
Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia, Working Draft of 1 January 1997 -- Gymnosperms Alan S. Weakley.
Copyright - Alan S. Weakley, 1998, 1999. All Rights Reserved.
CUPRESSACEAE (Cypress Family)
(including TAXODIACEAE)
References: Hart & Price (1990); Hardin (1971); Watson & Eckenwalder in FNA (1993). Recent studies indicate that the separation of the Taxodiaceae from the Cupressaceae is not warranted (Brunsfeld et al. 1994).
1. Leaves opposite or whorled......4
1. Leaves alternate......2
2. Branchlets not disposed in one plane, thus bushy and not fan-like; plants dioecious, male and female cones on separate plants; mature female cones fleshy and berry-like, with smooth surfaces, indehiscent.....Juniperus
2. Branchlets disposed in one plane, thus flattened and fan-like; plants monoecious, male and female cones on the same plant; mature female cones woody or leathery, with irregular surfaces, dehiscent......3
3. Female cones globose and woody, the hard scales peltate, not imbricate; ultimate branchlets (including the scale leaves) about 1 mm broad.....Chamaecyparis
3. Female cones ellipsoid and leathery, the pliable scales basally attached, imbricate; ultimate branchlets (including the scale leaves) about 1.5 mm broad.....Thuja
4. Leaves evergreen, rigid, more than 2 cm long, tapering from near the base to a long-acuminate apex Cunninghamia
4. Leaves deciduous, flexible, less than 2 cm long, parallel-sided, the apex short-acute.....Taxodium