e-Key v3 - *Taxodium
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

*Taxodiaceae - *Taxodium Rich.

Description:

  • Deciduous or evergreen trees
  • Branchlets terete
  • Lateral roots commonly producing erect, irregularly conic to rounded 'knees' in periodically flooded habitats
  • Leaves alternate, in 2 ranks; adult leaves divergent to strongly appressed, linear or linear-lanceolate to deltate, generally flattened, free portion up to ± 17 mm long; abaxial glands absent
  • Male cones with 10-20 sporophylls, each sporophyll with 2-10 pollen sacs
  • Female cones maturing and shattering in one season, nearly globose; scales falling early, 5-10, valvate, ± peltate, thin and woody
  • Seeds (1)2 per scale, irregularly 3-angled, wingless; cotyledons 4-9
  • x = 11 (B-chromosomes)

Nomenclature:

  • *Taxodium Rich.
    • Richard: 298 (1810)
    • Dallimore & Jackson: 583 (1966)
    • Lewis: 77 (1986)
    • Page: 361 (1990)
    • Watson: 403 (1993)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species 1(-3): North America, Mexico, Guatemala
  • Southern Africa: Species 1: *Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich., naturalised in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands

References:

  • DALLIMORE, W. & JACKSON, A.B. 1966. A handbook of the Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae, edn 4, revised by S.G. Harrison. Arnold, London
  • LEWIS, J. 1986. Taxodiaceae. European Garden Flora 1
  • PAGE, C.N. 1990. Taxodiaceae. In K. Kubitzki, The families and genera of vascular plants 1. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • RICHARD, L.C. 1810. Taxodium. Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 16
  • WATSON, F.D. 1993. Taxodium. Flora of North America 2