Scientific name: Cupressus cashmeriana Royle ex Carrière 1867

Synonyms: Cupressus assamica Silba, Cupressus darjeelingensis (Silba) Silba, Cupressus himalaica Silba, Cupressus pendula Griff., Cupressus pseudohimalaica Silba, Cupressus tortulosa Griff., Cupressus tortulosa subsp. himalaica (Silba) Silba, Cupressus torulosa var. cashmeriana (Royle ex Carrière) A.H.Kent

Common names: Bhutan cypress, Weeping cypress, Kashmir cypress, Chendey (Bhutanese)

Description

Tree to 30(-45) m tall, with trunk to 2.5 m in diameter. Bark brown, fibrous, narrowly ridged and furrowed. Crown conical, weeping, with long, dangling branchlet sprays on horizontal to rising branches. Branchlets cylindrical, 1-1.5 mm in diameter, branching mostly from just two rows of leaves. Scale leaves on branchlets 1-2(-3) mm long, bright green to bluish green with wax, the edges minutely toothed, the back often with a shallow, inactive gland. Pollen cones 3-6 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, with (five to) seven or eight (or nine) pairs of pollen scales, each with (three or) four pollen sacs. Seed cones nearly spherical, 1-2 cm long, dark brown at maturity, often waxy before this, with four or five pairs of seed scales, each usually with a low central point on the face and fine lines radiating from there after opening. Seeds 10-12 per scale, 4-6 mm long, the wings 1-2 mm wide, brown, usually not waxy, smooth. Cotyledons two.

Bhutan and neighboring states of India and Xizang (Tibet). Mixed, monsoon-influenced conifer forests; 1,500-3,000 m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened

(The area of occupancy is much less than 500 km2 and contains a severely fragmented population. There are probably 19 locations. Recent decline is suspected to have occurred but its extent is uncertain. Although this species does not meet the criteria for Endangered or for Vulnerable, it is close to the threshold and is therefore assessed as Near Threatened)

References

Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.

Eckenwalder, J.E. (2009) Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. Timber Press, Portland.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Cambridge, UK /Gland, Switzerland