Onionwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Onionwood |
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| Syzygium alliiligneum near Mission Beach, Queensland | |
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| Genus: |
Syzygium
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| Species: |
alliiligneum
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The Syzygium alliiligneum is a special type of plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family. You might know it by its other fun names like Mission Beach satinash, onionwood, puddenwood, bark in the wood, roly poly, or watergum. It's a really interesting tree found in Australia!
Contents
What Does the Mission Beach Satinash Look Like?
This tree is a very tall rainforest tree, growing up to about 30 meters (almost 100 feet) high. It has grey bark, and its flowers are a creamy color. When it produces fruit, you'll see lots of small, red, round fruits that are about 40 by 35 millimeters (about 1.5 by 1.4 inches) in size.
The name Syzygium alliiligneum comes from Latin. Allium means "garlic", and lignum means "wood". This is because if you cut into the wood, you'll see rings of bark inside that look a bit like the layers of an onion!
Where Does the Satinash Live?
This tree is found only in a special part of Australia called North East Queensland. It grows between two places called Cape Tribulation and Tully. You can find it in lowland rainforests up to 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) above sea level. This means it likes warm, wet places close to the coast.
Who Eats the Satinash Fruit?
The bright red fruits of the Mission Beach satinash are an important food source in the rainforest. When the fruits fall to the ground, they are a favorite snack for the southern cassowary. Cassowaries are large, colorful birds that help spread the seeds of these trees. Good news for humans too: these fruits are also safe for people to eat!
Images for kids
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Fruit on the forest floor
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Fruit soaking at nursery
