Neocallitropsis
Neocallitropsis pancheri, Chutes de la Madeleine, New Caledonia
Neocallitropsis pancheri forms benadelte shrubs or small trees. It is the only species in the monotypic genus therefore Neocallitropsis from the family of cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). The range of the species is on Grand Terre, the main island of New Caledonia.
Description
Neocallitropsis pancheri are evergreen shrubs or small trees that stature heights of 4 to 6, rarely reach up to 10 meters and trunk diameter of 30 to 50 centimeters. The Stammborke is gray and peels off in thin strips. The branches are spreading or ascending, second-order branches are ascending or erect and form a conical, often round or flat crown. In the last 10 to 15 inches of the branches are leafy branches in dense groups 20 to 30 These are also erect, rarely branched, reaching a length of 20 cm and diameter of 5 to 10, rarely up to 12 mm. They are densely covered with leaves.
The leaves are arranged in whorls of four leaves, wherein the respective following whorl at an angle of 45 ° to the previous one, and so apparently form 8 rows of leaves. The leaves are yellowish green or green, leathery, stiff, keeled, lanceolate, with a broad base, 6 to 15 mm long and 1.8 to 2.5 millimeters wide. The leaf margin is cut small, the blade end pungent pointed. They show two abaxial stomatal strips, adaxial stomata are arranged in several lines.
The pollen cones are at ends of branches, are 10 to 12 millimeters long, have a diameter 6-7 mm, and are ovate to almost round. The Mikrosporophylle are change-constant in three to four, arranged fourfold whorls. They are 3-6 mm long and 2 mm wide, peltate - rhombic, acute to long acuminate with rare from two, usually six to 14 abaxial, small pollen sacs. The seed cones are at the ends of short branches and mature within a year to 15 millimeters long pin with outstretched bracts. The mature bracts are available in two alternate, fourfold whorls. The scales are subulate to linear, the basal scales are slightly larger and are 10 to 12 millimeters long and 3 millimeters wide, the front scales are 8-10 mm long and 2 mm wide. The pin one to two, rarely up to four seeds are formed. You are wrong - ovate, acute, 6-7 mm long and 2.5 to 3.5 mm wide, light brown with two, rarely three 0.5 to 0.7 millimeters wide wings.
Distribution, ecology and hazard
The range of the species is primarily in the southeast of Grand Terre (New Caledonia), only one occurrence there in the Northern Province at Mt Paeoua. They are found in the tropical climate with abundant, year-round rainfall along watercourses and lower hills at altitudes up to 950 meters. It grows along water courses often together with the resin yew Dacrydium guillauminii araucarioides, Dacrydium and Dacrydium vieillardii, in other areas with the Schmuckzypresse Callitris neocaledonica, the Steineibe Podocarpus novae- caledoniae and representatives of the family of the Sedge family ( Cyperaceae ).
In the IUCN Red List Neocallitropsis pancheri is listed as endangered ( "endangered "). In the last 100 years, the population declined by more than 50 %. For 2010, the total population is estimated at from 2500 to 10,000 trees, scattered on a total of 32 km2 in only three areas occur ( Paéoua in the North and Montagne des Sources and Plaine des Lacs / Chute de Madelaine in the south). However, these deposits are highly fragmented into groups of a few to a few hundred individual trees on the so-called plateau of Callitropsis. The only population in the north of the island at Mt Paéoua consists of only 45 trees. The main danger comes from forest fires, the distribution area in the north is also threatened by mining. Multiple occurrences were flooded by a dam project. In the south of the island, some populations are in protected areas and measures are taken to secure the area of distribution and increase, still decreases the total population.
Systematics and history of research
Neocallitropsis pancheri is the only species of the monotypic genus therefore Neocallitropsis in the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). The species was first described in 1867 by Élie -Abel Carrière as Eutacta pancheri ( basionym ), so she was assigned to the genus Eutacta, the synonym for the genus Araucaria (Araucaria ) will be used. It was described a second time in 1922 by Robert Harold Compton as Callitropsis araucarioides (synonym ), and asked araucarioides of Carl Rudolf Florin 1944 Neocallitropsis (synonym ) in the genus Neocallitropsis created by him. David John de Laubenfels rearranged her 1972 valid name Neocallitropsis pancheri to. The genus name derives from the Latin word Neocallitropsis neo for " new" and the generic name Callitropsis from the Compton used. The specific epithet pancheri commemorates the French botanist AI Pancher ( 1814-1877 ).
Use
An oil is produced from the resin, which is sold as " Araucaria oil" on Grand Terre. On the island it is also used as an ornamental tree.