Athrotaxis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athrotaxis |
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| Athrotaxis cupressoides | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Cupressaceae |
| Subfamily: | Athrotaxidoideae |
| Genus: | Athrotaxis D.Don |
| Species | |
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See text |
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Athrotaxis is a group of special conifer trees, like pines or firs. They belong to the cypress family, called Cupressaceae. These trees are found only in western Tasmania, an island in Australia. They grow in cool, wet rainforests high up in the mountains.
These are medium-sized evergreen trees, meaning they keep their leaves all year round. They can grow to be about 10 to 30 meters tall (that's like a 3 to 10-story building!) and their trunks can be 1 to 1.5 meters wide. Their leaves look like small scales, about 3 to 14 millimeters long, and they grow in a spiral pattern on the branches.
The cones are round or oval, about 1 to 3 centimeters across. Each cone has 15 to 35 scales, and each scale holds 3 to 6 seeds. It takes about 7 to 9 months for the cones to grow after the tree is pollinated. Then, they open up to release their seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are small and release their pollen in early spring.
Sadly, these trees are very easily damaged by bush fires. Their numbers have gone down a lot because of fires, both accidental and on purpose, since people from Europe started settling in Tasmania.
Different Kinds of Athrotaxis
There are two or three types of Athrotaxis trees, depending on how scientists classify them. Some think there are three distinct species, while others believe one of them is a hybrid (a mix) of the other two. So far, scientists haven't fully agreed, as different studies show different results.
| Image | Leaves | Common Name and Scientific Name | What They Look Like | Where They Grow |
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| Pencil Pine Athrotaxis cupressoides |
Their leaves are short (3–5 mm) and lie very flat against the branches. Their cones are small (1-1.5 cm). | Tasmania, Australia. | ||
| King Billy Pine or King William Pine Athrotaxis selaginoides |
Their leaves are long (8–14 mm) and stick out from the branches. Their cones are large (2–3 cm). | Tasmania, Australia. | ||
| Athrotaxis laxifolia | (This might be a mix of the other two). Its leaves are short (4–7 mm) but stick out from the branches. Its cones are a medium size (1.5-2.5 cm). | Tasmania, Australia. |
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Growing and Using Athrotaxis
The wood from Athrotaxis trees smells nice and lasts a long time. In the past, people in Tasmania used this wood a lot. However, these trees are now quite rare, so they are not cut down anymore.
All three types of Athrotaxis make very beautiful ornamental trees with their lush leaves. But they are usually only planted in special places like arboretums (tree gardens) or botanical gardens. It's hard to grow them far from Tasmania. They do best in places that get a lot of rain, have mild winters, and cool summers. Good examples of such places are the British Isles, the Pacific Northwest of North America, and New Zealand.
You can see examples of these trees and their different leaf shapes at The Tasmanian Arboretum, which is a place where many different kinds of trees are grown.
See also
In Spanish: Athrotaxis para niños
