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Tsuga chinensis
Tsuga chinensis, commonly referred to as the Taiwan or Chinese hemlock, is a coniferous tree species in the pine family, Pinaceae, native to China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The tree is quite variable and has many recognised varieties, though some are also maintained to be separate species by certain authorities. The tree was recently discovered in the mountains of northern Vietnam, making that the southernmost extension of its range.
T. chinensis is found in Taiwan, China (from Tibet to southern Shanxi province and Guangdong province), and northern Ha Giang province in Vietnam. In the very south of their range they are only found high in the mountains. For example, in Vietnam the tree is only found in mountains 1,300 to 1,700 m (4,300 to 5,600 feet) above sea level. In China it is present at altitudes of 1,000 to 3,500 m (3,300 to 11,500 feet) in the following provinces: Anhui, Fujian, southern Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, northern Guizhou, western Henan, western Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, southern Shaanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan, and Zhejiang. This comprises the southern half of the country with a few population farther north. It is found primarily in mixed forests near river basins and in mountains and valleys. In Taiwan it is found mainly in Nantou County and Taoyuan City at heights of 1,700 to 3,500 m (5,600 to 11,500 feet) in mixed broadleaf forests. It can be found in Taiwans's Yushan National Park and Lalashan Preserve, as well as in China's Hailuogou Glacier Park in Sichuan province.
The timber obtained from T. chinensis is used in construction, furniture making, and as a support in mines. The bark is high in tannins, which is often extracted and used as a dye. The trunk is used as a source of resin. In addition, the roots, trunk, and branches are all used in the production of aromatic oils due to their pleasing scent.
Eastern Hemlock · Carolina Hemlock · Northern Japanese Hemlock · Himalayan Hemlock · Forrest's Hemlock · Western Hemlock · Mountain Hemlock · Southern Japanese Hemlock · Ulleungdo Hemlock · Hemlock
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tsuga chinensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
