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Brachychiton acerifolius (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) F.Muell.
Family Malvaceae
Common name: flame tree, Illawarra flame tree

Brachychiton acerifolius (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) F.Muell. APNI*

Synonyms: Sterculia acerifolia A.Cunn. ex G.Don APNI*

Description: Tree to 35 m, deciduous, flowers produced in spring on leafless branches.

Adult foliage usually entire or shallowly 3-lobed, juvenile leaves often deeply 5-lobed; lamina rhombic to ovate, usually 10–30 cm long, entire or widely 3–5-lobed, glabrous, apex short-acuminate; petiole mostly 10–20 cm long.

Flowers 10–20 mm long, bright coral-red. Carpels glabrous.

Follicle glabrous, c. 10 cm long, on stalks 6–8 cm long; seed endocarp tomentose.


Illustration
D.Mackay

Habit
Photo T.M. Tame

Flower
Photo D. Hardin

Other photo
Photo T.M. Tame

Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in subtropical rainforest on the coast to the escarpment, north from the Shoalhaven R. Cultivated in gardens and occasionally naturalised.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT, ?CWS, *LHI
Other Australian states: Qld
AVH map***

In NE N.S.W. hybrids between this species and B. discolor have been found. The leaves are large with lamina c. 11–20 cm long and wide, glabrous or almost so, 3–5-lobed, the lobes wide-triangular; branchlets pubescent.

Text by G. J. Harden (1990); edited KL Wilson (June 2010)
Taxon concept: G.P. Guymer (1988)


APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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