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The two references, Scottishgeology.com and the BGS regional memoir give what appear to be 2 different genus for the tree - anyone clear this up? thanks Geopersona (talk) 05:32, 13 February 2020 (UTC)[reply]
The accurate taxonomic designation of MacCulloch's Tree is still unclear. Current knowledge about the tree's identity is expressed as speculation about some possibilities.
According to Bell and Williamson (2017)[1]: the tree was identified as Cupressinoxylon by Seward and Holttum (1924). Seward (1919) regarded Cupressinoxylon and Taxodioxylon as synonymous. Emeleus and Gyopari (1992) reported the tree as Cupressinoxylon. Emeleus and Bell (2005) and Williamson and Bell (2012) described the tree as Taxodioxylon. Palynology, reported by Jolley et al. (2009), suggests that the tree might be Taxodiaceae (perhaps Taxodium or Metasequoia). Molecular phylogeny by Mao et al. (2012) groups Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae into the Cupressaceae. It has also been suggested that the tree could be Glyptostrobus (Cupressaceae).
From my general backround reading about Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae, the asssignment of MacCulloch's Tree is further complicated by at least some authorities now regarding Taxodiaceae as no longer a valid plant family, merely a synonym for Cupressaceae.[2]
Possible approaches for this Wikipedia article could include (1) recognise the inclusion of Taxodiaceae within Cupressaceae and describe MacCulloch's Tree as Cupressaceae or (2) reduce the taxonomic uncertainty by describing the tree as order Pinales (because this order includes both family Taxodiaceae if it still exists, and family Cupressaceae)? GeoWriter (talk) 15:50, 15 February 2020 (UTC)[reply]
