Cupressus forbesii
Encyclopedia
Cupressus forbesii is a species of cypress
in western North America.
habitat
s and grows at 450 –. It found in the western Peninsular Ranges
in: Orange
and San Diego
Counties in Southern California
; and northern Baja California
, Mexico.
The northernmost stand, in Orange County, which comprises a large area on the upper limits of Coal Canyon and Sierra Peak in the Santa Ana Mountains
, burned in a 2006 wildfire
. Very few mature trees survived but regeneration is occurring by the hundreds to thousands. However another wildfire before trees are able to reach cone-producing age, which can be quite old for this species, could extirpate the stand.
to be genetically distinct enough from Cupressus forbesii to to warrant being placed in its own species. Cupressus guadalupensis
is endemic to Guadalupe Island
off Baja California, two hundred fifty miles away from any C. forbesii stands. Molecular testing has shown Cupressus guadalupensis to be slightly more closely related to Cupressus stephensonii
.
Major differences between Tecate Cypress (Cupressus forbesii) and Guadalupe Cypress (Cupressus guadalupensis) are:
(Callophrys gryneus thornei) lays its eggs.
Cupressus
The genus Cupressus is one of several genera within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group...
in western North America.
Distribution
Cupressus forbesii is native to chaparral and woodlandsCalifornia montane chaparral and woodlands
The California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion covers , including the mountains of the Transverse, Peninsular, and Santa Lucia Ranges of California. It is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers...
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s and grows at 450 –. It found in the western Peninsular Ranges
Peninsular Ranges
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska...
in: Orange
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
and San Diego
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
Counties in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
; and northern Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico.
The northernmost stand, in Orange County, which comprises a large area on the upper limits of Coal Canyon and Sierra Peak in the Santa Ana Mountains
Santa Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
, burned in a 2006 wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
. Very few mature trees survived but regeneration is occurring by the hundreds to thousands. However another wildfire before trees are able to reach cone-producing age, which can be quite old for this species, could extirpate the stand.
Description
Cupressus forbesii reaches 10 metres (32.8 ft), and is usually without dominant terminal shoot resulting in a multi-trunked tree. The foliage ranges from rich light green to green, and seed cones are dark brown, 20–32 mm.Taxonomy
Cupressus forbesii has in the past been referred to as Cupressus guadalupensis var. forbesii. This taxonomy has been somewhat controversial, as morphology and molecular testing have both shown Cupressus guadalupensisCupressus guadalupensis
Cupressus guadalupensis, the Guadalupe cypress, is a species of cypress from Guadalupe Island off western North America.-Distribution:...
to be genetically distinct enough from Cupressus forbesii to to warrant being placed in its own species. Cupressus guadalupensis
Cupressus guadalupensis
Cupressus guadalupensis, the Guadalupe cypress, is a species of cypress from Guadalupe Island off western North America.-Distribution:...
is endemic to Guadalupe Island
Guadalupe Island
Guadalupe Island, or Isla Guadalupe is a volcanic island located 241 kilometers off the west coast of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and some 400 kilometers southwest of the city of Ensenada in Baja California state, in the Pacific Ocean...
off Baja California, two hundred fifty miles away from any C. forbesii stands. Molecular testing has shown Cupressus guadalupensis to be slightly more closely related to Cupressus stephensonii
Cupressus stephensonii
Cupressus stephensonii is a species of conifer known as the Cuyamaca Cypress, and endemic to California. It is sometimes listed as Cupressus arizonica subsp...
.
Major differences between Tecate Cypress (Cupressus forbesii) and Guadalupe Cypress (Cupressus guadalupensis) are:
- Guadalupe Cypress, when mature, makes a much more massive and taller tree than Tecate Cypress.
- Guadalupe Cypress has glaucous, somewhat blue-tinted foliage, while Tecate Cypress has very green foliage.
- Guadalupe Cypress cones will open without fire, while Tecate Cypress cones differ from any other species of California Cypress, in that even once disconnected from the parent tree, they will not open without heat.
Ecology
The Tecate Cypress is the only plant on which the rare Thorne's HairstreakCallophrys gryneus
The Juniper Hairstreak is a butterfly native to North America. It belongs in the family Lycaenidae.-Description:For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossary...
(Callophrys gryneus thornei) lays its eggs.
Cultivation
Cupressus forbesii has proven to be a successful specimen tree, tolerant of the California Coastal climate and its cool temperatures and humidity, where other inland-growing Cypress species such as Cupressus macnabiana have done poorly in these conditions. A Tecate Cypress planted at Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco is showing vigor and produces viable cones at forty years of age.See also
- California chaparral and woodlandsCalifornia chaparral and woodlandsThe California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of lower northern, central, and southern California and northwestern Baja California , located on the west coast of North America...
- (ecoregion) - California montane chaparral and woodlandsCalifornia montane chaparral and woodlandsThe California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion covers , including the mountains of the Transverse, Peninsular, and Santa Lucia Ranges of California. It is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers...
- (subecoregion)