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NZ Plants

Phyllocladus trichomanoides - tanekaha

Celery pine family: Phyllocladaceae

  • Mature foliage consists of phylloclades

    L Jensen

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  • Phylloclades are in whorls

    L Jensen

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  • Each phylloclade consists of numerous segments in two rows along a central axis and a terminal bud.

    L Jensen

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  • Phylloclade, the terminal bud gives rise to a new whorl of compound phylloclades.

    L Jensen

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  • Growing shoot

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  • Scale leaves

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  • Growing phylloclade segments

    L Jensen

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  • Scale leaves and phylloclade segments

    L Jensen

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  • The phylloclade margin is comprised of numerous branchlet tips protected by curved scales

    L Jensen

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  • Each branchlet axis (dark green) terminates in a shoot apex with leaf promordia to either side and is covered by a large scale.

    L Jensen

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  • Seedling with leaves and early phylloclades.

    L Jensen

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  • Seedling with leaves and enlarged phylloclades

    I MacDonald

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  • Pollen cones

    L Jensen

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  • Pollen cone

    L Jensen

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  • Pollen cone scales detail

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  • Young phylloclades with ovule cones.

    L Jensen

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  • Phylloclade segments with ovule cones

    L Jensen

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  • Ovule with pollination drop

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  • Enlarged ovule with drop receeding into pore (micropyle)

    L Jensen

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  • Mature cone, fleshy bracts subtending a seed

    L Jensen

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Phyllocladus trichomanoides is a pyramidal forest tree with slender spreading branches arising in whorls. Seedling plants have narrow, flattened needle-like leaves. Mature plants have flattened photosynthetic stems (phylloclades) arranged in distinct whorls. Each phylloclade has two rows of linear, often pointed, segments which are not as leathery or as wide as those of P. toatoa.  Minute scale-like leaves are formed on segment margins. Small, fleshy ovule cones are formed.
An endemic species found in lowland forest on both North and South Islands.
 

Vegetative characteristics

Reproductive characteristics

Adult plant form: tree up to 30 m

Pollen and ovule cones: on the same or different trees

Phylloclade form: broad to linear and pointed

Pollen cone: in whorls at tips of stems; up to 100 mm long, 80-100 fertile scales

Phylloclade size: 20-40 mm long x 10-20 mm wide

Ovule cone: globular, 3-5 mm with 8-12  fertile scales/bracts

Phylloclade margin: toothed to deeply incised

Ovule cone position: at margins of phylloclades, or replacing a phylloclade

Phylloclade arrangement: arranged on either side of whorled stems (rhachides)

Ovule coverings: a single covering (integument)

Stem arrangement: in whorls of 3-5  

Ovule pore: directed upward

Adult leaves (denticles): scale-like, 1-2.5 mm, on margin of phylloclade segment

Mature seed cone: each seed develops a white flesh (aril) at the base and becomes enclosed by enlarged sterile bracts that turn reddish or purplish

Juvenile leaves: singly on stem, narrow-linear (needle-like) up to 15 mm, deciduous

Stem (receptacle) below seed: stalk not fleshy


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