Metasequoia Temporal range: 70.0–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Cretaceous to recent
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Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Cupressaceae
Subfamily:	Sequoioideae
Genus:	Metasequoia Miki, 1941
Species
†Metasequoia foxii Metasequoia glyptostroboides †Metasequoia milleri †Metasequoia occidentalis †Metasequoia disticha

Metasequoia (dawn redwood) is a fast-growing, deciduous tree, and the sole living species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. It is native to the Sichuan-Hubei region of China. Although the least tall of the redwoods, it grows to at least 200 feet (60 meters) in height. Local villagers refer to the original tree from which most others derive as Shui-sa, or "water fir", which is part of a local shrine. Since that tree's rediscovery in 1944, the dawn redwood has become a popular ornamental.

Together with Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) and Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia) of California, Metasequoia is classified in the Cupressaceae subfamily Sequoioideae. Although M. glyptostroboides is the only living species in its genus, three fossil species are known as well. The other Sequoioideae and several other genera have been transferred from the former Taxodiaceae family to Cupressaceae based on DNA analysis.^[1]

Paleontology[link]

Metasequoia redwood fossils are known from many areas in the Northern Hemisphere; more than twenty fossil species have been named (some were even identified as the genus Sequoia), but are considered as just three species, M. foxii, M. milleri, and M. occidentalis (Farjon 2005). During the Paleocene and Eocene, extensive forests of Metasequoia occurred as far north as Strathcona Fiord on Ellesmere Island and sites on Axel Heiberg Island ^[2] (northern Canada) at around 80°N latitude. Metasequoia was likely deciduous by this time. Given that the high latitudes in this period were warm and tropical, it is hypothesized that the deciduous habit evolved in response to the unusual light availability patterns, not to major seasonal variations in temperature.^[3] During three months in the summer the sun would shine continuously while three months of the winter would be complete darkness. It is also hypothesized that the change from evergreen to deciduous habit occurred before colonizing the high latitudes and was the reason Metasequoia was dominant in the north.^[4]

Large petrified trunks and stumps of the extinct Metasequoia occidentalis (sometimes identified as Sequoia occidentalis) also make up the major portion of Tertiary fossil plant material in the badlands of western North Dakota in the United States.

The trees are well known from late Cretaceous to Miocene strata, but no fossils are known after that. Before its discovery, the taxon was believed to have become extinct during the Miocene; when it was discovered extant, it was heralded as a "living fossil".

Appearance[link]

Dawn redwood foliage - note opposite arrangement

Displaying autumn foliage in Victoria, BC, Canada

While the bark and foliage are similar to another closely related redwood genus Sequoia, Metasequoia differs from the California redwood in that it is deciduous like Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress), and like that species, older specimens form wide buttresses on the lower trunk. It is a fast-growing tree to 40–45 m tall and 2 m trunk diameter in cultivation so far (with the potential to grow to even greater heights).

The leaves are opposite, 1–3 cm long, and bright fresh green, turning a foxy red-brown in fall. The pollen cones are 5–6 mm long, produced on long spikes in early spring; they are only produced on trees growing in regions with hot summers. The cones are globose to ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter with 16-28 scales, arranged in opposite pairs in four rows, each pair at right angles to the adjacent pair; they mature in about 8–9 months after pollination.

Metasequoia has experienced morphological stasis for the past 65 million years, meaning that the modern Metasequoia glyptostroboides is identical to its late Cretaceous ancestors.^[5]

History[link]

Ypresian age M. occidentalis branchlet

Metasequoia was first described as a fossil from the Mesozoic Era by Shigeru Miki in 1941, but in 1944 a small stand of an unidentified tree was discovered in China in Modaoxi (磨刀溪; presently, Moudao (谋道), in Lichuan County, Hubei^[6]) by Zhan Wang. Due to World War II, these were not studied further until 1946 and only finally described as a new living species of Metasequoia in 1948 by Wan Chun Cheng and Hu Hsen Hsu. In 1948 the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University sent an expedition to collect seeds and, soon after, seedling trees were distributed to various universities and arboreta worldwide for growth trials.

Presently, a number of natural Metasequoia populations exist in the hills and wetlands of Hubei's Lichuan County. Most of them are small, with fewer than 30 trees each; however, the largest of them, in Xiaohe Valley, is estimated to consist of around 5,400 trees.^[6] A few trees are also said to exist in the neighboring Hunan Province.^[6]

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Metasequoia

• Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4.
• Hanks, D.A. Crescent Ridge Dawn Redwoods Preserve (2005). http://www.dawnredwood.org
• Jahren, A. H. & Sternberg, L. S. L. (2003). Humidity estimate for the middle Eocene Arctic rain forest. Geology May 2003 pdf file
• "Metasequoia Glyptostroboides". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=505864. Retrieved September 25, 2006. 
• Williams C.J., LePage, B.A., Vann D.R., Tange, T., Ikeda, H., Ando, M., Kusakabe, T., Tsuzuki, T. and T. Sweda. (2003). Structure, allometry, and biomass of plantation Metasequoia glyptostroboides in Japan. Forest Ecology and Management, 180(103): 287-301. [1]
• Williams C.J., Johnson A.H., LePage, B.A., Vann D.R. and T. Sweda. 2003. Reconstruction of Tertiary Metasequoia Forests II. Structure, Biomass and Productivity of Eocene Floodplain Forests in the Canadian Arctic. Paleobiology, 29(2): 271-292. [2]

Further reading[link]

External links[link]

• Metasequoia in The Gymnosperm database
• The metasequoia organisation
• Giant redwoods in the U.K.
• [5]

Harry Sacksioni (born 23 October 1950 in Amsterdam) is a composer and guitar virtuoso of Dutch origin. The peak of his fame was during the 1970s, some famous works of this period include Meta Sequoia, Vensters, Elixer and Thee bij tante Josephine, along with re-arrangements of existing pieces, such as Anji (Davy Graham), I Wish (Stevie Wonder) and Scarborough Fair (arr. Paul Simon). Sacksioni's work is mainly instrumental, although some more recent works are accompanied.

Sacksioni's work is not commercially motivated, and as a result, he is not featured often in the mainstream media. His records appear under an independent label as a protest against the high prices of CDs. Sacksioni often uses several different guitars during a concert. When touring, he chooses instruments from his collection of acoustic and electric guitars to suit the venue and programme. He plays both 6 and 12-string guitars. An unusual guitar of his is a hand-built double guitar: one half is electric and the other half is acoustic. Sacksioni lives in Lienden, Netherlands.

Harry Sacksioni was awarded the Order of Orange-Nassau, decorated by Klaas Tammes, mayor of the municipality of Buren, during a concert in the Agnietenhof in Tiel on 9 May 2009.

Major collaborations[link]

• Frank Boeijen
• Raymond van het Groenewoud
• Digmon Roovers
• Herman van Veen
• Erik van der Wurff

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

Compilations[link]

Singles[link]

• Het dubbelleven van Holle Vijnman / Prikklok 07.45 uur (1979)
• Herman van Veen, Erik van der Wurff & Harry Sacksioni (1981)
• Suikerspin / Marco Polo (1981)
• Nachtjournaal / Escapade (1984)
• Je moet eerst vliegen / De telganger (1985)
• Paddentrek / Yeti (1987)
• Alter Ego / Bath Blues (1990)
• Fuerteventura / Arena (1994)
• The Killy Killy Song (1994)
• Jessica / Masai Mara (1994)
• Meta Sequoia / Axel F.: Toerist (1998)
• De paddentrek (2008)

External links[link]

• Harry Sacksioni's official website

Listening[link]

• TV Gelderland: Harry Sacksioni in Stringdance, 2007
• Rockin' Gelderland: Harry Sacksioni, 2007