Cypress is a common name for species in several genera in the family Cupressaceae. They grow in temperate climates and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America.
The word cypress is derived from Old French cipres, which was imported from Latin cypressus, the latinisation of the Greek κυπάρισσος (kyparissos). The name derives from Cyparissus, a mythological figure who was turned into a cypress tree after killing a stag.
Contents
Description
Cypresses are trees or shrubs reaching heights of 1–50 metres (3.3–164.0 ft), exceptionally (in Cupressus austrotibetica) 100 m (330 ft). Many exhibit a conical to columnar form, particularly in their youth, but some are prostrate, irregular, or shrubby. They are characterised by their scale-like, evergreen foliage and globose seed cones. Some species develop flattened, spreading crowns at maturity. The bark of cypress trees varies, with some species having smooth surfaces, while most exhibit bark that separates into thin plates or strips, often shedding over time. The leaves of young cypress seedlings are spreading and awl-shaped, becoming small, scale-like leaves that tightly adhere to older branches when the seedlings are more than one to five years old, with glandular pits on the outer surface, and cover the stem in opposite pairs, giving the branchlet a four-sided appearance. Many are aromatic.
Species
A selection of species that are commonly known as cypresses include the following (this is not a complete list; refer to the genus links for a fuller list for each genus):
Cupressus:
Cupressus atlantica (Moroccan cypress), Atlas Mountains in Morocco
Cupressus austrotibetica (South Tibetan cypress), Parlung Tsangpo Gorges, southern Tibet
Cupressus duclouxiana (Yunnan cypress), SW China
Cupressus dupreziana (Saharan cypress), mountains of southern Algeria
Cupressus funebris (Chinese weeping cypress), southern China
Cupressus gigantea (Tibetan cypress), Tibet
Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress, also referred to as Italian cypress). It is native to the eastern Mediterranean region to Iran.
Cupressus torulosa (West Himalayan cypress), western Himalaya
Callitropsis (often included in Cupressus):
Callitropsis nootkatensis (Nootka cypress), western North America
Hesperocyparis (often included in Cupressus):
Hesperocyparis arizonica (Rough-barked Arizona cypress), Arizona, southwest New Mexico, northern Mexico
Hesperocyparis bakeri (Modoc cypress), California, southwestern Oregon
Hesperocyparis glabra (Smooth Arizona cypress), Arizona
Hesperocyparis goveniana (Gowen's cypress), California
Hesperocyparis lusitanica, (Mexican cypress), Mexico and Central America.
Hesperocyparis macnabiana (MacNab's cypress), California
Hesperocyparis macrocarpa (Monterey cypress), California
Hesperocyparis pygmaea (Mendocino cypress), California
Hesperocyparis sargentii (Sargent's cypress), California
Xanthocyparis (often included in Cupressus):
Xanthocyparis vietnamensis (Vietnamese golden cypress), Vietnam, extreme southern China
Chamaecyparis: eastern Asia and North America.
Chamaecyparis formosensis (Formosan cypress), Taiwan
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Lawson's cypress). This is a native species to Oregon and northwestern California.
Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki cypress), Japan, Taiwan
Chamaecyparis pisifera (sawara cypress), Japan
Chamaecyparis thyoides (white cypress), southeastern USA
Fokienia (often included in Chamaecyparis):
Fokienia hodginsii (Fujian cypress), southeastern China, eastern Indochina
Microbiota
Microbiota decussata (Siberian cypress), Sikhote-alin, Russian far east
Taxodium:
Taxodium ascendens (pond cypress), southeastern United States. and native to North America.
Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), southeastern United States.
Taxodium mucronatum (Montezuma cypress or Montezuma bald cypress), Mexico, Guatemala, and southern-central United States.
Glyptostrobus
Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis), Vietnam, critically endangered
Austrocedrus
Austrocedrus chilensis (Cordilleran cypress), native to Chile and Argentina
Fitzroya
Fitzroya cupressoides (Patagonian cypress), southern Chile and Argentina
Pilgerodendron
Pilgerodendron uviferum (Guaitecas cypress), western Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego
Widdringtonia (African cypresses), four species native to Southern Africa
Actinostrobus (often included in Callitris) – (cypress-pines), southwestern Australia
Callitris (cypress-pines), 16 species native to Australia and New Caledonia
Association with mourning
In Greek mythology, Cyparissos, Cyparissus or Kyparissos (Ancient Greek: Κυπάρισσος, "cypress") was a male lover of Apollo, as well as other deities in other versions of mythology.
In the most prevalent version of the story, Cyparissus receives a stag as a gift from Apollo, which he accidentally kills with a spear while hunting in the forest. Cyparissus is overwhelmed by pain and sorrow, and asks Apollo to allow his tears to flow for eternity. Apollo transforms Cyparissus into a cypress tree, and the sap that typically drips down the tree's trunk represents Cyparissus' tears.
Consequently, the cypress emerged as a symbol of mourning, sadness, and loss in classical mythology, thereby serving an aetiological purpose in explaining its cultural significance. Due to its connection to grief, the cypress became one of the symbols of Hades and has been planted in cemeteries since the classical era. During the Renaissance period, the myth of Kyparissos was revived, and is depicted in several works of art and poetry.