3314 



TAVARESIA 



TAXODIUM 



3779. Taxodium distichum. 

 Bald cypress. 



TAVARfeSIA (derivation unexplained). Asckpiada- 

 ce%. Succulent stapelia-like perennials, branching at 

 the base: sts. 6yl2-angled, angles tuberculate, toothed, 

 each tubercle with 3 bristles : fls. large and showy, in ses- 

 sile cymes at base of young sts.; calyx 5-parted; corolla 

 large, tubular-funnel- 

 shaped, 5-lobed; crown dou- 

 ble, outer shortly tubular at 

 base, then divided into 10 

 long filiform segms., each 

 terminated by a knob, inner 

 crown of 5 narrow lobes; 

 staminal column arising 

 from base of corolla. Two 

 species, Trop. and S. Afr. 

 T. Bdrklyi, N. E. Br. Gla- 

 brous: sts. 3-4 in. high, 

 thick, fleshy, cylindrical, 

 10 -12 -angled, tubercles 

 white-bristled: cymes ses- 

 sile, few-fld.: corolla 

 smooth, pale greenish or 

 greenish white spotted with 

 purple-red outside, inside 

 papillate, pale yellowish, 

 covered with small purple- 

 red spots, base entirely pur- 

 ple-red; knobs of the fili- 

 form outer crown-segms. 

 globular. Trop. and S. Afr. B.M. 6203. G.C. III. 

 27:210 (both as Decabelone Barklyi). G.W. 15, p. 117. 



TAXODIUM (alluding to the similarity of the foliage 

 to that of Taxus). Syn., Glyptostrbbus, Schubertia. 

 Pindcese. Ornamental woody plants, grown chiefly for 

 their graceful feathery foliage. 



Deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs: Ivs. alter- 

 nate, linear, usually 2-ranked, falling off in autumn or 

 the second year together with the short lateral branch- 

 lets: fls. monoecious, small; staminate fls. catkin-like, 

 consisting of spirally arranged anthers, with 4-9 anther- 

 cells and forming terminal panicles; pistillate fls. soli- 

 tary or in pairs at the ends of branchlets of the previous 

 year, composed of imbricated scales bearing 2 ovules 

 inside at the base: cone globose or nearly so, maturing 

 the first year, consisting of spirally arranged woody 

 scales enlarged at the apex into an irregularly 4-sided 

 disk with a mucro hi the middle and toward the base 

 narrowed into a slender stalk: 2 triangular, winged 

 seeds under each scale; cotyledons 4-9. Two species 

 in N. Amer. and 1 in China. 



Of the three species, the only one well known in culti- 

 vation is the bald cypress, T. distichum, a tall pyramidal 

 deciduous tree with small linear two-ranked leaves and 

 small globose cones. It is hardy as far north as 

 New England and is a very desirable tree for park 

 planting. Its light green feathery foliage and the nar- 

 row pyramidal habit which it usually retains hi culti- 

 vation give it a very distinct appearance. In its native 

 habitat it forms in old age a broad round-topped head 

 sometimes 100 feet across and has the trunk much 

 enlarged at the base by huge often hollow buttresses 

 projecting in all directions and terminating in long 

 horizontal roots. From these roots spring the peculiar 

 cypress knees, pyramidal protuberances composed of a 

 very light, soft, spongy wood and spongy bark. These 

 sometimes attain a height of 10 feet and with age 

 usually become hollow. From the under side of the 

 horizontal roots large anchor-roots are sent perpendicu- 

 larly into the earth and help to anchor the tree firmly 

 in the swampy yielding soil. The knees are thought 

 by some to be formed for the purpose of strengthening 

 this root-system, since they are chiefly found opposite 

 to the anchor-roots, but their main purpose is probably 

 to bring air to the roots during the several weeks or 

 months when the swamps are covered with water. The 



knees always grow high enough to rise above the sur- 

 face of the water (see, also, G. F. 3, pp. 2, 21, 22, 57). 

 The bald cypress is one of the most valuable timber 

 trees of North America. The wood is brown, light and 

 soft, close and straight-grained, but not strong; it is 

 easily worked, durable in the soil and much used for 

 construction. The bald cypress thrives best in moist 

 sandy soil, but also does well in drier situations. The 

 habit seems to depend somewhat on the degree of 

 moisture; in drier soil the head is more narrow-pyram- 

 idal, hi moist soil broader and more spreading. 

 Propagated by seeds sown in spring and the varieties 

 by grafting on seedling stock early hi spring in the 

 greenhouse; also by cuttings in sand constantly satura- 

 ted with water or grown in water alone, under glass. 



distichum, Rich. (Cupressus disticha, Linn. Schu- 

 bertia disticha, Mirbel). BALD CYPRESS. DECIDUOUS 

 CYPRESS. Fig. 3779. Tall deciduous tree, becoming 

 150 feet high, with a buttressed trunk usually 4-5, 

 but sometimes attaining 12 ft. or more in diam., 

 usually hollow hi old age; bark light cinnamon- 

 brown, flaky: branches erect or spreading, distichously 

 ramified, forming a narrow pyramidal head, becoming 

 at maturity broad and rounded, with slightly pendulous 

 branches: Ivs. narrowly linear, acute, thin, light green, 

 Ji~%in. long: panicles of the purplish staminate fls. 

 4-5 in. long: cone almost globose, rugose, about 1 in. 

 across and destitute of mucros at maturity, seed J^in. 

 long. March-May. Del. to Fla., west to Mo. and 

 Texas, in swamps, along the larger rivers and over cal- 

 careous rocks. S.S. 10:537. G.F. 3:7; 10:125. G.C. II. 

 11:372; 18:361; 111.7:325, 328; 14:659; 24:320; 

 54:251. Gn. 76, p. 562. F.S.R. 2, p. 163. Gn.M. 

 2:11. F.E. 27:71. Gng. 2:225; 5:1. G.M. 39:875. 

 M.D.G. 1896:303. S.H. 2:541. G.W. 14, p. 512. An 

 interesting natural variety is: Var. imbricarium, Nutt. 

 (T. adscendens, Brongn. T. microphyllum, Brongn. 

 T. distichum var. erectifrons, Schelle). Smaller tree 

 with deeply furrowed bark: branches upright: Ivs. 

 subulate, ^-J^in. long, more or less upright and rather 

 appressed. Va. to Fla. and Ala., in lakes, ponds, small 

 rivers, apparently always over a clay subsoil. B.M. 

 5603. F. 1871, p. 60. Var. pendulum, Carr. (T. dis- 

 tichum sinense pendulum, Loud. Glyptostrbbus pendu- 

 lus, Endl. G. sinensis, Hort.). A form of the preced- 

 ing variety with pendulous branches. Var. pyramida- 

 tum, Carr. Narrow pyramidal form with short 



3780. Old English yews that have reached maturity. Taxus 

 baccata. Addison's walk, at Glasnevin, Ireland. 



ascending branches. Var. fastigiJitum, Knight. With 

 slender, upright, virgate branches sparingly ramified. 

 Var. nanum, Carr. Dwarf, shrubby form, with numer- 

 ous short branches. Var. nutans, Ait. Branches 

 spreading, long and slender, nodding at the tips. F.E. 

 29:9 (as T. distichum pendulum). Var. microphyllum, 

 Carr. Shrub, with short spreading branches; the lateral 



