CONIFERS 



83 



Occasionally planted as an ornamental tree in the eastern states and in the coun- 

 tries of temperate Europe. 



2. Chamaecyparis Nootkatensis, Lamb. Yello-w Cypress, Sitka Cypress. 



(Cupressus Nootkatensis, Silva N. Am. x. 115.) 



Leaves rounded, eglandular or glandular-pitted on the back, dark blue-green, 

 closely appressed, about \' long, on vigorous leading branchlets somewhat spreading 

 and often i' long, with 

 more elongated and 

 sharper points ; begin- 

 nins: to die at the end 

 of their second year 

 and usually falling dur- 

 inon the third season. 

 Flowers : staminate 

 on lateral branchlets of 

 the previous year, com- 

 posed of 4 or 5 pairs of 

 stamens, with ovate 

 rounded slightly erose 

 light yellow connec- 

 tives ; pistillate clus- 

 tered near the ends of 



upper branchlets, dark liver color, the fertile scales bearing 2^ ovules each. Fruit 

 ripening in September and October, subglobose, nearly l' in diameter, dark red- 

 brown, with usually 4 or 6 scales tipped with prominent erect pointed bosses and 

 frequently covered with conspicuous resin-glands; seeds 2-4 under each scale, ovate, 

 acute, slightly flattened, about ^' long, dark red-brown, with thin light red-brown 

 wings often nearly twice as wide as the body of the seed. 



A tree, frequently 120 high, with a tall trunk 5-6 in diameter, horizontal 

 branches forming a narrow pyramidal head, stout distichous somewhat flattened or 

 terete light yellow branchlets often tinged with red at first, dark or often bright 

 red-brown during their third season, ultimately paler and covered with close thin 

 smooth bark. Bark ^-f' thick, light gray tinged with brown, irregularly fissured 

 and separated on the surface into large thin loose scales. Wood hard, rather 

 brittle, very close-grained, exceedingly durable, bright clear yellow, with very thin 

 nearly white sapwood; fragrant, wath an agreeable resinous odor; used in boat and 

 shipbuilding, the interior finish of houses, and the manufacture of furniture. 



Distribution. Southwestern Alaska, and southward over the highlands and coast 

 mountains of Alaska and British Columbia, and along the Cascade Mountains of 

 Washington and Oregon to the valley of the Santiam River, extending eastward to 

 the head-waters of the Yakima River on the eastern slope of the range; most abun- 

 dant and of its largest size near the coast of Alaska and northern British Columbia, 

 ranging from the sea-level up to elevations of 3000 ; at high elevations on the Cas- 

 cade Mountains sometimes a low shrub. 



Occasionally cultivated, with its numerous abnormal forms, as an ornamental tree 

 in the middle Atlantic states and in California, and commonly in the countries of 

 western and central Europe. 



