Corkwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corkwood |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leitneria
|
| Species: |
floridana
|
Leitneria floridana, also known as corkwood, is a special type of shrub or small tree. It is the only species in its group, called the Leitneria genus. This plant loses its leaves every year (it's deciduous). It also has separate male and female plants (it's dioecious).
You can find corkwood only in certain parts of the southern United States. These states include Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and Texas.
Corkwood likes to grow in wet places, especially near coastlines. Its wood is incredibly light, even lighter than cork! This plant usually grows to be about 2 to 4 meters (6.5 to 13 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can reach up to 8 meters (26 feet). Its trunk can be about 10 centimeters (4 inches) wide. The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are simple, shaped like a spear (lanceolate), and measure about 5 to 20 centimeters (2 to 8 inches) long and 3 to 6 centimeters (1 to 2.5 inches) wide.
Scientists used to think that corkwood belonged to its own plant family. But new genetic studies have shown that it is actually part of the Simaroubaceae family. This family is in a larger group called the Sapindales. The plant was named after a German scientist, Edward Frederick Leitner.
Fossil Discoveries
Scientists have found very old parts of Leitneria plants as fossils. For example, a fossil seed part was found in Italy. This shows that a type of Leitneria plant lived in Italy a very long time ago, during the Early Pleistocene period. Other Leitneria fossils have also been found in Italy from the Early Pliocene and Late Pliocene times. This tells us that Leitneria was a rare plant in Italy during the later Cenozoic Era.
See also
In Spanish: Leitneria para niños
