Athrotaxis

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Athrotaxis
Temporal range: Aptian–Recent
Athrotaxis cupressoides.jpg
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Cupressaceae
Subfamily: Athrotaxidoideae
Quinn
Genus: Athrotaxis
D.Don [1]
Type species
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Don
Species

See text

A. selaginoides seed cones. Athrotaxis selaginoides MHNT.BOT.2005.0.1121.jpg
A. selaginoides seed cones.

Athrotaxis is a genus of two to three species (depending on taxonomic opinion) of conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae. The genus is endemic to western Tasmania, where they grow in high-elevation temperate rainforests. [2]

They are medium-sized evergreen trees, reaching 10–30 m (rarely 40 m) tall and 1-1.5 m trunk diameter. The leaves are scale-like, 3–14 mm long, are borne spirally on the shoots. The cones are globose to oval, 1–3 cm diameter, with 15-35 scales, each scale with 3-6 seeds; they are mature in 7–9 months after pollination, when they open to release the seeds. The male (pollen) cones are small, and shed their pollen in early spring. [2]

They are very susceptible to bush fires, and have declined markedly in abundance due to accidental and deliberate fires since the European colonisation of Tasmania. [2]

Classification

Taxonomy

Athrotaxis is the only living genus of the subfamily Athrotaxidoideae. A 2021 molecular study found the Athrotaxidoideae to be the sister group to the Sequoioideae, which contains famously massive species such as the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). This is despite both subfamilies' current distributions being on entirely different hemispheres. The study indicates that both taxa diverged during the mid to late Jurassic. [3] The oldest fossil of the genus is known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) of Santa Cruz Province in Argentina, South America, with other fossils of the genus known from New Zealand, eastern Australia, and possibly North America. Other fossils of the subfamily are known from the Late Jurassic of Europe, as well as the Early Cretaceous of North America and China, [4] as well as possibly the Early Cretaceous of Europe, and Late Cretaceous of South America and North America. [5]

Species

Phylogeny of Athrotaxis [6] [7]

The three taxa of Athrotaxis are variously treated as three distinct species, or as two species, with the third taxon being a hybrid between the other two. To date, the evidence has been inconclusive, with some data suggesting hybrid origin, but other evidence suggesting the third is distinct and not a hybrid. [2]

ImageLeavesScientific nameDescriptionDistribution
Pencilpine3.jpg Athrotaxis cupressoides (31258346526).jpg Pencil Pine
Athrotaxis cupressoides D.Don.
Leaves short, 3–5 mm, adpressed tightly on the shoots. Cones small, 1-1.5 cm, scales with a small bract only covering the centre of the scale.Tasmania, Australia.
Athrotaxis selaginoides, Arthur Range, western Tasmania.jpg Athrotaxis selaginoides with strobili.jpg King Billy Pine or King William Pine
Athrotaxis selaginoides D.Don.
Leaves long, 8–14 mm, spreading out from the shoots. Cones large, 2–3 cm, scales with a large bract nearly completely covering the scale.Tasmania, Australia.
Athrotaxis laxifolia.jpg Athrotaxis laxifolia - Flickr - S. Rae.jpg Athrotaxis laxifolia Hook. (? A. cupressoides × A. selaginoides). Leaves short, 4–7 mm, spreading out from the shoots. Cones intermediate, 1.5-2.5 cm, scales with a medium bract covering most of the scale.Tasmania, Australia.

Cultivation and uses

The wood is scented and durable, and was extensively used in the past in Tasmania, but is now too rare for any cutting. All three make very attractive ornamental trees with luxuriant foliage, though they are generally only planted in arboretums or botanical gardens. Cultivation away from their native range is successful only in areas with high rainfall, mild winters, and cool summers, such as the British Isles, the Pacific Northwest of North America, and New Zealand.[ citation needed ]

Examples of the species and many of its leaf forms may be seen in the living collections at The Tasmanian Arboretum.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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

Cupressus is one of several genera of evergreen conifers within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group. Based on genetic and morphological analysis, the genus Cupressus is found in the subfamily Cupressoideae. The common name "cypress" comes via the Old French cipres from the Latin cyparissus, which is the latinisation of the Greek κυπάρισσος (kypárissos).

<i>Chamaecyparis</i> Genus of conifers

Chamaecyparis, common names cypress or false cypress, is a genus of conifers in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to eastern Asia and to the western and eastern margins of the United States. The name is derived from the Greek khamai (χαμαί), meaning "on the earth", and kuparissos (κυπάρισσος) for "cypress".

<i>Phyllocladus</i> Genus of plants

Phyllocladus, the celery pines, is a small genus of conifers, now usually placed in the family Podocarpaceae.Species occur mainly in New Zealand, Tasmania, and Malesia in the Southern Hemisphere, though P. hypophyllus ranges into the Philippines, a short way north of the equator.

<i>Calocedrus</i> Genus of conifer trees

Calocedrus, the incense cedar, is a genus of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae first described as a genus in 1873. Three species are native to eastern Asia and one to western North America.

<i>Prumnopitys</i> Genus of conifers

Prumnopitys is a genus of conifers belonging to the family Podocarpaceae. The nine recognized species of Prumnopitys are densely branched, dioecious evergreen trees up to 40 metres in height.

<i>Dacrydium</i> Genus of conifers

Dacrydium is a genus of conifers belonging to the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. Sixteen species of evergreen dioecious trees and shrubs are presently recognized. The genus was first described by Solander in 1786, and formerly included many more species, which were divided into sections A, B, and C by Florin in 1931. The revisions of de Laubenfels and Quinn, reclassified the former section A as the new genus Falcatifolium, divided Section C into new genera Lepidothamnus, Lagarostrobos and Halocarpus, and retained Section B as genus Dacrydium.

Falcatifolium is a genus of conifers of the family Podocarpaceae. The genus includes evergreen dioecious shrubs and large trees of up to 36 metres (118 ft). Five species are presently recognized. The genus was first described by de Laubenfels in 1969, and is composed of species formerly classified in genus Dacrydium.

<i>Dacrycarpus</i> Genus of conifers

Dacrycarpus is a genus of conifers belonging to the family Podocarpaceae. The genus includes nine species of dioecious evergreen trees and shrubs to 55–60 metres (180–197 ft) in height.

<i>Halocarpus</i> Genus of conifers

Halocarpus is a genus of conifers of the family Podocarpaceae. The genus includes three closely related species of evergreen trees and shrubs, all endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Lepidothamnus</i> Genus of conifers

Lepidothamnus is a genus of conifers belonging to the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The genus includes three species of dioecious or monoecious evergreen trees and shrubs, and creepers. L. intermedius and L. laxifolius are native to New Zealand. L. fonkii is native to the Magellanic subpolar forests ecoregion of southern Argentina and Chile, where it grows as a low shrub or creeper in moorlands and bogs.

<i>Taiwania</i> Genus of conifers

Taiwania, with the single living species Taiwania cryptomerioides, is a large coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae.

<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

Actinostrobus is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae. Common names include cypress, sandplain-cypress and cypress-pine, the last of these shared by the closely related genus Callitris.

<i>Libocedrus</i> Genus of conifers

Libocedrus is a genus of five species of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to New Zealand and New Caledonia. The genus is closely related to the South American genera Pilgerodendron and Austrocedrus, and the New Guinean genus Papuacedrus, both of which are included within Libocedrus by some botanists. These genera are rather similar to the Northern Hemisphere genera Calocedrus and Thuja: in earlier days, what is now Calocedrus was sometimes included in Libocedrus. They are much less closely related, as recently confirmed. The generic name means "teardrop cedar", apparently referring to drops of resin.

<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>Cephalotaxus</i> Genus of conifers

Cephalotaxus, commonly called plum yew or cowtail pine, is a genus of conifers comprising 11 species, either considered the only member of the family Cephalotaxaceae, or in the Taxaceae when that family is considered in a broad sense. The genus is endemic to eastern Asia, though fossil evidence shows it had a wider Northern Hemisphere distribution in the past. The species are evergreen shrubs and small trees reaching 1.0–10 metres (3–33 ft) tall.

<i>Amentotaxus</i> Genus of conifers

Amentotaxus is a genus of conifers (catkin-yews) comprising five species, treated in either the Cephalotaxaceae, or in the Taxaceae when that family is considered in a broad sense. The genus is endemic to subtropical Southeast Asia, from Taiwan west across southern China to Assam in the eastern Himalaya, and south to Vietnam. The species are evergreen shrubs and small trees reaching 2–15 m tall.

<i>Lepidozamia</i> Genus of cycads in the family Zamiaceae

Lepidozamia is a genus of two species of cycad, both endemic to Australia. They are native to rainforest climates in eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales. They have a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sequoioideae</span> Subfamily of coniferous trees (redwoods)

Sequoioideae, commonly referred to as Redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Cupressaceae, that range in the northern hemisphere. It includes the largest and tallest trees in the world. The trees in the subfamily are amongst the most notable trees in the world and are common ornamental trees. The subfamily was dominant during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

<i>Hesperocyparis</i> Genus of conifers

Hesperocyparis is a genus of trees in the family Cupressaceae, containing North American species otherwise assigned to the genus Cupressus. They are found throughout western North America. Only a few species have wide ranges, with most being restricted-range endemics.

References

  1. "Athrotaxis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN   1-84246-068-4
  3. Stull, Gregory W.; Qu, Xiao-Jian; Parins-Fukuchi, Caroline; Yang, Ying-Ying; Yang, Jun-Bo; Yang, Zhi-Yun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Hong; Soltis, Pamela S.; Soltis, Douglas E.; Li, De-Zhu (August 2021). "Gene duplications and phylogenomic conflict underlie major pulses of phenotypic evolution in gymnosperms". Nature Plants. 7 (8): 1015–1025. doi:10.1038/s41477-021-00964-4. ISSN   2055-0278. PMID   34282286. S2CID   236141481.
  4. Dong, Chong; Sun, Bai-Nian; Wu, Jing-Yu; Du, Bao-Xia; Xu, Xiao-Hui; Jin, Pei-Hong (January 2014). "Structure and affinities of Athrotaxites yumenensis sp. nov. (Cupressaceae) from the Lower Cretaceous of northwestern China". Cretaceous Research. 47: 25–38. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2013.09.012.
  5. Andruchow-Colombo, Ana; Gandolfo, María A.; Escapa, Ignacio H.; Cúneo, Néstor R. (November 2022). "New genus of Cupressaceae from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia (Argentina) fills a gap in the evolution of the ovuliferous complex in the family". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 60 (6): 1417–1439. doi:10.1111/jse.12842. ISSN   1674-4918.
  6. Stull, Gregory W.; Qu, Xiao-Jian; Parins-Fukuchi, Caroline; Yang, Ying-Ying; Yang, Jun-Bo; Yang, Zhi-Yun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Hong; Soltis, Pamela S.; Soltis, Douglas E.; Li, De-Zhu; Smith, Stephen A.; Yi, Ting-Shuang; et al. (2021). "Gene duplications and phylogenomic conflict underlie major pulses of phenotypic evolution in gymnosperms". Nature Plants. 7 (8): 1015–1025. bioRxiv   10.1101/2021.03.13.435279 . doi:10.1038/s41477-021-00964-4. PMID   34282286. S2CID   232282918.
  7. Stull, Gregory W.; et al. (2021). "main.dated.supermatrix.tree.T9.tre". Figshare. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.14547354.v1.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)