Scientific name: Callitris columellaris F.J. Mueller 1866

Synonyms: Callitris arenosa A.Cunn. ex R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm., Callitris glauca R.Br. ex R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm., Callitris glaucophylla J.Thomps. & L.A.S.Johnson, Callitris hugelii (Carrière) Franco, Callitris intermedia R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm., Callitris intratropica R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm., Frenela columellaris (F.Muell.) Parl., Frenela hugelii Carrière, Frenela moorei Parl., Frenela robusta A. Cunn. ex Mirb., Octoclinis backhousei W.Hill, Widdringtonia equisetiformis Mast.

Common names: Coast cypress pine, Richmond cypress pine, White cypress-pine

Description

Tree to 18(-35) m tall, with trunk to 1.5 m in diameter or forking near the base. Bark reddish brown, weathering grayish brown, becoming strongly ridged and furrowed with maturity. Crown dense, narrow, with short horizontal or upturned branches. Branchlets rounded. Juvenile foliage not persistent in mature plants. Adult leaves, including bases, 1-4 mm long, rich green, not keeled. Pollen cones in clusters of (one to) three to five, 3-4(-5) mm long, with three to five trios of pollen scales, each with three or four pollen sacs. Seed cones single on slender stalks, not persisting after maturity, egg-shaped to almost spherical, 1.5-2 cm in diameter with a thick, single, angled central column (called a columella, hence the species name) 5-7 mm long. Scales mostly smooth but with a small prickle near the tip, separating to near the base. Seed 4-10 on each scale, brown or black, the body 5-7 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, one transparent wing somewhat larger than the other, both longer than the seed body, 6-9 mm long, (0-)2-6 mm wide, sometimes with a third wing to 1 mm wide. The oldest trees reach about 200 years.

Southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Forming dense stands on sandy soils of the immediate coastal region; 0-50(-100) m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern

Although this species has been exploited throughout most of its range and its habitat is fragmented and degraded by a combination of grazing by domestic livestock and feral animals, altered fire regimes and invasion by exotic weeds, it is still very widespread and locally common. Therefore it is assessed as Least Concern. The IUCN Redlist uses an expanded circumscription of Callitris columellaris that includes Callitris glaucophylla J.Thompson & L.A.S.Johnson and Callitris intratropica R.T Baker and H.G. Smith (Farjon 2005). In the Australian Plant Census, the Flora of Australia and much literature relating to ecology and utilisation, these three taxa are treated as distinct species. Under this narrow concept, Callitris columellaris is restricted to the coastal areas of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, Callitris glaucophylla is widespread in inland areas in all states except Tasmania and Callitris intratropica is found in northern Queensland and the northern parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Overgrazing by domestic and feral animals and inappropriate fire regimes are problems in some parts of its range. Widely used for fencing and construction. Also used for dendroclimatological studies. This species occurs in a number of national parks and other protected areas such as forest reserves.

References

Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.
Eckenwalder, J.E. (2009) Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. Timber Press, Portland.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Cambridge, UK /Gland, Switzerland