Three-veined laurel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Three-veined laurel
Fruit and leaves, Lord Howe Island
Scientific classification
Genus:	Cryptocarya
Species:	triplinervis

The Three-veined Laurel (scientific name: Cryptocarya triplinervis) is a special type of tree found in the rainforests of eastern Australia. People also call it the Three-veined Cryptocarya or the Brown Laurel. On Lord Howe Island, it's known as Blackbutt.

This tree grows in different places. One type, called Cryptocarya triplinervis var. triplinervis, likes to grow in rainforests near the coast, often in sandy soil. Another type, var. pubens, prefers higher places near streams, where the soil might be from volcanoes or rivers. You can find these trees all along the eastern coast of Australia, from Smoky Cape in New South Wales up to the Daintree River in tropical Queensland.

What Does It Look Like?

The Three-veined Laurel is usually a small tree. It can grow up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) tall. Its trunk can be as wide as 60 centimeters (about 2 feet). The bark is mostly smooth and grey-brown, with some vertical bumps.

Leaves

The leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the branches. They are small and wide, with a pointed tip. The top side of the leaf is a shiny dark green, while the underside is paler and a bit hairy. You can easily see three main veins on the leaf. The middle vein looks sunken on the top side and raised on the bottom. Other smaller veins are also easy to spot on the underside. Each leaf is about 6 to 10 centimeters (2.4 to 4 inches) long, and its stalk is about 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long.

Flowers and Fruit

From September to December, the tree produces small, pale green flowers. These flowers have a nice smell and grow in clusters called panicles. After the flowers, the fruit starts to ripen between February and May. The fruit is a black, round "drupe" (a fleshy fruit with a hard stone inside, like a cherry). It's about 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) across and has a single large seed inside. The fruit often has small ridges running along its length.

Life Cycle and Growing

To help the seeds grow, it's a good idea to remove the outer fleshy part of the fruit. About 80% of the seeds will sprout, but it can take a while – usually three to six months. Once a plant starts growing, it generally takes about five years for it to produce its own fruit.

Tree Family and Types

The Three-veined Laurel was officially described by a botanist named Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) in 1810. Scientists recognize three slightly different types, or "varieties," of this tree:

• C. triplinervis var. pubens
• C. triplinervis var. riparia
• C. triplinervis var. triplinervis

Images for kids

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  Fruit

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  Foliage

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  Leaf detail