Cunninghamia is a genus of one[ or two living species of evergreen Pinophyta in the cypress family Cupressaceae.][ They may reach in height.]
Description
The general shape of the tree is conical with tiered,
The conifer cone are small and inconspicuous at pollination in late winter, the pollen cones in clusters of 10–30 together, the female cones singly or 2–3 together.
The seed cones mature in 7–8 months to 2.5–4.5cm long, ovoid to globose, with spirally arranged scales; each scale bears 3–5 . They are often proliferous (with a vegetative shoot growing on beyond the tip of the cone) on cultivated trees; this is rare in wild trees, and may be a cultivar selected for easy vegetative propagation for use in forestry .
As the tree grows its trunk tends to Basal shoot around the base, particularly following damage to the stem or roots, and it then may grow in a multi-trunked form. Brown bark of mature trees peels off in strips to reveal reddish-brown inner bark. Older specimens often look ragged, as the old needles may cling to stems for up to 5 years.
Although it resembles conifer species found in much colder climates, the tree is highly tolerant of heat and can be found growing down to sea level in regions such as Hong Kong.
Taxonomy
It is the most basal extant member of the Cupressaceae. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that its lineage diverged from the rest of the family during the early Jurassic.
In the past, the genus was usually treated in the family Taxodiaceae,[for example Orr, Elizabeth L. and William N. Orr 2009 Oregon Fossils: Second Edition, Oregon State University Press; ] The oldest fossil species of the genus are from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of North America, including Cunninghamia hornbyensis from British Columbia, Canada,
The genus is traditionally said to contain two similar species, Cunninghamia lanceolata and C. konishii, often referred to as the China fir and Taiwan fir, respectively. C. lanceolata occurs in mainland China, Vietnam, and Laos, whereas C. konishii is restricted to Taiwan.
Usage
Cunninghamia is a prized timber tree in China, producing soft, highly durable scented wood similar to that of Coast Redwood and Sugi. It is used in particular for manufacture of and in temple building where the scent is valued.
Cunninghamia is grown as an ornamental tree in and large , where it typically reaches a height of 15–30 m. Due to its heat tolerance, it has been used as a Christmas tree in subtropical areas such as the American south.
External links
