Cupressus torulosa D.Don

Cupressus torulosa D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 55 1825.

(Cupressus torulosa D.Don; Photo S. Rae)

Latin Name: Cupressus torulosa D.Don; Family : Cupressaceae

Synonym Name: Athrotaxis joucadan Carrière; Cupressus austrotibetica Silba; Cupressus corneyana Knight & Perry ex Carrière; Cupressus doniana Hook.f.; Cupressus duclouxiana subsp. austrotibetica (Silba) Silba; Cupressus flagelliformis Knight; Cupressus gigantea subsp. ludlowii (Silba) Silba; Cupressus gigantea subsp. tongmaiensis (Silba) Silba; Cupressus karnaliensis Silba; Cupressus karnaliensis var. mustangensis Silba; Cupressus karnaliensis subsp. mustangensis (Silba) Silba; Cupressus lusitanica subsp. kuluensis Silba; Cupressus lusitanica subsp. torulosa (D.Don) Silba & Brian Chen; Cupressus majestica Knight; Cupressus nepalensis Loudon; Cupressus pakistanensis Silba; Cupressus sempervirens var. indica Parl.; Cupressus sempervirens subsp. indica (Parl.) Silba; Cupressus tongmaiensis Silba; Cupressus tongmaiensis var. ludlowii Silba; Cupressus torulosa subsp. karnaliensis (Silba) Silba; Cupressus tournefortii Ten.; Cupressus whitleyana Carrière; Juniperus gracilis Carrière; Juniperus pendula Parl.; Sabina corneyana Antoine; Thuja curviramea Miq.

Vernacular name : Hoàng Đàn

Morphology:

An evergreen, medium-sized tree, up to 15-25m in height, some,times higher, with a diameter of 40-60cm (rarely 90cm). Bark grey brown, with longitudinal fissures. Twigs cylindrical, nearly quadrangular, branching in whorls. Crown large, oval in form. Leaves scaly, closely inserted on twigs. Cones: Unisexual, grouped on a stalk. Male cone subglobular, 5- 6mm long, female cone globular, with a diameter up to 15-20mm, 6-8 scales, green when young and becoming dark brown when mature, lignified and opening into 3 fragments, bearing 2 big winged seeds.

Distribution and ecology:

An endangered species in Vietnam, only found in a narrow area of the Central Region and the North, belonging to Lang Son and Tuyen Quang provinces. Also planted in Kon Tum and Lam Dong. Light-demaqding species, thriving in hot and wet tropical and subtropical forests having high rainfall, occurring naturally as dominant stands at elevation of 800-1200m, mixed with Markhamia stipulata and Burretiodendron hsienmu, on limestone mountain, sometimes forming pure stands on slopes and tips of mountain. Rather slow-growing, natural regeneration very limited. Cones appear in February-March, seed matures in May-June

Uses:

Prime timber with straight grain and fine texture, resistant to termites and insects, aromatic. Used for cabinetwork, office furniture, fine art articles. Also used in construction and railway carriage-making. Wood is aromatic, especially the Toot-wood, essential oil extracted from these parts used in medicine to cure inflammatory wounds, or as an anticeptic and also used for cosmetics. As an endangered species, it needs protection in its remaining natural distribution area in Lang Son and Tuyen Quang provinces, and plantations should be established to preserve the gene resource for further development of this species.

Souce: VIETNAMFORESTTREES 1996