Sciadopitys verticillata
| Sciadopitys verticillata Temporal range:
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Sciadopityaceae |
| Genus: | Sciadopitys |
| Species: | S. verticillata
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| Binomial name | |
| Sciadopitys verticillata | |
| Synonyms | |
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Sciadopitys verticillata, the kōyamaki or Japanese umbrella-pine, is a unique conifer endemic to Japan, Sakhalin, and Kuril Islands. It is the sole living member of the family Sciadopityaceae and genus Sciadopitys, a living fossil with no close relatives. The oldest fossils of Sciadopitys are from the Late Cretaceous of Japan, and the genus was widespread in Laurasia during most of the Cenozoic, especially in Europe until the Pliocene.[2] A European relative of this species may have been the primary source of Baltic amber, according to some studies.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]Molecular evidence indicates that Sciadopityaceae is the sister group to a clade comprising Taxaceae and Cupressaceae, and has an extremely ancient divergence, having diverged from the rest of the conifers during the early mid-Permian.[4]
There is inconsistent evidence regarding the plant family which produced Baltic amber. Both macrofossil and microfossil evidence suggest a Pinus relative, whereas chemical and infrared microspectroscopy evidence suggest relatives of either Agathis or Sciadopitys.[5][6]
Etymology
[edit]The genus name Sciadopitys comes from Greek sciádos (σκιάδος) meaning 'umbrella' and pitys (πίτυς) meaning 'pine'.[7] The species name verticillata is a descriptive epithet meaning 'whorled'.
Description
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Sciadopitys verticillata is a slow-growing evergreen conifer native to Japan. It typically reaches 10–15 m (33–50 ft) in cultivation, though larger specimens may occur in the wild. The species is characterized by reddish-brown bark that peels in vertical strips and by its distinctive foliage, which consists of whorled, glossy, dark green phylloclade—modified stem structures that resemble needles—measuring 6–13 cm (2.5–5 in) in length. These phylloclades are arranged in umbrella-like clusters at the ends of branches, giving the tree its common name. The seed cones are ovoid to cylindrical, measuring 6–11 cm (2.5–4.25 in) long, and require approximately two years to mature.[8]
History
[edit]Sciadopitys verticillata was initially described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1784. An early attempt to introduce the plant to the West was made around 1853 at the request of Thomas Lobb, but the effort was unsuccessful, as both plants died shortly after arriving in Europe.[9]The plant was successfully introduced to the UK by John Gould Veitch in September 1860.[10] Considered attractive, this tree is popular in gardens, despite its slow growth rate. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[11][12]
A stylized representation of the tree (known in Japanese as kōyamaki) was chosen as the Japanese Imperial crest for the Akishino branch of the Imperial Family.
Gallery
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Sciadopitys carpellate cones and dried needles
Sciadopitys verticillata herbarium sample -
Staminate cones and needles -
Needles -
Full tree in Mount Futatsumori, Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan -
Leaves with a mature cone in Seattle, Washington
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References
[edit]- ^ Katsuki, T.; Luscombe, D.; Farjon, A. (2013). "Sciadopitys verticillata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T34111A2846623. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34111A2846623.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Hofmann, Christa-Ch.; Odgerel, Nyamsambuu; Seyfullah, Leyla J. (2021). "The occurrence of pollen of Sciadopityaceae Luerss. through time". Fossil Imprint. 77 (2): 271–281. doi:10.37520/fi.2021.019. ISSN 2533-4069. S2CID 245555379.
- ^ Wolfe, Alexander P.; Tappert, Ralf; Muehlenbachs, Karlis; Boudreau, Marc; McKellar, Ryan C.; Basinger, James F.; Garrett, Amber (July 2009). "A new proposal concerning the botanical origin of Baltic amber". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 276 (1672): 3403–3412. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0806. PMC 2817186. PMID 19570786.
- ^ Stull, Gregory W.; Qu, Xiao-Jian; Parins-Fukuchi, Caroline; Yang, Ying-Ying; Yang, Jun-Bo; Yang, Zhi-Yun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Hong; Soltis, Pamela S.; Soltis, Douglas E.; Li, De-Zhu (August 2021). "Gene duplications and phylogenomic conflict underlie major pulses of phenotypic evolution in gymnosperms". Nature Plants. 7 (8): 1015–1025. Bibcode:2021NatPl...7.1015S. doi:10.1038/s41477-021-00964-4. ISSN 2055-0278. PMID 34282286. S2CID 236141481.
- ^ Wolfe, A. P.; Tappert, R.; Muehlenbachs, K.; Boudreau, M.; McKellar, R. C.; Basinger, J. F.; Garrett, A. (2009). "A New Proposal Concerning the Botanical Origin of Baltic Amber". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 276 (1672): 3403–3412. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0806. PMC 2817186. PMID 19570786.
- ^ Weitschat, W.; Wichard, W. (2010). "Chapter 6: Baltic amber". In Penney, D. (ed.). Biodiversity of Fossils in Amber from the Major World Deposits. Siri Scientific Press. pp. 80–115. ISBN 978-0-9558636-4-6.
- ^ Wilhelm Miller (1900). Cyclopedia of American Horticulture: R-Z. New York: Macmillan. p. 1628.
- ^ "Sciadopitys verticillata - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
- ^ "Sciadopitys verticillata - Trees and Shrubs Online". www.treesandshrubsonline.org. Retrieved 2025-04-09.
- ^ James Herbert Veitch (2006). Hortus Veitchii (reprint ed.). Caradoc Doy. pp. 51–52. ISBN 0-9553515-0-2.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Sciadopitys verticillata". Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 96. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
External links
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