Torreya californica

Torreya californica
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Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Cephalotaxaceae
Genus:	Torreya
Species:	T. californica
Binomial name
Torreya californica Torr.
Natural range

Torreya californica is species of conifer endemic to California, occurring in the Pacific Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It is commonly known as California nutmeg or California torreya (although not closely related to true nutmeg).

California nutmeg is an evergreen tree growing to 15–25 m tall, with a trunk diameter of 0.5–1 m (exceptionally 2 m); the crown is conical in overall shape, with whorled branches. The leaves are needle-like, stiff, sharp pointed, 3–5 cm long and 3 mm broad; they are arranged spirally, but twisted at the base to lie flat either side of the shoots.

The male (pollen) cones are 5–7 mm long, grouped in lines along the underside of a shoot. The female (seed) cones are single or grouped two to five together on a short stem; minute at first, they mature in about 18 months to a drupe-like structure with the single large nut-like seed 2.5–4 cm long surrounded by a fleshy covering, dark green to purple at full maturity in the fall.

Uses

The seeds were used by Native Americans in Northern California as food. The seeds were once mentioned in pharmacognostic literature under the Latin name nux moschata Californica. The wood was used for making bows.

The wood is sometimes used in making Go game boards, as a cheaper substitute for the prized kaya (Torreya nucifera) of Japan and Southeast Asia.

Cultivation

The tree is planted as a specimen ornamental tree in gardens; and in groves in larger native plant and traditional landscape projects.

File:Torreya californica branch PAN 03.JPG

Torreya californica, with young shoots,
PAN Botanical Garden, Warsaw, Poland

References and external links

• Gymnosperm Database: Torreya californica
• Photos of foliage and mature seed cones and pollen cones and immature seed cones.
• in Bozulich 2001—pp. 142–155