Chinese Cypress

Trees to 25 m tall; trunk to 80 cm d.b.h.; crown conical when young, rounded or broadly domed when old; branches densely arranged; branchlets spreading or drooping but not pendulous, thin, ultimate ones 4-angled, 0.8-1 mm in diam. Leaves closely appressed, slightly glaucous abaxially, 1-2 mm on ultimate branchlets, ridged or ± gibbous with an inconspicuous or more visible abaxial gland, base long decurrent on leading branchlets, apex acute or slightly obtuse. Pollen cones subglobose or oblong, (4-)5-7 mm; microsporophylls (12-)16-20. Seed cones dark brown or purplish brown when ripe, glaucous, globose, 1.5-3.2 cm in diam.; cone scales (6-)8-10, each fertile scale with numerous seeds. Seeds brown or purplish brown, 3-5 mm, with 3 ridges. 2n = 22*.

?Guizhou, SW Sichuan, C and NW Yunnan, SE Xizang

* Forests on mountain slopes; 1400-3300 m.

Cupressus austrotibetica Silba.