Widdringtonia nodiflora
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| Widdringtonia nodiflora | ||||||||||||||
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| Widdringtonia nodiflora (L.) Powrie |
Widdringtonia nodiflora (Mountain Cypress) is a species of Widdringtonia native to southern Africa, from southern Malawi, southern Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe and eastern and southern South Africa. It is the only widespread species in its genus, and the only one not threatened or endangered.[1][2][3]
It is an evergreen multistemmed shrub or small to rarely medium-sized tree growing to 5-7 m (rarely to 25 m) tall. The leaves are scale-like, 1.5-2 mm long and 1-1.5 mm broad on small shoots, up to 10 mm long on strong-growing shoots, and arranged in opposite decussate pairs. The cones are globose, 1-2 cm long, with four scales. It is unique in the genus in its ability to coppice, readily re-sprouting from burnt or cut stumps; this enables it to survive wildfires, and is considered a major factor in allowing its abundance relative to the other species in the genus.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4
- ^ Pauw, C. A. & Linder, H. P. 1997. Widdringtonia systematics, ecology and conservation status. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 123: 297-319.
- ^ University of the Witwatersrand: Recommended English names for trees of Southern Africa
