Lepidopetalum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lepidopetalum |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Subfamily: | Sapindoideae |
| Genus: | Lepidopetalum Blume |
| Type species | |
| Lepidopetalum perrottetii (Cambess.) Blume
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| Species | |
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See text |
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Lepidopetalum is a group of six different tree species. These trees belong to the plant family called Sapindaceae, which also includes plants like maple trees and lychees.
You can find Lepidopetalum trees growing naturally in several places around the world. They are found in New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and Bougainville. They also grow in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on the island of Sumatra, and in the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia.
Contents
What do Lepidopetalum Trees Look Like?
Lepidopetalum trees are usually medium-sized trees. Sometimes, they can stay smaller, like large shrubs. Their bark is often greyish-brown.
Leaves and Branches
The branches of these trees are usually smooth. Young branches might have tiny hairs. The leaves grow in a special way, with many small leaflets on each leaf stem. These leaflets are arranged in pairs. They do not have stipules, which are small leaf-like parts found at the base of some leaves.
The leaflets change shape as they grow along the leaf stem. They start out more oval-shaped near the base and become wider towards the tip. The edges of the leaflets are smooth. If you look closely at the underside of the leaves, you might see tiny tufts of hair or raised veins.
Flowers and Fruits
Lepidopetalum trees have small flowers that are usually yellow, cream, or white. These flowers often grow in clusters directly from the branches or where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has five sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. The petals are very tiny.
Inside the flower, there are usually 8 to 10 stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. The ovary of the flower has two sections.
After the flowers, the trees produce fruits. These fruits are shaped like an upside-down egg and are bright red when ripe. They are capsules, meaning they split open to release their seeds. Each fruit usually contains only one seed. The seeds are black and shaped like an ellipse. They are partly covered by a bright orange, fleshy part called an aril.
Types of Lepidopetalum Species
There are six known species of Lepidopetalum trees. Here are some of them and where they are found:
- Lepidopetalum fructoglabrum – Found in New Guinea.
- Lepidopetalum micans – Also found in New Guinea.
- Lepidopetalum montanum – Grows in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Sumatra.
- Lepidopetalum perrottetii – Found in the Philippines.
- Lepidopetalum subdichotomum – Grows in the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland.
- Lepidopetalum xylocarpum – Found in New Guinea.
Scientists sometimes have different ideas about which species grows where, especially in places like the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. This is because studying plants and giving them the correct scientific names can be very tricky!
See also
In Spanish: Lepidopetalum para niños
