Microstrobos fitzgeraldii

Dwarf Mountain Pine

Family Podocarpaceae

Botanical name. Microstrobos comes from two Greek words mikros= small, and strobos= cone, referring to the very small cones. The species name fitzgeraldii honours Robert D. Fitzgerald, (1830­1892) a botanical artist and orchidologist.

distribution mapHabitat. Found on the southerly aspects of sandstone cliffs in the spray zone of waterfalls between 700­900 m above sea level.

drawingFeatures. These shrubs grow to a maximum height of 2 m. The age and growth rate is not known because of the rareness of the species and lack of study. The male and female cones are found on different trees. The total number of individuals in the wild is between 250 and 300 and the species has been placed on the Rare or Threatened Australian Plant (ROTAP) list as endangered.

photo female cone




Education Service - Australian National Botanic Gardens