Pencil pine

Description:

An evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family growing to 10–20 m tall, with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter. The leaves are scale-like, 3–6 mm long and 2–3 mm broad, arranged spirally on the shoots. This species often has a distinctly conical shape (hence the name, Pencil Pine), especially when growing in open alpine and subalpine vegetation. It is rarely a tall tree, but can have massive trunks (>1.5 m diameter) and live for more than 1000 years. The female cones are typically about 12-15 mm in diameter, and the scales are blunt-ended with a small scale on the end.

Habitat:

It is endemic to Tasmania. It is fire sensitive and is found in most unburnt, high altitude areas especially on or near the Central Plateau. It isn't known in the north-east, and only occurs in a few areas of the South-West. The genus has one other species (A. selaginoides), which is also endemic to southern, western and central Tasmania. The two species hybridise (producing A. x laxifolia).

Notes:

The species is threatened, with the major cause of decline being out-of-control bushfires set to clear logging debris after timber harvests in nearby Eucalyptus forests.