WOOD AND BARK ANATOMY OF NOTHOTSUGA (PINACEAE)

Nothotsuga longibracteata Hu ex Page is one of the rare gymnosperms en demic to China. Although previously ascribed to the genus Tsuga, it wa s recently segregated as a monotypic genus on account of its distincti ve exomorphology. The wood and bark structure described here show that it has unique characteristics as well as features in common with Tsu, ba. The presence of vertical normal resin canals in the wood, together with resin cavities in the bark, does not support the earlier assignm ent of Nothotsuga to the section Heopeuce Keng & Keng f. of Tsuga, nor does it fit any other pinaceous taxon. Thus the present study support s the view that Nothotsuga should be validated as a genus in Pinaceae.