- Cathaya
Taxobox
name = "Cathaya"
fossil_range = Fossil range|30.0|0
status = LR/cd | status_system = IUCN2.3
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo =Pinales
familia =Pinaceae
genus = "Cathaya"
species = "C. argyrophylla"
binomial = "Cathaya argyrophylla"
binomial_authority = Chun & Kuang"Cathaya" is a genus in family
Pinaceae and has one known living species, "Cathaya argyrophylla". "Cathaya" is a member of the subfamily Laricoideae, most closely related to "Pseudotsuga" and "Larix". A second species, "C. nanchuanensis", is now treated as a synonym, as it does not differ from "C. argyrophylla" in any characters."Cathaya" is confined to a limited area in southern
China , in the provinces ofGuangxi ,Guizhou ,Hunan and southeastSichuan . It is found on steep, narrowmountain slopes at 950-1800 m altitude, onlimestone soils. A larger population has been reduced by over-cutting before its scientific discovery and protection in1950 .The leaves are needle-like, 2.5-5 cm long, have ciliate (hairy) margins when young, and grow around the stems in a spiral pattern. The cones are 3-5 cm long, with about 15-20 scales, each scale bearing two winged
seed s.One or two botanists, unhappy with the idea of a new genus in such a familiar family, tried to shoehorn it into other existing genera, as "Pseudotsuga argyrophylla" and "Tsuga argyrophylla". It is however very distinct from both of these genera, and these combinations are not now used.
Fossil s of extinct species of "Cathaya" are abundant inEurope anbrown coal deposits dating from between 10-30 million years ago.References
*
* [http://www.conifers.org/pi/ca/index.htm Gymnosperm Database: "Cathaya argyrophylla"]
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=105883 Flora of China: "Cathaya argyrophylla"]
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