Dacrydium pectinatum

Botanical Description

Dacrydium pectinatum is an evergreen tree with numerous branchlets forming a dense rounded crown; it can grow from 3 - 40 metres tall[ 329 Title The Gymnosperm Database Publication Author Website http://www.conifers.org/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms. ]. The bole can be up to 300cm in diameter in matrue trees[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local and commercial use of its wood. Population decline of this species has certainly occurred in the past due to deforestation, but most of the decline is occurring at present and projected in the future. Massive conversion of lowland forest (kerangas) on the coastal plains of Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan to oil palm plantations has reduced this species probably to 20% of its former area of occupancy. This threat is ongoing and may result in total disappearance in those areas given over to oil palms. Deforestation elsewhere comes on top of that. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].