Durian hutan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Durian hutan |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Durio
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| Species: |
crassipes
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Durio crassipes, also known as durian hutan, is a special kind of flowering plant in the mallow family. It's found only in one place: the island of Borneo. This means it's endemic to Borneo, which is like saying it's a native resident that doesn't live anywhere else naturally.
What Does It Look Like?
This amazing tree can grow super tall, up to 60 meters! That's like a 20-story building. Its trunk can be very wide at the bottom, with big buttress roots that help it stand strong. These roots can spread out up to 20 meters.
Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit
The leaves of the durian hutan are shaped like an oval. They are about 7 to 11 centimeters long and 2.5 to 3 centimeters wide. The top side of the leaves feels smooth. But if you look underneath, you'll see they are covered with tiny brown scales and hairs.
The tree's inflorescences (which are clusters of flowers) grow along its branches. Each cluster has 10 or more flowers. These flowers are a pretty pink to red color.
The fruits are quite interesting! They are about 7 to 10 centimeters long and 5.5 to 7 centimeters wide. What makes them stand out are the bright red spines covering them. These spines can be up to 5 centimeters long. Inside the fruit, you'll find black seeds, about 3 centimeters long. Each seed is wrapped in a creamy yellow, edible part called an aril. This aril is the yummy part that people and animals love to eat!
Where Does It Grow?
The Durio crassipes tree is only found in two parts of Borneo: Sabah and Sarawak. These areas are located in the country of Malaysia. You can find these trees growing in what's called a mixed hill forest. They usually live at a height of about 500 to 700 meters above sea level.
How Is It Used?
The fruits of the durian hutan are a favorite snack for many animals in the forest. When the fruits ripen, they open up while still on the branches. Animals like squirrels and hornbills then come to eat the delicious contents.
Because the fruits open high up in the trees, humans who want to enjoy them have to climb the wild trees to get them. It's a bit of an adventure to collect these special fruits!
