Whitsunday bottle tree
Brachychiton compactus, Fam. Sterculiaceae
Semi-deciduous tree 8 to 15m tall, with a compact, spherical crown and dark grey, fissured and tessellated bark.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree |
| Family: | Sterculiaceae |
| Leaf: | Ovate to ovate lanceolate, shiny green above, paler below, 6-12 x 2.5-5.5cm. Acuminate, acute or rarely obtuse tips, truncate, slightly cordate or rounded base, slightly crenulate margins. Distinct, pinnate venation with a raised midrib. Caducous, oblong-lanceolate, acute, and stellate-puberulent stipules, 5-6 x 1.2-1.5mm. Juvenile leaf blades are digitately compound or deeply lobed. Three to nine linear to lanceolate leaflets or lobes which are occasionally ovate-lanceolate, 6-13 x 1-3.2cm with a petiole, 4.5-13 x 0.07-0.15cm. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White |
| Flower description: | Axillary, compact, compound-paniculate inflorescences with 30 to 80 flowers. White flowers with oblong-ovate or ovate lobes which are stellate tomentose inside, 5-8 x 2-4mm. October to November. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown, glabrous, ellipsoid, stipitate, rostrate follicles, 3-4 x 1.6-2.2cm. Containing four to 12, smooth, ovoid seed, 7-8 x 3.5-4mm. December to March. |
| Habitat: | Open forest, vine thicket, woodland. |
| Distribution | Queensland. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia. |
| Notes: | Listed as near threatened under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. |
| Information sources: | Department of Environment and Science (2022) Species profile-Brachychiton compactus. |
