Falcatifolium
Falcatifolium is a genus of six species in the family of Podocarpus plants ( Podocarpaceae ). The natural range of the species is on the Malay Peninsula, on several Indonesian islands such as Sulawesi and the Moluccas, Borneo, the Philippines and New Caledonia.
Description
The representatives of the genus are dioecious Falcatifolium, evergreen shrubs or trees. Both the bark and the leaves contain resin. The bark is thin, fibrous, shows scattered Korkporen and may peel off. The branch in monopodialen trees takes place in Scheinwirteln and is irregular in bushes. Leafy branches terminate in loose buds that are formed by narrow triangular scale leaves.
The wood is soft, light, fragrant and light brown and shows only minor differences between heartwood and sapwood. It is textured fine and uniform, growth rings are formed only indistinctly. Resin canals lacking, however, individual resin cells are formed.
The leaves are two -faceted, it will shed leaves and leaves differed. The scale leaves grow more or less pressed on main shoots and coniferous shoots. The leaves grow more or less arranged in two rows, they are two-sided laterally flattened, so have a left and right side and wrong lanceolate - falcate. The leaves are einnervig, significantly larger than the scale leaves, but very different in size. They form stomata on both leaf surfaces.
The pollen cones are cylindrical to kitten -like. They usually grow individually rare in groups, axillary on scaly stalks. The Mikrosporophylle are small, triangular or pointed, and show two round pollen sacs that contain provided with two air chambers pollen.
The seed cones grow individually, axillary or rarely terminal on scaly stalks. They consist of eight to twelve spirally arranged bracts that swell, are fleshy and turn red and, together with the pin axis an irregularly shaped Podocarpium. Near the top of the Podocarpiums grows a fertile seed scale, which carries on the adaxial side of the single ovule. The wingless seeds are ovoid, but more or less flattened and show two lateral ridges. They stand erect oblique to the axis of the Podocarpium and are at the base of the swollen Epimatium, which is formed from one or two swollen seed scales surrounded.
The basic chromosome number is x = 10
Dissemination
The distribution area of the species lies in Melanesia in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Philippines, the Moluccas and New Guinea, also you can find a way Falcatifolium taxoides on New Caledonia.
System
Falcatifolium is a genus in the family of stone Yews, Order ( Coniferales ). The genus was created by David John de Laubenfels 1969 new, the forms that were previously assigned to the resin yew trees ( Dacrydium ), were attributed to the genus newly created. Representatives of the species different from those of the genus Dacrydium by the position of the pin, the shape of the Epimatiums and the different shape of the leaves. Genetic studies, however, show that the species of the genera Dacrydium Falcatifolium and are closely related to each other, closer than the later separated from the resin yew species Halocarpus, Lagarostrobos, Lepidothamnus and Manoao.
The species of the genus and are closely related, they differ mainly by the size and shape of the leaves. Aljos Farjon Plant List and distinguish the following six types:
- Falcatifolium angustum de foliage. forms shrubs or trees up to 20 meters high. The leaves of young specimens are narrow linear- lanceolate, up to 7 inches long and 1.2 to 1.5 cm wide, leaves of mature trees are usually longer than 1 centimeter. The species is critically endangered.
- Falcatifolium falciform ( Parl ) de Laub. forms shrubs or up to 20-foot high trees. The leaves of young specimens are curved like a sickle or linear - falcate, 10 to 12 inches long and 10 to 12 millimeters wide. The leaves of adult shrubs or trees are three crescent-shaped or S-shaped bent from 1.5 usually 2-9 mm wide, acuminate or stabbing. The Podocarpium is shorter than 12 mm at maturity, and has a diameter less than 6 mm. The species is potentially at risk.
- Falcatifolium gruezoi de foliage. forms shrubs or up to 20-foot high trees. The leaves are the bud pink to purple. The leaves of young specimens are sickle-shaped or linear - falcate and with up to 7.5 inches, and significantly longer than about 4 inches long leaves of adult specimens, which are usually curved sickle-shaped and rarely S-shaped, at least near the base. The pollen cones are 5-6 inches long. The species is potentially at risk.
- Falcatifolium papuanum de foliage. forms shrubs or up to 20-foot high trees. The leaves are the bud whitish green to yellowish green or Glauk. The leaves of young specimens are sickle-shaped or linear - falcate, and only slightly larger than the approximately 3 -inch-long leaves of adult specimens, which are usually curved sickle-shaped and rarely S-shaped, at least near the base. The pollen cones are 0.5 to 1.3 inches long. The species is not endangered.
- Falcatifolium sleumeri de foliage. & Silba forms low shrubs. Full-grown shrubs have 0.6 to 1 cm long and 1.8 to 2 millimeters wide leaves. The species is only known from one location in New Guinea and is considered potentially at risk.
- Falcatifolium taxoides ( Brongn. & Gris ) de Laub. forms shrubs or trees up to 22 meters high. The leaves of young specimens are almost linear, 1 to 2 inches long and about 1.5 inches wide. The leaves of mature trees are 3-6 mm wide and have a dull, rarely a pointed tip. The Podocarpium is 20 millimeters long at maturity and het a diameter of 8 mm. The species is not endangered.
James Eckenwalder looks Falcatifolium sleumeri papuanum only as a synonym for Falcatifolium. He gives for the remaining five species on the following distinguishing features, the Podocarpium papuanum only to distinguish Falcatifolium and Falcatifolium taxoides is decisive and not known for two species.
- Falcatifolium angustum: The leaves are 2-4 inches long and up to 2.5 mm wide, the pollen cones are shorter than 1.5 inches, the Podocarpium is not known.
- Falcatifolium falciform: The leaves are at least 4 inches long and at least 6 millimeters wide, the pollen cones are 2.5 inches long or longer, the Podocarpium is 3.5 to 5.5 millimeters long.
- Falcatifolium gruezoi: The leaves are 2 to 4 centimeters long and up to 2.5 mm wide, the pollen pins are shorter than 1.5 cm, the Podocarpium is not known.
- Falcatifolium papuanum: The leaves are up to 2 inches in length and 2.5 to 4 mm wide, the pollen pins are shorter than 1.5 cm, and the Podocarpium is longer than 5.5 millimeters.
- Falcatifolium taxoides: The leaves are up to 2 inches in length and 2.5 to 4 mm wide, the pollen pins are 1.5 to 2.5 inches long and 3.5 to 5.5 millimeters is Podocarpium long.
Fossil records
There are few fossil finds, finds from the Eocene south-east Australia have an age of about 45 million years. The elimination of the other genera must therefore already be done before that. From the Eocene and Oligocene of Tasmania but the younger one knows findings with similar leaf shape other surface structure, which are assigned to a separate class Sigmaphyllum.
Use
The species of the genus are rarely cultivated, and there are no known cultivars. The wood of Falcatifolium falciform and Falcatifolium is papuanum economically used together with the wood of other representatives of the stone Yews.