| Callitris preissii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Callitris preissii sapling in Adelaide, South Australia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Cupressales |
| Family: | Cupressaceae |
| Genus: | Callitris |
| Species: | C. preissii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Callitris preissii Miq.
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Callitris preissii is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae, endemic to Rottnest Island, Australia. Common names include Rottnest Island pine, Murray pine, maroong, southern cypress pine, and slender cypress pine. The Noongar peoples know the tree as marro.[3]
The pine can have a tree or shrub-like habit typically growing to a height of 1 to 9 metres (3 to 30 ft) and a width of up to 6 metres (20 ft).[4] It is relatively slow growing. The crown is commonly made up fine, dense foliage.[5] The leaf is rounded on the dorsal side and the cones often have a width of over 2 centimetres (0.8 in) with scales that do not separate from the base. It starts producing brown-yellow-orange cones between October and January.[4] The root system is generally moderate to deep or shallow and spreading. It is reasonably long lived, usually to over 15 years of age.[5]
It is endemic to the Swan Coastal Plain, Rottnest Island and Garden Island[5] but has become naturalised elsewhere and now has a scattered distribution throughout the Mid West, Wheatbelt, Peel, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions where it is found on plains, slopes, the margins of salt lakes and among granite outcrops growing in sandy, loamy or clay soils.[4]
The plant makes a good windbreak or as a shelterbelt or shade for stock. The trunks make ideal fence posts and it has good ornamental attributes. The plant's pollen has value for apiculture. In urban areas it makes a good ornamental plant, or as a free street tree and is suitable as a screen or hedge.
