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Scientific name: Actinostrobus pyramidalis Miquel 1845
Synonyms: Callitris actinostrobus F.Muell., Callitris pyramidalis (Miq.) J.E.Piggin & J.J.Bruhl, Frenela actinostrobus (F.Muell.) F.Muell.
Common names: Swamp cypress, Swan River cypress, King George's cypress pine
Erect shrubs or small trees, dense, 2-6 m tall, trunk short or multistemmed. Bark smooth, soon flaking, thin, brown-grey. Branches numerous, ascending or nearly erect, persistent, forming a narrowly conical or pyramidal, less often rounded crown. Foliage branches numerous, contorted, spreading irregularly or ascending, rigid, slender, short, rather sturdy, angular with decurrent leaf bases, persistent, grey-brown to grey when leaves weather away. Leaves in alternating whorls of 3, decurrent (juvenile leaves on young plants only), linear-lanceolate, 2-5(-8) × 1-1.5(-2) mm, with spreading or incurved free distal part, abaxially keeled, denticulate on margins and keel, acuminate-pungent, green, stomata in 2 lines on each face. Pollen cones subterminal on ultimate branchlets, reddish yellow turning reddish brown, 3-6 × 1.5-2 mm. Microsporophylls 12-18, in whorls of 3, orbicular-ovate with cuspidate apex, slightly keeled abaxially, with 2-4 abaxial pollen sacs. Seed cones terminal on short (0.5-1 cm), slightly thickened, lateral, short-leaved branchlets, mostly aggregated along branches and stems, when closed broadly globose with dome-shaped apex, 12-15 × 12-16 mm, green or purplish green, maturing to purplish brown or grey-brown. Bract-scale complexes whorled, 6, of nearly equal size at maturity, subtended by 4-6 alternating whorls of 3 broad, imbricate scale leaves with denticulate margins; apex appressed, rounded, minutely mucronate; smaller lower whorls partly overlapping larger upper whorls. Bract tips entirely included in cone scales. Cone scales oblong, 10-14 × 5-6 mm, more or less flat, smooth, grey-brown abaxially, with incurved, obtuse apex, with smooth adaxial face, purplish brown or nearly black, with lighter coloured seed scars towards base. Columella a 5-7 mm long, dark brown to blackish spike. Seeds 8-12 per cone, only a small number fertile, about half of these situated between bases of cone scales, irregularly triangular/angular, 3-5 mm long (including wings 6-9 mm), yellowish brown, wings ca. 2 mm wide.
Recent phylogenetic and taxonomic research suggests that the genus Actinostrobus is not distinct from Callitris (Piggin and Bruhle, 2010). This taxonomy has been adopted by the Western Australian Herbarium for the purposes of floristic work and conservation assessments. Under this taxonomy Actinostrobus pyramidalis Miq. is a synonym of Callitris pyramidalis (Miq.) J.E.Piggin & J.J.Bruhl.
Whereas cladistic analysis using DNA sequence data has placed Actinostrobus within a clade containing species of Callitris (making Callitris paraphyletic), there are a number of morphological characters separating the two genera.
Restricted to southern Western Australia from near Albany in the south as far north as the Hutt River. Its extent of occurrence is considerably in excess of 20,000 km²; 50-300 m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern
As Actinostrobus pyramidalis still occupies a very large geographic range and is relatively frequent within that area and there are no significant threats, it is assessed as Least Concern.
A small erect shrub or small tree usually found on sandy soils in low lying areas that are subject to winter inundation
Currently, no specific threats to this species have been identified, although large areas of its range have in the past been converted for agriculture, pastoralism and urban development.
The species is not known to used, but it may be planted locally as an ornamental.
Although large areas of its range have in the past been converted for agriculture, pastoralism and urban development, this species is still frequent. It is not listed under Western Australian state legislation or as part of any threatened plant community under Australian Federal legislation.
Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.
