Widdringtonia wallichii

Widdringtonia wallichii
Conservation status

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Widdringtonia
Species: W. wallichii
Binomial name
Widdringtonia wallichii
Endl. ex Carrière
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Widdringtonia wallichii previously Widdringtonia cedarbergensis (Clanwilliam Cedar or Clanwilliam Cypress) is a species of Widdringtonia native to South Africa, where it is endemic to the Cederberg Mountains northeast of Cape Town in Western Cape Province. It is threatened by habitat loss[2][3][4] and protected in South Africa under the National Forest Act (Act 84) of 1998.[5]

It is a small evergreen tree growing to 5–7 m (rarely to 20 m) tall. The leaves are scale-like, 1.5 mm long and 1 mm broad on small shoots, up to 15 mm long on strong-growing shoots, and arranged in opposite decussate pairs. The cones are globose to rectangular, 2–3 cm long, with four scales.[2]

The tree is widely known as the "Clanwilliam Cedar" but botanists have recommended the name Clanwilliam Cypress to better reflect its botanical relationships.[6]

Chemical constituents

The essential oil derived from leaves contains terpinen-4-ol (36.0%), sabinene (19.2%), γ-terpinene (10.4%), α-terpinene (5.5%) and myrcene (5.5%).[7] The wood oil contains thujopsene (47.1%), α-cedrol (10.7%), widdrol (8.5%) and cuparene (4.0%).[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Farjon, A., February, E., Higgins, S., Fox, S. & Raimondo, D. (2013). "Widdringtonia cedarbergensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4
  3. ↑ Hilton-Taylor, C. et al. 1998. Widdringtonia cedarbergensis. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
  4. ↑ Pauw, C. A. & Linder, H. P. 1997. Widdringtonia systematics, ecology and conservation status. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 123: 297-319.
  5. ↑ "Protected Trees". Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. 30 June 2013.
  6. ↑ University of the Witwatersrand: Recommended English names for trees of Southern Africa
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kamatou, G.P.P.; Viljoen, A.M.; Özek, T.; Başer, K.H.C. (2010). "Chemical composition of the wood and leaf oils from the "Clanwilliam Cedar" (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis J.A. Marsh): A critically endangered species". South African Journal of Botany 76 (4): 652. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2010.04.002.