CUPRESSACEAE Actinostrobus pyramidalis Swamp cypress

Female cones

Avon Catchment Council Actinostrobus pyramidalis Swamp cypress

Plant features Growth form Erect, dense, narrowly pyramidal shaped shrub 1-4m tall. Leaves The leaves are bright dark green, triangular in cross section, with three distinctive longitudinal ridges, 0.5-2mm long and held

CUPRESSACEAE either erect or slightly spreading close to the stem. Cones The male cone are cylindrical to egg shaped, appear on the end of branchlets and are 2-8mm x 1.5-2.5mm. The female cones are egg shaped to almost circular 10-15mm long, green with usually 6 valves running from the stem to the tip which are also egg shaped. On maturing the valves become brown with a ‘scale’ at the base of each valve that has a grey margin around a light brown band which has a dark brown area inside. The seeds are 5-4mm long, fawn in colour with three lighter coloured wings. The young female and male cones are present from Aug-Nov with the female cones lasting all year. Bark Coarse, fissured dark grey brown bark over the entire tree.

Distribution Found from near Kalbarri to Ravensthorpe along the coastal plain Floodfringe and throughout the western half of Floodway the Avon catchment. Normal winter level Zone, habitat Prefered habitat of Actinostrobus pyramidalis Occurs in floodways of swamps, creeks, rivers, estuaries and other brackish to saline winter wet depressions. Grows on a sandy soil types that may contain clay or loam. Additional information An unusual shrub that is useful on a range of brackish to saline waterbodies. Moderately salt and waterlogging tolerant. Can be grown from tubestock or direct seeded. It can provide important faunal shelter due to its dense form. Its shallow roots also help stabilise the wetlands soil. Collect seed all year round from mature unopened cones.