| Libocedrus austrocaledonica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Cupressales |
| Family: | Cupressaceae |
| Genus: | Libocedrus |
| Species: | L. austrocaledonica |
| Binomial name | |
| Libocedrus austrocaledonica | |
Libocedrus austrocaledonica is a species ofLibocedrus,endemic toNew Caledonia, occurring mainly in the southern half of the island (also one site in the northern half), at 750–1,400 m altitude in montanecloud forest scrub.[1][2]
It is anevergreenconiferousshrub (rarely a smalltree) growing to 2–6 m tall, often multi-stemmed, with trunks up to 10 cm diameter. The foliage is arranged in strongly flattened sprays; theleaves are scale-like, arranged inopposite decussate pairs on the shoots; the facial leaves are 1–2 mm long and 1 mm broad, and the lateral leaves markedly larger, 3–7 mm long and 1.5–3 mm broad. Theseed cones are cylindrical, 10–12 mm long, with four scales each with a prominent curved spine-like bract; they are arranged in two opposite decussate pairs around a small central columella; the outer pair of scales is small and sterile, the inner pair large, each bearing two wingedseeds. They are mature about six to eight months after pollination. The pollen cones are 5–8 mm long.[2]
