Cypress is a common name for various
conifer
Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...
ous trees or shrubs of northern
temperate regions that belong to the family
Cupressaceae
Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdio ...
. The word ''cypress'' is derived from
Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from
Latin ''cypressus'', the
latinisation of the
Greek κυπάρισσος (''
kyparissos
In Greek mythology, Cyparissus or Kyparissos (Ancient Greek: Κυπάρισσος, "cypress") was a boy beloved by Apollo or in some versions by other deities. In the best-known version of the story, the favorite companion of Cyparissus was a tam ...
'').
Cypress trees are a large classification of conifers, encompassing the trees and shrubs from the cypress family (Cupressaceae) and many others with the word “cypress” in their common name. Many cypress trees have needle-like, evergreen foliage and acorn-like seed cones.
Species
Species that are commonly known as cypresses include:
Most prominently:
*Cypress (multiple species within the genus ''
Cupressus
''Cupressus'' is one of several genera of evergreen conifers within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group. Based on genetic and morphological analysis, the ge ...
'')
Otherwise:
*African cypress (''
Widdringtonia'' species), native to Southern Africa
*Bald, Pond, and Montezuma cypresses (''
Taxodium
''Taxodium'' is a genus of one to three species (depending on taxonomic opinion) of extremely flood-tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin word ''taxus'', meaning " yew", and the Greek ...
'' species), native to North America
*Chinese swamp cypress (''
Glyptostrobus pensilis
''Glyptostrobus pensilis'', known in Chinese as 水松 (Shuǐ sōng), and also Chinese swamp cypress, is an endangered conifer, and the sole living species in the genus ''Glyptostrobus''.
Description
It is a medium-sized to large tree, reaching ...
''), Vietnam, critically endangered
*Cordilleran cypress (''Austrocedrus chilensis''), native to Chile and Argentina
*Cypress-pines (''Actinostrobus'' species), southwestern Australia
*Cypress-pines (''Callitris'' species), Australia and New Caledonia
*False cypress (''Chamaecyparis'' species), Asia and North America.
*Fujian cypress (''Fokienia hodginsii''), southeastern China
*Guaitecas cypress (''Pilgerodendron, Pilgerodendron uviferum''), western Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego
[
*Japanese cypress (''Chamaecyparis obtusa''), East Asia
*Patagonian cypress (''Fitzroya cupressoides''), southern Chile and Argentina
*Mediterranean cypress (''Cupressus sempervirens''), famous for its longevity, popular garden plant
*Monterey cypress (''Cupressus macrocarpa''), native to the Monterey Peninsula, California
*Nootka cypress (''Cupressus nootkatensis''), native to the Pacific Northwest of North America]Cupressaceae
Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdio ...
also contains 13–16 other genera (not listed above) that do not bear ''cypress'' in their common names.
File:Actinostrobos arenarius fruits murchison.JPG, ''Actinostrobus arenarius''
File:Austrocedrus chilensis por pabloendemico - 001.jpg, ''Austrocedrus chilensis''
File:Slender Cypress-pine.jpg, ''Callitris preissii''
File:Chamaecyparis Pisifera bonsai.JPG, ''Chamaecyparis pisifera'', bonsai
File:Lone Cypress Sunset.JPG, ''Cupressus macrocarpa'', Monterey Peninsula, California
File:Nootka Cypress.jpg, ''Cupressus nootkatensis''
File:Flickr - lo.tangelini - i.jpg, ''Cupressus sempervirens'' (Mediterranean Cypress), Tuscany, Italy
File:Fokienia hodginsii - Kunming Botanical Garden - DSC03140.JPG, ''Fokienia hodginsii''
File:Fitzroya cupressoides (da Silvio Rossi).jpg, ''Fitzroya cupressoides''
File:Glyptostrobus pensilis 2007.06.28 10.10.35-p6280031.jpg, ''Glyptostrobus pensilis
''Glyptostrobus pensilis'', known in Chinese as 水松 (Shuǐ sōng), and also Chinese swamp cypress, is an endangered conifer, and the sole living species in the genus ''Glyptostrobus''.
Description
It is a medium-sized to large tree, reaching ...
'' foliage
File:Pilgerodendron uviferum.jpg, ''Pilgerodendron uviferum''
File:Taxodium ascendens in the Black Water, Okefenokee.jpg, ''Taxodium ascendens'', Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia (USA)
File:Widdringtonia whytei Mulanje Malawi.jpg, ''Widdringtonia whytei'', Malawi
See also
* Cypress forest
* Pine-cypress forest
* Hyrcanian forest
References
{{Plant common name
Cupressaceae
Symbols of Hades
