Envoy at 16:52, 1 November 2007

2007-11-01T16:52:00Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Prumnopitys''
| image = MataiLeaves267.jpg
| image_caption = foliage of P. taxifolia
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Pinophyta]]
| classis = [[Pinophyta|Pinopsida]]
| ordo = [[Pinales]]
| familia = [[Podocarpaceae]]
| genus = '''''Prumnopitys'''''
| genus_authority = [[Rodolfo Amando Philippi|Phil.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Prumnopitys andina]]'' - Lleuque 
''[[Prumnopitys exigua]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys ferruginea]]'' - Miro 
''[[Prumnopitys ferruginoides]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys harmsiana]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys ladei]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys montana]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys standleyi]]'' 
''[[Prumnopitys taxifolia]]'' - Matai
}}

'''''Prumnopitys''''' is a [[genus]] of [[conifer]]s belonging to the podocarp family [[Podocarpaceae]]. The eight recognised [[species]] of ''Prumnopitys'' are densely-branched, [[Plant sexuality|dioecious]] [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s up to 40 metres in height. The [[leaf|leaves]] are similar to those of the [[Taxus|yew]], strap-shaped, 1-4 cm long and 2-3 mm broad, with a soft texture; they are green above, and with two blue-green [[stomata]]l bands below. The [[conifer cone|seed cones]] are highly modified, reduced to a central stem 1-5 cm long bearing several scales; from one to five scales are fertile, each with a single [[seed]] surrounded by fleshy scale tissue, resembling a [[drupe]]. These berry-like cone scales are eaten by [[bird]]s which then disperse the seeds in their droppings.

The species are distributed on both sides of the Pacific, in eastern [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and [[New Caledonia]], and along the mountain ranges of eastern [[South America]] from [[Chile]] to [[Venezuela]] and [[Costa Rica]]. This distribution indicates the origins of ''Prumnopitys'' in the [[Antarctic flora]], which evolved from the humid temperate flora of southern [[Gondwana]], an ancient supercontinent.

Although the genus ''Prumnopitys'' was first described in [[1861]], was only from [[1978]] that it was widely distinguished as distinct from the allied genus ''[[Podocarpus]]'', despite the marked differences in cone development with different parts of the cone structure becoming fleshy and berry-like. Many older texts still have the species listed under ''Podocarpus''.

The Chilean species for which the correct scientific name is ''[[Prumnopitys andina]]'' (previously ''Podocarpus andinus''), has been treated by some botanists as ''Prumnopitys spicata'' (Molloy & Muñoz-Schick 1999); however this name is illegitimate (Mill & Quinn 2001).

Several species of ''Prumnopitys'' are used for timber, though as they are slow-growing, supplies are very limited and over-cutting has led to some having an unfavourable [[conservation status]].

==References==
* [http://www.conifers.org/po/pr/index.htm Gymnosperm Database: ''Prumnopitys'']
* de Laubenfels, D. J. [[1978]]. The genus ''Prumnopitys'' (Podocarpaceae). ''Blumea'' 24: 189-190.
* de Laubenfels, D. J. [[1988]]. Coniferales. in ''Flora Malesiana'', Series I, 10: 337-453. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.
* Molloy, B. P. J. & Muñoz-Schick, M. [[1999]]. The correct name for the Chilean conifer Lleuque (Podocarpaceae). ''New Zealand J. Bot.'' 37: 189–193. Available [http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjb/1999/20a.pdf online] (pdf file).
* Mill, R. R. & Quinn, C. J. [[2001]]. Prumnopitys andina reinstated as the correct name for 'lleuque', the Chilean conifer recently renamed P. spicata (Podocarpaceae). ''Taxon'' 50: 1143 - 1154. [http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/iapt/taxon/summaries/50_1143.htm Abstract].

[[Category:Podocarpaceae]]

Prumnopitys - Revision history

Envoy at 16:52, 1 November 2007