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Common Names
Taxonomic notes
Type species: Lepidothamnus fonkii Philippi.The genus was formerly included in Dacrydium, but de Laubenfels (2) segregated the genus Falcatifolium and Quinn (1) further segregated the genera Halocarpus, Lagarostrobos, and Lepidothamnus, leaving Dacrydium sensu strictu. These segregations were made on the basis of differences in female cone morphology, a criterion that has been used as the taxonomic basis for differentiating all genera in the Podocarpaceae (1).
"This genus, which was submerged in Dacrydium by Bentham and Hooker (1880), is clearly distinct, consisting of three very closely related species, one endemic to southern Chile and the other two to New Zealand. Despite the marked geographical discontinuity, the species are united by their distinctive cone morphology with its erect ovule, the absence of resin ducts in the leaves which occur universally elsewhere in the family [cit.] and a large number of cupressoid cross-field pits not found elsewhere in the family. Chemically, these species are also unique in the family, having cupressuflavone as their major biflavenoid constituent (3). The genus appears relatively isolated in the family, although it may show a distant affinity with Lagarostrobos and Halocarpus, which are also devoid of axial xylem parenchyma and hypodermis and have no vascular fibres in the adult leaves" (1).
Description
"Trees, shrubs or creepers with narrow, linear spreading juvenile leaves giving way by gradual transition to strongly keeled, subulate, decurrent appressed scales. Plants dioecious or monoecious; male cones solitary, terminal or axillary; sessile. Female cones solitary and terminal, consisting of 3-5 bracts with very elongated bases, of which 1 or 2 are fertile. Each fertile bracts bearing within its axil an erect ovule" ... "that remains erect throughout its development" ... "and has a sharply reflexed micropyle. Seeds maturing in the second year, not compressed, becoming dark-brown to black and surrounded by an asymmetrical, membranous, basal sheath formed by the epimatium that is less than one-quarter the height of the seed. Bracts frequently becoming swollen, fleshy and pink to red at maturity" (1).Range
Chile (Tierra del Fuego) and New Zealand (1).Big Tree
Probably L. intermedius.Oldest
Probably L. intermedius.Dendrochronology
No recorded use.Ethnobotany
Observations
Remarks
Citations
(1) Quinn 1982.(2) de Laubenfels 1969.
(3) Quinn, C.J. and P. Gadek. 1981. Biflavones in Dacrydium sensu lato. Phytochemistry 20:677-681.
[Lepidothamnus] [Podocarpaceae] [home]
This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~earlecj/po/le/index.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
E-mail:earlecj@earthlink.com
Last modified on 13-Apr-1999