Cunninghamia (redirected from China fir)

Cunninghamia 

a genus of evergreen conifers of the family Taxodiaceae. The crown is narrowly pyramidal. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, sharp-pointed, more or less spirally arranged, and shining. The cones are 3–4 cm long, roundish ovate, with greatly reduced seeds; they mature in the first year and do not fall off the tree. The seeds are narrowly winged. There are two known species. Cunninghamia konishil is native to Taiwan. The China fir (C. lanceolata) is widely distributed in the temperate regions of China, where its soft, lightweight, aromatic, and rot-resistant wood is used for buildings and various wood products. The China fir is cultivated as an ornamental on the Black Sea Shore of the Caucasus, where it grows and propagates well.

T. G. LEONOVA