Encyclopedia
of Stanford Trees, Shrubs, and VinesEncyclopedia
of Stanford Trees, Shrubs, and Vines
Resembling the flame tree in general appearance, but
having a 
distinctive
bark when mature, lacebark is immediately distinguishable by the flowers, flower-buds,
and pods. The bell-shaped, nectar-bearing flowers have about five pointed lobes
and are about 1-1/2 inches across, red inside and on the outside on the fringe,
but mostly enclosed in a rusty down sheath that apparently consists of the fused
sepals. The buds are enclosed in the same down and so is the pod, which is canoe
shaped and 4 or 5 inches long. Some of the leaves are five-pointed with pale
felt underneath and could easily be mistaken for leaves of Platanus
racemosa (California plane tree), but others have three lobes or only
one, and others again are very fancy with lobes upon the lobes. There are two
on and near the cycle path connecting Santa Fe Avenue to Stanford Avenue, and
three young ones along the Campus Drive East side of the Student Services Center
at 563 Salvatierra Walk (only an inch in diameter in 2003).
A tree of very formal and distinguished appearance, drought resistant and less frost-sensitive than the flame tree, lacebark deserves a place in the Inner Quad.
Other campus Brachychitons: Brachychiton acerifolius | Brachychiton discolor | Brachychiton populneus | Brachychiton rupestris
Illustrations (links open new windows): Silhouettes from Trees of Stanford & its Environs
Additions/Revisions: Two of these trees were removed, dead, in 2005; the remainder died in 2006. One supposition is that the highly compacted soil resulting from building construction had not been properly prepared before tree planting.Name derivation, genus | species: from Greek, brachys, short and chiton, a tunic, a reference to the coating on the seed | Latin name discolor means two different colors
Related material: Botanical
name index | Common name index | Family
Trees.Stanford.edu home