- Fokienia
Taxobox
name = "Fokienia"
status = LR/nt | status_system = IUCN2.3
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo =Pinales
familia =Cupressaceae
subfamilia = Cupressoideae
genus = "Fokienia"
genus_authority = A.Henry & H.H.Thomas
species = "F. hodginsii"
binomial = "Fokienia hodginsii"
binomial_authority = (Dunn) A.Henry & H.H.Thomas"Fokienia" is a genus in the family
Cupressaceae . In its characteristics, "Fokienia" is intermediate between the genera of "Chamaecyparis " and "Calocedrus ", though genetically much closer to the former. The genus comprises only one livingspecies , "Fokienia hodginsii" or Fujian Cypress, and onefossil species ("Fokienia ravenscragensis")."Fokienia hodginsii" is native from southeastern China (provinces of
Zhejiang ,Guizhou ,Yunnan andFujian ) to NorthernVietnam (provinces ofHa Bac ,Ha Giang ,Ha Tinh ,Hoa Binh ,Son La ,Nghe An ,Lao Cai ,Lai Chau ,Thanh Hoa ,Tuyen Quang ,Yen Bai andVinh Phu ), west central Vietnam (provinces ofDac Lac ,Gia Lai ,Lam Dong ), and west to northernLaos . The name derives from the old Romanised name of Fujian province, China, from where the first specimen was introduced to Europe, collected by CaptainHodgins in 1908.It is an
evergreen tree, 25-30 m tall. It has greyish-brownishbark that peels off when the tree is young. On older trees, the bark presents longitudinal fissures and becomes aromatic. The leaves are arranged in flattened branchlet systems, with the branchlets in one plane. The leaves on adult trees are in opposite decussate pairs, the alternating pairs not evenly spaced so appearing as whorls of 4 at the same level; they are sub-acute, about 2-5 mm long, glossy green above, and with whitestomata l bands below. The lateral leaves are ovate and compressed, and facial leaves are oblanceolate with a triangular apex. On young trees, the leaves are larger, up to 8-10 mm long and 6 mm broad.The male cones are oval or cylindrical, around 2.5 mm long, terminal on the shoots. They have from 3 to 5 pairs of scales. The female cones are much larger, 15-25 mm long and 14-22 mm broad, globose or sub-globose, and ripen in the second year. They have 5-8 pairs of scales. There are two winged
seed s on each scale. They are around 4 mm long, angular and pointed. On the upper and lower surfaces there are 2 largeresin blister s. The wings are lateral and very unequal.The tree does not tolerate shade, and requires mild climate and abundant
rainfall to grow best. It occurs mainly on humidsoil in montane habitats. In Vietnam, it grows onlimestone orgranite terrain above 900 m altitude.The fossil species "Fokienia ravenscragensis" was described from the early
Paleocene (60-65 m.a. before present) Ravenscrag formation of southwestSaskatchewan and adjacentAlberta ,Canada .Uses
Laotian and
Dao tribesmen use Fujian cypress timber for wall partitioning or roofing. The timber was formerly used forcoffin s. In Vietnam, it is considered a precious timber because of its characteristic aroma and its exceptional weight; therefore it is used to make art works, pieces of furniture, andcharcoal of high heat value. It is a threatened species in Vietnam.Distillation , especially of its root, gives anessential oil used incosmetics andmedicine .References and external links
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* [http://www.pinetum.org/cones/FOhodginsii.jpgArboretum de Villardebelle: photo of cone]
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