Harpullia leichhardtii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harpullia leichhardtii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Harpullia
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| Species: |
leichhardtii
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| Where Harpullia leichhardtii grows in Australia | |
Harpullia leichhardtii is a special tree that grows in the Northern Territory of Australia. It belongs to the Sapindaceae family, which also includes plants like lychees and maples! This tree is only found in this part of Australia, making it quite unique.
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What Does Harpullia leichhardtii Look Like?
This tree can grow quite tall, reaching up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) high. Imagine a two-story building! Its new shoots and flower stalks are covered with short, soft hairs. But the rest of the tree is smooth and hairless.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are compound, meaning they have several smaller leaflets. The main stem of the leaf, called the rachis, is 5 to 17.5 centimeters long. Each leaf has four to eight leaflets. These leaflets are shaped like an oval or ellipse. They have smooth edges and measure 5.5 to 18 cm long and 2.5 to 8 cm wide.
The flowers grow in clusters up to 11 cm long. These clusters grow from the leaf axils. An axil is the spot where a leaf joins the stem. Each flower has a stalk that is 6 to 10 millimeters long.
Petals and Seeds
The sepals are small, leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. They are oval-shaped and 6 to 7 mm long. They are covered with thick, tangled hairs. The petals are about 7.5 mm long. Each flower has five stamens, which are the parts that make pollen.
The part of the flower that becomes the fruit, called the ovary, feels like velvet. It has a short style, which is part of the female reproductive organ. Inside the fruit, each section holds one seed. The seed is almost completely covered by a fleshy coating called an aril.
How is it Different from Other Trees?
The leaves of Harpullia leichhardtii look very similar to another tree, Harpullia pendula. However, you can tell them apart by looking at their fruit. In H. leichhardtii, the sepals stay on the fruit even after it ripens. Also, its seeds have very well-developed arils.
How Was Harpullia leichhardtii Named?
Scientists give every plant and animal a unique two-part name. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which species they are talking about. This system is called taxonomy.
The First Description
The tree Harpullia leichhardtii was first officially described in 1863. This was done by a famous botanist named George Bentham. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants.
Bentham studied a plant sample collected at Port Essington. This area is near what is now Darwin in the Northern Territory. The sample was collected by a brave explorer named Ludwig Leichhardt. The second part of the tree's name, leichhardtii, honors him.
Where are the Original Samples?
When a new species is described, scientists keep special plant samples. These are called "type specimens." They act like a reference for that species.
One original sample, called an isotype (M-0225480), is kept at the Munich Herbarium in Germany. Another important sample, called a holotype (MEL-71610), is at the National Herbarium of Victoria in Australia. Both of these samples were collected by Ludwig Leichhardt at "Entrance Island" in Port Essington.
