Cypress

Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs from the Cupressus genus of the Cupressaceae family, typically found in warm-temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America.

Description

Cypress trees typically reach heights of up to 25 metres (82 ft) and exhibit a pyramidal form, particularly in their youth. Many are characterised by their needle-like, evergreen foliage and acorn-like seed cones. Some species develop flattened, spreading heads at maturity, while certain variants may manifest as shrubs, standing at less than 6 metres (20 ft). 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. Leaves of young cypress trees are spreading and awl-shaped, and are typically small, scale-like formations that tightly adhere to older branches. They are usually aromatic, with glandular pits on the outer surface, and cover the stem in opposite pairs, giving the branchlet a four-sided appearance.

Species

Cypress is any of the twelve species of ornamental and timber evergreen conifers constituting the genus Cupressus of the family Cupressaceae. Many resinous, aromatic evergreen trees called cypress belong to other genera of the same family, especially species of false cypress and cypress pine. The name cypress is occasionally used for some species of fustic and for bald cypress, and it often denotes jack pine in eastern Canada.

Species that are commonly known as cypresses include:

• Cypress (multiple species within the genus Cupressus):
  • Cupressus sempervirens, a common cypress also referred to as Italian cypress and Mediterranean cypress. It is native to Libya, Cyprus, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Greece.
  • Hesperocyparis lusitanica, commonly known as the Mexican cypress, which is native to Mexico and Central America.
• Chamaecyparis:
  • Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, known as the Lawson's cypress or Port Orford cedar. This is a native species to Oregon and northwestern California.
• Taxodium:
  • Taxodium ascendens, commonly known as pond cypress and native to North America.
  • Taxodium distichum, commonly known as bald cypress and native to the southeastern United States.
  • Taxodium mucronatum, commonly known as Montezuma cypress or Montezuma bald cypress. It is native Mexico, Guatemala, and southern-central United States.
• Calocedrus:
  • Calocedrus decurrens, which has the common names bastard-cedar, incense-cedar and California incense cedar. They are native to North America, specifically California, Oregon, Nevada, and Mexico.
• Thuja:
  • Platycladus orientalis or Thuja orientalis, commonly known as Chinese thuja and native to China and Korea.
• Thujopsis:
  • Thujopsis dolabrata, also known as asunaro and hiba. This is a native species of Japan.

Other species include:

Etymology

The word cypress is derived from Old French cipres, which was imported from Latin cypressus, the latinisation of the Greek κυπάρισσος (kyparissos).

Symbology

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.

See also

• Cypress forest
• Pine-cypress forest
• Hyrcanian forest

References