| Athrotaxis
selaginoides (King Billy Pine) is a native tree mostly found in
higher altitude rainforest, although it sometimes occurs as an
alpine shrub or a lowland rainforest tree. It is endemic to Tasmania.
It is quite fire sensitive and is found in the rainforests of many
parts of western and southern Tasmania. It
isn't known in the north-east. The genus has one other species (A.
cupressoides), which is also endemic to southern, western and central
Tasmania. The two species hybridise (producing
A. x laxifolia). The genus
Athrotaxis has spirally arranged, single-veined leaves, and
woody cones. The leaves of A. selaginoides are narrow
and elongated (about 10 mm long and about 2mm wide) and spread out
from the stem. Leaves growing in the shade are longer, and spread
more widely than leaves growing in full sun. It can become a large
tree (more than 30m tall and 2m in diameter) and live for more than
1000 years. The female cones are typically about 18 mm in diameter,
and the scales end in an elongate scale. |
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