Trochetiopsis erythroxylon

Trochetiopsis erythroxylon, the Saint Helena redwood, is a species of plant, now extinct in the wild. It was formerly abundant enough in the upland parts of the island of Saint Helena for early settlers in the 17th century to use the timber to make their homes. It now exists in cultivation, although cultivated stock is weak. This species has pendant flowers, petals that turn pink with age, and white staminodes.

Saint Helena redwood

Extinct in the Wild  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Trochetiopsis
Species:
T. erythroxylon
Binomial name
Trochetiopsis erythroxylon
(Forst.) Marais
Synonyms
  • Pentapetes erythroxylon

Saint Helena redwood is completely unrelated to the redwood tree of California and other trees called redwood.

It is, however, in the same genus as the Saint Helena ebony (Trochetiopsis ebenus) and a hybrid between them (Trochetiopsis × benjamini) is now often planted on the island.

See also

Flora of St Helena

References

  • Cronk, Quentin C.B. (2000). The endemic Flora of St Helena. Oswestry: Anthony Nelson Ltd.

Media related to Trochetiopsis erythroxylon at Wikimedia Commons


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