{{Short description|Species of plant}} {{Speciesbox | image = Austrocedrus_chilensis_1.jpg | status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1 | display_parents = 2 | genus = Austrocedrus | parent_authority = Florin & Boutelje | species = chilensis | authority = (D.Don) Pic.Serm. & Bizzarri | synonyms = {{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; | *''Cupressus chilensis'' <small>Gillies ex Hook.</small> nom. inval. *''Cupressus thujoides'' <small>Pav. ex Carrière</small> *''Libocedrus chilensis'' <small>(D.Don) Endl.</small> *''Libocedrus excelsa'' <small>Gordon</small> nom. inval. *''Thuja andina'' <small>Poepp.</small> *''Thuja chilensis'' <small>D.Don</small> *''Thuja cuneata'' <small>Dombey ex Endl.</small> nom. inval. }} | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{citation |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2666642 |title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species |access-date=26 December 2016}}</ref> }}
'''''Austrocedrus''''' is a genus of conifer belonging to the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It has only one species, '''''Austrocedrus chilensis''''', native to the Valdivian temperate rain forests and the adjacent drier steppe-forests of central-southern Chile and western Argentina from 33°S to 44°S latitude. It is known in its native area as '''ciprés de la cordillera''' or '''cordilleran cypress''', and elsewhere by the scientific name as '''Austrocedrus''', or sometimes as '''Chilean incense-cedar''' or '''Chilean cedar'''.<ref name=farjon>Farjon, A. (2005). ''Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. {{ISBN|1-84246-068-4}}</ref><ref name=fc>Flora Chilena: [http://www.florachilena.cl/Niv_tax/Gimnospermas/Cupressaceae/Austrocedrus/Austrocedrus_chilensis.htm ''Austrocedrus chilensis'']</ref><ref name=cb>Chilebosque: [http://www.chilebosque.cl/tree/austro.html ''Austrocedrus chilensis'']</ref> The generic name means "southern cedar".
It is a member of subfamily Callitroideae, a group of distinct Southern Hemisphere genera associated with the Antarctic flora. It is closely related to the New Zealand and New Caledonian genus ''Libocedrus'', and some botanists treat it within this genus, as ''Libocedrus chilensis'', though it resembles ''Libocedrus'' less than the other South American cypress genus ''Pilgerodendron'' does.<ref name=farjon/>
It is a slow-growing, narrowly conical evergreen tree which grows from 10 to 24 m in height, with scale-like leaves arranged in decussate pairs. The leaves are unequal in size, with pairs of larger (4–8 mm) leaves alternating with pairs of smaller (2–3 mm) leaves, giving a flattened shoot. Each leaf has a prominent white stomatal stripe along the outer edge. The cones are 5–10 mm long, with four scales, two very small sterile basal scales and two large fertile scales; each fertile scale has two winged seeds 3–4 mm long.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=fc/> This is a dioecious species, with male and female cones growing on separate plants.<ref name=gd>Gymnosperm Database: [http://www.conifers.org/cu/au/ ''Austrocedrus'']</ref>
Cordilleran cypress is found in the evergreen mountain forests of the Andes, usually on drier sites near the temperate rainforest, in open pure woods (where it is often locally dominant on the eastern slopes of the Andes in southwestern Argentina) or in association with ''Araucaria araucana'' and ''Nothofagus'' species.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=cassBosque>{{Cite journal |title=Crecimiento inicial y caracteres funcionales de ciprés de la cordillera y coihue en distintas condiciones de radiación y humedad |journal=Bosque |last1=Caselli |first1=Marina |issue=1 |volume=45 |last2=Huisca |first2=Cristian Edgardo |doi=10.4067/s0717-92002024000100163 |year=2024 |language=Spanish |last3=Loguercio |first3=Gabriel Ángel |last4=Defossé |first4=Guillermo Emilio |last5=Urretavizcaya |first5=María Florencia|pages=163–176 |trans-title=Initial growth and functional traits of ''Austrocedrus chilensis'' and ''Nothofagus dombeyi'' under different radiation and humidity conditions|doi-access=free }}</ref> Young plants grow best in conditions of 8% or higher soil humidity and intermediate to high solar radiation.<ref name=cassBosque/>
It has been introduced to northwest Europe and the Pacific Northwest of North America, where it is occasionally grown in botanical gardens.<ref name=afm2>Mitchell, A. F. (1972). ''Conifers in the British Isles''. Forestry Commission Booklet 33.</ref><ref name=Seattle.gov>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattle.gov/parks/proparks/projects/ArboretumReport.pdf |title='' Washington Park Arboretum: Austrocedrus'' |publisher=Seattle Government |access-date=2009-06-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324233535/http://www.seattle.gov/parks/proparks/projects/ArboretumReport.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-24 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Acrogymnospermae classification}} {{Cupressaceae}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q1072934}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Cupressaceae Category:Flora of the Andes Category:Flora of central Chile Category:Trees of Argentina Category:Trees of Chile Category:Trees of mild maritime climate Category:Trees of temperate climates Category:Flora of the Valdivian temperate forests Category:Monotypic conifer genera Category:Near threatened flora of South America Category:Garden plants of South America Category:Ornamental trees Category:Dioecious plants