees. They are all found in rainforests.
Where Do Cossinia Trees Grow?
These special trees have a "disjunct distribution." This means they grow in places that are very far apart. You can find them in:
- The Mascarene Islands (like Réunion and Mauritius)
- Australia
- New Caledonia
- Fiji
They like to live in rainforests. Some of these rainforests can get quite dry at certain times of the year.
Naming and Discovering Cossinia
The Cossinia group of trees was first described in 1786. This was done by a scientist named Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck. He wrote about them in a book called Encyclopédie Méthodique: Botanique.
In his book, Lamarck described two species: Cossinia pinnata and C. triphylla. These names were first given by Philibert Commerson.
New Discoveries and Updates
Later, in 1982, an Australian botanist named Sally T. Reynolds studied Cossinia trees. She officially described a new species called Cossinia australiana.
She also found that C. triphylla was actually the same as C. pinnata. So, C. triphylla became known as a synonym for C. pinnata. This means they are the same plant, just with different names used in the past. Sally T. Reynolds also updated the way scientists identify these species.
Types of Cossinia Trees
There are four types of Cossinia trees that scientists agree on today:
- Cossinia australiana S.T.Reynolds – This tree only grows in central-eastern to southeastern Queensland, Australia.
- Cossinia pacifica A.C.Sm. – This tree only grows in Fiji.
- Cossinia pinnata Comm. ex Lam., also known as C. triphylla Comm. ex Lam. – This tree only grows on the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands (Indian Ocean).
- Cossinia trifoliata (Baill.) Radlk., also known as Melicopsidium trifoliatum Baill. – This tree only grows in New Caledonia.
Protecting Cossinia Trees
Some Cossinia trees are in danger.
- Cossinia trifoliata from New Caledonia is considered "vulnerable." This means it could become endangered if its situation does not improve.
- Cossinia australiana from Australia is listed as "endangered." This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. The places where these trees grow have been greatly changed by humans. This makes it harder for the trees to survive.
Protecting these unique trees helps keep our planet's plant life diverse and healthy.
