Taxodium
(from Taxus, the Yew, and eidos, resemblance; referring to the similarity in the leaves). Deciduous Cypress. SYNS. Cuprespinnata, Glyptostrobus, Schubertia (of Mirbel). ORD. Coniferae. A small genus (three species) of ornamental, loosely-branched, hardy or half-hardy trees, natives of North America, Mexico, and China. Flowers monoecious; the males in compound, pyramidal spikes; the females two or three together near the spike of male flowers. Leaves deciduous or partly persistent, alternate, sub-spirally affixed, sometimes linear, distichous, and spreading, rarely small, appressed, scale-like. Cones hard, globose or ovoid; scales contracted and stipitate at base, woody at apex. Branchlets spreading or pendulous. The Deciduous Cypress is universally employed, throughout the United States, for making the best kind of shingles; and in Louisiana it is used for almost every other purpose to which timber can be applied. "The roots of large trees, particularly in situations subject to inundations, become covered with conical protuberances, commonly from 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. high, and sometimes from 4ft. to 5ft. in thickness; they are always hollow.... They are made use of by the natives of the Southern States for beehives" (London). In England, however, these protuberances, or "knees," are rarely produced. Perhaps the specimen showing them most perfectly is in the Syon House gardens. Being semi-aquatic, positions on the banks of rivers, and amidst marshes and swamps, are highly suitable to T. distichum. All the species thrive in a moist soil. Propagation may be effected by cuttings, with the leaves intact, inserted in a vessel of water, where they will root in a few weeks; by layers; or by seeds. T. distichum (two-ranked).* Bald, Black, Deciduous, or White Cypress. fl., males in flexible, pendulous catkins; females in very small bunches. May. l. in two rows, flat, rather distant, pectinate, horizontally spreading, twisting at base, linear, tapering to a sharp point, 1/2in. long, one line broad, bright green, changing in autumn to dull red. cones rounded or roundish-ovate, about the size of a pigeon's egg; scales thick, dull brown. Branches stout, stiff, horizontal or ascending at the ends, the lateral ones rather pendulous; branchlets very slender, elegantly pinnate. h. 120ft. United States, 1640. The following are varieties.
T. d. denudatum (denuded). Branches slender, long, horizontal or drooping towards the ends, irregularly and little divided; branchlets fringed with scattered, variable, unequally-distant leaves.
T. d. fastigiatum (pyramidal). l. two-rowed, resembling those of the species. Branches short, erect, slightly spreading at the top. A very distinct-looking, conical-pyramidal, small tree.
T. d. microphyllum (small-leaved).* l. shorter than in the type, distichous, somewhat imbricated, ovate-lanceolate. Branchlets erect, pendulous, or ascending. SYN. Glyptostrobus pendulus (B.M. 5603).
T. d. nanum (dwarf). Branches numerous, almost horizontal, short. This variety resembles the type, but is readily distinguishable by its very small dimensions, forming a very compact bush, 10ft. to 12ft. high. T. heterophyllum (variable-leaved). Embossed Cypress. l. variable, alternate, some scale-formed, small, ovate, acute or obtuse, sometimes much longer, closely pressed and decurrent along the shoots, sometimes two-rowed, regularly tortuous, and almost awl-shaped, three to eight lines long. cones terminal, egg-shaped or oblong-cylindrical. Branches rising upwards and spreading at the summits; branchlets alternate. h. 8ft. to 10ft. China. T. mexicanum (Mexican). A synonym of T. mucronatum.
T. mucronatum (mucronate-scaled). Montezuma Cypress. l. linear, pointed, nearly evergreen, two-rowed, straight, flat, tapering to a point, slenderer than in T. distichum. cones rather large, with the scales strongly mucronate. Branches spreading, slender. h. 120ft. Mexico. This species is too tender for the English climate; it may be readily distinguished from T. distichum by its sub-persistent leaves. SYN. T. mexicanum.