tree that reproduces only by being burnt?

Discussion in 'Woody Plants' started by AlyssaM, Jul 17, 2008.

  1. AlyssaM

    AlyssaM Member

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    Hi,
    Sorry I have no pictures. Someone told me about a type of tree that can only reproduce by being burnt to death... I've been tirelessly researching on the net, but no luck without knowing what type of tree this is.

    Does this sound familiar to anyone?

    Any help is greatly appreciated!!

    thanks :)
     
  2. natureman

    natureman Active Member

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    I don't know of a tree that'd reproduce after being 'burnt to death'...as it'd be dead (and unable to carry out life processes such as reproduction :p). But maybe you meant trees that 'reproduce' after fires. Usually this happens with trees that produce cones, which aren't open until heated by a fire on the ground. "Jack pine, for example, has serotinous cones, which don't open and release their seeds until they are exposed to a heat source such as fire"
     
  3. tipularia

    tipularia Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    and lodgepole pine
     
  4. Tyrlych

    Tyrlych Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Banksia may be?
    There is an episode in one of David Attenborough films, it shows a spectacular seeds release from the burnt seedheads when the plant itsefl looks stone dead.
    Seems it was Banksia..., I will check.
     
  5. Luke Harding

    Luke Harding Active Member

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    There are many species which depend on wild fire to reproduce. Many conifer cones will not even open to release seed unless they reach a certain temperature.
    Some Eucalyptus species act in the same way and its seems a fairly common characteristic of plants which have adapted to live in very dry and hot conditions.
    One of my favourite trees is Pinus palustris which spends its first few years looking like a grassy mound. In this time it develops its long tap root and a fairly good root system underground, avoiding all the forest fires. The foliage may be totally destroyed several times but because of the established root system it always re-sprouts and then eventually grows very quickly to make a proper tree. Mine stayed in its 'grass-like' state for 5 years before developing a proper stem.
    In the past I have put Pinus radiata (Monterey Pine) cones in the oven to encourage them to open and let me get at the seed.
     
  6. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I use a 3kW electric fan heater to open them, far more effective. If the cone is fully mature and dry, it only takes a few seconds.
     
  7. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    A lot of Australian natives act in this way, like Banksia and Eucalyptus to name a few, as stated above...because of bush fires, either natural or man made
    The Aboriginals have been doing this for many thousands of years.

    Ed
     
  8. M. D. Vaden

    M. D. Vaden Active Member 10 Years

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    Why the question?

    Did you want to propagate it?

    No photos you say - but can you give a basic description: needles or leaves? Cones?
     
  9. AlyssaM

    AlyssaM Member

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    Thank you all for your responses!! Very helpful :)

    The reason I'm asking is for a script I'm writing and someone mentioned this kind of tree when we were talking about the script, but couldn't tell me what kind of tree. I was very intrigued, and will keep doing some research in order to make it work in the script.

    thanks again!
    a
     
  10. Tyrlych

    Tyrlych Rising Contributor 10 Years

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  11. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    The comment in the Wikipedia Serotiny article on the time of description of serotiny and its relationship to fire is of course rubbish:
    Serotiny was acknowledged at least as early as 1803 by Michaux in his description of Pinus serotina as a new species. And the connection with fire was made long before 1977, at least as early as 1888 by J G Lemmon in his Report of the California State Board of Forestry (p.117-118).
     
  12. Krystyna Szulecka

    Krystyna Szulecka Active Member

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