Line drawing; for full size image go to the Flora of China (Fu et al. 1999).
Cephalotaxus lanceolata
贡山三尖杉 gong shan san jian shan [Chinese] (Fu et al. 1999).
Syn.: C. fortunei var. lanceolata (Feng) Silba 1990 (Farjon 1998). Nearly indistinguishable from C. fortunei, it holds a dubious claim to species rank, but is here maintained as such largely in deference to the authority of the Flora of China (Fu et al. 1999).
Tree: Tree up to 20 m tall and 40 cm dbh (Fu et al. 1999).
Bark: Bark purple, smooth (Fu et al. 1999).
Branches: Branches pendulous Leafy branchlets resembling 2 adjacent parallelograms in outline, broadly "V"-shaped in cross section, apex abruptly truncate (Fu et al. 1999).
Leaves: Leaves spreading ± horizontally at circa 45° to branchlet axis; petiole very short; blade dark green adaxially, linear-lanceolate, distally tapered, straight or slightly falcate, 4.5-10 cm × 4-7 mm, thin textured and leathery, abaxial stomatal bands white, base rounded, margin revolute, apex long acuminate (Fu et al. 1999). It differs from C. fortunei in its long, slender needles (about 7.5 cm × 3 mm); needle edges are nearly parallel before a sharply acute apex, a morphology that inspired the epithet lanceolata (Tripp 1995).
Cones: Pollen cones unknown. Seeds cones with peduncle 1.5-2 cm at maturity. Aril turning greenish brown when ripe. Seed obovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5-4.5 cm (Fu et al. 1999).
Other: Seed maturity September to November (Fu et al. 1999).
China: NW Yunnan (Gongshan Drungzu Nuzu Zizhixian: banks of upper Dulongjiang); N Myanmar. Occurs as scattered plants in broad-leaved forests at ca. 1900 m elevation (Fu et al. 1999). Hardy to Zone 8 (cold hardiness limit between -12.1°C and -6.7°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).
No data as of 2023.02.23.
No data as of 2023.02.23.
No data as of 2023.02.23.
An endangered species in China (Fu et al. 1999).
K.M. Feng in W.C. Cheng et al. 1975. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 13(4):86.
The species account at Threatened Conifers of the World.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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