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Scientific name: Austrocedrus chilensis (D.Don) Pichi Sermolli & Bizzarri 1978
Synonyms: Cupressus chilensis Gillies ex Hook., Cupressus thujoides Pav. ex Carrière, Libocedrus chilensis (D.Don) Endl., Libocedrus chilensis var. argenteus Lavallée, Libocedrus excelsa Gordon, Thuja andina Poepp., Thuja chilensis D.Don, Thuja cuneata Dombey ex Endl.
Common names: Chilean cedar, Chilean incense-cedar, Cordilleran cypress (English), Ciprés de la Cordillera (Spanish)
Shrubs or trees to 15-20(-25) m tall, evergreen, dioecious, rarely monoecious, trunk multistemmed or monopodial to 1.5 m d.b.h. Bark smooth, soon flaking, orange-brown turning grey with brown inner bark, fissued and scaly, exfoliating in long strips. Branches numerous, spreading, assurgent in higher part of crown, persistent, forming a conical or pyramidal or more rounded crown in trees. Foliage branches dense, spreading in horizontal planes or assurgent, nearly erect in young trees, ultimate branchlets plagiotropic, opposite or nearly so, short, directed forward, covered by leaves, persistent, turning orange- to red-brown, soon grey. Leaves scale-like, decussate, in opposite ranks, dimorphic, facial leaves very small, ca. 1 mm, partly hidden by larger laterals, incurved-appressed, keeled, acuminate or obtuse, lateral leaves decurrent, bilaterally flattened, 3-4.5 mm long on ultimate branchlets, incurved. Apex free or appressed, obtuse, margins entire, leaves (nearly) hypostomatic, stomata in depressed greenish-white bands bordered by thick green margins on the abaxial side and in 2 small groups near base on the adaxial side. Transitional leaf form on leading shoots (whip shoots) long decurrent (to 15 mm), laterals with a spreading, curved distal part terminating in an acute apex. Pollen cones terminal, solitary, 5-7 × 2-3 mm, microsporophylls 12-20, decussately arranged, imbricate, subpeltate with acuminate apex, pollen spherical, in 3-4 abaxial pollen sacs near the lower margin of the microsporophyll. Seed cones terminal, often numerous on ultimate branchlets with non-modified leaves, maturing in one year to ovoid-oblong, apically slightly flattened cones 7-14 × 4-7 mm. Bract-scale complexes 4, decussate, in pairs of very unequal size, the upper scales fertile and twice as large as the lower, ovoid-oblong, with a subapical curved umbo (bract tip), opening late, becoming woody, longitudinally striated or grooved abaxially, smooth adaxially, brown. Columella conical to more or less clavate, 2-3 mm long. Seeds 2-4 per cone, angular-ovoid, ca. 4 × 2.5 mm, brown with light yellowish hilum and 2 wings, one rudimentary, the other well developed, angular-oblong, 6-8 × 3-4 mm.
Chile and adjacent Argentina, from 32 °S to 44 °S. Varied forests and woodlands, from Mediterranean climate woodland near Santiago (Chile), to moist montane forests at moderate elevations on either side of the Andes, to sparse dry woodlands bordering Patagonian steppe in Argentina; 100-2,200 m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened
Austrocedrus chilensis is a long-lived conifer species capable of living for up to 1,500 years. It has many present-day threats including harmful pathogens, grazing, habitat loss through natural or human-set fires, invasive non-native tree species, establishment of plantation trees and hydroelectric schemes. Even though it has an estimated area of occupancy (AOO) of 1,860 km² which is within the 2,000 km² threshold for listing as Vulnerable, for the majority of its global distribution, of which 75% of its AOO occurs in Argentina, there is no net loss of individuals due to good regeneration after disturbance. It has therefore been assessed as Near Threatened.
Towards the western end of the range of Austrocedrus in Argentina, particularly in peri-urban areas there has been decrease over in the past 50-60 years due to illegal cutting. However, in the east of its range, towards the steppe vegetation, there has been a noticeable expansion in its range and this trend represents an overall net gain for Austrocedrus in Argentina. In contrast, in Chile there is a net loss.
Austrocedrus chilensis forms a large tree up to 20 m tall, with a trunk 1-2 m across. Typically it has a pyramidal habit. In its most northerly location near to El Asiento, it is capable of living for up to 1,500 years. In Argentina and Chile it is associated with a range of species depending on latitude, altitude, aspect, rainfall and soil type. It normally favours more xeric conditions than those tolerated by rainforest species.
In the northern part of its range in Chile, at altitudes of between 900 and 1,600 m, it grows with species which form part of the sclerophyllous forest type such as Cryptocarya alba, Kegeneckia oblonga, Lithrea caustica and Quillaja saponaria. In some locations it can also grow in pure open stands at the tree-line, for example, in Region VIII there are large stands on steep volcanic slopes of Volcán Antuco (1,000-1,200 m). In Central Chile it can also form stands in association with Nothofagus obliqua. At the lower altitudes it sometimes grows along rocky, river margins and is often associated with Prumnopitys andinus.
In Argentina it generally occurs east of the more mesic Nothofagus forests in the rain-shadow of the Andes. In the Patagonian steppe, scattered trees occur on rocky outcrops surrounded by a matrix of grasses and low shrubs, with an annual rainfall as little as 500 mm. A total of 89 understory species were recorded in Austrocedrus stands in Argentina which included eight tree species. Commonly associated woody species include: Araucaria araucana, Embothrium coccineum, Lomatia hirsuta, Maytenus boaria, Maytenus chubutensis, Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus dombeyi, Nothofagus pumilio, Embothrium coccineum. Its estimated AOO of 1,411 km² in Argentina comprises: 819.16 km² is pure Austrocedrus forest, 534.4 km² is mixed with Nothofagus spp. and 50.29 km² is mixed with Araucaria aruacana. The most northern subpopulation is 32°29’S near to El Asiento; here the trees are widely spaced and grow in a water-stressed environment and can live up to 1,300 years.
There are a wide range of threats to the population in Argentina and Chile. These include logging (mainly historic), harmful pathogens, grazing, invasive non-native tree species, habitat loss through natural or human-set fires and establishment of plantation trees. More recently there have been concerns regarding climate change and the effects of hydroelectric schemes in Chile. In Argentina the North American conifer Pseudotsuga menziesii, although only established as a plantation crop over the past 25 years, is already considered as a serious invasive species in Austrocedrus forests. Austrocedrus is extremely vulnerable to the detrimental effects of cattle grazing on post-fire regeneration. Since 2003, when the insect pest Cinara cupressi was first detected in Chile, it has quickly become established throughout the country where it has caused yellowing of the foliage, branch dieback, and eventually tree death, depending on the severity and duration of the infestation. Increasingly over recent years, there has been decline and mortality throughout its range caused by the condition known as ‘mal del ciprés’. This condition, which was first recognized 60 years ago, is still poorly understood but the symptoms originate in the root system and cause loss of vigour and defoliation of the crown. This is possibly caused by the pathogen Phytophthora austrocedrae. However, even taking these negative effects into account, post-disturbance regeneration, in the majority of its distribution in Argentina, is very good and as a result there is no net loss of sexually mature individuals. This is not the case in Chile where there is a net loss, particularly in the drier parts of its range in central Chile.
Timber was historically used for construction and making furniture. The wood is fragrant and has a durable quality suitable for outdoor use (panelling and outdoor furniture). The species is grown as an ornamental by arboreta and botanical gardens, but is not commonly seen in trade.
Austrocedrus subpopulations show evidence of significant inbreeding and recent bottlenecks, but are still genetically diverse. Austrocedrus-dominated dryland forests of northern Patagonia are reservoirs of genetic diversity and might therefore be relatively resilient to climate-influenced disturbances. Studies show that Austrocedrus in the dryland steppe is capable of regeneration from fire refugia, passive restoration strategies should also include cattle exclusion from these areas. The use of local germplasm for active restoration initiatives could also play its part in increasing the population size and counteracting inbreeding effects, however, it is crucial that a local seed source is used. Predicted climate change gives the opportunity for restoration trials in order to establish the species beyond its current range into new suitable areas. Since species richness and stand structure of Austrocedrus vary depending on the type of landscape, probably in response to climatic and disturbance levels, special concern should be given to the presence of nurse species, genetic structure, along with the community structure and composition. Austrocedrus is afforded protection in many national parks throughout Argentina and Chile. In Chile some of the largest protected areas are in Reserva Nacional Río Clarillo, Reserva Nacional Río de los Cipreses and Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja. In Argentina about 57% of Austrocedrus forests have some form of protection.
Austrocedrus chilensis ‘Argentea’ Austrocedrus chilensis ‘Thornhayes Ghost’ Austrocedrus chilensis ‘Viridis Compacta’
Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.
