30 
No. 44. 
The Cypress Pines of New South Wales. 
Genus Callitris. 
(Natural Order CONIFERS.) 
Botanical Ntinie.— Genus, Callitris, Vent. l)ecad. (1808). 
Flowers. — Monoecious. 
Male amenta. —Cylindrical oblong or ovoid; the stamens in whorls of 3 or rarely 4 (Wildeman 
figures more in C. cupressiformis) ; imbricate* in twice as many vertical rows; the scale-like 
apex ovate, orbicular, or slightly peltate (see plate 48, fig. B); anther-cells 2 to 4 (see plate 
48, fig. Zl). 
Female amenta of 6 or rarely 8 scales, more or less distinctly arranged at the time of flowering 
in 2 whorls, without any enlarged outer empty scales. 
Ovules (or carpels).—Several within each scale, in three vertical series, sessile and erect. (This 
is a slip on Bentham’s part. The Conifers are Gymnospermce, i.e., the ovules are naked, 
not carpels, or enclosed in an ovary, like the Angiospermce. The ovules cannot be called 
carpels.-—J. H. M.) 
Fruiting cone. —Globular ovoid or pyramidal, the six, rarely eight, scales enlarged and 
hardened, shortly united at the base, apparently arranged in a single whorl, and opening in 
as many valves, either all equal and strictly valvate, or three alternate ones smaller and 
sometimes overlapping the others on the margin. 
Fertile seeds (see plate 48, fig. W.)—Usually few only in each cone, compressed, with a hardened 
integument, the margins produced into two unequal wings or rarely only one wing developed, 
or very rarely a third wing also prominent on one face, the abortive seeds mostly enlarged 
and very flat with winged margins ; in some species there is a more or less prominent central 
columella; usually a triangular pyramid (see plate 48, figs. E and G), and sometimes 
apparently formed of abortive ovules (see plate 48, figs. N and Nl). 
Cotyledons. —Two, rarely three. Trees or shrubs, with slender terete, or three, or rarely four, 
angled branches. 
Leaves. —In whorls of three, rarely four; those of the young plants sometimes acicular though 
short, but generally reduced to minute acute scales (see plate 48, fig. B), the decurrent 
midribs forming the angles of internodes as in Casuarina. 
Male amen.to.—Usually small, solitary or clustered at the ends of the branches, and rarely a few 
lateral ones. 
Female cones. —On short thick peduncles or branchlets, solitary or clustered, ripening usually the t 
second year, and persisting many years after the seeds have fallen.—(based on B.F1. vi, 234.) 
The genus was established by Ventenat on an Australian tree to which no 
specific name was attached, hut which is probably C. cupressiformis. The name 
Callitris is derived from the Greek halos, beautiful, of which the comparative and 
superlative are kallion and Jcallistos. They are undoubtedly beautiful trees. 
* Imbricate in a young state, but as the anthers expand the scales are lifted from the attachment, become peltate 
and more or less valvate in oppearance. 
