Falcatifolium taxoides () description

Falcatifolium taxoides

(Brongniart et Grisebach) de Laub. 1969

Common names

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Dacrydium taxoides Brongniart et Grisebach, Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, ser. 5, 6 : 245 (1866); Podocarpus taxoides Carrière, Traité Conif. ed 2 : 657 (1867), including var. gracilis Carrière, 1. c. : 658 (de Laubenfels 1972).

Lectotype : Viellard 1259, pro parte (Balade) (P) (de Laubenfels 1972).

The most closely related species is F. papuanum from New Guinea (de Laubenfels 1972).

Description

"Shrub or small tree reaching a height of 2-15 m. Bark thin, more or less smooth, with scattered lenticels, brown reddish and fibrous inside, occasionally shedding a scale. Branching is open. Juvenile leaves flattened bifacially, longish oval, almost linear, tapering off to a sharp apex, with a carina on the upper surface, 15-20 by 1.5 mm long, appear only on seedlings. Adult leaves flattened bilaterally, quite variable in form, gently curved on the outside at the base and 1/3 up from the base reaching their greatest width, subside itself toward the sharp and round apex, sometimes nearly linear, the apex normally straight and erect towards the outside or seldom a little curved toward the tip of the branch, the most often without curvature relevant to the upper edge of the leave, more or less shrinks at the base on the petiole and then decurrent. Pollen cone axillary or terminal, often with many others on a short axillary shoot that is covered with very small scales, cylindrical,15-25 mm long by 1.5-2.0 mm in diameter. Microsporophylls small with acuminate apex. Seed cone on a fine scaly shoot about 6 mm long; the seed cone has about a dozen large, long scales, 2 mm long, the apical one is only fertile, the entire cone becomes fleshy at maturity. Seed with a bulging epimatium at its base, oval, with a strong carina on the ridge and a long and dull apex, 7 x 4 x 3 mm" (de Laubenfels 1972).

Distribution and Ecology

New Caledonia, at (0-)800-1200(-1400) m elevation. It is an understory tree in the wet forests of the main island (de Laubenfels 1972). Within its range, mean annual temperature is 20.4°C, with an average minimum in the coldest month of 13.5°C, and a mean annual precipitation of 1848 mm (Biffin et al. 2011, Table S5). The IUCN reports that the population status is stable.

This map shows herbarium records of Falcatifolium taxoides. Click on an icon for further information. Distribution data from GBIF (2020.03.30), edited to remove duplicates.

De Laubenfels (1972) reports collections from the following sites:

Balade
Bois du Sud (3 collections; one at 750 m and one at 900 m)
Boulari
Diahot (2 collections, one in the forest of Tende at 500-600 m)
Dumbéa, Mine Sunshine, 650 m
Ignambi, 1060 m
Inédété, Les Lèvres, 600-700 m
Kuébini, 265 m
Mois de Mai
Mt. Boulinda, 1150-1300 m
Mt. Colnett
Mt. Do, 900-1000 m
Mt. Dzumac (2 collections, one at 700-900 m)
Mt. Grandie summit, Amou, 900-1000 m
Mt. Humboldt, 1400 m
Mt. Koghis (4 collections)
Mt. Mou (12 collections, one at 1140 m)
Mt. Paéoua, 900-1000 m
Mt. des Sources (9 collections, one at 300 m and four at 750-950 m)
NE of Naoué, 500 m
Rivière Bleue (4 collections, one at 800 m)
Tao
Wagap

Zone 10 (cold hardiness limit between -1°C and +4.4°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2023.02.21.

Ethnobotany

No data as of 2023.02.21.

Observations

Ferenc Kiss found it (on 1993.01.08) growing in the Massif de la Pourina near Yaté at elevations of 550-730m above sea level. A Parasitaxus ustus was growing on one F. taxoides he found.

Remarks

The epithet taxoides means "like a yew".

Citations

Laubenfels, D. J. de. 1969. A revision of the Malesian and Pacific rainforest conifers, I. Podocarpaceae, in part. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 50:310-312. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2021.12.24.

Special thanks to Ferenc Kiss for providing the translation of de Laubenfels' 1972 text (2004.01).