Small-leaved doughwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small-leaved doughwood |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Melicope
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| Species: |
hayesii
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The Melicope hayesii, also known as small-leaved doughwood, is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Rutaceae plant family, which includes citrus fruits. This plant is found only in eastern Australia, meaning it is endemic there. It has leaves made of three leaflets, and small white flowers that grow in clusters near the leaf stems.
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What Does Small-Leaved Doughwood Look Like?
The small-leaved doughwood is usually a shrub or a thin tree. It can grow up to about 18 meters (almost 60 feet) tall. Its leaves are special because each leaf has three smaller leaflets. These leaves grow in pairs opposite each other on a stem called a petiole, which can be 15 to 60 millimeters long.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaflets are shaped like an egg or an oval. They are usually 32 to 95 millimeters long and 12 to 40 millimeters wide. The plant's small white flowers grow in clusters called panicles. These clusters are 25 to 60 millimeters long and appear where the leaves meet the stem.
The flowers have small, round parts called sepals, which are about 1 millimeter long and joined at their base. The white petals are 3 to 3.5 millimeters long. Each flower has four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
When Does It Flower and Fruit?
Small-leaved doughwood flowers from October to January. After flowering, it produces fruit. The fruit is made of up to four small pods, called follicles, which are about 5 millimeters long and joined at the base. Inside these pods, you will find shiny black seeds.
Where Does Small-Leaved Doughwood Grow?
This plant grows in or near the edges of rainforests. It can be found at different heights, from 140 meters to 900 meters above sea level. You can find the small-leaved doughwood in an area stretching from the McPherson Range in south-east Queensland down to the Hastings River in north-eastern New South Wales.
How Was This Plant Named?
The small-leaved doughwood was officially described in 1990 by a scientist named Thomas Gordon Hartley. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Telopea. The plants he studied were collected near Purling Brook Falls in Springbrook, Queensland. The second part of its scientific name, hayesii, was chosen to honor Harold C. Hayes. He was a botanist who worked for the Forestry Commission.
