CUPRESSUS 



Cupressus^ Linnaeus, Gen. PL 294 (i737); Stark, in Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. xxvii. 651 (1876); 



Bentham et Hooker, Gen. PL iii. 427 (1880); Masters, in Journ. Ltnn. Soc. {Pot.) xxx. 18 



(1893), and xxxi. 312-363 (1896). 

 Chamxcyparis, Spach, Hist. Veg. xi. 329 (1842). 

 Retinispora? Siebold et Zuccarini, FL Jap. ii. 36 (1844). 

 Thuya, section Chamacyparis, Bentham et Hooker, Gen. PL iii. 427 (1880). 



Evergreen trees, or rarely shrubs, belonging to the division Cupressineae of the 

 order Coniferae. Bark' usually divided into ridges, and separating on the surface 

 into loose or appressed scales. Branches, ascending or spreading, much ramified, 

 and terminating in so-called " branchlet systems " or " herbaceous shoots," which 

 are green in colour, two- or three-pinnately divided, and covered with scale-like 

 leaves ; most of the branchlet systems * are deciduous in the third or fourth year, a 

 few developing by their main axes into permanent branches. Ultimate branchlets 

 slender, quadrangular or flattened. Leaves on adult trees, minute, more or less 

 coalesced with the axes, ovate, with spreading or appressed tips, in four rows, in 

 opposite decussate pairs, around the branchlets ; either (a) all uniform in size and 

 shape, or (b) of two kinds, a flattened pair on the front and back of the branch- 

 let, and a lateral conduplicate pair. On vigorous leading shoots and on seedling 

 plants the leaves are needle-shaped or linear-lanceolate, spreading, and uniform in 

 four ranks. In certain horticultural varieties, formerly considered to be species of a 

 distinct genus, Retinispora, the foliage either resembles that of seedling plants or is 

 intermediate in character between the primordial and the adult foliage. 



Flowers monoecious, terminal, solitary, the two sexes on separate branches. 

 Staminate flowers cylindrical, composed of numerous decussate stamens, with short 

 filaments, enlarged into ovate connectives bearing two to six pendulous globose 

 anther-cells. Pistillate flowers, composed of decussate peltate scales, in which no 

 distinction between the "ovuliferous scale" and the "cover-scale" or "bract" is 

 apparent, continuous in series with the leaves at the end of the branchlet, and 



1 We are indebted to Mr. Cecil Hanbury for a fine set of specimens, sent by Mr. Berger from La Mortola on the Italian 

 Riviera, and to Mr. Flahault for a set of all the species cultivated at Montpellier. 



^ This name was first applied to the Japanese species, virhich have conspicuous resin-vesicles on their seeds. (C. Lawsoniana, 

 discovered afterwards, has the same character.) It is derived from jniTlvi}, resin, and airopi, seed. Subsequently it was 

 wrongly spelled Retinospora, and was made to comprise the juvenile forms of Cupressus and Thuya. 



3 The bark of C. Lawsoniana, q.v., differs remarkably on old trees firom that of all the other species. 



* A "branchlet system" arises from a bud, and forms in the first year an axis and secondary lateral branchlets ; in the 

 second year tertiary branchlets are developed. The branchlet system usually falls off in October of the third year, but in 

 certain species the fall is in the second or in the fourth year ; in the latter case the tertiary branchlets develop another set of 

 branchlets. 



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