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Deciduous Gymnosperms
Name: J. R.
Status: student
Age: 15
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1/15/2004
Question:
What type of evergreen tree looses its needles?
Replies:
If the tree is "evergreen" then by definition it does NOT lose needles. A
few coniferous - the distinction is in the method of producing seeds - trees
are deciduous, which means losing leaves in some part of the seasonal cycle,
usually winter. In the northeastern U.S. we have tamarack, in the southeast
bald cypress, and in the northwest larches.
J. Elliott
Tamarack or larch (Larix laricina) is an example of a conifer ("evergreen") that is deciduous (loses
its needles in the autumn).
http://forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/Species/tamarack.htm
Also technically even "evergreen" trees lose their needles but the new needles are already in place:
http://www.realtrees4kids.org/board/?topic=topic1&msg=29
Anthony R. Brach
You can look for a good answer to this in any dendrology text, either at your school or the local library.
In short, larches (genus Larix) are deciduous conifers. There are others in various areas of the world.
It is interesting to note that even those conifers which are not classified as 'deciduous'... that even they lose needles after a few years. You may have seen white pines, particularly in September/October, losing some of the older needles while retaining the rest of the canopy. The needles, which function to produce sugar and eventually wood, do not live forever, and each year a small part of the canopy is shed, having been replaced or expanded by growth in the spring of the prior and the spring to follow.
Thanks for using NEWTON!
Ric Rupnik
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Update: June 2012
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