Ferny-leaf bosistoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ferny-leaf bosistoa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Bosistoa
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| Species: |
pentacocca
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The Ferny-leaf Bosistoa (scientific name: Bosistoa pentacocca) is a special tree found only in eastern Australia. People also call it the native almond or union nut. This tree has unique leaves that look a bit like feathers. Its small flowers grow in clusters near the leaves or at the end of branches. You can often find this tree growing near streams in rainforests.
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About the Ferny-leaf Bosistoa
The Ferny-leaf Bosistoa is a tree that can grow quite tall, reaching about 18 meters (which is like a six-story building!). It has interesting bark that is grey, blotchy, and scaly. When new parts of the tree grow, they often have a pretty pinkish-red color.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this tree are called pinnate, meaning they have smaller leaflets arranged along a central stem, like a feather. Each leaf can be between 14 to 45 centimeters long. They have a stalk, called a petiole, which is about 3 to 8 centimeters long.
Each leaf has between three and thirteen leaflets. These leaflets are shaped like an oval or a spearhead. They can be from 4.5 to 27 centimeters long and 1.5 to 9 centimeters wide.
The tree produces small flowers that grow in clusters called panicles. These clusters can be quite long, from 5 to 33 centimeters. They appear where the leaves meet the branch, or at the very ends of the branches. The flowers have tiny sepals (leaf-like parts) about 1 millimeter long and petals that are about 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters long.
Flowering and Fruit
You can see the Ferny-leaf Bosistoa flowering from January to February. After flowering, the tree produces a fruit called a follicle. This fruit is about 1.8 to 3 centimeters long and 1.5 to 3 centimeters wide. Inside, it holds a single seed that is about 1 to 2 centimeters long.
How the Tree Got Its Name
The Ferny-leaf Bosistoa was first officially described in 1862 by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He gave it the name Euodia pentacocca. He wrote about it in his book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.
Later, in 1873, another scientist named Henri Ernest Baillon changed its name to Bosistoa pentacocca. This new name is the one we use today.
Different Types of Ferny-leaf Bosistoa
In 2013, a scientist named Paul Irwin Forster discovered that there are two slightly different types, or subspecies, of the Ferny-leaf Bosistoa. These subspecies are now officially recognized:
- Bosistoa pentacocca subsp. connaricarpa: This type usually has leaves with three to five leaflets, and sometimes seven.
- Bosistoa pentacocca subsp. pentacocca: This type has leaves with more leaflets, usually between seven and thirteen.
Where the Tree Grows
The Ferny-leaf Bosistoa loves to grow along streams in rainforests, especially in dry rainforest areas. You can find this tree in eastern Australia, from a town called Bowen in central Queensland all the way down to the Clarence River in north-eastern New South Wales.
The subspecies connaricarpa has a smaller home range. It grows between Dryander and Gympie in Queensland.
