Cupressus nootkatensis Lamb.
Leaves rounded, eglandular or glandular-pitted on the back, dark blue-green, closely appressed, about ⅛′ long, on vigorous leading branchlets somewhat spreading and often ¼′ long, with more elongated and sharper points, beginning to die at the end of their second year and usually falling during the third season. Flowers: male on lateral branchlets of the previous year, composed of 4 or 5 pairs of stamens, with ovate rounded slightly erose light yellow connectives: female clustered near the ends of upper branchlets, dark liver color, the fertile scales each bearing 2—4 ovules. Fruit ripening in September and October. nearly ½′ in diameter, dark red-brown, with usually 4 or 6 scales tipped with prominent erect pointed bosses and frequently covered with conspicuous resin-glands; seeds 2—4 under each scale, ovoid, acute, slightly flattened, about ¼′ long, dark red-brown, with thin light red-brown wings often nearly twice as wide as the body of the seed.
A tree, frequently 120° high, with a tall trunk 5°—6° in diameter, horizontal branches forming a narrow pyramidal head, stout distichous somewhat flattened or terete light yellow branchlets often tinged with red at first, dark or often bright red-brown during their third season, ultimately paler and covered with close thin smooth bark. Bark ½′—¾′ thick, light gray tinged with brown, irregularly fissured, and separated on the surface into large thin loose scales. Wood hard, rather brittle, very close-grained, exceedingly durable, bright clear yellow, with very thin nearly white sapwood; fragrant with an agreeable resinous odor; used in boat and shipbuilding, the interior finish of houses, and the manufacture of furniture.
Distribution. Islands of Prince William Sound, Alaska, and southward over the coast mountains of Alaska and British Columbia, and along the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon to the northeastern slopes of Mt. Jefferson, extending eastward to the headwaters of the Yakima River on the eastern slope of the range; on Whiskey Peak of the Siskiyou Mountains in the southeastern corner of Josephine County, Oregon and about two miles from the California line; most abundant and of its largest size near the coast of Alaska and northern British Columbia, ranging from the sea-level up to altitudes of 3000°; at high elevations on the Cascade Mountains sometimes a low shrub.
Occasionally cultivated, with its several abnormal forms, as an ornamental tree in the middle Atlantic states and in California, and commonly in the countries of western and central Europe.
3. [Chamæcyparis Lawsoniana] Parl. Port Orford Cedar. Lawson Cypress.
Cupressus Lawsoniana A. Murr.
Leaves bright green or pale below, conspicuously glandular on the back, usually not more than 1/16′ long on lateral branchlets, on leading shoots often spreading at the apex, ⅛′ to nearly ¼′ long, usually dying, turning bright red-brown and falling during their third year. Flowers: male with bright red connectives bearing usually 2 pollen-sacs: female with dark ovate acute spreading scales, each bearing 2—4 ovules. Fruit clustered on the upper lateral branchlets and produced in great profusion, ripening in September and October, about ⅓′ in diameter, green and glaucous when full grown, red-brown and often covered with a bloom at maturity, its scales with thin broadly ovate acute reflexed bosses; seeds 2—4 under each fertile scale, ovoid, acute, slightly compressed, ⅛′ long, light chestnut-brown, with broad thin wings.