Callitris macleayana | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Gymnospermae |
Division: | Pinophyta |
Class: | Pinopsida |
Order: | Cupressales |
Family: | Cupressaceae |
Genus: | Callitris |
Species: | C. macleayana
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Binomial name | |
Callitris macleayana (
F.Muell.) F.Muell.
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Callitris macleayana is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae, endemic to Australia. [2] [3] The tree is commonly known as stringybark pine, as well as brush cypress pine and Port Macquarie pine, although it does not belong to the pine genus or family. [1] Stringybark pine is found in two regions of Australia's east coast, one in the centre and one in the north.
Callitris macleayana is a large, straight-trunked tree with spreading branches and up to 40 metres in height. [4] The bark is furrowed, and its juvenile leaves are around 1 cm in length, giving way to mature foliage of 2-3 mm; cones often occur in solitary on larger fruiting branches, and have 6 scales when borne on mature trees. [4]
Stringybark pine occurs over much of the central and northeast coast of Australia with an estimated range of 20,000 km2, although its range is divided in two with a 1500 km gap between the two occurrences. In the North, it is found in open forests upon humid highlands, mainly among Eucalyptus, Syncarpia, and Corymbia species; in the South, it is found in wet sclerophyll forests and occasionally in pockets of subtropical rainforest, the latter including Ficus and Podocarpus species. [1] Within these habitats the stringybark pine prefers exposed locations, such as slopes and ridge tops, whilst generally being found in poorer soils. [1] The tree's limitation to humid sites is in contrast to many other species in the genus, such as Callitris glaucophylla and C. endlicheri. The species has a cold hardiness of -1.1 °C to +4.4 °C, corresponding to hardiness Zone 10. [5]