''Bouchardatia neurococca'', commonly known as union nut, is a species of small rainforest tree that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to eastern Australia. It has

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and in ...

leaves with three or five narrow elliptical leaflets, white flowers arranged in

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s, and oval follicles.

Description

''Bouchardatia neurococca'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of and has smooth greyish brown to dark brown bark. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and pinnate with three or five narrow elliptical to lance-shaped leaves with the narrow end towards the base. The leaves are long on a petiole long, the leaflets long and wide. The upper surface of the leaves is glossy dark green, the lower surface yellowish green and there are small, hairy

domatia A domatium (plural: domatia, from the Latin "domus", meaning home) is a tiny chamber that houses arthropods, produced by a plant. Ideally domatia differ from galls in that they are produced by the plant rather than being induced by their inhabi ...

. The flowers are arranged in panicles long, on the ends of branchlets or in leaf

axil A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

s, with four

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s long, four white petals long and eight stamens that alternate in length. The fruit is an ovoid follicle long.

Taxonomy

The union nut was first formally described in 1858 by

Ferdinand von Mueller Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vict ...

who gave it the name ''Euodia neurococca'' and published the description in '' Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae''. In 1870,

Henri Ernest Baillon Henri Ernest Baillon was a French botanist and physician. He was born in Calais on 30 November 1827 and died in Paris on 19 July 1895. Baillon spent his professional life as a professor of natural history, and he published numerous works on bo ...

changed the name to ''Bouchardatia neurococca'' in the journal ''Adansonia''.

Distribution and habitat

''Bouchardatia neurococca'' grows in subtropical and dry rainforest from near sea level to an altitude of and from

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airpor ...

in central-eastern Queensland to the

Richmond River The Richmond River is a river situated in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The river rises at the northern end of the Richmond Range, near its junction with the McPherson Range, on the Queensla ...

in north-eastern New South Wales.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15389629 neurococca Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller Plants described in 1858