Sciadopitys verticillata

"Umbrella pine" redirects here. For the Mediterranean tree species less commonly referred to by this name, see Pinus pinea.

Sciadopitys verticillata, the kōyamaki or Japanese umbrella-pine, is a unique conifer endemic to Japan, Sakhalin, and the 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]

Sciadopitys verticillata Temporal range: Late Cretaceous–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Gymnospermae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Sciadopityaceae
Genus:	Sciadopitys
Species:	S. verticillata
Binomial name
Sciadopitys verticillata (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc.
Synonyms
Pinus verticillata (Thunb.) Siebold Podocarpus verticillatus (Thunb.) Jacques Taxus verticillata Thunb. 1784

Taxonomy

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

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

Sciadopitys verticillata from "Flore des serres et des jardins de l'Europe"

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

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.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

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  Sciadopitys carpellate cones and dried needles

  

  Sciadopitys verticillata herbarium sample

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  Staminate cones and needles
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  Needles
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  Full tree in Mount Futatsumori, Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
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  Leaves with a mature cone in Seattle, Washington