Lepidothamnus laxifolius (Hook. f.) C.J. Quinn 1982

Common Names

Pigmy pine or pygmy pine.

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Dacrydium laxifolium Hooker f. 1845 (2). See Dacrydium for details.

Description

"A prostrate or sub-erect shrub with slender trailing branches up to [6-9 dm] or more in length. Leaves of young plants lax, spreading, narrow-linear, acute, curved, [5-13 mm] long, passing gradually into the adult leaves, which are linear-oblong, blunt or sub-acute, [1-2 mm] long, spreading or overlapping, scale-like. Male and female strobili on the same or on different trees. Seed about [3 mm] long with a small curved point, borne on a dry or occasionally succulent and swollen receptacle" (3).

Range

New Zealand: mountainous areas at 750-1220 m elevation (3).

Big Tree

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

"This is one of the smallest known conifers, fruiting specimens barely [7.6 cm] high and wide being sometimes found" (3).

See also Paleobotany of Australia and New Zealand conifers .

Citations

(1) Silba 1986 .
(2) Quinn 1982 .
(3) Dallimore & Jackson 1967 (as Dacrydium laxifolium ).

See also:
Allan 1961 .
Kirk, Forest Flora of New Zealand.


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This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~earlecj/po/le/laxifolius.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
E-mail: earlecj@earthlink.com
Last modified on 6-Feb-2000

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