Buff hazelwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buff hazelwood |
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| Buff hazelwood at Cattai Creek, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Symplocos
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| Species: |
thwaitesii
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The Buff hazelwood (scientific name: Symplocos thwaitesii) is a special rainforest tree. It grows in the eastern parts of Australia. You can often find it in warm, wet rainforests, especially in valleys and gullies. Sometimes, it even grows in slightly cooler places, like Monga National Park.
This tree naturally grows from Orbost in Victoria all the way up the east coast of New South Wales. It reaches as far north as the Atherton Tableland in sunny Queensland.
About the Buff Hazelwood Tree
The Buff hazelwood is usually a small to medium-sized tree. It can grow up to 30 metres (about 98 feet) tall. Its trunk can be as wide as 80 centimetres (about 31 inches).
However, in New South Wales, it is often smaller. There, it usually grows between 6 and 12 metres (20 to 39 feet) tall. In Victoria, it can reach 22 metres (72 feet) high. Its trunk can be about 57 centimetres (22 inches) wide.
The tree's trunk is straight and round. It does not have wide, flat roots at the bottom. The bark is mostly smooth and dark brown. Sometimes, you might see bumps in rows on the bark. Older trees can have peeling bark or vertical cracks.
Leaves
The leaves of the Buff hazelwood grow one after another along the stem. They are strong, thick, and have small teeth along their edges. The teeth are not at the very bottom of the leaf. These leathery leaves make a "rattling" sound when you shake a branch.
The leaves are shaped like an oval or a wide spear. They are usually 12 to 18 centimetres (5 to 7 inches) long. They have a short, pointed tip. You can easily see the veins on the leaves, especially on the underside. The main vein (midrib) is lower on the top side of the leaf. It sticks out on the bottom side. The leaf stalk is 10 to 15 millimetres (about half an inch) long. It is flat on top and round underneath.
Flowers and Fruit
The Buff hazelwood has greenish-white flowers. They grow in clusters called racemes. Sometimes, these flowers can even turn a bluish-black colour. The tree usually flowers from September to December. However, it can sometimes flower at other times, like from May to June.
The flowers are quite large, about 9 to 15 millimetres (0.35 to 0.6 inches) long. Because of their size, this tree is also sometimes called the large-flowered hazelwood.
The fruit of the Buff hazelwood is a drupe. This means it has a fleshy outer part and a hard pit inside, like a peach. The fruit is purplish-black and egg-shaped. It is about 12 to 14 millimetres (0.5 inches) long. The fruit ripens from January to March. The five small leaf-like parts (sepals) that were under the flower stay on the fruit. The fruit is a favourite food for the green catbird. For new trees to grow, fresh seeds should be used. The outer fleshy part of the seed should be removed first.
See also
In Spanish: Symplocos thwaitesii para niños
