King William Pine. 



(Athrotaxis selaginoides , Don.) 



This is one of Tasmania's finest softwood timbers. It has hardly the usual pale colour of 

 the Pines, having a pinkish tint, but is, nevertheless, a beautiful timber, being easy to work, light 

 in weight, very evenly grained, the autumnal rings contrasting with k the vernal ones and 

 producing a soft, pleasing effect. It planes well and easy, takes a good polish, and is eminently 

 suited for violins, and for various forms of cabinet work requiring lighter shades of colour. 

 It is very similar to Californian Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens}, and, like it, very suitable for 

 mouldings, skirtings, or any kind of joinery work not requiring strength, and in addition 

 has a great reputation for durability. 



Description of the Tree. Leaves small, homomorphic, decussate or in close spires, 

 appressed or spreading. Male amentum terminal, catkin-like ; microsporophylls spirally 

 arranged, imbricate, shortly attached, scale or leaf-like expansion, oblong, sagittate and 

 peltate, bearing two-celled sporangia ; the pollen cells are globose or three-sided, with 

 two or three bands. Female amentum is composed of spirally arranged imbricate macro- 

 sporophylls, bearing from three to six pendulous ovules. 



Fruit cones terminal, sessile, small, globular, composed of woody scales wedge- 

 shaped at the base, thickened upwards, dilated at the apex, below which is a dorsal point. 

 Seeds few under each scale, ovate, compressed, with a transverse hilum and two longi- 

 tudinal wings, the integument being crustaceous. The cotyledons number two. 



This is a larger tree than either of its congeners, and has loosely spreading slightly 

 imbricate leaves, measuring about 4 lines long. Cones about J inch in diameter. 



Geographical Range. Tasmania. 



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