Afrocarpus falcatus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iAfrocarpus falcatus
Conservation status

Least concern (LR/lc)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Podocarpaceae
Genus: Afrocarpus
Species: A. falcatus
Binomial name
Afrocarpus falcatus
(Thunb.)

Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood (formerly also Outeniqua Yellowwood; syn. Podocarpus falcatus), is a species of Afrocarpus, native to montane forests of South Africa, from Swellendam District of Western Cape Province to Limpopo Province, and into southern Mozambique.

It is a medium-sized to large tree, generally 10-25 m high, but rarely growing up to 60 m, with rough, scaly bark. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate or falcate (sickle-shaped), 2-4 cm long and 2-4 mm broad. The seed cones are highly modified, with a single large seed with a thin fleshy coating borne on a short peduncle. The mature seed is yellow, and is dispersed by birds and monkeys which eat the fleshy coating. The pollen cones are produced in clusters on short stems.

[edit] References