Libocedrus austrocaledonica
Libocedrus austrocaledonica is an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus shed cedar ( Libocedrus ). The range of the species is located in New Caledonia, where it is largely restricted to the south of the island. Where it grows in forests with high annual rainfall on higher mountains. The species is not used and not cultivated outside botanic gardens.
- 6.1 Literature
- 6.2 Notes and references
Description
Habit
Libocedrus austrocaledonica forms shrubs or small trees that reach a height of 2 to 4, rarely 6 meters. The tribes have diameters of up to 10 centimeters. The bark is reddish-brown, rough, flaky and dissolves in thin, fibrous strips and plates from. There shall be only a few, thin, spread -standing branches, the slightly more numerous leafy branches are almost horizontal. Young trees obtained by a narrow conic crown, shrubs are irregularly shaped. The branches are arranged farnwedelförmig. The outermost, totally covered branches of leaves are arranged opposite, approximately equal in length, shorter than the end of the leafy main branch out.
The leaves are decussate. At the main branches are long decurrent, fused to the outer branches at the base, scale-like and distinctly two diverse. The area leaves are narrow, the visible part is 1 to 2 millimeters long, rhombic- bespitzt, keeled, pressed and at the base partially protruding through the much larger, 3 to 6 times to 7 mm long and 1.5 to 3 mm wide, and covered on both sides leaves flattened edges.
Cones and seeds
The pollen cones are individually at the ends of branches. They are ovate -oblong, 5-8 mm long with diameters of 2 to 2.5 millimeters. The 16 to 24 Mikrosporophylle grow decussate. You are shield-shaped with a sharp tip, slightly keeled, entire and have four small, yellow, abaxial pollen sacs. The seed cones are at the ends of branches flattened, woody within a period of growth and reach lengths of 10 to 12 millimeters. The pin one to two light brown, ovate -oblong, 5-6 mm long and about 2.5 mm wide, slightly flattened seeds with a pointed end to two-column are formed. The seeds have two opposite, thin - membranous wings, the smaller forms an approximately 1 -millimeter-wide strip, the larger is yellowish brown, oval-oblong, 6-8 mm long and 2.5 to 3 millimeters wide.
Distribution and habitat requirements
The natural range of Libocedrus austrocaledonica located in New Caledonia in the Southern Province and at Mt Paéoua in the Northern Province. The species grows in low forest on exposed ridges of the higher mountains at altitudes 750-1400 m. Where it grows along with Falcatifolium taxoides, Neocallitropsis pancheri, different stone species of yew ( Podocarpus spp. ) Prumnopitys ferruginoides and sometimes Araucaria humboldtensis, beside with angiosperms as representatives of the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ), representatives of the genus Trimenia and Winteraceae family. The undergrowth consists mostly of ferns, mosses and lichens. The soils are very rich in humus and very acidic, however the nature avoids ultramafic rocks. At altitudes above 1000 meters, annual rainfall of over 3500 millimeters can be achieved and the vegetation is most of the time within the clouds. The temperatures this level are significantly lower than at sea level.
Endangering
In the IUCN Red List Libocedrus austrocaledonica as Near Threatened ( " Near Threatened " ) is performed. The distribution area is small, but there is no indication of a decline in the art, if the stocks on Mt Paéoua be affected by mining or in the south of the island by fire or a change in rainfall patterns, a classification as endangered ( " Endangered " ) attached.
Systematics and history of research
Libocedrus austrocaledonica is a species of the genus the scales cedars ( Libocedrus ) in the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). It was first described in 1872 by Adolphe Brongniart, and Jean Antoine Arthur Gris in the Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France. The genus name is derived from the Greek Libocedrus Libo for " tear" or "drop " down, thus pointing to emerging drop of resin, and of cedrus the generic name of the cedars. The specific epithet refers to the austrocaledonica main distribution area in the south of New Caledonia. Besides Libocedrus austrocaledonica the names Libocedrus Austro- caledonica, Libocedrus austrocaledonia and Libocedrus austrocaledonicus be used. Alexander Borisovich Doweld associated with 2001, three types of scales cedars, Libocedrus yateensis, Libocedrus chevalieri and Libocedrus austrocaledonica, a separate class Stegocedrus. However, this classification is not widely accepted Stegocedrus austrocaledonica is just a synonym of Art
Use
The species is not used, it is not cultivated except for a few plants in botanical gardens.