Chinese hemlock

Tsuga chinensis is a large tree with bark that is a blackish brown in colour. The scaly bark has irregular longitudinal breaks, and lenticels that are very inconspicuous. The outer bark is about 6 mm thick with alternating tiered layers of pale yellowish brown corky bark, and brown lignified fibrous bark. The newly formed periderm is a purplish red. The inner bark is about 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 inches) thick and pale reddish brown in colour. It is fibrous in texture with minute, almost inconspicuous sclereid, or stone cell groups. The cambium as well as the newly formed phloem are nearly inconspicuous. Freshly cut wood is a pale yellowish white with inconspicuous wood rays. The branchlets that have leaf-cushions. The leaves are arranged spirally in a manner more or less 2-ranked. They are linear and flat in shape and olive green in colour. The upper side of the leaf is grooved and keeled, while the underside has 2 white stomatic bands. The apex of the leaves are emerginate and they measure 16 to 20 mm (0.63 to 0.79 inches) long. The petioles are crooked. The foliage is very similar to that of T. heterophylla, but T. chinensis has nodding shoots and the stomatic bands are paler and more sparse. Also the colour above is a paler yellowish-green. The stamenate flowers appear singly on one-year-old shoots, or in groups of 1 to 5 on two-year-old shoots. …

T. chinensis is found in Taiwan, China (from Tibet to southern Shanxi province and Guangdong province), and northern Ha Giang province in Vietnam. In the very south of their range they are only found high in the mountains. For example, in Vietnam the tree is only found in mountains 1,300 to 1,700 m (4,300 to 5,600 feet) above sea level. In China it is present at altitudes of 1,000 to 3,500 m (3,300 to 11,500 feet) in the following provinces: Anhui, Fujian, southern Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, northern Guizhou, western Henan, western Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, southern Shaanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan, and Zhejiang. This comprises the southern half of the country with a few population farther north. It is found primarily in mixed forests near river basins and in mountains and valleys. In Taiwan it is found mainly in Nantou County and Taoyuan City at heights of 1,700 to 3,500 m (5,600 to 11,500 feet) in mixed broadleaf forests. It can be found in Taiwans's Yushan National Park and Lalashan Preserve, as well as in China's Hailuogou Glacier Park in Sichuan province.

The timber obtained from T. chinensis is used in construction, furniture making, and as a support in mines. The bark is high in tannins, which is often extracted and used as a dye. The trunk is used as a source of resin. In addition, the roots, trunk, and branches are all used in the production of aromatic oils due to their pleasing scent.

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