168 FOEEST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



forming conspicuously flat sprays (figs. 65-67). The leaves of seedlings ai*e, like 

 those of Thuja, long, slender, sharp-pointed, and spreading in regularly distant 

 groups of 3 to 4 ; becoming shorter, more scale-like, and much less spreading on 

 some branchlets of second and third year plants, and later assuming form of 

 adult foliage. As a rule, the 2 seed leaves of western native Chainsecyparis are 

 nearly one-third longer (three-eighths of an inch) than seed leaves of the west- 

 ern Thujas, with which the former are often associated. The flowers, which 

 appear early in the spring, are minute and otherwise inconspicuous bodies at the 

 ends of the twigs. The male flowers, pollen bearing only, and female flowers, 

 which produce cones and seed, are borne on different branches of the same tree. 

 The very small, spherical cones, which stand erect on the branchlets, are mature 

 at the end of the first summer or in early autumn, when they open slowly to 

 shed their seeds, after which some of them often remain on the tree for another 

 season. From 1 to 4 or 5 minute seeds (figs. 65, 67) are borne under each cone 

 scale. They are provided with light wings on two sides, but are less buoyant 

 than seeds of Thuja, and usually fall near the parent trees. Seed leaves 2 and 

 opposite. 



The cedars are important forest trees. With other species, they supply 

 much needed cover on high, exposed crests and slopes, as well as most durable 

 and excellent commercial timber. 



Two species inhabit forests of the Pacific region, one of which extends far 

 northward on this coast. 



Yellow Cypress; Alaska Cypress. 



Chamtecyparis nootkatensis (Lamb.) Spach. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



OhamcBCyparis nootkatensis is little known except within its range, where it 

 is commonly called " yellow cypress " and "Alaska cypress." It is known also 

 as " Sitka cypress " and occasionally as "Alaska cedar " aud " yellow cedar." 

 Although distinct in habit and in foliage, it may be mistaken for the western 

 red cedar, from which, however, its clear sulphur-yellow wood plainly distin- 

 guishes it. Yellow cypress is characterized by an open, narrowly conical crown, 

 which in the dense forest has drooping branches, few and distant from each 

 other, and with weeping flat sprays, and by an exceedingly slender, w T hip-like 

 leader, which is too weak at its tip to stand erect and which bends over grace- 

 fully. All of the branches (slender on young trees aud thicker on old trees) 

 droop more or less, and the few flat side and terminal branchlets hang down, 

 so that the crown as a whole has a weeping habit. It is from 75 to 80 feet 

 high (sometimes 90 or 100 feet), and from 2 to 3 feet or not uncommonly 4 or 5 

 feet in diameter. Forest-grown trees are clear of branches for from 30 to 50 

 feet, but in the open or on the border of a forest old trees may have branches 

 nearly to the ground. On high, exposed slopes and crests it is very much 

 smaller, often only 10 feet or even less in height, and assumes a sprawling 

 form. The trunk is usually conical, sharply tapering from a wide base, but in 

 very dense stands the base is little swelled. Trunks are seldom perfectly 

 straight, and in most old trees they have one or two slight bends. They are 

 always more or less fluted or infolded at the base, and are rarely full aud 

 round. Bark is thin on old trunks (about five-eighths of an inch thick), 

 affording but little protection against fire, which the trees rarely survive ; 

 ashy brown on the outside, and clear, reddish cinnamon brown when broken. 

 The surface is irregularly and rather finely broken by shallow seams ; the thin, 

 flat ridges have frequent diagonal cross connections, and flake off in long, 



