Cupressus dupreziana
A.Camus
Cupressaceae
Cupressus lereddei Gaussen
Cupressus sempervirens dupreziana (A.Camus) Silba
Tassilicyparis dupreziana (A.Camus) A.V.Bobrov & Melikyan
Common Name: Saharan Cypress
General Information
Cupressus dupreziana is an evergreen tree with a conical or pyramidal crown; it can grow around 16 - 20 metres tall. The trunk can be 200 - 300cm in diameter[
2124- Title
- A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Farjon A.
- Publisher
- Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978 90 04 32449 7
- Description
-
].
The tree is harvested (illegally) for its wood, which is used as timber and for fuel[
2124- Title
- A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Farjon A.
- Publisher
- Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978 90 04 32449 7
- Description
-
]. It has potential for use as an ornamental[
2124- Title
- A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Farjon A.
- Publisher
- Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978 90 04 32449 7
- Description
-
].
Cupressus dupreziana is one of the most extreme examples of a relict conifer seemingly on its way out to extinction. The causes of this are primarily natural climate change, but the remaining trees were also cut occasionally for firewood by wandering Tuareg people and there are tales about caravans that carted off wood. In all, 233 living individuals are now known to exist, with 20 trees dead since 1972 also found. The remaining trees are often senescent and natural regeneration appears to be sporadic. The most recent census of trees in the area showed a continuous range of tree sizes and found more seedlings, indicating slow but continuous natural regeneration. Tourism is providing an increasing incentive for protection and the Tassili n’Ajjer has been designated a World Heritage Site. However, adequate protection in situ is still wanting. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
N. Africa - southeast Algeria
Habitat
Widely scattered in canyons and dry stream beds in sandstone plateaux; at elevations from 1,700 - 1,900 metres[
2124- Title
- A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Farjon A.
- Publisher
- Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978 90 04 32449 7
- Description
-
].
Properties
Conservation Status | Endangered |
Habit | Evergreen Tree |
Height | 18.00 m |
Cultivation Details
Grows well in a hot, dry situation[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a pH of 6 or lower[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
(Illegal) recent use for firewood has been recorded; in Morocco also for timber. This species is in cultivation but at present only as ex situ conservation attempts (mainly concentrated on var. dupreziana from the Sahara) and probably in a few collections. From observations made on some trees in the wild of both varieties, it should be possible to select shoots that grow into a fastigiate habit as with C. sempervirens; this could lead to cultivars of interest to horticulture. Young trees planted in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have a columnar shape with short, more or less ascending branches[
2124- Title
- A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Farjon A.
- Publisher
- Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978 90 04 32449 7
- Description
-
]..
Propagation
Seed -
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