Fokienia hodginsii

Fokienia hodginsii A.Henry & H.H.Thomas, Gard. Chron. ser. 3, 49: 67 (1911).

Fokienia hodginsii Henry and Thomas; Photo: Daderot and John Ruter

Latin Name: Fokienia hodginsii Henry and Thomas

Synonym Name: Chamaecyparis hodginsii (Dunn) Rushforth; Cupressus hodginsii Dunn; Fokienia hodginsii subsp. kawaii (Hayata) Silba; Fokienia hodginsii var. kawaii (Hayata) Silba; Fokienia kawaii Hayata; Fokienia maclurei Merr.

Family: Cupressaceae

Vernacular: Pơ mu

Morphology:

An evergreen, large tree, 25-35m in height with a diameter up to 2m. Bole straight. Bark brown grey, peeling off when young, later longitudinally fissured aromatic. Twigs flat, crown pyramidal. Leaves have two forms: Long and lanceolate on young twigs (vegetation twigs), and scaly leaves on old twigs (reproductive twigs). Male cone oval, axillary. Female cone subglobose, at the tip of short twigs, when mature splits into 5 pairs of red-brown scales, each scale bearing two asymmetrically winged seeds.

Distribution and ecology:

Found in Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Son La, Ha Bac, Hoa Binh, Vinh Phu, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dac Lac and Lam Dong province. A light-demanding tree, well adapted to mild climates with abundant rainfall, occurring naturally on humid soils in high mountain areas, slopes or flats. Distributed above 900m asl.on granite or limestone mountains, forming pure stands or mixed with Dacrydium pierrei, Pinus dalatensis and other species of broad-leaved tree species of Fagaceae, Lauraceae and Magnoliaceae. Good natural regeneration in open area such as: Along streams, at the forest edges, in the big open spaces of the young forests. Plantation can be carried out, using seedlings taken from the natural forests or raised in the nurseries.

Uses:

Timber: Light; fine and aromatic with straight grains. Formerly used for the making of coffins that are very durable when buried. Laotiens and Dao tribesmen split the timber for roofing and wall partitioning. The timber can be made into valuable fumiture, art articles and produce charcoal of high heat value. The distillation of wood especially that of the roots, gives high value essential oil, used for cosmetics and medicine preparation. An endangered tree species of Vietnam, that must be strictly protected in some Nature Reserves such as: Pu Mat (Nghe An), Vu Quang (Ha Tinh) and Bi Doup (Lam Dong).

Souce: VIETNAMFORESTTREES 1996