| Brachychiton | |
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| Brachychiton acerifolius | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Subfamily: | Sterculioideae |
| Genus: | Brachychiton Schott &Endl. (1832) |
| Species | |
See text | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Brachychiton (kurrajong,bottletree) is agenus of 31species oftrees and largeshrubs, native toAustralia (thecentre of diversity, with 30 species) andNew Guinea (one species). Fossils fromNew South Wales and New Zealand are estimated to be 50 million years old, corresponding to thePaleogene.
They grow to 4 – 30m tall, and some are dry-seasondeciduous. Several species (though not all) arepachycaul plants with a very stout stem for their overall size, used to store water during periods ofdrought. Theleaves show intraspecific variation and generally range from entire to deeply palmately lobed with long slender leaflet-like lobes joined only right at the base. Their sizes range from 4 – 20 cm long and wide.
All species aremonoecious with separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers have a bell-shapedperianth consisting of a single series of fused lobes which is regarded as acalyx despite being brightly coloured in most species. The female flowers have five separatecarpels that can each form a woody fruit containing several seeds. The flower colour is often variable within species. Eastern forest species drop their foliage before flowering but those of the drier regions carry the flowers while in leaf.
The nameBrachychiton is derived from theGreekbrachys, short, andchiton,tunic, in referring to its looseseed coats. The generic name is often misconstrued as being of neuter gender, with the specific epithets then incorrectly amended. ThusB. rupestre andB. populneum are sometimes seen in horticultural books and magazines.
Kurrajong comes from theDharuk languagegarrajuŋ 'fishing line', as fishing lines were made from kurrajong bark.[2]
33 species are accepted.[1]
A few species of kurrajong are popular garden trees and have been introduced to hot dry regions including theMediterranean,South Africa and the westernUnited States. These species are also hybridised for horticultural purposes,B. populneo-acerifolius being one example. Kurrajongs are known to bloom erratically in cultivation.
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