bottletree
Brachychiton rupestris (T.Mitch. ex Lindl.) K.Schum.
Brachychiton rupestris is a tree in the Malvaceae family, native to Queensland, Australia. It is known for its distinctive bulbous trunk, which can reach up to 3.5 metres in diameter at breast height. The tree grows to a height of 10–25 m and is deciduous, shedding its leaves from September to December. Its leaves are simple or divided, with narrow blades up to 11 cm long. Cream-coloured flowers bloom from September to November, followed by woody, boat-shaped follicles that mature from November to May. No subspecies are recognized.
Description
Brachychiton rupestris, commonly known as the bottletree, is a member of the Malvaceae family. It is endemic to Queensland, where it grows in inland and lowland regions. The tree is notable for its swollen, bottle-like trunk, which can reach a diameter of 3.5 m. It is a deciduous species, losing its leaves seasonally between September and December. The leaves are either simple or divided, with narrow blades measuring up to 11 cm in length. Cream-coloured flowers appear from September to November, and the tree produces woody follicles that mature from November to May. The species was first described in 1848 by Thomas Mitchell and John Lindley, and later reclassified as Brachychiton rupestris (T.Mitch. ex Lindl.) K.Schum. in 1893.
Other common names
Queensland bottletreeQueensland rattletreenarrow-leaf bottletreebottletree
Distribution
IN · LY · TW · Queensland
Synonyms
Oleobachia macrophyllaOleobachia palustrieSterculia rupestrisBrachychiton delabecheiClompanus rupestrisDelabechea rupestris