''Lagarostrobos franklinii'' is a species of
conifer
Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...
native to the wet southwestern corner of
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It is often known as the Huon pine or Macquarie pine, although it is actually a
podocarp
Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, known in English as podocarps, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs.James E. Eckenwalder. 2009. ''Conifers of the World''. Portland, Oregon: Timber Pr ...
(Podocarpaceae), not a true
pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
(Pinaceae).
It is the sole species in the genus ''Lagarostrobos''; one other species ''L. colensoi'' (endemic to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
) formerly included has been transferred to a new genus ''
Manoao
''Manoao'' is a monotypic genus in the family ''Podocarpaceae.'' The single species, ''M. colensoi'', known as manoao (Māori), silver pine, Westland pine, or white silver pine, is endemic to New Zealand. Before 1996 it was classified in genu ...
''. The genus was also formerly included in a broader circumscription of the genus ''
Dacrydium
''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 m ...
''.
In molecular phylogenetic analyses ''Lagorostrobos'' was found to be related to ''
Parasitaxus
''Parasitaxus usta'' is a rare species of conifer of the family Podocarpaceae, and the sole species of the genus ''Parasitaxus''. It is a woody shrub up to 1.8 m found only in the remote, densely forested areas of New Caledonia, first discover ...
'' (a parasitic and monotypic genus from
New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
, mapsize = 290px
, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
) and ''
Manoao
''Manoao'' is a monotypic genus in the family ''Podocarpaceae.'' The single species, ''M. colensoi'', known as manoao (Māori), silver pine, Westland pine, or white silver pine, is endemic to New Zealand. Before 1996 it was classified in genu ...
'', but their exact relationships are unresolved.
The
wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...
is highly prized for its golden yellow colour, fine grain, and natural oils that resist rotting. The chemical giving the timber its unique smell and preservative qualities is
methyl eugenol
Methyl eugenol (allylveratrol) is a natural chemical compound classified as a phenylpropene, a type of phenylpropanoid. It is the methyl ether of eugenol and is important to insect behavior and pollination. It is found in various essential oils.
...
.
It has been planted in the grounds of
Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle (pronounced ) is a 16th-century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. It is in the historic county of Kincardineshire. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for ...
,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and has done well. Two healthy specimens can also be found at
Torosay Castle
Torosay Castle is a large house situated south of Craignure on the Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.
Castle History
The buildings and gardens were listed by Historic Scotland in 1987. The agency indicates that the property was ori ...
,
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull ( gd, An t-Eilean Muileach ) or just Mull (; gd, Muile, links=no ) is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides (after Skye) and lies off the west coast of Scotland in the Council areas of Scotland, council area of Arg ...
.
Description
The Huon pine is a slow-growing, but long-lived tree; some living specimens of this tree are in excess of 2,000 years old.
It grows to tall, exceptionally reaching , with arching branches and pendulous branchlets. The leaves are spirally arranged, very small and scale-like, long, covering the shoots completely. It is
dioecious
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
, with male (
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...
) and female (
seed
A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...
)
cones
A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines conn ...
on separate plants. The male cones are yellow, long and broad. The mature seed cones are highly modified,
berry
A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...
-like, with 5 to 10 lax, open scales which mature in six-to-eight months, with one seed long on each scale. Unlike the closely related
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
genus ''
Manoao
''Manoao'' is a monotypic genus in the family ''Podocarpaceae.'' The single species, ''M. colensoi'', known as manoao (Māori), silver pine, Westland pine, or white silver pine, is endemic to New Zealand. Before 1996 it was classified in genu ...
'', the scales do not become fleshy and are water-dispersed, not bird-dispersed.
[
Based on herbarium specimens the extent of occurrence is estimated to be around with an estimated area of occupancy of . The actual area of occupancy is estimated to range from (Gibson 1991) to as much as (Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania 2006).]
Age
Huon pines are some of the oldest living organisms on the Earth.
A stand of trees in excess of 10,500 years old was found in 1955 in western Tasmania on Mount Read. Each of the trees in this stand is a genetically identical male that has reproduced vegetatively. Although no single tree in this stand is of that age, the stand itself as a single organism has existed that long.
Individual trees in the clonal patch have been listed as having ages of 2,000 or even to 3,000 years old.
Because of the long life of individual trees, tree rings from Huon Pine have been used for dendrochronology
Dendrochronology (or tree-ring dating) is the scientific method of dating tree rings (also called growth rings) to the exact year they were formed. As well as dating them, this can give data for dendroclimatology, the study of climate and atmos ...
to establish a record of climate variation.[Cook, E.R., Francey, R.J., Buckley, B.M. and D'Arrigo, R.D.]
"Recent increases in Tasmanian Huon pine ring widths from a subalpine stand: natural climate variability, CO2 fertilisation, or greenhouse warming?"
''Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, vol. 130''(2), 1996, pp. 65-72. ISSN 0080-4703. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
Conservation
An estimated 15% of its habitat has been lost through inundation for hydroelectric schemes and to fire over the past 100 years or so. Extensive logging in the past has removed nearly all large trees, but there is regrowth nearly everywhere. One stand of the species has been made available for access to craft wood from dead and downed timber under a strict licensing system. It is illegal to cut living trees.
See also
* List of superlative trees
The world's superlative trees can be ranked by any factor. Records have been kept for trees with superlative height, trunk diameter or girth, canopy coverage, airspace volume, wood volume, estimated mass, and age.
Tallest
The heights of th ...
References
{{Authority control
Endemic flora of Tasmania
Trees of Australia
Pinales of Australia
Trees of mild maritime climate
Ornamental trees
Conservation dependent flora of Australia
Tasmanian forests
Monotypic conifer genera
Podocarpaceae genera
Podocarpaceae