''Pherosphaera hookeriana'', or Mount Mawson pine (previously known as ''Microstrobos niphophilus''), is a dwarf
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 ...
endemic to
Tasmania, at altitudes above 600 meters. There are roughly 30 known sites, with population numbers in the tens of thousands. The species occurs in a range of
habitats
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
typically in areas near water bodies, mostly on
dolerite derived
soils. The species is highly fire sensitive and an increase in fire events associated with
climate change may lead to local
extinction and fragmentation of habitat.
Description
''Pherosphaera hookeriana'' is a densely-branched erect
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
or small
tree growing to heights of 5 meters, branches are often small and rigid with leaves arranged spirally and fully
appressed to the stem. Individual leaves can measure up to 1.5 mm long, and 1 mm wide, leaves are thick, blunt and concave with a rounded
keel.
Male flowers form in compressed, terminal globular
cones, ranging from 1–5 mm in diameter, with 8 to 15 fertile scales, each scale has two
pollen sacs on the