Eidothea zoexylocarya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eidothea zoexylocarya |
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| Eidothea zoexylocarya leaves, Atherton CSIRO | |
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Eidothea
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| Species: |
zoexylocarya
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The Eidothea zoexylocarya is a type of tall rainforest tree. It is found only in north-eastern Queensland, Australia. This tree belongs to the plant family called Proteaceae.
Scientists in Australia only recently discovered and named these trees. They were first found on the slopes of Mount Bartle Frere. This is the highest mountain in Queensland. In 1995, scientists Andrew W. Douglas and Bernie Hyland officially described this tree. They gave it its scientific name. The name zoexylocarya is special. It refers to a very similar fossil fruit called Xylocaryon lockii. This fossil was found in Ballarat, southern Australia. The word zoe means "life." It shows that this ancient plant still lives on in the Eidothea zoexylocarya tree today.
Because it is rare and found in only a few places, the Eidothea zoexylocarya is listed as a "vulnerable" plant. This means it needs protection. The Queensland government officially listed it as vulnerable in 2013. This listing is under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
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What Does Eidothea zoexylocarya Look Like?
These trees can grow very tall, up to 40 meters (about 130 feet) high. They usually have one main trunk. This trunk can be up to 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) wide. Unlike some other trees, they do not have small shoots growing from their base. Their bark is a grey color, like ash. It has pale spots called lenticels.
Leaves and Their Special Pores
The leaves of the Eidothea zoexylocarya are mostly smooth. They are simple, meaning they are not divided into smaller leaflets. They grow opposite each other or in groups of 3 to 8. The leaves are about 4.5 to 14.5 cm (1.8 to 5.7 inches) long. They are also about 1.5 to 5.5 cm (0.6 to 2.2 inches) wide.
This tree is unique among Proteaceae plants. Its leaves have tiny, giant pores on their surface. These pores are very small, about 1 micrometer wide. There are many of them, about 120,000 per square millimeter. Scientists think these pores might help the tree absorb more water from mist. This could be very helpful after a dry period.
Flowers and Fruits
The Eidothea zoexylocarya flowers from September to May. Its flowers grow in small groups. These groups are found where leaves meet the stem or at the end of branches. Each cluster has 6 to 10 flowers. The flowers are white or cream colored. They are about 8 to 9 millimeters (0.3 to 0.35 inches) long. They smell nice and are pollinated by insects.
The fruits are round or oval-shaped. They change color from green to yellowish or brown. They are about 2.1 to 6.0 cm (0.8 to 2.4 inches) long. They are also about 1.8 to 6.5 cm (0.7 to 2.6 inches) wide. The fruits ripen from August to May. Inside each fruit is a hard, woody seed. This seed has several ridges on its surface.
Giant white-tailed rats enjoy eating these seeds. They eat them both while they are still on the tree and after they fall to the ground. The empty, woody shells of the fruits often stay around the base of the parent tree. They break down very slowly over time.
Where Does Eidothea zoexylocarya Live?
These trees grow naturally in rainforests. They are found in north-eastern Queensland. Their range stretches from Mount Bartle Frere to Thornton Peak and Mount Pieter Botte. This includes areas near the headwaters of the Mulgrave River, Russell River, and Bloomfield River.
They prefer to grow in soils that come from metamorphic or granitic rocks. They live in different types of vine forests. These forests are found at altitudes from 430 to 1480 meters (about 1,410 to 4,850 feet). Many of these trees are found within protected conservation areas.
Fruit picture
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Xylocaryon lockii fossil nuts figured by Ferdinand von Mueller (1883)
