| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section / ASPT Little, Damon [1]. Diagnostic characteristics, habitat specificity, and the conservation of Cupressus tonkinensis (Cupressaceae). In northern Vietnam the felling of Cupressus for wood and incense has resulted in the almost total decimation of wild populations. When specimens of Cupressus from Vietnam were first sent to Paris in 1905, they were inappropriately referred to a variety of names including Cu. funebris, Cu. torulosa, and synonyms of Callitropsis lusitanica. This taxonomic disarray was somewhat ameliorated in 1994 when a new species—Cu. tonkinensis—was proposed. Unfortunately, the morphological differences between Cu. tonkinensis and similar species was not clearly articulated. As a result, Cu. tonkinensis has generally been ignored or treated as a synonym of Cu. torulosa. These two species can be distinguished by the presence of dimorphic leaves in Cu. tonkinensis and their absence in Cu. torulosa as well as several continuous morphological characteristics including the frequency of resin glands on ultimate segments and ultimate segment stem diameter. Multidimensional scaling of nine monthly climate variables and forty soil variables could not unambiguously separate the natural habitat occupied by Cu. tonkinensis from that of Cu. chengiana and Cu. funebris. The habitats occupied by Cu. gigantea and Cu. torulosa are distinct from one another as well as the Cu. chengiana—Cu. funebris—Cu. tonkinensis habitat type.
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1 - The New York Botanical Garden, Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Program for Molecular Systematic Studies, 200th St. & Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York, 10458-5126, USA
Keywords:
conservation
species circumscription
Cupressus
threatened species.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: CP54
Location: International Ballroom South/Hilton
Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
Time: 1:45 PM
Number: CP54004
Abstract ID:1176 |
