Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Keteleeria fortunei

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Kingdom
  
Plantae

Order
  
Pinales

Genus
  
Keteleeria

Higher classification
  
Keteleeria

Division
  
Pinophyta

Family
  
Pinaceae

Scientific name
  
Keteleeria fortunei

Rank
  
Species

Keteleeria fortunei cdn1arkiveorgmedia2424951DFCC38D46A2B6559

Similar
  
Keteleeria, Pinaceae, Keteleeria davidiana var formo, Keteleeria davidiana, Keteleeria evelyniana

Keteleeria fortunei (zh: 油杉, you shan) is a coniferous evergreen tree native to Hong Kong and China in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, and Zhejiang. The tree grows in hills, mountains, and broadleaf forests at elevations of 200–1400 m. The species is named after Scottish botanist Robert Fortune, who discovered the tree in 1844.

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria fortunei Conifer Record

It grows 25–30 m tall and 1 m in trunk diameter at breast height, forming a pyramidal crown with spreading, horizontal branches. The bark is dark gray, rough, and furrowed in a vertical pattern. Branchlets are orange-red and pubescent when young, turning yellow-gray or yellow-brown in their second or third year. The leaves are 1.2–3 cm long by 2–4 mm broad, stiff, sharply pointed on young trees and rounded or rarely slightly notched on mature trees. They are shiny dark green above and pale green on the underside with 12-17 stomatal lines on each side of the midrib. The cones are cylindrical, 6–18 cm long, 3–5 cm wide before opening and up to 7.5 cm wide after opening. They stand erect on short pubescent stalks and mature in October to a purple-brown color. The cones open upon maturity to release the seeds, which are large and oblong, 1-1.3 cm long with a yellow-brown wedge-shaped wing 3 cm long.

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria fortunei Wikipedia

The tree is grown as an ornamental in warm climates, and the wood is used in construction and furniture, although the species is protected under Chinese forestry regulations.

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria fortunei Conifer Record

K. fortunei has also been reported from Vietnam but this is attributed to misidentification of immature specimens of Pseudotsuga sinensis.

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria Gardening in the Coastal Southeast

Protection

In Hong Kong, this species is under protection based on Forestry Regulations Cap. 96A.

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria photo Keteleeria fortunei G109403 ARKive

Keteleeria fortunei FileKeteleeria fortunei jpg Wikimedia Commons

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria fortunei 1012100032 a photo on Flickriver

Keteleeria fortunei Keteleeria fortunei Conifer Record

References

Keteleeria fortunei Wikipedia