Cupressus macrocarpa Hartweg, Cupressaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: macrocarpa, Monterey cypress

Spanish: ciprés, ciprés Monterrey

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Medium-sized tree (sometimes very large in cultivation), pyramidal at first, with broad crown when mature.  Bark thick, reddish brown beneath, often becoming whitish on surface.  Adult foliage in dense, dark green masses, aromatic when bruised; branchlets systems not flattened.  1-3-year shoots terete, reddish brown, with leaves appressed except for the cuspidate, pungent, c. 1 mm long apex.  Leaves on ultimate twigs uniform, 1-2 mm long, broadly rhombic-ovate, tightly appressed, obtuse or subacute.  Male strobili 1.5-3 mm long, broad-oblong to subglobose.  Mature female cones very shortly stalked or sometimes subsessile, (1.5)-2-3.5 x (1.2)-1.5 x 3.2 cm, subglobose or broadly oblong-ellipsoid, shining brown; scales 8-14; umbo with small, obtuse, crescent-shaped process; seeds usually 10-20 per scale, of irregular shape, with small resinous tubercles"  (Webb et al., 1988; pp. 44-45).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "lowland, especially towards the coast and in northern areas.  Occasional and scattered cultivation escape in the vicinity of planted trees, mainly in open, waste ground"  (Webb et al., 1988; pp. 44-45). In Victoria [Australia], "small populations in limited distribution have invaded dry coastal vegetation, lowland grassland, grassy woodland and rock outcrop vegetation" (Carr et al., 1992, cited in Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 105).

Propagation:  Wind-dispersed, winged seed (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 105).

Native range:  USA (Monterey Peninsula, California), cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 105)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (pp. 44-45) "Occasional and scattered cultivation escape in the vicinity of planted trees, mainly in open, waste ground".
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station.

Additional information:  Fact sheet from "Common forest trees of Hawaii" (PDF format).

Additional online information about Cupressus macrocarpa is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Cupressus macrocarpa may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Little, Elbert L./Skolmen, Roger G. 1989. Common forest trees of Hawaii (native and introduced). USDA Agriculture Handbook 679. Washington, D.C. 377 pp. + plates.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.