Cupressus lusitanica
Mexican cypress ( Cupressus lusitanica )
The Mexican Cypress (Cupressus lusitanica ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). It is native to Central America.
Description
The Mexican cypress grow as evergreen tree can reach heights of growth of 25 to 30 meters. The thick, longitudinally fissured bark has a reddish brown color. The crown is pyramidal shaped in young trees and diverges as they age. In old trees the branches are drooping. The square in cross-section drives are connected.
The scale-like leaves are ovate shaped and colored blue-green. Usually they have a long and pointed tip.
The cones are spherical shaped with a diameter of about 1.2 inches. Initially, they are colored blue-green, to maturity they turn out dark brown. Each pin contains about 75 seeds and consists of six to eight scales. The winged seeds are brown in color and are about 4 millimeters long. In any seeds are resin glands.
Distribution and location
The natural range of the Mexican Cypress is located in Central America. It extends from Mexico in the north to Honduras and El Salvador in the south. In Mexico they are found almost throughout the country, only deposits in Colima, Nayarit, Sonora, Tlaxcala, Yucatán and Zacatecas are considered questionable. Furthermore, she was introduced to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
The Mexican cypress grows at altitudes 450-3990 m. It grows mainly on rocky mountain slopes and near gorges on carbonate and volcanic soils. They usually forms pure stands but also comes in mixed stands, mostly with fir (Abies ), the Mexican White Pine (Pinus ayacahuite ), Pinus hartwegii, Pinus maximinoi, the Montezuma pine ( Pinus montezumae ), Pinus patula, Pinus pseudostrobus, the Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) and juniper (Juniperus ), oak (Quercus ), alder ( Alnus ), Zimterlen ( Clethra ) and Persea species.
Use
The Mexican cypress is often planted in parks as ornamental tree and as a living fence. Especially in Africa, it is also grown for forestry use. In Costa Rica the species is often used as a Christmas tree.
System
The first description Cupressus lusitanica as was done in 1768 by Philip Miller in The Gardeners Dictionary: .. . eighth edition no 3 Partial are the synonyms Callitropsis lusitanica (Mill.) DP Little and Neocupressus lusitanica (Mill.) de Laub. used for the type.
The species is divided depending on the author in up to two varieties. Some of these are regarded as subspecies:
- Cupressus lusitanica var benthamii ( Endl. ) Carrière. This variety is native to southern Mexico. A synonym is Cupressus benthamii Endl ..
- Cupressus lusitanica lusitanica var is the nominate form. It occurs in the remaining area of distribution.
Threats and conservation
The Mexican cypress is " not threatened " on the Red List of IUCN. The variety is benthamii listed as " Near Threatened ". It is used in two entries noted, however, that a re-examination of risk is necessary.
Swell
- Template: Internet resource / maintenance / access date not in ISO format template: Internet resource / Maintenance / date not in ISO format Christopher J. Earle: Cupressus lusitanica. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, last edited May 22, 2011, accessed January 3, 2012 ( English).