Hairybark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hairybark |
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| Austrobuxus swainii, trunk | |
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| Genus: |
Austrobuxus
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| Species: |
swainii
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Austrobuxus swainii is a rare rainforest tree. It belongs to the Picrodendraceae family. This tree is special because it is found only in certain parts of Australia. You can find it in north-east New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. It grows from the Bellinger River in the south up to Tallebudgera Creek in the north. People often call this tree the pink cherry or hairybark. It likes to grow in areas with lots of rain and less fertile soils. It's often found near another tree called the Coachwood. The Hairybark is listed as a threatened species, which means it needs protection.
Meet the Hairybark Tree
The Hairybark tree can grow quite tall. It can reach up to 40 metres high. Its trunk can be one metre wide. The trunk is not perfectly round. It might have flanges or be a bit irregular. The base of the trunk often has buttress roots for support.
The bark of the Hairybark tree is scaly. It can be grey or brown. The bark peels off in uneven patches. This leaves small dips on the trunk. The smaller branches are thin. They are usually grey or fawn. These branches have many pale spots called lenticels. Lenticels are like tiny pores. They help the tree breathe.
The leaves are about 7 to 14 centimetres long. They are 2 to 4 centimetres wide. They have a lanceolate shape, which means they are shaped like a spearhead. The leaves grow opposite each other on the stem. Each leaf has about 40 small teeth along its edges. The leaf stalks are up to 10 millimetres long. Sometimes, you can see old red leaves still on the tree.
Life Cycle: Flowers and Fruit
The Hairybark tree produces yellow or green flowers. These flowers grow in clusters called panicles. A panicle is a branched group of flowers. They appear from April to June. Each tiny flower has four petals. The panicle is about 25 millimetres long. It grows from where the leaves meet the stem.
The fruit of the Hairybark is a dark brown or black capsule. It is about 13 millimetres long. The fruit has two parts that stick out at the top. When the fruit is ripe, it splits into four sections. Inside, there are two shiny brown seeds. Each seed is about 6 millimetres long. The fruit ripens from February to March. To grow new Hairybark trees, it's best to use fresh seeds or cuttings.
