Pilgerodendron
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''Pilgerodendron'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
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 ...
belonging to the cypress family
Cupressaceae Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdio ...
. It has only one
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
, ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'', which is
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the
Valdivian temperate rain forests The Valdivian temperate forests (NT0404) is an ecoregion on the west coast of southern South America, in Chile and Argentina. It is part of the Neotropical realm. The forests are named after the city of Valdivia. The Valdivian temperate rainforest ...
and Magellanic subpolar forests of southern
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and southwestern
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. It grows from 40 to 55°S in
Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of the Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla G ...
, where it is the southernmost conifer in the world. It is a member of subfamily
Callitroideae Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioecio ...
, a group of distinct Southern Hemisphere genera associated with the
Antarctic flora Antarctic flora are a distinct community of vascular plants which evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana. Presently, species of Antarctica flora reside on several now separated areas of the Southern Hemisphere, includin ...
.Farjon, A. (2005). ''Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Flora Chilena
''Pilgerodendron uviferum''
/ref> ''Pilgerodendron'' is very closely related to the
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 ...
and
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 ...
n genus ''
Libocedrus ''Libocedrus'' is a genus of five species of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to New Zealand and New Caledonia. The genus is closely related to the South American genera ''Pilgerodendron'' and '' Austrocedrus'', and ...
'', and many botanists treat ''P. uviferum'' within this genus, as ''Libocedrus uvifera'' (D.Don) Pilg.Eckenwalder, J. E. (1976). Re-evaluation of Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae: a proposed merger. ''Madroño'' 23 (5): 237-256. It is also a taxonomical synonym for ''Libocedrus tetragona'' (Hooker). The species is known locally as ciprés de las GuaitecasChilebosque
''Pilgerodendron uviferum''
/ref> (after the Guaitecas Archipelago), and elsewhere by its scientific name, as pilgerodendron. The genus is named after Robert Knud Friedrich Pilger. ''P. uviferum'' is a
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 ...
, slow-growing, narrowly conical
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
that grows from 2–20 m in height, with a trunk up to 1.5 m in diameter. Taller specimens and wider trunks (reportedly up to 3 m in diameter) are known to have existed before it was overexploited. The
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are scale-like and arranged in
decussate Decussation is used in biological contexts to describe a crossing (due to the shape of the Roman numeral for ten, an uppercase 'X' (), ). In Latin anatomical terms, the form is used, e.g. . Similarly, the anatomical term chiasma is named aft ...
pairs, with each leaf equal in size, giving the shoots a square cross-section (unlike the ''Libocedrus'' species, where pairs of larger leaves alternate with pairs of smaller leaves, giving a somewhat flattened shoot). The seed cones are 5–12 mm long and 4–6 mm broad, with four scales, two sterile basal scales and two fertile scales; each scale has a slender spine-like
bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
, and each fertile scale has two winged
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 ...
s 3–4 mm long. The pollen cones are 5–10 mm long and 2 mm broad, with 12–20 scales. It is found in the evergreen coastal lowland forests along the Pacific coast of southern Patagonia, in association with the broadleaf evergreens '' Nothofagus betuloides'' and '' Drimys winteri''. It is also found in open stands in sheltered
bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s farther inland, where it is often locally dominant, and ranges as far as the eastern slopes of the
Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
in southwestern Argentina. At the northern end of its range it is found in association with ''
Fitzroya cupressoides ''Fitzroya'' is a monotypic genus in the cypress family. The single living species, ''Fitzroya cupressoides'', is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains and coastal of southern Chile, and only to the Andes mountains Argentina, ...
''. It has also been planted along the northern part of the Pacific Coast of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. At present much ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'' grow in the Andes and in the
Chilean Coast Range The Chilean Coastal Range ( es, Cordillera de la Costa) is a mountain range that runs from north to south along the Pacific coast of South America parallel to the Andean Mountains, extending from Morro de Arica in the north to Taitao Peninsula, ...
. However, during the
interstadial Stadials and interstadials are phases dividing the Quaternary period, or the last 2.6 million years. Stadials are periods of colder climate while interstadials are periods of warmer climate. Each Quaternary climate phase is associated with a Ma ...
s of the region's last glacial period, ''P. uviferum'' grew in lowland areas such as the Central Valley, where it is now absent. Remaining lowland populations are thought to be relicts that have survived the warmer climate of the
Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
. 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 ...
of ''P. uviferum'' is yellow-reddish and has a distinct spicy-resinous smell, and is highly resistant to decay, which has made it very valuable as a source of
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
for building construction in its native range. Much of its original lowland habitat has been cleared for this and other reasons. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2cd v2.3) Due to
over-exploitation Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term app ...
, the species is now much scarcer than formerly, and is accordingly listed under
CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...
Appendix I, meaning commercial international trade is prohibited. ''P. uviferum'' is considered threatened by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre and vulnerable by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
.


History

Indigenous sea-faring nomads of the Chono and
Kawésqar The Kawésqar, also known as the Alacalufe, Kaweskar, Alacaluf or Halakwulup, are an indigenous people of South America, indigenous people who live in Chilean Patagonia, specifically in the Brunswick Peninsula, and Wellington Island, Wellington, ...
s groups used ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'' as firewood as well as wood for rows, boats and houses. During the Antonio de Vea expedition (1675–1676) Spanish explorers visited the
Guaitecas Guaitecas is Chilean commune located in Guaitecas Archipelago which are part of Aysén Province and Region. The administrative centre is Melinka, the only port and town in the wider Chonos Archipelago. Demographics According to the 2002 census of ...
and Chonos archipelagoes where the tree grew noticing the similarity to the "cypresses of Spain". Historically the wood was used to make railway sleepers, but eventually became popular for use as timber in all types of construction. In the 1860s,
Felipe Westhoff Felipe Arnold Westhoff Rodhius was a 19th-century entrepreneur known for his role in the logging of ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'' and the founding of Melinka in Guaitecas Archipelago in 1860. Westhoff was an ethnic German who migrated to South America ...
was one of various businessmen who exported ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'' north to Chilean and Peruvian ports. Westhoff, who was based in Ancud, came initially as an agent of
Ferrocarril Central Andino Ferrocarril Central Andino (FCCA) is the consortium which operates the Ferrovías Central railway in Peru linking the Pacific port of Callao and the capital Lima with Huancayo and Cerro de Pasco. As one of the Trans-Andean Railways it is the seco ...
in Peru to purchase sleepers but soon became an independent businessman. The town of
Melinka Melinka is a Chilean town in Aysén Province, Aysén Region. It is located on Ascención Island and is the administrative center of the commune of Guaitecas since 1979. The town is on a small peninsula off the main island, and shelters a small ...
was established in 1860 during the ''Pilgerodendron'' boom. This was the first permanent settlement in the Guaitecas Archipelago. After Westhoff's retirement in the 1870s,
Ciriaco Álvarez Ciriaco Álvarez was a businessman from Chonchi, Chiloé who rose to prominence in the exploitation of ''Pilgerodendron uviferum'' ( es, ciprés de las Guaitecas) in the southern Chilean archipelagoes. His dominance of the industry led him being du ...
, a native of
Chonchi Chonchi is a Chilean town and commune located in Los Lagos Region. The commune consists of the town of Chonchi and the following villages: * Rauco * Quinched * Vilupulli * Teupa * Terao * Petanes * Notue * Quiao * Huillinco * Cucao Demographics ...
, rose as the most prominent ''P. uviferum'' businessman in the area, and was dubbed "The King of Pilgerodendron" ( es, El Rey del Ciprés). Many of the wooden structures in settlements of the southern Chilean archipelagos are built largely from ''P. uviferum'' wood.


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q133103 Cupressaceae Valdivian temperate rainforest Trees of mild maritime climate Trees of subpolar oceanic climate Monotypic conifer genera Garden plants of South America Ornamental trees Dioecious plants