Widdringtonia nodiflora

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Widdringtonia nodiflora
Widdringtonia nodiflora - Mountain cypress.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnosperms
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Widdringtonia
Species:
W. nodiflora
Binomial name
Widdringtonia nodiflora
(L.) Powrie
Synonyms [1]
  • Callitris capensisSchrad. ex Gordon & Glend.
  • Callitris commersonii(Brongn.) T.Durand & Schinz
  • Callitris cupressoides(L.) Schrad. ex E.Mey. in J.F.Drège
  • Callitris juniperoides(L.) T.Durand & Schinz
  • Callitris mahonii(Mast.) Engl.
  • Callitris strictaSchrad. ex Carrière
  • Cupressus africanaMill.
  • Cupressus humilisSalisb.
  • Cupressus juniperoidesL.
  • Frenela juniperoides(L.) Parl.
  • Juniperus caesiaCarrière
  • Juniperus capensisLam.
  • Pachylepis commersoniiBrongn.
  • Pachylepis cupressoides(L.) Brongn.
  • Pachylepis juniperoides(L.) Brongn.
  • Parolinia juniperoidesEndl. ex Gordon not validly publ.
  • Sabina caesia(Carrière) Antoine
  • Schubertia capensisSpreng. nom. superfl.
  • Taxodium capensePaxton
  • Taxodium juniperoides(L.) Rich. ex Steud.
  • Thuja aphyllaBurm.f. nom. illeg.
  • Thuja cupressoidesL.
  • Thuja quadrangularisVent.
  • Widdringtonia caffraO.Berg
  • Widdringtonia commersonii(Brongn.) Endl.
  • Widdringtonia cupressoides(L.) Endl.
  • Widdringtonia dracomontanaStapf
  • Widdringtonia juniperoides(L.) Endl.
  • Widdringtonia mahoniiMast.
  • Widdringtonia natalensisEndl.
  • Widdringtonia nodiflora var. dracomontana(Stapf) Silba
  • Widdringtonia nodiflora subsp. dracomontana(Stapf) Silba
  • Widdringtonia stipitataStapf

Widdringtonia nodiflora (mountain cypress) is a species of Widdringtonia native to Southern Africa. It usually grows at high altitudes, typically among rocks on mountainsides. Its foliage and wood are highly flammable while its natural habitat is prone to fire. To compensate, the species will coppice from its roots after being burnt down.

Contents

Description

A small Widdringtonia nodiflora specimen in cultivation as an ornamental. Cape Town. 5 Widdringtonia nodiflora - Cape Town.jpg
A small Widdringtonia nodiflora specimen in cultivation as an ornamental. Cape Town.

It is an evergreen multistemmed shrub or small to rarely medium-sized tree growing to 5–7 m (rarely to 25 m) tall. The leaves are scale-like, 1.5–2 mm long and 1-1.5 mm broad on small shoots, up to 10 mm long on strong-growing shoots, and arranged in opposite decussate pairs. The cones are globose, 1–2 cm long, with four scales. Each tree produces both male and female cones. It is unique in the genus in its ability to coppice, readily re-sprouting from burnt or cut stumps; this enables it to survive wildfires, and is considered a major factor in allowing its abundance relative to the other species in the genus. Its wood is highly flammable - another adaptation for its fire-prone environment. [2]

Widdringtonia nodiflora seed cones in clusters around a branch. Widdringtonia nodiflora KirstenboshBotGard09292010E.JPG
Widdringtonia nodiflora seed cones in clusters around a branch.

Distribution

It occurs naturally from Table Mountain in the south, to southern Malawi, southern Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe and throughout eastern and southern South Africa. It is the only widespread species in its genus, and the only one not threatened or endangered. It is closely related to the endangered cypress ("Cedar") of the Cederberg mountains.
As its name suggests, the Mountain Cypress is usually found at high altitudes on mountainsides, growing among rocks, and in gullies, typically in mountain fynbos and grassland. They normally occur in small groups, like the little forest of them on the mountain above Kirstenbosch. [2] [3] [4]

Growing the mountain cypress

Planted in a pot, this tree makes an interesting (and reusable) southern hemisphere christmas tree. The Mountain Cypress makes an attractive, water-wise and environmentally friendly indigenous alternative to the pine tree. This tree can be propagated from seed, sown during autumn in well-drained sand. The seeds germinate relatively well, over several weeks. It grows about 0.3 meters a year. It makes a good container plant and ornamental tree. It also grows well in a cool or wet climate and it is resistant to frost.

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Thuja is a genus of coniferous tree or shrub in the Cupressaceae. There are five species in the genus, two native to North America and three native to eastern Asia. The genus is monophyletic and sister to Thujopsis. Members are commonly known as arborvitaes, thujas or cedars.

Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word cypress is derived from Old French cipres, which was imported from Latin cypressus, the latinisation of the Greek κυπάρισσος (kyparissos). Cypress trees are a large classification of conifers, encompassing the trees and shrubs from the cypress family (Cupressaceae) and many others with the word cypress in their common name. Many cypress trees have needle-like, evergreen foliage and acorn-like seed cones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cupressaceae</span> Cypress family of conifers

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<i>Cupressus</i> Several genera of evergreen conifers

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mulanje Massif</span> Mountain in Malawi

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<i>Callitris</i> Genus of conifers

Callitris is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae. There are 16 recognized species in the genus, of which 13 are native to Australia and the other three native to New Caledonia. Traditionally, the most widely used common name is cypress-pine, a name shared by some species of the closely related genus Actinostrobus.

<i>Actinostrobus</i> Genus of conifers

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<i>Widdringtonia</i> Genus of conifers

Widdringtonia is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae. The name was Austrian botanist Stephan Endlicher's way of honouring an early expert on the coniferous forests of Spain, Capt. Samuel Edward Widdrington (1787–1856). There are four species, all native to southern Africa, where they are known as cedars or African cypresses.

<i>Austrocedrus</i> Species of plant

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<i>Cupressus lusitanica</i> Species of plant

Cupressus lusitanica, the Mexican cedar or cedar-of-Goa, is a species of cypress native to Mexico and Central America. It has also been introduced to Belize, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, growing at 1,200–3,000 metres (3,900–9,800 ft) altitude.

<i>Cupressus cashmeriana</i> Species of conifer

Cupressus cashmeriana, the Bhutan cypress or Kashmir cypress, is a species of evergreen conifer native to the eastern Himalaya in Bhutan and adjacent areas of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. [ Now in vulnerable category, IUCN list retrieved in 2006 ]. It is also introduced in China and Nepal. It grows at moderately high altitudes of 1,250–2,800 metres (4,100–9,190 ft).

<i>Juniperus tibetica</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus tibetica, the Tibetan juniper, is a species of juniper, native to western China in southern Gansu, southeastern Qinghai, Sichuan, and Tibet Autonomous Region, where it grows at high to very high altitudes of 2,600–4,900 metres. This species has the highest known elevation treeline in the northern hemisphere.

<i>Widdringtonia wallichii</i> Species of conifer

Widdringtonia wallichii, Clanwilliam cedar or Clanwilliam cypress, previously Widdringtonia cedarbergensis is a species of Widdringtonia native to South Africa, where it is endemic to the Cederberg Mountains northeast of Cape Town in Western Cape Province. It is threatened by habitat loss and protected in South Africa under the National Forest Act of 1998.

<i>Widdringtonia schwarzii</i> Species of conifer endemic to South Africa

Widdringtonia schwarzii is a species of Widdringtonia native to South Africa, where it is endemic to the Baviaanskloof and Kouga Mountains west of Port Elizabeth in Eastern Cape Province; it occurs on dry rocky slopes and crags at 600–1,200 m altitude. It is threatened by habitat loss, particularly by wildfire. The Willowmore cypress is a protected tree in South Africa.

<i>Widdringtonia whytei</i> Species of conifer

Widdringtonia whytei, the Mulanje cedar or Mulanje cypress, is a species of conifer native to Malawi, where it is endemic to the Mulanje Massif at altitudes of 1,830–2,550 m. It has become endangered as a result of over-harvesting for its wood, and an increase in the frequency of wildfires due to human activity.

<i>Cupressus nevadensis</i> Species of conifer

Cupressus nevadensis, now reclassified as Hesperocyparis nevadensis, with the common name Paiute cypress, is a species of cypress tree native to a small area in Sierra Nevada of California, in the western United States.

References

  1. Widdringtonia nodiflora (L.) Powrie. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 3 December 2022
  2. 1 2 Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN   1-84246-068-4
  3. Pauw, C. A. & Linder, H. P. 1997. Widdringtonia systematics, ecology and conservation status. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 123: 297-319.
  4. University of the Witwatersrand: Recommended English names for trees of Southern Africa