Podocarpus (Afrocarpus) Falcatus Podocarpaceae Common Names
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Roelof Diener - ENH 101 - UCD - Prof. Harding Podocarpus (Afrocarpus) falcatus Podos = foot, karpus = fruit, (Greek) falcatus = sickle shape (Latin) Podocarpaceae Common Names: Sickle-leaved Yellowwood False Yellowwood South Africa Outiniqua Yellowwood Outeniekwa Geelhout (afrikaans) Mogôbagôba (northern sotho) umSonti (zulu) Ethiopia Zigba Tanzania Owiriwiri Uganda Omufu Obwipe Origin Native to East and Southern Africa from Ethiopia in the north east, south through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique to the Cape province of South Africa. Growth habit Fast growing initially, long lived Evergreen Warm and humid climates 1200-1800mm rainfall per year Afromontane 1500-3000m or coastal forests Growth habit Tolerates moderate frost Not drought tolerant Height: 35 - 60m Spread: 25+m Dense crown Soil Well-drained Deep Humus-rich Light-textured pH 5-7 Leaves 3 - 5cm long Sub- and opposite arrangement Arranged spirally Parallel veins Smooth, entire margins Sharply pointed tip Narrow, linear sickle shape Parallel venation Twisted @ base so that leaf is held upright Bluish-grey (juvenile) in spring Green (mature) Fruit & Cones Gymnospermae Dioecious Female: Round, oval shape Clusters 1.2 - 2.5cm Fleshy Green, yellow 1 year maturity Male Female Male: Cones are small, about 10 x 3 mm, positioned in leaf corners Bark Thin and smooth, grey or brown, and ridged on younger stems Peeling off in irregular flakes on the older branches Uses Yellow-brown timber: Furniture Roof beams Floorboards Frames Boat building Topmasts of ships Substitute for the pine trees The bark (3-6% tannin) - tanning leather Sap is used as a remedy for chest complaints Shade and windbreaks Ornamental tree in cities Propagation Seed: Remove the fleshy part (inhibitor) of the fruit to expose the seed. The fresh seed can be sown directly into deep seed trays using a mixture of well-rotted compost and washed sand (1:1). Keep moist at all times. The seed may take up to six months to germinate. Seedlings can be pricked out at a height of 50-80 mm and planted into bags or pots. Cutting: Hardwood or leafy new growth Why do I like this tree? Nostalgia Why do I like this tree? Nostalgia Outiniqua steam train Tsitsikama suspension bridge and zip-line Why do I like this tree? Nostalgia Bloukrans Highest single cord pure freefall bungee in the world - 216m Why do I like this tree? Wildlife Black Saw-wing African olive-pigeon, Rameron pigeon (Psalidoprocne pristoptera) (Columba arquatrix) Chacma / Cape Baboon (Papio ursinus) Cape Parrot Egyptian fruit bat (Poicephalus robustus) (Rousettus aegyptiacus) Why do I like this tree? Wildlife Knysna Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion damaranum) Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) Why do I like this tree? African Forest Elephant ….wildlife (Loxodonta cyclotis) QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. Why do I like this tree? Bonsai QuickTime™ and a decompressor QuickTime™ and a are needed to see this picture. decompressor are needed to see this picture. QuickTime™ and a QuickTime™ and a decompressor decompressor are needed to see this picture. are needed to see this picture. The end ¿Questions?.