Smooth facts for kids
Helicia glabriflora is a special type of shrub or small tree found in the rainforests of eastern Australia. People often call it the smooth helicia or pale helicia. It's also known as pale oak, leather oak, or brown oak because of its tough leaves. This plant is unique because it grows further south than any other Helicia species in the world.
Quick facts for kids Smooth |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Helicia
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| Species: |
glabriflora
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About the Smooth Helicia
The smooth helicia can grow quite tall, reaching up to 15 meters (about 49 feet). Its main stem, or trunk, can be as wide as 30 centimeters (about 12 inches). The trunk is usually grey or brown and feels fairly smooth. You might notice some small bumps and horizontal lines on it.
Where It Grows
This plant naturally grows in many different kinds of rainforests. You can find it from the Illawarra region in New South Wales all the way up to the Townsville area in Queensland. This wide range means it can handle different environments.
The smooth helicia grows the furthest south of all the Helicia species. It has been seen in places like the Minnamurra Rainforest and near Robertson in New South Wales. In these areas, it often grows on rich, fertile soils that are good for plants.
What It Looks Like
The leaves of the smooth helicia feel a bit like leather. They are usually between 5 to 15 centimeters (about 2 to 6 inches) long. They are also about 1.5 to 4 centimeters (about 0.6 to 1.6 inches) wide.
The small stems that connect the leaves to the branch are called petioles. These are usually 1 to 3 millimeters long. They are often a bit swollen at the bottom.
Flowers and Fruit
The smooth helicia produces beautiful yellow or white flowers. These flowers bloom from April to September. They grow in groups that look a bit like a bottle brush.
After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a purple-blue color and is a type of drupe. It is about 16 millimeters (about 0.6 inches) long. The fruit ripens between April and November. Inside each fruit, there is a single green seed.
Both the flowers and the fruit have a special look. This look is typical of plants in the Proteaceae family. This family includes many well-known Australian plants like banksias and grevilleas.
Life Cycle
The seeds of the smooth helicia can take a while to sprout. They usually start to grow after about three months. However, once they do, they have a very good success rate, with about 90% of the seeds growing into new plants.
