Cupressus macnabiana

Cupressus macnabiana
Cupressus macnabiana foliage
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Cupressaceae
Genus:	Cupressus
Species:	C. macnabiana
Binomial name
Cupressus macnabiana A.Murray

Cupressus macnabiana (MacNab Cypress or Shasta Cypress) is a species of cypress in western North America.(A. Farjon. 2005)

Distribution

It is endemic to northern California. Cupressus macnabiana is one of the most widely distributed of all the native California cypresses, found growing in chaparral, oak woodlands, and coniferous woodlands habitats along the inner northern California Coast Ranges and the foothills of the northern Sierra Nevada. MacNab cypress is often associated with ultramafic soils.(C. Michael Hogan. 2010)

note prominent "horns" (umbos) on top two cone bracts

Description

Cupressus macnabiana is an evergreen shrub or small tree, 3–12 metres (9.8–39 ft) (rarely to 17 metres (56 ft)) tall, with a spreading crown that is often broader than it is tall. The foliage is produced in dense, short flat sprays (unlike most other California cypresses, which do not have flattened sprays), bright glaucous gray-green in color, with a strong spicy-resinous scent. The leaves are scale-like, 1-2 mm long with an acute apex, and a conspicuous white resin gland on the center of the leaf. Young seedlings produce needle-like leaves up to 10 mm long in their first year.

The seed cones are oblong-ovoid to cuboid, 15-25 mm long and 13-20 mm broad, with six (rarely four or eight) scales, each scale bearing a prominent umbo; they are strongly serotinous, not opening to release the seeds until the parent tree is killed by wildfire. This enables heavy seed release to colonize the bare, fire-cleared ground. The pollen cones are 3-4 mm long, and release their pollen in the fall.

See also

• California interior chaparral and woodlands- (subecoregion)
• Fire ecology

References

• Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Cupressus macnabiana. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 December 2006.
• A. Farjon. 2005. A Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopityaceae. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4.
• C. Michael Hogan. 2010. Leather Oak, Quercus durata. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and Environment. Wash.DC
• Stuart, J. D.; J. O. Sawyer (2001). Trees and Shrubs of California. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-22110-9. 
• Wolf, C. B. & Wagener, W. E. (1948). The New World cypresses. El Aliso 1: 195-205.

External links

Media related to Cupressus macnabiana at Wikimedia Commons

• Gymnosperm Database: Cupressus macnabiana
• Flora of North America: Cupressus macnabiana
• Jepson Flora Project: Cupressus macnabiana