Retrophyllum minus, the bois bouchon, is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is a shrub or small tree endemic to New Caledonia.
Description
It is a sparsely branched small tree rarely exceeding in height with a flared trunk, reminiscent of Taxodium distichum and Nyssa aquatica, which tapers towards the top and has rough bark. It produces pear-shaped berry-like cones that are dark red when mature.
Habitat
The species occurs near rivers and lakes of the Plaine des Lakes in the south of Grande Terre. It is a rheophyte (grows in running water), the only such conifer known.
Conservation The species is threatened by habitat loss to mining and wildfire, and the IUCN Red List assesses it as Endangered. It is a protected species.
References