Cupressi of California

Willis Linn JEPSON, The Trees of California, 1923, ed. 2, p. 199-201.

THE TREES OF CALIFORNIA

BY
WILLIS LINN JEPSON


4. CUPRÉSSUS L. CYPRESS

     Trees or shrubs. Leaves scale-like, small, appressed, closely imbricated in four ranks on the ultimate cord-like branchlets, or awl-shaped on vigorous shoots. Staminate catkins terminal on the branchlets with 3 to 5 pollen-sacs to each stamen. Ovulate catkins on short lateral branchlets, the ovules numerous, erect, in several rows at the base of the scales. Cones globose to oblong, maturing in the second autumn, the shield-shaped scales fitting closely together by their margins, not overlapping, separating at maturity, their broad summits with a central boss or short point. Seeds acutely angled or margined; seed-leaves 2 to 5. (Classical name of the Cypress.)

Umbos more or less upwardly impressed and more or less crescent-shaped.
     Bark of mature trunks dark brown, roughish and more or less fissured.
          Glands on leaves none or rare; maritime or coastal species.
               Crown with "finger-pointed" branchlets.
                     Seeds brown or commonly so; umbos prominent; Monterey coast.....................1. C. macrocarpa.
                     Seeds black; umbos small; Mendocino coast..........................................................2. C. pygmaea.
                Crown compact or smooth; cones with low umbos; Monterey..................................3. C. goveniana.
           Glands more or less present as a closed dorsal pit; montane species............................4. C. sargentii.
     Bark of mature trunks red, smoothish, shining ; San Diego Co.............................................5. C. forbesii.
Umbos more or less conical or peak-shaped; leaves with conspicuous dorsal resin pits.
     Umbos all straightish; Piute Mt., Kern Co.................................................................................6. C. nevadensis.
     Two uppermost umbos horn-like and incurved; northern Cal................................................7. C. macnabiana.


     1. C. macrocarpa Hartw. MONTEREY CYPRESS. Fig. 101. Tree 15 to 80 ft. high with broadly conica1 crown; the spreading branches with the terminal divisions strict and therefore "finger-pointed"; bark strands spiral1y twisted to the left or straight; leaves not resin-pitted; cones broadly short-cylindric or oblong, 1 to 1¾ in. long, the scales with a central curved thin-edged ridge or umbo, or the umbo sometimes subconical; seeds brown. —Headlands at mouth of Carmel River, Monterey coast.

Fig. 101. Cupressus macrocarpa
Hartw.; fr. branchlet x ½

     2. C. pygmaèa Sarg. MENDOCINO CYPRESS. Tree 25 to 75 (or 100) ft. high, the crown with finger-pointed branchlets; or sometimes a low shrub or reduced to a dwarf cane 1 or 2 ft. high; leaves not resin-pitted; cones 5 to 9 lines long, its umbos small and low; seeds black.—Mendocino coastal plain.
     3. C. goveniana Gord. GOWEN CYPRESS. Shrub 1 to 5 ft. high, its outline compact or smooth; branchlets squarish; leaves without dorsal pits; cones subglabrous or oval, 6 to 8 lines long; seeds commonly black.—Monterey.
     4. C. sargéntii Jepson. SARGENT CYPRESS. Shrub 5 to 12 ft. high; branchlets thickish, obscurely squarish; leaves or many of them with closed dorsal pits; cones 8 to 10 lines long; seeds brown.—Santa Cruz Mts. to Mt. Tamalpais, Hoods Peak Range and Mendocino Co.  Var. DUTTONII Jepson. Symmetrical tree 40 to 72 ft. high, the branchlets more or less divaricate and the branches therefore not "finger-pointed"; bark strands spiral1y twisted to right or straight; leaves triangular-ovate, very short, dorsal pits none or few; cones glabrous, 8 to 12 lines long, the umbos peak-shaped; seeds brown.—Cedar Mt., Alameda Co., occupying a colony about ¾ by 1½ miles in area.
     5. C. forbesii Jepson. Slender tree 15 to 20 ft. high; bark very smooth, shining, red-brown or even dark cherry red; branchlets squarish; foliage bright green; dorsal pits of leaves minute or commonly wanting; cones globose, ¾ to 1 1/5 in. long; seeds red-brown.—Mts. of San Diego Co.
     6. C. nevadènsis Abrams. PIUTE CYPRESS. Tree 20 to 50 ft. high; branchlets slender, 4-angled; leaves light green with conspicuous dorsal resin pit; cones oblong to subglobose, 10 to 12 lines long; upper umbos pointed; seeds light brown.—Local on Piute Mt., Kern Co.
     7. C. macnabiàna Murr. McNAB CYPRESS. Fig. 102 a, b. Tree 15 to 40 ft. high, or often somewhat bushy, sometimes a low shrub; foliage blue-green, pungently aromatic; branchlets very slender; leaves with a conspicuous dorsal resin pit or white gland, often slightly glaucous; cones globose to oblong, 7 to 11 lines long, reddish or grayish brown; umbos conical, the uppermost pair very prominent or horn-like and incurved; seeds brown.—Dry hills and flats from n. Napa Co. to Shasta Co., thence easterly to the n. Sierra foothills as far south as Yuba Co. It is localized in its occurrence and everywhere forms restricted groves. Var. BÀKERI Jepson. Modoc Cypress. Fig. 102c. Cones silvery or glaucous, 5 to 6 lines long; umbos short-conical.—Modoc lava beds.
Fig, 102. a, Cupressus macnabiana Murr.;
branchlet x 6; b, cone x 1;
c, var, bakeri Jepson; cone x 1.