apex of the shoot persistent and with axillary buds, those on the lower part of 

 the shoot without axillary buds and deciduous; winter-buds globose, scaly; leaves 

 alternate, subulate or flat and linear with stomatic bands below, those of the 

 deciduous branchlets usually spreading in two ranks, those of the persistent 

 branchlets spreading radially; staminate flowers ovoid, consisting of 6 to 8 stamens 

 and forming terminal drooping panicles; pistillate flowers scattered near the ends 

 of the branches of the preceding year, subglobose, consisting of 2-ovuled scales; 

 fruit a short-stalked globose or ovoid cone that ripens the first year, consisting 

 of many thick coriaceous peltate scales that are dilated from a slender siine into 

 an irregularly 4-sided often mucronate disk; each fertile scale with 2 unequally 3- 

 angled seeds with 3 thick wings. 



About 16 species in 10 genera in both hemispheres. 



1. Taxodium Rich. Bald Cypress 



Trees with light-green deciduous leaves and slender leafy branchlets of the 

 season that are deciduous in autumn, monoecious, often with erect columnar 

 "knees" produced from the roots in areas of frequent flooding; flowers unisexual, 

 the two kinds on the same branches; staminate flowers in panicles of short or 

 slender spikes, with few stamens; filaments scalelike, peltate, bearing 2 to 5 anther 

 cells; pistillate aments ovoid, in small clusters, scaly, with a pair of ovules at the 

 base of each scale; cone closed, globular, composed of thick and angular some- 

 what peltate scales that bear two 3-angled seeds at their bases. 



Three species in southern United States and Mexico. Important timber trees 

 that are commonly grown for their ornamental qualities. 



1. Distribution in Oklahoma and Texas north of the Rio Grande Valley; decidu- 

 ous; branches of staminate flowers short and crowded, the flowers 

 commonly in short compact secondary branches 1. T. distichum. 



1. Distribution in Texas confined to the Rio Grande Valley; essentially evergreen; 

 branches of staminate flowers long and slender, open, composed of 



single flowers or tight clusters of several flowers 



2. T. mucronatum. 



1. Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. Bald cypress, southern cypress. Fig. 23. 



Tree occasionally to 50 m. tall, with a tapering trunk strongly buttressed at 

 the swollen base, pyramidal when young, in old age usually spreading to form a 

 broad rounded head; bark reddish-brown or gray, with long fibrous or scaly 

 ridges; young branchlets green, becoming brown the first winter; the 2-ranked 

 feathery leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, flat, apiculate, 1-1.5 cm. long, soft- 

 bright-green to yellowish-green or whitish below, turning dull-orange-brown be- 

 fore falling; panicle of staminate flowers 10-12 cm. long; cone globose or obovoid, 

 about 25 mm. across; disk of hard scales, rugose, usually without a mucro; seeds 

 heavy, angular, about 1 cm. long. 



In swamps and along rivers and streams in Okla. (McCurtain Co.) and in e. 

 Tex., w. from Brazoria Co. to Real and Uvalde cos. on the Edwards Plateau in 

 cen. Tex.; from Del. to Fla., w. to 111., Mo., Okla. and Tex. 



Especially in wet and frequently inundated areas the roots produce woody 

 cylindrical projections to 2 m. tall and 3 dm. in diameter that are called "cypress- 

 knees." An important timber tree that is sometimes grown for its ornamental 

 value. Individuals of this species exhibit some remarkable genetic differences. For 

 example, near Saratoga (Hardin Co., Tex.) two trees growing side by side have 

 the appearance of two entirely different species. One, with open crown, has its 

 branches ascending, while the other, with a dense closed crown, has spreading and 

 descending branches. 



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