Cupressus chengiana var. jiangeensis | Threatened Conifers of the World (en-GB)

Cupressaceae

Cupressus chengiana var. jiangeensis (N.Zhao) Silba

Restricted to north Sichuan in China where only one original tree survives

Distribution

Endemic to China in N Sichuan (Longmen Shan, Jiange Xian) (Jiange Xian and Xiaojin Xian in Ying et al. 2003) Known from a single tree

Habitat and Ecology

Presumably similar to var. Cupressus chengiana var chengiana.

Conservation Status

Global status

Critically Endangered D

Global rationale

Limited to a single tree. There is no measurable historic decline so criterion A cannot be applied. Criterion B cannot be applied as there is no continuing decline under (b), therefore the criterion that must be applied under CR is D.

Global threats

Only known for certain from a single monoecious tree which occurs well to the east of the main populations of the variety chengiana.

Conservation Actions

In 1978 local scientists conducted propagation experiments and this resulted in the establishment of young plants in a nursery, however these are thought to have been discarded. This variety is known to be in cultivation in three gardens in the UK; the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Bedgebury National Pinetum.

References and further reading

Farjon, A. (2005). A Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Ying, T.S., Chen, M.L. & Chang, H.C. (2003). Atlas of the gymnosperms of China. China Science & Technology Press, Beijing.
Zenghui, Z. (1978). [Title unknown]. Forest Science and Technology.
Zhang, D & Christian, T. (2013). Cupressus chengiana var. jiangeensis. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 05 July 2013.