''Callitris preissii'' is a species of

conifer Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...

in the family

Cupressaceae Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdio ...

, endemic to Rottnest Island,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Common names include Rottnest Island pine, Murray pine, maroong, southern cypress pine, or slender cypress pine. The Noongar peoples know the tree as ''marro''.

Description

The pine can have a tree or shrub-like habit typically growing to a height of and a width of up to . It is relatively slow growing. The crown is commonly made up fine, dense foliage. The leaf is rounded on the dorsal side and the cones often have a width of over with scales that do not separate from the base. It starts producing brown-yellow-orange cones between October and January. The root system is generally moderate to deep or shallow and spreading. It is reasonably long lived, usually to over 15 years of age.

Distribution

It is endemic to the

Swan Coastal Plain The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geol ...

, Rottnest Island and Garden Island but has become naturalised elsewhere and now has a scattered distribution throughout the

Mid West The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

, Wheatbelt,

Peel Peel or Peeling may refer to: Places Australia * Peel (Western Australia) * Peel Island, Queensland *Peel, New South Wales * Peel River (New South Wales) Canada * Peel Parish, New Brunswick * Peel, New Brunswick, an unincorporated communi ...

, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions where it is found on plains, slopes, the margins of salt lakes and among granite outcrops growing in sandy, loamy or clay soils.

Uses

The plant makes a good windbreak or as a shelterbelt or shade for stock. The trunks make ideal fence posts and it has good ornamental attributes. The plant's pollen has value for apiculture. In urban areas it makes a good ornamental plant, or as a free street tree and is suitable as a screen or hedge.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2715203 preissii Trees of Australia Pinales of Australia Least concern flora of Australia Flora of Western Australia Flora of South Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (Australia) Rottnest Island Trees of Mediterranean climate Drought-tolerant trees Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Plants described in 1845