Afrocarpus gracilior

Afrocarpus gracilior
Afrocarpus gracilior
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Podocarpaceae
Genus:	Afrocarpus
Species:	A. gracilior
Binomial name
Afrocarpus gracilior (Pilg.) C.N.Page

Afrocarpus gracilior (Musengera or Zigba (Amharic ዝግባ); syn. Podocarpus gracilior) is an evergreen coniferous tree native to the Afromontane forests of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, growing at 1,800-2,400 m altitude.

It is a medium-sized tree, growing 20-40 m tall, rarely to 50 m, with a trunk diameter of 50-80 cm. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 2-6 cm long and 3-5 mm broad on mature trees, larger, to 10 cm (4 in) long and 6 mm broad on vigorous young trees. The seed cones are highly modified, with a single 2 cm (1 in) diameter seed with a thin fleshy coating borne on a short peduncle. The mature seed is purple, and is dispersed by birds and monkeys which eat the fleshy coating. The pollen cones are solitary or in clusters of two or three on a short stem.

Cultivation and uses

It is an important timber tree in eastern Africa, used for building construction, paneling, flooring and furniture.

In horticulture, where it is sometimes known by the confusing name "fern pine", it is grown as a tree, hedge, screen, or espalier in subtropical regions.

References

• Conifer Specialist Group (2000). Afrocarpus gracilior. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 26 November 2006.
• Gymnosperm Database: Afrocarpus gracilior
• Wood info: Afrocarpus gracilior (in Dutch)
• Dallimore, W., & Jackson, A. B. (1966). A Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae, 4th ed., revised. Edward Arnold.