About Widdringtonia schwarzii (Marloth) Mast.
Widdringtonia schwarzii, commonly called Willowmore cedar or Willowmore cypress, known as Baviaanskloof-seder in Afrikaans, is a species of flowering plant in the Cupressaceae family. It is native to South Africa, and is endemic only to the Baviaanskloof and Kouga Mountains located west of Port Elizabeth in Eastern Cape Province. It grows on dry rocky slopes and crags at altitudes between 600 and 1,200 m. This species is threatened by habitat loss, especially from wildfire, and it is a protected tree within South Africa. It is a medium-sized evergreen tree that grows to 20–25 m tall; historical records note specimens reaching up to 40 m. Its leaves are scale-like: they measure 1.5 mm long and 1 mm broad on small shoots, and grow up to 10 mm long on strong-growing shoots. All leaves are arranged in opposite decussate pairs. The cones of Widdringtonia schwarzii are globose to rectangular, 2–3 cm long, and have four scales. It is closely related to Widdringtonia wallichii from Western Cape Province, and is most easily distinguished from this relative by its larger seeds that have a short seedwing.
