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CUPRESSACEAE

CYPRESS FAMILY

Jim A. Bartel

Shrub, tree, evergreen, monoecious or dioecious
Leaves cauline, opposite and 4-ranked or whorled in 3's and 6-ranked, generally scale-like, decurrent, completely covering young stems
Pollen cone small, axillary or terminal
Seed cone ± fleshy to woody, generally hard at maturity; scales opposite or whorled
Seeds 1–many per scale, generally angled or winged, generally wind-dispersed
Genera in family: 17 genera, ± 120 species: worldwide; all North America genera cultivated
Reference: [Elias 1980 Complete Trees North America]
Juvenile leaves needle- or awl-like, sometimes present in ± mature plants, especially in response to grazing or infection, especially in Cupressus, Juniperus.

CUPRESSUS

CYPRESS

Large shrub, tree, often pyramidal in youth, monoecious
Stem: young shoots generally cylindric (sometimes 4-angled or flat), generally arrayed in 3-dimensional clusters
Leaves opposite, 4-ranked, scale-like, closely appressed, overlapping
Pollen cone generally yellow
Seed cone 6–50 mm, woody, ± spheric to widely cylindric, maturing 1st or 2nd year, often closed > 2 years; scales 6–12, peltate, abutting, shield- or wedge-shaped; projection often present, small, pointed, generally less visible in age
Seeds 2–many per scale, flat, winged; cotyledons 2–5
Chromosomes: 2n=22 for all reports
Species in genus: ± 22 species: w North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Latin: cypress)
Reference: [Wolf 1948 Aliso 1:1–250]

Native

C. forbesii Jeps.

TECATE CYPRESS

Tree < 10 m, multi-trunked, generally without dominant terminal shoot
Stem: bark peeling in thin, crisp plates, smooth, polished, cherry-red or mahogany-brown; young shoots 1–1.4 mm diam, cylindric
Leaf rich light green to ± dull green
Pollen cone 3–4 mm, ± 2 mm diam, ± 4- sided; scales 12–14; pollen sacs 3–5 per scale
Seed cone 20–32 mm, generally spheric, dull brown or gray; scales 6–10, projection < 5 mm
Seed 3–6 mm, dark brown, generally with many wart-like pitch pockets; attachment scar conspicuous
Chromosomes: 2n=22(23)
Ecology: Chaparral
Elevation: 450–1500 m.
Bioregional distribution: w Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: n Baja California
Threatened by fire, development.

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