Chamaecyparis Spach, Hist. Nat. Vég. Phan. 11: 329
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Chamaecyparis Spach, Hist. Nat. Vég. Phan. 11: 329. 1841. Type: Chamaecyparis thy oides (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. (Cupressus thyoides L.) [Chamaecyparis sphaer oidea (Spreng.) Spach (nom. illeg.) (Thuja sphaeroidea Spreng.)] (Cupressaceae). Retinispora Siebold & Zucc., Fl. Japon. 2 (5): 36. Key to the species of Chamaecyparis 1844. Type: Retinispora obtusa Siebold & Zucc. [Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl.] 1a. Seed cone scales 4–8(–10) in number, mature cones 4–8 mm diam 2 Greek: chamae- = lowly, creeping; cyparis = cypress. 1b. Seed cone scales 8–14(–16) in number, mature cones 7–14 mm diam 3 281 Description 2a. Smallest branchlets plagiotropic (in flat sprays); ultimate branchlets often unilateral C. pisifera Evergreen, monoecious trees; trunk monopodial. 2b. Smallets branchlets irregularly disposed; ulti- Resin cavities in leaves. Bark fissured, fibrous or mate branchlets alternating… C. thyoides scaly, exfoliating in long strips or flakes, reddish 3a. Seed cones widely open, with gaps between brown. Branches slender, persistent, forming a pyra- scales as wide as or wider than scales. Leaf midal, conical or rounded crown (Massart’s model). gland present; leaf apices of laterals more or less Fastigiate forms restricted to cultivation. Foliage acute C. lawsoniana branches plagiotropic, drooping or pendulous, (sub) 3b. Seed cones not widely open, with gaps between ultimate branchlets flattened, covered with scale scales narrower than scales. Leaf gland absent leaves. Leaves decussate, imbricate, dimorphic, with or very obscure; leaf apices of laterals obtuse 4 facials smaller than laterals, appressed, with apices 4a. Seed cones longer than wide when closed; seed of laterals spreading above apices of facials; mar- wings nearly equal C.formosensis gins entire; stomata inconspicuous, mostly on the 4b. Seed cones always globose; seed wings often underside of the (leaf-covered) branchlets. Pollen unequal C. obtusa cones terminal, solitary, very small, short cylindri- cal; microsporophylls 8–16, decussate, bearing 2–3 Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsum., Bot. Mag. abaxial, yellow or red pollen sacs. Seed cones termi- (Tokyo) 15: 137. 1901. Retinispora formosensis nal, solitary, globose to ellipsoid-ovoid, small, with (Matsum.) A. V. Bobrov & Melikyan, Komarovia peltate, parting scales. Bract-scale complexes (6–)8– 4: 74. 2006. Type: Taiwan: Nantou, Chia-i Pref., 12(–16), decussate, peltate, with a quadrangular, Yu-Shan, [“Mt. Morrison”], S. Honda s.n. (lectotype rhombic or polygonal outline, abaxially depressed TI). Fig. 86, 87 with a small central umbo (bract tip), adaxially with faint seed marks near base; the ultimate pair sterile. Etymology Seeds moderately numerous, with 2 lateral, narrow wings. Seedlings with 2 cotyledons. The species epithet indicates its origin as from Formosa, an earlier name for Taiwan; perhaps 5 species. with a pun to Latin: formosus = handsome or well formed. Distribution Vernacular names North America: (disjunct) E North America; in W North America in Oregon and California. Asia: Taiwan Cypress, Formosan Cypress; Beniki; hong Japan, Taiwan. gui (Chinese) Description Taxonomic notes Trees to 55–60 m tall; trunk monopodial, branch- This species may be more closely related to ing low, occasionally forked, up to 6–7 m d.b.h. in Chamaecyparis pisifera of Japan than to its congener a few very old trees. Bark soon flaky, on large trees on the island of Taiwan: C. obtusa var. formosana. more than 20 cm thick towards base of trunk, fis- The two species in Taiwan, C. formosensis and C. sured, fibrous, exfoliating in long strips, light red- obtusa, are sympatric but stay well separate taxo- dish brown weathering grey. Branches spreading nomically. The much greater size of C. formosensis is or curved down, higher order branches drooping, related to longevity and this is probably genetically forming a dense pyramidal crown in young trees, determined; its seed cones are also larger and more 282 eventually becoming broadly conical or sympodial ellipsoid and the seed wings are more developed and and domed in very old specimens. Foliage branches presumably more effective in dispersal as a result. numerous, spreading and drooping; plagiotropic It is the largest conifer (measuring stem diameter) branchlets alternating, smallest ones often unilat- growing in Asia and possibly the longest-lived as eral on second highest order, gradually shortening well. A detailed study of its biology is very desirable. forming tapering planate sprays, covered with green leaves; ultimate lateral branchlets partly deciduous Distribution after 4–6 years. Leaves decussate, imbricate, decur- rent, scale-like, 1–3 × 0.5–1 mm on ultimate branch- Taiwan: central mountains. lets, up to 10 mm long on leading shoots, dimorphic; TDWG codes: 38 TAI facials smaller than laterals, rhombic to lanceolate, carinate, obtuse-acuminate, appressed or with a Ecology free apex, with an inconspicous abaxial gland; lat- erals connate proximally, spreading above the apex In mixed coniferous forest of the cool temperate of facials, conduplicate, lanceolate, recurved and coniferous forest belt between 1700 m and 2900 m incurved at the mostly free apex, eglandular or a.s.l., with Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana obscurely glandular; margins entire; leaves amphi- and C. formosensis as the dominant species, asso- stomatic, stomata inconspicuous except for a few ciated with Calocedrus formosana, Cunninghamia exposed lines on underside of facials; leaf colour konishii, and Taiwania cryptomerioides, in the upper light grey-green or dull green. Pollen cones termi- part of the zone also Tsuga chinensis; in the under- nal, solitary, ovoid-oblong, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm, yellow- storey occur Photinia davidiana var. niitakaya ish green turning brown; microsporophylls 8–12, mensis and the bamboo Yushania niitakayamensis, decussate, peltate, suborbicular, with minutely den- but often little else. Chamaecyparis formosensis is ticulate margins, with 3 abaxial yellow pollen sacs on exceptionally long-lived, estimated in excess of 3000 the lower margin. Seed cones terminal on branchlets years, and has a regeneration strategy similar to e.g. with unmodified leaves, solitary, maturing within one Sequoiadendron, although the disturbance factors year, caducous, subglobose to ellipsoid-ovoid, (6–)10– are not well known. Soils are usually slightly acidic, 12 × 5–8 mm with opened scales, from purplish ripen- derived from igneous rock or shale. The climate is ing to brown. Bract-scale complexes (8–)10–14(–16), cool and wet, with abundant rainfall throughout the decussate, parting and spreading at right angles from year and occasional snowfall in winter. axis when mature, subpeltate to peltate, rhombic in outline, 3–5.5 mm wide; abaxial surface depressed, Conservation with a central recurved umbo (bract tip 0.5–0.7 mm); margin undulating; base conical; adaxial face grooved The number of mature trees in natural forest stands and striated, lustrous brown, lacking seed marks. has been greatly reduced by felling. The species Seeds (1–)2(–3) at the basis of each scale (15–20 occurs as scattered individuals in mixed coniferous develop per cone), slightly flattened, oblong, 1.5– forest and has been selectively logged for its desirable 2.5 mm long, reddish brown, surrounded by 2 lateral, wood used in traditional oriental building. Growth nearly equal thin wings 0.5–1 mm wide. is slow, especially in mature to over-mature phases .