Callitropsis

Taxobox
name = "Callitropsis"

---

image_width = 270px
image_caption = "Callitropsis nootkatensis"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo = Pinales
familia = Cupressaceae
genus = "Callitropsis"
genus_authority = Oerst.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

"Callitropsis" (synonym "Xanthocyparis") is a genus of cypresses in the family Cupressaceae, with several native to North America and one native to Vietnam in southeast Asia.

Farjon et al. (2002) described the new genus "Xanthocyparis" to accommodate the new Vietnamese species "X. vietnamensis" and another species, "X. nootkatensis", the Nootka Cypress, which had been formerly included in the genus "Chamaecyparis" as "C. nootkatensis". This was based in part on the discovery that "C. nootkatensis" was more closely related to the genus "Cupressus" than to "Chamaecyparis" (Gadek et al. 2000).

Little et al. (2004), while confirming the above relationship with further evidence, pointed out that as circumscribed by Farjon et al., "Xanthocyparis" included the type species of "Callitropsis" ("Cupressus nootkatensis", a synonym of "Chamaecyparis nootkatensis" and "Xanthocyparis nootkatensis"). "Callitropsis" had been described by Oersted in 1864 but this name had been overlooked by Farjon and most other authors; under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, "Callitropsis" as the earlier-published name has nomenclatural priority over "Xanthocyparis" if that genus includes "Cupressus nootkatensis". Little et al. therefore recognized "Xanthocyparis" as a synonym of "Callitropsis". The name "Xanthocyparis" has since been proposed for conservation over "Callitropsis" (Mill & Farjon 2006), but unless that proposal is approved at the next International Botanical Congress in 2011, these species are correctly classified as "Callitropsis" if they are recognized in a genus distinct from any other.

Little et al. (2004) also presented evidence that "Cupressus" is paraphyletic with respect to "Juniperus" and "Callitropsis", with the North American species of "Cupressus" being more closely related to "Callitropsis" than they are to the European and Asian "Cupressus" species. These species have been transferred to "Callitropsis" by Little (2006).

pecies

*"Callitropsis nootkatensis" - Nootka Cypress
*"Callitropsis vietnamensis" - Vietnamese Golden Cypress

References

* Gadek, P. A., Alpers, D. L., Heslewood, M. M., & Quinn, C. J. (2000). Relationships within Cupressaceae sensu lato: a combined morphological and molecular approach. [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/87/7/1044 "American Journal of Botany" 87: 1044–1057] .
* Farjon, A., Hiep, N. T., Harder, D. K., Loc, P. K., & Averyanov, L. (2002). A new genus and species in the Cupressaceae (Coniferales) from northern Vietnam, "Xanthocyparis vietnamensis". [http://www.jstor.org/pss/3392953 "Novon" 12: 179–189. Protologue]
* Little, D. P., Schwarzbach, A. E., Adams, R. P. & Hsieh, Chang-Fu. (2004). The circumscription and phylogenetic relationships of "Callitropsis" and the newly described genus "Xanthocyparis" (Cupressaceae). [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/91/11/1872 "American Journal of Botany" 91 (11): 1872–1881] .
*Little, D. P. (2006). Evolution and circumscription of the true Cypresses. "Syst. Bot". 31(3): 461-480.
* Mill, R. R. and Farjon, A. (2006). Proposal to conserve the name Xanthocyparis against Callitropsis Oerst. (Cupressaceeae). "Taxon" 55(1): 229-231.
* [http://www.conifers.org/cu/xa/index.htm Gymnosperm Database: "Callitropsis" (as "Xanthocyparis")]