Diselma archeri

Hooker f. 1857

Common names

Chestnut pine (Farjon 2005).

Taxonomic notes

The sole species in Diselma Hooker 1857. Syn: Fitzroya archeri Bentham et Hooker (Vidakovic 1991).

Description

A dioecious shrub or small tree, 1-5-6 m tall, variously of compact or straggling habit, branchlets divided into fine sprays. Leaves scale-like, closely pressed and overlapping, alternately opposite or sometimes whorled, blunt at the apex. Male cones terminal, oblong, with the stamens in 3 or 4 pairs. Female cones terminal, solitary, small, globose, 5 mm across, composed of two pairs of scales, the upper pair fertile, with 2 seeds. Seeds small, with 2-3 wings. Chromosomes n = 11 (Dallimore et al. 1967, Vidakovic 1991).

Range

Tasmania: the western coast ranges and Lake St. Clair, at elevations of 910-1220 m (Dallimore et al. 1967).

Big tree

It is reported to grow as a tree, at sizes up to over 10 m tall and 60 cm dbh, at Mount Read near Roseberry (Corbett [no date]).

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

Citations

Brown, M.J., J.B. Kirkpatrick and A. Moscal. 1983. An atlas of Tasmania's endemic flora. Tasmania Conservation Trust, 102, Bathurst Street, Hobart 7000, Tasmania. 110pp. ISBN 0959981683.

Corbett, Keith. [no date]. The Mount Read Huon Pine. www.apstas.com/Mt__Read_Huon_pine.html, accessed 2010.03.29.

See also

Baker, R.T. and H.G. Smith. 1910. A Research on the Pines of Australia. N.S.W. Technical Education Series No. 16. Sydney.

Farjon (2005) provides a detailed account, with illustrations.

Hughes, Stephen. 1981. Diselma archeri. http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp11/diselma-archeri.html, accessed 2006.03.08. Includes photos and horticultural advice.