Fontainea australis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fontainea australis |
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| Genus: |
Fontainea
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| Species: |
australis
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The Fontainea australis, also known as the southern fontainea, is a very rare plant found in the rainforests of eastern Australia. This special plant grows in warm, wet rainforest areas that are close to the coast. It prefers rich, volcanic soil. You can find it in a small area from the Wilsons River (New South Wales) in New South Wales up to the Tallebudgera Valley in south-eastern Queensland.
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What Does Southern Fontainea Look Like?
The southern fontainea is usually a large shrub or a small tree. It can grow up to 5 metres (about 16 feet) tall. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the stem. This means they don't grow directly opposite each other.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves are typically 6 to 9 centimetres (about 2.4 to 3.5 inches) long. They are also 2 to 3.5 centimetres (about 0.8 to 1.4 inches) wide. Their shape is like an upside-down egg or an oval. They have a long, pointed tip and a narrow, wedge-shaped base. The leaf stalks, which connect the leaf to the stem, are 5 to 21 millimetres long. They are a bit swollen at both ends and have a slight groove.
Flowers and Fruit
Small white flowers appear on the plant from December to January. These flowers grow in clusters called panicles. After the flowers, the plant produces fruit in July. The fruit is a red, fleshy capsule shaped like an egg. It is about 2.3 centimetres (about 0.9 inches) across.
Where Does Southern Fontainea Grow?
This plant is very rare and only grows in specific places. It likes subtropical rainforests. These are forests that are warm all year round and get a lot of rain. The southern fontainea prefers to grow at low altitudes, meaning not very high up in the mountains. It especially likes basaltic alluvial soils, which are rich soils formed from volcanic rock and river deposits.
