Cupressus 1 1 5 1 



CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS, Mediterranean Cypress 



Cupressus sempervirens, Linnaeus, Sp. PL 1002 (1753); Pallas, Fl. Ross, I. pt. ii. p. 11, t 53 (1784) ; 

 Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit. iv. 2464 (1838); Boissier, FL Orient, v. 705 (1881); Hooker, 

 Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 645 (1888); Masters, in Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) xxxi. 325 (1896); Kent, 

 Vetch's Man. Coniferce, 228 (1900); Gamble, Indian Timbers, 697 (1902); Kirchner, 

 Lebengesch. Bliitenpfl. Mitteleurop. i. 280 (1906). 



Cupressus horizontalis, Miller, Diet. No. 2 (1768), sphalmate " horizontalibus." 



Cupressus lugubris, Salisbury, Prod. 397 (1796). 



Cupressus fastigiata, De Candolle, Flor. Franf. vi. 336 (1815). 



Cupressus patu/a, Spadoni, Xilog. i. 193 (1826). 



Cupressus Tournefortii, Audibert, Cat. (1834). 



A tree, attaining in the Mediterranean region an immense age and size. Bark 

 very thin, even on old trees, smooth or slightly fissured longitudinally, greyish 

 brown, with a light brown cortex. Branchlet systems, alternate, not distichous, 

 spreading irregularly at varying angles, tri-pinnate, with the pinnae not disposed 

 in one plane. Ultimate branchlets tetragonal, equal-sided, -fa in. in diameter. 

 Leaves, in four equal ranks, ^- in. long, rhomboid, obtuse, closely appressed, often 

 marked with a longitudinal furrow. 



Staminate flowers, yellow, in. long ; stamens about ten pairs, with sub- 

 orbicular dentate connectives, each of which bears four or more anther -cells. 

 Female flowers globose, ^ in. in diameter ; scales decussate, three to seven pairs, 

 thick and fleshy with a thin edge, and bearing at the base about twenty urn-shaped 

 ovules. 



Cones ripening in the winter of the first year or in the following spring, 

 opening in the succeeding autumn by the separation of the scales at their edges, 

 when the seed falls out; on short stout curved stalks, sub-globose or ovoid, 

 1 to i in. in length, shining, pale brown or greyish; scales eight to fourteen, 

 very variable in form, either flattened with a central pit overhung by a minute 

 rounded thin process, or pyramidate with a mucronate process. Seeds eight to 

 twenty on each scale, in. long, oblong, rounded or angled, without resin-vesicles ; 

 wing very narrow. 



The seedling ' has two opposite cotyledons, f in. long, linear, flattened, shining 

 green below, and dull bluish green above with stomata. The primary leaves, 

 in. long, green and spreading, have stomata on their upper surface; the first 

 pair opposite and alternating with the cotyledons, and followed by a series of 

 whorls of four, ultimately being replaced by decussate pairs of adult scale-like 

 leaves. 



Varieties 



The Mediterranean cypress has been known to exist from the most ancient 

 times in two forms. 



1 Cf. Kirchner, op. cit. 281, 282. 



