190 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



GUPRESSUS, Linnaeus. 



Cypresses. 



Evergreen trees or rarely shrubs widely distributed through- 

 out the warm temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. 

 About 15 species, occurring in the Levant, N. America, the 

 Himalaya, China and Japan, are recognized. Branches spreading 

 or ascending, terminating in branchlet systems or sprays of 

 foliage which are pinnately divided and clothed with closely 

 pressed, scale-like leaves, overlapping in four ranks on the 

 ultimate divisions, or awl-shaped on the main axes. Male and 

 female flowers appear on the same tree. Male catkins cylindrical, 

 terminal on the ultimate divisions of the branchlets, bearing 

 numerous stamens, each composed of 2-6 globose anther cells. 

 Female floivers consisting of peltate scales with the ovules in 

 several rows at the base. Fruit a globose or ellipsoid cone 

 formed of 4-14 woody, shield-like scales fitting closely together 

 by their margins while growing, but separating when mature, 

 each with a central boss or triangular process on the outer surface. 

 Seeds 1-20 on each scale, winged. 



The species are divided into two groups, (1) Eu-Cupressus, 

 (2) Chamcecyjyaris, which are referred to in the accompanying 

 key. 



Plants with awl-shaped leaves like those of seedling plants 

 or intermediate in character between juvenile and adult foliage 

 were formerly separated as a distinct genus Retinispora, often 

 spelled Retinospora, and this name is still used in gardens. 



Wood light yellow to brownish, early and late wood not 

 always strongly defined, heartwood and sapwood distinct in some 

 species, not in others ; without resin ducts ; medullary rays very 

 fine, but visible with a lens ; fight, easily worked, finishing with 

 a smooth surface ; odorous with a spicy-resinous, sometimes 

 rather unpleasant, odour ; very durable and useful for building 

 purposes, furniture, telegraph and telephone poles, fencing, 

 general joinery and carpentry, and other purposes. Furniture 

 made from the wood repels insects, but the odour is objection- 

 able for some kinds of packing-case work, particularly where 

 grocery and dairy produce are concerned. 



Although several of the cypresses are important timber 

 trees in their native countries, their principal use in Britain 

 is for decorative purposes ; three species, C. Lawsoniana, 

 C. nootkatensis , and C. macrocarpa are sometimes successfully 

 planted under forest conditions. The Chamcecyparis group are 

 hardier than the species included in Eu-Cupressus, otherwise 

 they thrive under similar conditions. They succeed in a great 



