Specific epithet means resembling the genus Glyptostrobus. Genus name comes from the Greek words metra meaning with, after, sharing, or changed in nature and Sequoia to which it is related and to which fossil specimens were first referred. The twigs, needles and cone scales are in opposite pairs. Trees are monoecious, producing oval, light brown female cones (3/4” long) and pendant globose male cones (1/2” long). Foliage emerges light green in spring, matures to deep green in summer and turns red-bronze in fall. It features linear, feathery, fern-like foliage that is soft to the touch. Bark on mature trees is often deeply fissured. As the tree matures, the trunk broadens at the base and develops attractive and sometimes elaborate fluting. Seedlings grown therefrom were planted in front of the Lehmann Building at MBG in 1952 where they have now developed into large mature trees (70’+ tall). Seeds collected from the original site were made available to the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1947. However, it was not until 1941 that it was first discovered growing in the wild near the town of Modaoqi, China by Chinese forester, T. From fossil records, dawn redwood is known to have existed as many as 50,000,000 years ago. It is related to and closely resembles bald cypress ( Taxodium) and redwood ( Sequoia). Our work detailing the plant populations in the habitats of this living fossil will be useful in establishing priorities for its recovery and conservation.Metasequoia glyptostroboides, commonly called dawn redwood, is a deciduous, coniferous tree that grows in a conical shape to 100’ tall. Under present environmental conditions and land use, the dawn redwood will not maintain its natural range in south-central China. The detrimental activities of human residents include cultivation of profitable plants in the understory, selective cutting, harvesting of wood for fuel, and thoroughgoing collection of seeds for sale on the active market.
The remaining specimens ranged from roughly 41 to some 265 years for an average near 95 years, with heights of 12–51 m averaging 27 m. glyptostroboides and have reduced species richness in direct response to human disturbance, as shown on several indices. In the last 41 years, habitat changes have effectively ended recruitment of M. Our study included all the known wild individuals of the species as well as analyses of the floristic diversity of their habitats. We investigated its population size and age structure, and provided a comparison to the study of Chu and Cooper (1950), documenting the changes of the past 60 years. The relict dawn redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng is endemic to the region bordering Hubei and Hunan provinces and Chongqing municipality in south-central China.
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