Melicope fellii facts for kids

Melicope fellii is a special kind of tree found only in Queensland, Australia. It belongs to the same plant family as citrus fruits, called Rutaceae. This tree is easy to spot because of its unique leaves, which have three parts, and its pretty pink flowers.

What Does This Tree Look Like?

Melicope fellii is a tree that usually grows to be about 10 to 28 meters tall. That's like a building with 3 to 9 floors!

Its leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. Each leaf has three smaller leaflets, which is why it's called "trifoliate" (meaning "three-leaved"). The main stem of the leaf, called a petiole, is about 2.5 to 6.5 centimeters long.

The small leaflets are shaped like an egg or an oval. They are about 6.5 to 13.5 centimeters long and 3.5 to 5.5 centimeters wide.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of Melicope fellii are pink and grow in small clusters called "panicles." These clusters are found where the leaves meet the stem. The panicles are about 2 to 3.5 centimeters long.

Each flower has both male and female parts, which means it is "bisexual." The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are about 1.5 millimeters long and joined at their base. The pink petals are about 3.5 millimeters long. Each flower also has four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.

This tree has been seen flowering in July. After the flowers, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is made up of four small pods, called "follicles," that are joined at their base. Each follicle is about 8 to 10 millimeters long.

How It Got Its Name

The tree Melicope fellii was officially described in 2001 by a scientist named Thomas Gordon Hartley. He wrote about it in a science journal called Allertonia. The first samples of the tree were collected in 1997 by Paul Irwin Forster and his team.

The second part of the tree's name, fellii, was chosen to honor David G. Fell. He helped collect samples of this tree during a study of rainforests.

Where Does It Live?

This melicope tree grows in rainforests on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. It likes to grow at altitudes between 240 and 320 meters above sea level. So far, scientists have only found this tree in two specific locations.

Is It Endangered?

The Queensland Government has a special law called the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Under this law, Melicope fellii is classified as being of "least concern." This means that, for now, there are enough of these trees, and they are not considered to be at risk of disappearing.