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Currently Viewing: Brachychiton acerifolius
Brachychiton acerifolius   - Habit, tree in flower
David H. Lorence
Other Resources for Brachychiton acerifolius
Taxonomy:
Brachychiton acerifolius (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) Macarthur (Sterculiaceae)

Common Names:
Illawarra Flame Tree
Flame Kurrajong
Flame Bottle Tree

Classification:

Brachychiton acerifolius (A. Cunn. ex G. Don) Macarthur
Kingdom: Plantae-Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta-Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta-Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta-Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida-Dicotyledons
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Order: Malvales
Family: Sterculiaceae - Cacao family
Genus: Brachychiton Schott & Endl. - Brachychiton
Species: Brachychiton acerifolius (A. Cunn. ex G. Don) Macarthur - Flame Bottle Tree
(National Plant Database. 2005.)

Description:
Illawarra Flame Tree is a medium sized tree, which may reach 30-35 m in height although it grows much smaller in cultivation.
Leaves are about 2.5 cm long, pale green and may have entire margins or be deeply lobed. The tree produces bright, waxy red bell shaped flowers in clusters at the ends of the branches. The flowers appear, in early summer on bare branches, when the tree looses all the leaves. The flowers are followed by large, leathery capsules, which contain many corn-like seeds.
The Flame Tree is perhaps one of the most spectacular tropical tree. When the trees are in flower they stand out like burning candles of red throughout the forest.
(Rowell, Raymond J. 1984. Ornamental Flowering Trees In Australia.)
(Latymer, Hugo. 2001. Mediterranean Garden.)

Geographic Distribution:
This striking Australian native tree is found in subtropical New South Wale and Queensland.
(Rowell, Raymond J. 1984. Ornamental Flowering Trees In Australia.)
(Latymer, Hugo. 2001. Mediterranean Garden.)

Native Legends and Names:
The word "brachychiton" comes from the Greek words "brachys" meaning "short" and "chiton", meaning "tunic" It has been given as a reference to the coating of the seed.

(Information for this species compiled and recorded by Camelia Cirnaru, NTBG Consultant.)

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