Cones of this variety are unusual in that they open at maturity and release their seeds. These cones were collected near Botela Azul in the Sierra San Pedro Martír [Jeff Bisbee, Jul-2002].

A large mature tree, same site [Jeff Bisbee, Jul-2002].

Trunk of a large mature tree, same site [Jeff Bisbee, Jul-2002].

Bark and branching on a large tree, same site [Jeff Bisbee, Jul-2002].

Cupressus montana

Wiggins 1933

Common Names

San Pedro Martír cypress.

Taxonomic Notes

Syn: Cupressus arizonica Greene var. montana (Wiggins) Little 1966 (Farjon 2005). See the "Taxonomic notes" section of Cupressus arizonica for discussion of the relationship between various taxa assigned by some authors to C. arizonica. See the "Taxonomic notes" section of Cupressus for a discussion of the relationship between this and other, closely related Cupressus taxa in northwest Mexico and the adjacent Southwest U.S.

Little (2006) has proposed, with strong support from molecular/genetic data, that Cupressus be divided into new world and old world genera, with the new world species assigned to the new genus Callitropsis Oersted. This species would be called Callitropsis montana (Wiggins) D.P. Little.

Description

Trees, 5-20 m tall and 20-50(-100) cm dbh. Branches numerous, spreading, the tips slightly ascending, forming an open to compact pyramidal crown. Bark narrowly ridged, shredding, persistent, deep red to chocolate brown; on younger branches gray-brown, exfoliating in irregular patches to expose smooth light gray-red underbark. Branchlets 8-12(-20) mm long, 1.5-2 mm thick. Leaves not dimorphic; 1-1.5 × 1.5-2 mm when young, acute, with conspicuous, active abaxial resin glands; when older up to 3-4 × 5 mm. Leaf margins lightly fimbriate under a 10X lens. Pollen cones abundant, up to 2 × 3 mm, quadrangular, with (8-)10-12(-14) scales each bearing 3-5 pollen sacs. Seed cones on peduncles up to 10 mm long, at maturity brown or gray-brown, globose to ovoid, up to 30 mm long with 8(-12) scales, umbos 2-3 mm high, broadened or crescent-shaped. Cones open at maturity, shedding 60-70 light tan seeds 3-4(-5) × 3-4 mm, thin, with a light brown 0.5-1 mm long hilum (Wolf 1948). Cones open and seeds are released in October (Jeff Bisbee e-mail 2002.04.06).

Range

Mexico: Baja California Norte: the Sierra San Pedro Martír, where it is widely but sparsely distributed at elevations of (1900-)2200-2400(-2825) m (Wolf 1948, Farjon 2005).

Big Tree

Wiggins (1933) reports "Between Vallecitos and La Encantada are several fine groves, in one of which the largest specimen seen was growing. It was nearly 25 meters high and about a meter in diameter a like distance from the ground."

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Trees are fairly common at exposed sites along the east-facing summit escarpment of the the highest peaks of the Sierra San Pedro Martír, notably on the upper slopes of the Picacho del Diablo. Some occurrences are within dayhiking distance of the road's end, though a trip up the Picacho requires several days. See Abies concolor for further description of the area and how to get there.

Remarks

Citations

Wiggins, I. 1933. New plants from Baja California. Contributions from Dudley Herbarium 1: 161-164. http://www.cupressus.net/CUmontanaWiggins.html, courtesy of the Cupressus Conservation Project website.