Papuacedrus

Papuacedrus papuana
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Papuacedrus
H.L.Li
Species: P. papuana
Binomial name
Papuacedrus papuana
(F.Muell.) H.L.Li
Synonyms[1]
  • Libocedrus papuana F.Muell.
  • Thuja papuana (F.Muell.) Voss

Papuacedrus papuana is a species in the conifer family Cupressaceae, the sole species in the genus Papuacedrus. Some botanists do not consider this species as forming a distinct genus, but include it in the related genus Libocedrus. It is native to New Guinea and to the Indonesian Province of Maluku.[1]

It is usually a medium-sized to large evergreen tree 16–50 m tall, at high altitudes only a shrub reaching up to 3 m). The foliage is borne in flat sprays, with the leaves scale-like, in opposite pairs, with facial and lateral pairs alternating; the lateral leaves are larger, 2–3 mm long on mature trees and up to 20 mm long on young trees, the facial leaves smaller, 1 mm on mature trees and up to 8 mm on young trees. The cones are 1–2 cm long, with four scales, a small, sterile basal pair, and a larger fertile pair; the fertile scales each bearing two winged seeds.[2]

The species has two varieties, most readily distinguishable as young plants with juvenile leaves (the adult foliage being nearly indistinguishable):

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=378344
  2. Farjon, A. (2001). World Checklist and Bibliography of Conifers , ed. 2: 1-309. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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