Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw.
Family: Cupressacae Softwood
Country of origin: United States

The Tree: First of all, this is one of the so-called true cypresses, as distinct form the false cypresses, which are represented in this book by Chamaecuyparis lawsoniana. The two genera can be distinguished by their foliage, the false cypresses having branchlets and shoots in flat fans rather than radiating out in all directions. Also, the leaves (such as they are, for they are more like scales) are smaller in Chamaecyparis than they are in Cupressus.

The second point about macrocarpa is that it has probably the most restricted natural habitat of any conifer, being limited to the gale-swept promontory of Point Lobos, near Monterey, in southern California.