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Scientific name: Cupressus macrocarpa K. Hartweg ex G. Gordon 1849
Synonyms: Callitropsis macrocarpa (Hartw.) D.P.Little, Cupressus hartwegii Carrière, Cupressus lambertiana Carrière, Cupressus lambertiana var. fastigiata Carrière, Cupressus macrocarpa var. crippsii R.Sm., Cupressus macrocarpa var. farallonensis Mast., Cupressus macrocarpa var. fastigiata (Carrière) Anon, Cupressus macrocarpa var. lambertiana (Carrière) Anon., Cupressus macrocarpa subsp. lobosensis Silba, Cupressus macrocarpa var. lutea Webster, Cupressus reinwardtii Beissn., Hesperocyparis macrocarpa (Hartw. ex Gordon) Bartel, Neocupressus macrocarpa (Hartw.) de Laub.
Common names: Monterey cypress (English), Cyprès de Monterey (French), Ciprés de Monterrey (Spanish)
Tree to 25(-32) m tall, with trunk to 1.5(-4.5) m in diameter, often dividing near the base into three or more main branches. Bark light brown to gray, thick, irregularly ridged and furrowed, peeling in thin, fibrous strips. Crown variable, spirelike to broadly conical when young, becoming very broad, open, and flat-topped with age on exposed sites. Branchlets cylindrical, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, branching from all four rows of leaves. Scale leaves on branchlets 1.5-2 mm long, bright green, not waxy, usually without a gland on the back, but this inconspicuous and inactive if present. Pollen cones 4-6 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, with six or seven pairs of pollen scales, each with 6-8(-10) pollen sacs. Seed cones slightly oblong, 2.5-3.5(-4) cm long, grayish brown at maturity, not waxy, with four to six pairs of seed scales, each wrinkled on the face, with a low, inconspicuous central point. Seeds 10-16 per scale, 5-6 mm long, the wings to 2 mm wide, dark brown, usually not waxy, warty with resin pockets. Cotyledons (three or) four (or five).
Narrowly restricted to the headlands at the mouth of Camel Bay, Monterey County, California. Forming stands in coastal thickets on and behind sea bluffs; 5-30 m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Vulnerable
The population, although small and with a limited area of occupancy (AOO), appears at present to be stable, with most trees now within protected areas safeguarded from further urban and other development. However, based on its AOO of only 13 km² calculated from herbarium specimen locality data and a grid of one km wide (its true AOO is likely to be less, not more) and the risk of fire, which could increase in future due to climate change, this species meets the criteria for Vulnerable under criterion D2.
Only two sub-populations are known to occur in the wild, i.e. in original habitat; both are on the coast in Monterey County: the larger one is at Cypress Point and adjacent rocky strips of coast, the other some distance to the south at Point Lobos. This cypress is restricted to a narrow coastal strip on rocky cliffs, slopes and headlands, forming pure stands or associated with Pinus radiata, in loam or sand over granitic rocks or in rock crevices. The climate is of the Mediterranean type, with dry summers cooled by frequent fog, within reach of ocean salt sprays, and winter rain.
The limited distribution of this species in its natural habitat consists of two main 'groves' and a few scattered meta-populations. These are mostly situated in reserves (Del Monte Forest, Point Lobos), but also on private lands in the vicinity of ongoing urban and leisure development. As recreation and tourism are intensive in the area, there is a great risk from fires. If climate change would mean that the fog became less frequent or of shorter daily duration, the incidence of fires could greatly increase. Fires would be put out as soon as possible in urbanized areas, but probably less urgently in the reserves, such as Point Lobos, that are relatively remote from private property.
This species of cypress has been widely introduced in California and around the world, in some African countries as a timber tree, but mostly as an ornamental tree and to act as wind shelter belts both in agriculture and horticulture. The wood from closed-grown trees in plantations can be used for carpentry and furniture. The tree is extremely resistant to wind and tolerant of salty ocean wind and is not easily affected by drought or pests. Its use as a hedge plant has largely been superseded by the vigorous garden hybrid Leyland cypress, of which Monterey cypress is one of the parents. Several cultivar forms, notably with yellow-green foliage, have been developed. It is of interest to note that this is one of the two conifers in nature (virtually) confined to Monterey County in California, that are among the most widely planted conifers in the world; the other species is Pinus radiata.
Nearly all major stands of this species are now within protected areas, but these are often adjacent to urban development, golf courses or (touristic) roads. Management of fires will be the major issue in the future to protect the natural, wild population.
Cupressus macrocarpa ’Albospica’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Antarctic’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Arctic’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Argentea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Aurea Nana’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Aurea Saligna’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Barnham Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Beaufront’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Berrigold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Bower Bank’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Brighton’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Brunniana’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Brunniana Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Brunnings Variegated’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Cascade’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Chandleri’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Charles Detrichee’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Chilcott’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Collyer’s Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Compacta’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Coneybearii Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Contorta’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Crippsii’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Depressa’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Donard Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Dudley’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Erecta Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Evandale’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Everton Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Farallonensis’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Fastigiata’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Filiformis’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Filipendula’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Fine Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Flagelliformis’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Gift’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Giuseppe’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Globe’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Gold Pillar’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Gold Rocket’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Gold Spire’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Gold Spread’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Goldcrest’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Goldcrest Wilma’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Golden Cone’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Golden Flame’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Golden Halo’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Golden Pillar’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Greenstead Emerald’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Greenstead Magnifica’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Greenstead Magnificent’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Greenstead Magnificent Variegated’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Hagley’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Hatch’s Sport of Sulphur Tip’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Hodginsii’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Horizontalis’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Horizontalis Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Horizontalis Hodginsii’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Indoor Beauty’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Jade’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’John Keown’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Joseph’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Karoonda’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Keown’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lambertiana’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lambertiana Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lebrettonii’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lemon Drop’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lemon Pillar’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Limelight’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lohbrunner’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lutea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lutea Horizontalis’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Lutescens’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Mangalore’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’MacLaren Vale’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Max’s Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Merriott Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Minima’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Monstrosa’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Mortlake’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Nana Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Nisbet’s Gem’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Oteha’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Otto Quast’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Pendula’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Pendula Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Pepalbrac Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Present’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Pygmaea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Ragamuffin’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Ross’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Saligna Aurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sirayukihime’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Snowstorm’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’South Road’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Souvenir de Charles Detriche’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Stewartii’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sulphur Cushion’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sulphur Tip’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sulphurea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sunshine’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Sunsilk’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Swane’s Golden’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Tortuosa’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Variegata’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Violacea’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Warnham Gold’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’White Lightning’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Wilma’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Wilma Goldcrest’ Cupressus macrocarpa ’Woking’
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