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Chinese Golden Larch

Pseudolarix amabilis (J. Nelson) Rehd.

Comments

provided by eFloras
A rare species (as a native plant). The wood is used for furniture, boat building, and bridges. An excellent ornamental tree with its attractive crown and golden autumn color.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 41 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of China @ eFloras.org
editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
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eFloras.org
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Description

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Trees to 40 m tall; trunk to 3 m d.b.h.; bark gray-brown, rough, scaly, flaking; crown broadly conical; long branchlets initially reddish brown or reddish yellow, glossy, glabrous, becoming yellowish gray, brownish gray, or rarely purplish brown in 2nd or 3rd year, finally gray or dark gray; short branchlets slow growing, bearing dense rings of leaf cushions; winter buds ovoid, scales free at apex. Leaves bluish green adaxially, pale green abaxially, slightly curved or straight, 2-5.5 cm × 1.5-4 mm, slightly keeled adaxially, stomatal lines present on abaxial surface, midvein prominent abaxially, apex acute. Seed cones green or yellow-green, maturing reddish brown, obovoid or ovoid, 5-7.5 × 4-5 cm. Seed scales ovate-lanceo late, 2.8-3.5 × ca. 1.7 cm, with a longitudinal, central, densely pubescent ridge adaxially, base with 2 lateral auricles, apex emarginate. Bracts ovate-lanceolate, 1/4-1/3 as long as seed scales, margin denticulate. Seeds white, ovoid, 6-7 mm; wing light yellow or brownish yellow, glossy adaxially, triangular-lanceolate, circa 2.5 cm. Pollination Apr, seed maturity Oct
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 41 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of China @ eFloras.org
editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
project
eFloras.org
original
visit source
partner site
eFloras

Distribution

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Native range difficult to discern owing to long history of cultivation but probably the lower Chang Jiang valley: N Fujian, Hunan, N Jiangxi, N Zhejiang; cultivated in S Anhui, W Hubei, S Jiangsu, E Sichuan.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 41 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of China @ eFloras.org
editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
project
eFloras.org
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eFloras

Habitat

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* Evergreen and deciduous, broad-leaved mixed, forests; 100-1500 m.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 41 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of China @ eFloras.org
editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
project
eFloras.org
original
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eFloras

Synonym

provided by eFloras
Larix amabilis J. Nelson, Pinaceae 84. 1866; Abies kaempferi Lindley; Chrysolarix amabilis (J. Nelson) H. E. Moore; Laricopsis kaempferi (Lindley) Kent; Pseudolarix fortunei Mayr; P. kaempferi Gordon; P. pourtetii Ferre.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 41 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of China @ eFloras.org
editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
project
eFloras.org
original
visit source
partner site
eFloras

Pseudolarix amabilis

provided by wikipedia EN

Pseudolarix amabilis is a species of coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. The species is commonly known as golden larch, but being more closely related to Keteleeria, Abies and Cedrus, is not a true larch (Larix). P. amabilis is native to eastern China, occurring in small areas in the mountains of southern Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and eastern Sichuan, at altitudes of 100–1,500 m (328–4,921 ft). The earliest known occurrences are of compression fossils found in the Ypresian Allenby Formation and mummified fossils found in the Late Eocene Buchanan Lake Formation on Axel Heiberg Island.[2]

Growth

It is a deciduous coniferous tree reaching 30–40 m (98–131 ft) tall, with a broad conic crown. The shoots are dimorphic, with long shoots and short shoots similar to a larch, though the short shoots are not so markedly short, lengthening about 5 mm annually. The leaves are bright green, 3–6 cm long and 2–3 mm broad, with two glaucous stomatal bands on the underside; they turn a brilliant golden yellow before falling in the autumn, hence the common name "golden larch". The leaves are arranged spirally, widely spaced on long shoots, and in a dense whorl on the short shoots.

The cones are distinctive, superficially resembling small globe artichokes, 4–7 cm long and 4–6 cm broad, with pointed triangular scales; they mature about 7 months after pollination, when (like fir and cedar cones) they disintegrate to release the winged seeds. The male cones, as in Keteleeria, are produced in umbels of several together in one bud.

Characteristics

The golden larch is an attractive ornamental tree for parks and large garden. Unlike the true larches, it is tolerant of summer heat and humidity, growing successfully in the southeastern United States where most larches and firs do not succeed. In Europe growth is most successful in the Mediterranean region with notable specimens in northern Italy; further north in the United Kingdom it will grow, but only very slowly due to the cooler summers.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3][4]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ Yang, Y.; Christian, T. (2013). "Pseudolarix amabilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T34196A2850347. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34196A2850347.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ LePage, B. A.; Basinger, J. F. (1995). "Evolutionary history of the genus Pseudolarix Gordon (Pinaceae)". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 156 (6): 910–950. doi:10.1086/297313. S2CID 84724593.
  3. ^ "Pseudolarix amabilis AGM". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  4. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 83. Retrieved 2 June 2018.

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Pseudolarix amabilis: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Pseudolarix amabilis is a species of coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. The species is commonly known as golden larch, but being more closely related to Keteleeria, Abies and Cedrus, is not a true larch (Larix). P. amabilis is native to eastern China, occurring in small areas in the mountains of southern Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and eastern Sichuan, at altitudes of 100–1,500 m (328–4,921 ft). The earliest known occurrences are of compression fossils found in the Ypresian Allenby Formation and mummified fossils found in the Late Eocene Buchanan Lake Formation on Axel Heiberg Island.

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