Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is a massive conifer native to coastal California and Oregon. …
Fir-like Redwood (Sequoia abietina)
Redwood
Coast Redwood
Silhouette: Michele M Tobias
/ License
Sequoia abietina - Fossil Conifer Species Guide
Fossilized remains found in European Neogene deposits reveal the ancient lineage of Sequoia abietina, a prehistoric conifer related to modern redwoods. This species helps researchers trace the historical migration and climatic adaptation of the genus Sequoia across the Northern Hemisphere. Its needle-like foliage shares structural similarities with modern firs, which inspired its specific epithet.
Taxonomy
- ∟ царство Plantae
- ∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
- ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
- ∟ superclass Gymnospermae (Gymnosperms)
- ∟ division Pinophyta
- ∟ subclass Cupressidae
- ∟ order Cupressales (Cypresses and junipers)
- ∟ family Cupressaceae (Cypress Family)
- ∟ subfamily Sequoioideae (Sequoias)
- ∟ genus Sequoia (Coast redwood)
- ∟ species Sequoia abietina (Fir-like Redwood)
Morphology
The vegetative structures of Sequoia abietina are primarily characterized by fossilized foliage branchlets and cones. The leaves exhibit a distichous arrangement, spreading out in a single plane, which is highly reminiscent of the modern genus Abies. Fossilized seed cones are typically small and globose, featuring peltate scales arranged spirally around the central axis.
Interesting facts
Specimens of this ancient conifer are often displayed in major European botanical gardens and museums, such as the Dresden Botanical Garden. Its fossils serve as important stratigraphic markers for reconstructing the humid, warm-temperate forest ecosystems of the European Neogene. The species illustrates how widely distributed the redwood lineage once was before Pleistocene glaciations restricted them to Western North America.
Geography of distribution
- Germany
- Europe
Sources
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Sequoia abietina database entry.
- World Flora Online (WFO): Taxonomic records for fossil representatives of Cupressaceae.
See also
Bitterwood Tree
Picrasma
A genus of deciduous trees and shrubs known for their extremely bitter bark and medicinal …
Read more →
480
Humboldt Araucaria Pine
Araucaria humboldtensis
A small, critically endangered coniferous tree native strictly to the high-altitude mountain peaks of southern …
Read more →
126
True Araucarias
Araucaria sect. Araucaria
Araucaria sect. Araucaria is a botanical section of evergreen conifers native to South America. It …
Read more →
124