The Status and Termite Durability of Northern Cypress Pine

Abstract

SUMMARY The cypress pine which occurs naturally over wide areas of the Northern Territory and adjacent islands is being grown successfully in plantations. The taxonomic status of this tree is reviewed briefly and it is treated as a tropical ecotype of Callitris columellaris, and referred to as northern cypress pine. The significance of northern cypress pine in the forestry programme of the Northern Territory is discussed with particular reference to future demands for termite resistant timber. Laboratory tests with two species of Coptotermes showed the heartwood timber of northern cypress pine to have a high natural termite durability, comparable with that of white cypress pine. This durability, which is considered to be due to the presence of repellent or deterrent substances in the timber, is equally high in both plantation and naturally grown trees.