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Scientific name: Phyllocladus aspleniifolius (Labillardière) J.Hooker 1845
Synonyms: Brownetera aspleniifolia (Labill.) Tratt., Phyllocladus billardierei Mirb., Phyllocladus glaucus Carrière, Phyllocladus rhomboidalis Rich., Phyllocladus serratifolia Nois. ex Henkel & W.Hochst., Phyllocladus serratifolius Nois. ex Henkel & Hochst., Phyllocladus trichomanoides var. glaucus (Carrière) Parl., Podocarpus aspleniifolius Labill., Thalamia asplenifolia (Labill.) Spreng.
Common names: Celery-top pine, Adventure Bay pine
Tree to 20(-30) m tall, with a cylindrical, straight trunk to 1 m in diameter. Bark thin 20 mm, marked by numerous warty lenticels, reddish brown to dark brown and smooth at first, thickening, weathering gray to very dark gray, breaking up into rectangular scales, and finally becoming deeply furrowed with age. Crown dense and conical in youth, becoming more open and irregularly cylindrical to dome-shaped, with short, slender, branches passing from upwardly angled to downswept. Phylloclades attached singly or in rings of two to five on the long shoots, simple, (1.5-)2.5-5(-8) cm long, shiny dark green. Individual phylloclades generally diamond-shaped overall, mostly shallowly toothed in the upper half (coarsely toothed in juveniles) but varying to deeply lobed. Juvenile leaves (1.5-)7-10 mm long. Scale leaves of adult long shoots and buds 2-3 mm long. Plants monoecious or sometimes dioecious. Pollen cones single or in clusters of two or three (to five) at the tip of a short branchlet. Each cone 3-5 mm long, 1-2 mm thick, green to pink or yellow just before shedding pollen, on a very short stalk 1-2 mm long. Seed cones single or, more commonly, in clusters of (two or) three or four attached to the sides of phylloclades or wholly replacing the expanded portion. Each seed cone roughly spherical, 3-5 mm in diameter, with (one to) three to eight bracts of which one to five are fertile and mature one to three seeds. Bracts swollen, juicy, pink to red at maturity. Seeds hard, greenish black, 2.5-3.5 mm long, enclosed for about three-quarters of their length by a white aril.
Throughout Tasmania (Australia) and a few offshore islands but rare in the northeast and most common in the mountains of the west. Scattered or clumped in the canopy or understory of various mixed cool temperate rain forests, wet sclerophyll forests dominated by Eucalyptus, and low wet forests; 0-750(-1200) m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius is the most widespread and abundant conifer in Tasmania, occurring in all suitable habitat on the island. This habitat has declined in area as well as in quality due to large-scale clear-cutting and conversion of native forests. Some of this downward trend is still evident. However, the species is abundant in the many protected forests of Tasmania as well as in exploited forests with management that allows the persistence of native trees. Its extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are well beyond the thresholds for a threatened category on the IUCN Red List and it is therefore assessed as Least Concern.
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius occurs in montane temperate rainforest up to the tree line from near sea level on the west coast of Tasmania to 1,200 m a.s.l. in the central highlands. The largest trees grow in mixed forest with Eucalyptus spp. at lower elevations. At higher altitude (above 700-800 m a.s.l.) it is found in open woodland with Eucalyptus coccifera, Nothofagus cunninghamii, Nothofagus gunnii, Richea pandanifolia, Richea scoparia, Athrotaxis cupressoides, Athrotaxis selaginoides, Athrotaxis laxifolia, and various shrubs. Towards the tree line it grows with Orites acicularis, Orites revoluta, Tasmannia lanceolata, Podocarpus lawrencei, Diselma archeri, Pherosphaera hookeriana, Nothofagus gunnii, Olearia spp., and heath-like dwarf shrubs and alpine herbs. The substrate is acidic and derived from dolerite, granite, or quarzite, and is usually well drained, such as thin soil on boulder or scree slopes. Precipitation is abundant through much of the year, with no marked periods of drought.
Logging and especially clear-cutting with conversion of native mixed forests to plantations or other forms of land use have reduced the area of occupancy but this species is still very common and widespread. These causes have not ceased, but the rate of decline has slowed down considerably.
Celery-top pine varies from a medium size tree in the forests at middle altitudes to a shrub in the subalpine zone. The wood of good size trees is straight grained and dense, pale brown, and not dissimilar to yew (Taxus). It is used for construction, flooring, ship masts, furniture, and cabinet work. This species is rare in cultivation, limited to botanic gardens and arboreta and a few private gardens.
This species is present in numerous protected areas, including several national parks which have full protection.
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