Taiwania cryptomerioides (Cultivated- California)

Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 37: 330 1906. (syn: Eotaiwania fushunensis Y.Yendo; Taiwania cryptomerioides var. flousiana (Gaussen) Silba; Taiwania flousiana Gaussen; Taiwania fushunensis (Y.Yendo) Koidz.; Taiwania yunnanensis Koidz.);

 

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Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides) is a large coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, formerly listed in the segregate family Taxodiaceae.

It is native to eastern Asia, growing in the mountains of central Taiwan, and locally in southwest China and adjoining Myanmar and northern Vietnam. It is endangered by illegal logging for its valuable wood in many areas. It is very likely that the range was more extensive in the past before extensive felling for the wood.^[1]

It is one of the largest tree species in Asia, reported to heights of 80 m tall and with a trunk up to 4 m diameter above buttressed base.^[2] The leaves are needle-like or awl-like and 8–15 mm long on young trees up to about 100 years old, then gradually becoming more scale-like, 3–7 mm long, on mature trees. The cones are small, 15–25 mm long, with about 15-30 thin, fragile scales, each scale with two seeds.

The populations in mainland Asia are treated as a distinct species Taiwania flousiana by some botanists, but the claimed differences between these and the Taiwanese population are not consistent when a number of specimens from each area are compared.

The genus is named after the island of Taiwan, from where it first became known to the botanical community in 1910.

The wood is soft, but durable and attractively spicy scented, and was in very high demand in the past, particularly for temple building and coffins. The rarity of the tree and its slow growth in plantations means legal supplies are now very scarce; the species has legal protection in China and Taiwan.

(From Wikipedia on 23.12.13)

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5 posts by 3 authors.

A completely new genus and species to me. I know this name Taiwania as a Scientific Journal only.

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Name of the journal Taiwania is based on this species. They have an image of the cone as logo 🙂

It is from UCBG California

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References:

The Plant List  WCSP Wikipedia
 IUCN Red List (VU)  Coffin tree Taiwania cryptomerioides