A large one in
Queensland.
The dry fruits on
roadside trees in Tambo, Victoria. Brought some back. |
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This member of the Sterculiaceae*
family was given this name by
Karl Moritz
Schumann in 1893. It's found on the dry plains of Queensland, Australia. In the wet season, it will get plenty of
water,
and it always gets lots of sun. The soil is generally grit. The trunk
can get up to 3,5 meters in diameter, and it stands up to 10-25 meters. Great
variations in trunk-form. The fast-growing won't get the "wide shoulders". It
has yellow flowers and brown nuts with 10-30 seeds
in, wrapped in small needles! I found mine in Roskilde 2001, but have
seen a lot in Australia. Brought some seeds back, and Copenhagen
Botanical Garden made them grow. Just loved them!
The name comes from Greek, brachys, short and chiton, a
tunic, a reference to the coating on the seed. rupes= growing
among rocks.
It can stand down to -7C, and thrives in acidic soil.
*This family might been incorporated
in the Malvaceae
family now, as sub-family: Sterculioideae, tribe: Sterculieae.
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