Brachychiton rupestris

(Mitchell ex Lindley) K. Schum.

Bottle tree, Narrow-leaved bottle tree, Queensland Bottle Tree, Barrel tree

Malvaceae Edible: Gum, Leaves, Roots, Seeds, Sap Potential hazards — see below 1,295 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Brachychiton rupestris (commonly known as the narrow-leaved bottle tree or Queensland bottle tree) is a tree in the family Malvaceae, endemic to the Australian state of Queensland. Described by Sir Thomas Mitchell and John Lindley in 1848, it earned its name from its bulbous trunk, which can be up to 3.5 metres (11 ft) in diameter at breast height (DBH). Reaching around 10–25 m (33–82 ft) high, the Queensland bottle tree is deciduous, losing its leaves seasonally, between September and December. The leaves are simple or divided, with one or more narrow leaf blades up to 11 centimetres (4 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) wide. Cream-coloured flowers appear from September to November, and are followed by woody, boat-shaped follicles that ripen from November to May. No subspecies are recognised. As a drought deciduous and succulent tree, much like the baobab (Adansonia) of Madagascar, B. rupestris adapts readily to cultivation, and is quite tolerant of a range of soils and temperatures. It is a key component and emergent tree in the endangered central semi-evergreen vine thickets (also known as bottletree scrub) of the Queensland Brigalow Belt. Remnant trees are often left by farmers on cleared land for their value as shade and fodder trees, and as homes for various birds and animals.

Description

A medium sized tree. It can be 8-10 m tall. It develops a large bottle-shaped trunk. This can be 2 m across. The plant can spread 5-6 m wide. It loses many leaves during the year. Young leaves have deep lobes but adult leaves are undivided. They are 5-10 cm long by 7-8 mm wide, and bright green. Flowers are bell-shaped. They are 1.2 cm across. They occur in small clusters near the ends of branches. The fruit are boat-shaped follicles. They are dark brown and leathery. They are 2-3 cm long.

Edible Uses

Aboriginal people made use of the trees through eating the roots of young plants and by consuming secretions from the trunk that were induced by wounds. Fibre obtained from the species was used to make nets. The leaves have also been used for fodder, and Queensland farmers often leave bottle trees as a potential food source when land is cleared. During drought conditions, whole trees have been felled to feed stock. The soft edible pulp inside the trunk is exposed by removing the bark. The pulp is energy-rich but protein-poor, and occasional cases of nitrate poisoning have led to cattle deaths.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves are used as a salad vegetable. The gum is edible. The young roots of seedling trees are boiled and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Known Hazards

The seeds are surrounded in the seed capsule by irritant hairs and are best collected using gloves. The tree is sometimes used as a fodder, especially in times of drought, though there are occasional cases of cattle dying as a result of nitrate poisoning.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in drier regions. It cannot tolerate heavy frosts. It is very drought tolerant. It needs an acid pH. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 460-890 mm. It can grow in arid places. Melbourne Botanical gardens. National Arboretum Canberra. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia*, Indonesia, SE Asia, Sudan,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. Young plants transplant easily.

Propagation

Seed - fresh seed is relatively easy to germinate without the need for any pre-treatment. If dried seed is soaked in warm water for 12 - 24 hours prior to sowing it then germinates easily.

Other Uses

The fibrous inner bark is used to make twine or rope and can be woven together to make nets. A gum resembling gum tragacanth (Astragalus spp.) in appearance is obtained from the trunk. This gum, however, does not thicken water, except to an almost inappreciable extent, and, therefore, could not have the same economic uses to which the very viscid tragacanth is put.

Production

It is very slow growing.

Notes

There are about 38 Brachychiton species. Most are in Australia. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Synonyms

Brachychiton delabechei F. Muell. [Illegitimate]Clompanus rupestris (T. Mitch. ex Lindl.) KuntzeDelabechia rupertris T. Mitch ex Lindl.Oleobachia macrophylla auct.Oleobachia palustrie Mast.Sterculia rupestris (T. Mitch. ex Lindl.) Benth.

Also Known As

Binkey, Pohon botol australia, Pohon kepel australia

References (28)

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Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 164

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