Powder-puff tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Powder-puff tree |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
(unranked): | |
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Order: | |
Family: |
Lecythidaceae
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Genus: |
Barringtonia
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Species: |
B. racemosa
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Binomial name | |
Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng.
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Synonyms | |
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The Barringtonia racemosa is a beautiful tree often called the powder-puff tree. It gets this name from its unique, fluffy flowers. In some places, it's known as pooeierkwasboom (Afrikaans), Iboqo (Zulu), or Putat (Malay). This tree belongs to the Lecythidaceae family.
Contents
About the Powder-Puff Tree
The powder-puff tree grows in warm, coastal areas. You can find it in swampy forests and along the edges of estuaries, which are places where rivers meet the sea.
Where the Tree Grows
This amazing tree is found across a huge part of the world! Its home range starts on the east coast of Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. From there, it spreads to Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Maldives, Thailand, Laos, southern China, northern Australia, coastal Taiwan, the Ryūkyū Islands, and many Polynesian islands.
Traditional Uses
In 1889, a book called 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia’ mentioned this tree. It recorded that the Indigenous people of the Mitchell River District in Australia called it "Yakooro". They used parts of the tree, like its root, in traditional practices.
A Protected Species
The powder-puff tree is very important in some areas. In South Africa, it is considered a protected tree. This means there are special rules to help keep these trees safe and healthy.