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[ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 16th, 2013, 1:18 pm
by Mojo Moyogi
Hi all, I'd appreciate some help and possibly a positive ID on this tree.
P1017019.JPG
P1017027.JPG
P1017021.JPG
P1017023.JPG
P1017022.JPG
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Other info: The tree backbuds readily following branch removal and trunk chops, the foliage scent when crushed is a combination of faint Lemons and Pine.
Cheers,
Mojo
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 16th, 2013, 2:19 pm
by Grant Bowie
Athrotaxus familly from tasmania is my guess.
Probably selaginoides.
Grant
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 16th, 2013, 3:03 pm
by Mojo Moyogi
Hi Grant, pretty nice guess! In comparison to my tree, Of the 3 species of Athrotaxis, A. selaginoides and A. laxifolia have some foliage similarities to the juvenile foliage, but are quite different in regards to mature foliage.
A. selaginoides
A. laxifolia
Craigw60 saw the tree in person a couple of years ago and suggested perhaps Podocarpus.
Cheers,
Mojo
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 16th, 2013, 3:45 pm
by bodhidharma
I would have said Podocarpus to Moj. The bark is similar to Yew? though.
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 16th, 2013, 11:19 pm
by Hackimoto
The foliage looks like an Araucaria species to me. ( Norfolk Isl, Cook Isl, Bunya, Monkey Puzzle pine family.)
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:39 am
by Hackimoto
On second look Athrotaxus looks acurate.
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 12:01 pm
by Mojo Moyogi
Hackimoto,
Yeah Athrotaxis is close, I am looking through a botanical key to the family Cuppressacae (51 pages of fun!) to try and get a conclusive answer. When I first saw the plant, I wasn't 100% convinced that it was a conifer, I certainly didn't consider a rare Tasmanian.
Cheers,
Mojo
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 12:22 pm
by Mojo Moyogi
The key I found is quite useful, still working my way through it.
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/biodivpfl ... hulz_2.pdf
Cheers,
Mojo
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 12:27 pm
by craigw60
Are you sure its australian ? could be podocarpus rimu or kahitatea
Craigw
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 4:18 pm
by Grant Bowie
A cryptomeria of some sort would be another possibility if it is not a native.
Grant
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 10:04 am
by Grant Bowie
Widringtonia cedarburgensis (4).JPG
Widringtonia cedarburgensis (3).JPG
Widringtonia cedarburgensis (2).JPG
Widringtonia cedarburgensis (1).JPG
Check out these photos and see if this looks like the plant.
The leaves/needles/growth look like the latter photo you posted and would appear to be a juvenile form of the growth and it matures to a cypress looking foliage.
If this is the tree it is Widringtonia cedarbergensis; a native of South Africa and endangered.
grant
Re: [ID] Mystery Native? or something else
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 10:16 am
by Mojo Moyogi
From going through a key of the Cuppressaceae family, I found nothing conclusive.
Hi Grant, no it's definitely not Cryptomeria or Widringtonia.
Craig, I'm not at all convinced that it is Australian Native. Based on visuals it's not Rimu or Kahitatea, I need to find a relaible botanical key of Podocarpaceae to work through.
Cheers,
Mojo