Sciadopitys verticillata, the Script error: No such module "lang". or Japanese umbrella-pine, is a unique coniferendemic to Japan. It is the sole living member of the family Sciadopityaceae and genusSciadopitys, a living fossil with no close relatives. The oldest fossils of Sciadopitys are from the Late Cretaceous of Japan, and the genus was widespread in Laurasia during most of the Cenozoic, especially in Europe until the Pliocene.[1] A European relative of this species may have been the primary source of Baltic amber, according to some studies.[2]
Molecular evidence indicates that Sciadopityaceae is the sister group to a clade comprising Taxaceae and Cupressaceae, and has an extremely ancient divergence, having diverged from the rest of the conifers during the early mid-Permian.[3]
There is inconsistent evidence regarding the plant family which produced Baltic amber. Both macrofossil and microfossil evidence suggest a Pinus relative, whereas chemical and infrared microspectroscopy evidence suggest relatives of either Agathis or Sciadopitys.[4][5]
Etymology
The genus name Sciadopitys comes from Greek Script error: No such module "lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang".) meaning 'umbrella' and Script error: No such module "lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang".) meaning 'pine'.[6] The species name verticillata is a descriptive epithet meaning 'whorled'.
Sciadopitys verticillata from "Flore des serres et des jardins de l'Europe"
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Sciadopitys verticillata is a slow-growing evergreen conifer native to Japan. It typically reaches 10–15 m (33–50 ft) in cultivation, though larger specimens may occur in the wild. The species is characterized by reddish-brown bark that peels in vertical strips and by its distinctive foliage, which consists of whorled, glossy, dark green phylloclade—modified stem structures that resemble needles—measuring 6–13 cm (2.5–5 in) in length. These phylloclades are arranged in umbrella-like clusters at the ends of branches, giving the tree its common name. The seed cones are ovoid to cylindrical, measuring 6–11 cm (2.5–4.25 in) long, and require approximately two years to mature.[7]
History
Sciadopitys verticillata was initially described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1784. An early attempt to introduce the plant to the West was made around 1853 at the request of Thomas Lobb, but the effort was unsuccessful, as both plants died shortly after arriving in Europe.[8] The plant was successfully introduced to the UK by John Gould Veitch in September 1860.[9] Considered attractive, this tree is popular in gardens, despite its slow growth rate. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[10][11]
A stylized representation of the tree (known in Japanese as Script error: No such module "lang".) was chosen as the Japanese Imperial crest for the Akishino branch of the Imperial Family.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
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