Torreya californica description

Seed in aril from a tree in Sacramento's Capitol Arboretum [C.J. Earle].

Torreya californica Torrey 1854

Common Names

California nutmeg, California torreya, stinking cedar (2).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Torreya myristica Hooker; Tumion californicum (Torrey) Greene (1).

Description

"Trees to 20(25) m; trunk to 90(120) cm dbh; crown conic or, in age, round-topped. Branches spreading to slightly drooping; 2-year-old branches reddish brown. Leaves 3-8 cm, abaxial side with 2 deeply impressed, glaucous bands of stomates, flattened on adaxial side, emitting pungent odor when crushed. Pollen cones whitish. Seed (including aril) 2.5-3.5 cm; aril light green streaked with purple. 2n = 16" (1).

Range

USA: California. Rare and local along mountain streams, protected slopes, creek bottoms, and moist canyons of the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada, at 0-2000 m elevation (1).

Big Tree

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Have seen in the Botanical Garden at Tilden Park, Berkeley. Arno (3) indicates that it can be found in "draws and basins on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County;" along "the road entering Yosemit Valley from El Portal" (Yosemite National Park); at "the entrance to Boyden Cave in Kings Canyon" (National Park); and "the trail to Crystal Cave and near Clough Cave in Sequoia National Park."

Remarks

Citations

(1) Hils, Matthew H. at the Flora of North America web site.
(2) Peattie 1950.
(3) Arno & Gyer 1973.