Range of species of Cedrus (2). | Cedrus TrewCommon NamesCedar. A great many species in the Cupressaceae are also commonly referred to as cedars, so species of Cedrus are sometimes identified as 'true cedars'.Taxonomic notesFour closely allied species (2). Because they are so similar, some authors (such as Silba (3)) have designated fewer species, but a splitter's approach is here taken because the four taxa are distinguishable on both morphological and geographic grounds.Description"Evergreen, tall, monoecious trees. Crown broad with erect or bent top. Branches not in whorls. Bark on young trees smooth and gray, eventually furrowed and scaly, dark gray. Shoots of two kinds: long terminal shoots bearing solitary and spirally arranged needles, and short shoots with tufts of needles. Buds small, ovate, enveloped with few scales. Leaves persisting for 3-6 years, on short shoots tough, acuminate, 3-sided with 2 marginal resin ducts. Flowers in inflorescences, terminal on the short shoots, appearing during late July and August, fully developed during late September and early October; male flowers in erect catkins, up to 5 cm long, pollen grains golden-yellow, wingless; female flowers in erect, 1-1.5 cm long cone-like inflorescences, reddish, ovate, composed of numerous scales and surrounded by needles at the base. Cones erect, ovate to cylindrical, 5-10 cm long, maturing in the second or third year when they break up; seed scales closely overlapping, broader than long, woody, each with 2 ovules at the base; bract scales invisible. Seed large, irregularly triangular, light brown, resinous, with a large wing. Cotyledons 8-10. Chromosomes n=12" (2).RangeMountains of the S and SE Mediterranean and the W Himal (2).Big TreeOldestDendrochronologyEthnobotanyUsed in construction and cabinetry. Planted as ornamentals in milder areas, and various horticultural varieties, based on growth form and leaf color, exist (1).ObservationsRemarksCEDROS is the old Greek name for a resinous tree (2).Citations(1) "Cedar", Encarta 97.(2) Vidakovic 1991. (3) Silba 1986. | |
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