Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
Introductory
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Esser, Lora L. 1994. Hesperocyparis goveniana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/hesgov/all.html [].
Revisions:
17 October 2013: Scientific name changed from Cupressus goveniana
to Hesperocyparis goveniana; references 33-36 added.
ABBREVIATION :
HESGOV
SYNONYMS :
Callitropsis goveniana (Gordon) D.P. Little [36]
Cupressus goveniana Gord. [1,5,12,13,35]
Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana Gord., Gowen cypress
Cupressus goveniana ssp. pygmaea (Lemm.) Bartel, Mendocino or pygmy cypress [5,30]
Cupressus pygmaea (Lemmon) Sarg. [18]
Neocupressus goveniana (Gordon) de Laub. [34]
NRCS PLANT CODE :
HEGO3
COMMON NAMES :
Gowen cypress
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of Gowen cypress is Hesperocyparis goveniana (Gordon) Bartel [25,33].
Mendocino cypress was previously considered a variety of Gowen cypress,
but was been given subspecies status by J. Bartel [30] (see Synonyms).LIFE FORM :
Tree
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
Cupressus goveniana subsp. goveniana is Threatened [31].
OTHER STATUS :
The California Native Plant Society [22] lists Gowen cypress as a 1B
plant: rare in California.
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Gowen cypress is restricted to the Coast Ranges of central and
northwestern California [14,22,26]. Gowen cypress (Cupressus goveniana
ssp. goveniana) occurs in only two areas of Monterey County, California:
Huckleberry Hill, and between San Jose Creek and Gibson Creek [26].
Mendocino cypress occurs in a narrow, discontinuous strip along the
Mendocino County coast known as the "Mendocino White Plains" or "pine
barrens" [26,27]. A grove also occurs in Sonoma County [26]. Gowen
cypress is cultivated in Hawaii [32].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES27 Redwood
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
STATES :
CA HI
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
3 Southern Pacific Border
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K006 Redwood forest
K009 Pine - cypress forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K030 California oakwoods
K033 Chaparral
SAF COVER TYPES :
229 Pacific Douglas-fir
232 Redwood
234 Douglas-fir - tanoak - Pacific madrone
248 Knobcone pine
255 California coast live oak
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Gowen cypress can occur in dense thickets as well as in open groves.
Dense thickets are common in regenerating burns [26]. In Monterey
County, Gowen cypress (Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana) and bishop
pine (P. muricata) form almost impenetrable thickets [16]. In some
areas Gowen cypress is associated with closed-cone coniferous woodlands
and closed-cone pine-cypress forests [5,24,26].
Mendocino cypress is associated with redwood (Sequoia
sempervirens)-Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and other north coast
coniferous forests in Mendocino County [26]. This subspecies is also a
component of the Mendocino pygmy cypress forest, which intergrades with
upland redwood and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)-grand fir (Abies
grandis) forests [6].
Gowen cypress (C. g. ssp. goveniana) is a component of the Monterey
pygmy cypress forest, which intergrades with Monterey pine (Pinus
radiata) forest on deep soils [6].
Publications naming Gowen cypress as a community dominant are listed
below.
Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of
California [6]
The vascular plant communities of California [24]
The closed-cone pines and cypress [26]
Species not previously mentioned but commonly associated with Gowen
cypress include Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Mendocino White
Plains lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta ssp. bolanderi), shore pine (P.
c. ssp. contorta), valley oak (Quercus lobata), Coulter willow (Salix
coulteri), Monterey ceanothus (Ceanothus rigidus), glory brush (C.
gloriosus var. exaltatus), waveyleaf ceanothus (C. foliosus), sandmat
manzanita (Arctostaphylos pumila), Hooker manzanita (A. hookeri), hairy
manzanita (A. columbiana), glossyleaf manzanita (A. nummularia),
Eastwood manzanita (A. glandulosa), Pacific bayberry (Myrica
californica), giant chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla), salal
(Gaultheria shallon), Eastwood's goldenbush (Enceliopsis fasciculata),
chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium
ovatum), Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), coast
Labrador tea (Ledum glandulosum var. columbianum), navarretia
(Navarretia atractyloides), skunkweed (N. squarrosa), bush monkeyflower
(Mimulus aurantiacus), evergreen violet (Viola sempervirens), pink sand
verbena (Abronia umbellata), Monterey sedge (Carex montereyensis),
California canarygrass (Phalaris californica), and beargrass
(Xerophyllum tenax) [6,7,16,24,26].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
Cypress (Hesperocyparis spp.) wood is generally durable and stable. It is
suitable for a wide range of exterior uses including joinery, shingles,
and boats. Possible interior uses include moulding and panelling [29].
Cypress shelterbelts provide good firewood. Most cypress species
develop a large proportion of heartwood, which splits well, dries
quickly, and is clean burning. Cypress wood is moderately fast burning
because of its medium density. As cypress woods are prone to sparking,
they are recommended only for enclosed fires [29].
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Rodents and deer consume cypress seedlings [27]. Cypress are considered
undesirable forage for livestock, although young plants are occasionally
browsed [27].
PALATABILITY :
NO-ENTRY
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Grazing and trampling by livestock are detrimental to cypress seedlings.
Fire followed by intensive grazing could eliminate a cypress grove [1].
Gowen cypress grows best on the coast. Although waterlogged soils may
result in dwarfed trees, Gowen cypress could be safely used for low
hedges and windbreaks because of its dense growth habit [26,27].
Gowen cypress seedlings are susceptible to damping-off fungi [26]. Both
subspecies are highly susceptible to coryneum canker (Coryneum
cardinale), which can kill trees [27]. Fungicides are effective in
preventing the spread of the disease but cannot eradicate it once
infection has begun [27].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Gowen cypress is a native, evergreen tree. It has a bushy growth form and grows
from 16.5 to 23 feet (5-7 m) tall [5,18,27]. Mendocino cypress has a
single, slender trunk and sparse crown [18,27]. It grows from 3.3 to
6.6 feet (1-2 m) tall on sterile soils and from 33 to 165 feet (10-50 m)
tall on richer soils [5,18,27]. Mature leaves of both subspecies are
0.04 to 0.08 inches (1-2 mm) long, although they can be up to 0.4 inch
(10 mm) long on vigorous shoots [27]. Ovulate cones are solitary, up to
0.8 inch (20 mm) long. Staminate cones are 0.12 to 0.16 inch (3-4 mm)
long [18,27]. The bark is smooth and fibrous, becoming rougher with
age. It can be several centimeters thick [5,27]. The bark of Mendocino
cypress occurs in strips, peeling easily after death of the tree, but
otherwise intact [27]. Gowen cypress forms a well-defined taproot and
numerous laterals the first year [8,27]. The root systems of
Gowen cypress are extensive and shallow, less than 1 foot (30 cm) deep
[26].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Gowen cypress reproduces exclusively from seed. Mendocino cypress cone
production is abundant on dwarfed and mature trees, but is rare or
absent on young vigorous trees [27]. Staminate cones are usually first
produced when trees are 6 to 7 years old, but have developed on 1- and
2-year-old seedlings of Mendocino cypress and Gowen cypress, respectively [8,27].
Ovulate cones are produced on trees that are 4 years of age or older. The
cones require 2 years to mature [1,27], and contain from 90 to 130 seeds [8,27].
The cones of California cypress are closed; they persist on the tree until
opened by the heat of a fire or from desiccation due to age [8,26].
Seeds are shed gradually over several months after the cones open [26].
Detached cones will open, but they rarely result in seedling
establishment, usually due to lack of a suitable seedbed [1]. Seed
dispersal is primarily by wind and rain [26].
Gowen cypress germination rates range from 23 to 53 percent [16]. Seeds
require bare mineral soil for germination and establishment. Seedling
mortality is high on shaded sites with abundant litter because of
damping-off fungi [1,26]. Seedlings are sensitive to excessive moisture
[27].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Gowen cypress is confined to poorly drained, acidic, podzolic soils,
usually on exposed sites [16,26]. In Mendocino County, these areas are
flooded during the winter, forming shallow bogs or ponds [26,27].
Gowen cypress occurs at elevations from 100 to 990 feet (30-300 m). Mendocino
cypress occurs at elevations below 1,650 feet (500 m) [26].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Site requirements for cypress seedlings are typical of those for pioneer
conifers. Seedlings are shade intolerant and survive best in full
sunlight on bare mineral soil [1,26]. According to Armstrong [1],
cypress trees of southern California are very sensitive to lack of
light, losing their foliage when growing in shade.
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Cypress species pollination occurs in late fall and spring [27]. Seeds
mature 15 to 18 months after pollination. Ovulate cones remain closed
until opened by heat or age [8,27].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Gowen cypress is a fire-adapted, fire-dependent species [13,26]. It has
slightly fire-resistant bark and serotinous cones. Its low branching
habit makes it susceptible to crown fires [1,26]. The serotinous cones
of the California cypress species persist on trees for years [13,28].
Cone opening is erratic and almost negligible except when cones are
exposed to extreme heat; then it is rapid and uniform [16,28]. When
opened by the heat of a fire, the seeds fall on exposed mineral soil
[13,27]. Most seed falls in the first few months following fire [28].
Fires that occur in late summer and fall and are followed by winter
rains ensure seed dissemination on bare mineral substrates and moist
conditions for germination [26]. Successful cypress reproduction is
generally restricted to burned sites [26]. No information was available
on fire-free intervals for communities dominated by Gowen cypress.
Tecate cypress (Hesperocyparis forbesii), however, a
cypress found in southern California, has an average interval between
fires of 25 years, ranging from 15 to 63 years [1,26]. Cypress trees of
southern California generally reach cone-bearing age before another fire
occurs [26].
FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find Fire Regimes".
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
Crown residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Most fires probably kill Gowen cypress. Cypress thickets are conducive
to crown fires, which kill most trees. Some trees survive when fires
are patchy [26]. Large trees could probably survive surface fires.
Cones of the California cypress species open as the resin melts and
boils. Rapid charring of the thick cone scales extinguishes the flames,
leaving seeds unburned [1].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Gowen cypress trees release large quantities of seed after fire [27].
Both subspecies produce dense thickets after fire [26]. The Huckleberry
Hill grove of Gowen cypress in Monterey County was reduced from over 100 acres
(40 ha) to only a few hectares by a 1901 fire. By 1948, the grove had almost
returned to its prefire size [26].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Fires occurring too frequently in Gowen cypress groves may destroy them,
as reproduction could be eliminated before it has a chance to produce
cones. Conversely, fire suppression could threaten the species [1].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Hesperocyparis goveniana
REFERENCES :
1. Armstrong, Wayne P. 1966. Ecological and taxonomic relationships of
Cupressus in southern California. Los Angles, CA: California State
College. 129 p. Thesis. [21332]
2. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
3. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
4. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
5. Hickman, James C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of
California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1400 p.
[21992]
6. Holland, Robert F. 1986. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial
natural communities of California. Sacramento, CA: California Department
of Fish and Game. 156 p. [12756]
7. Howitt, Beatrice F.; Howell, John Thomas. 1964. The vascular plants of
Monterey County, California. Wasmann Journal of Biology. 22(1): 1-184.
[22168]
8. Johnson, LeRoy C. 1974. Cupressus L. cypress. In: Schopmeyer, C. S.,
technical coordinator. Seeds of woody plants in the United States.
Agric. Handb. 450. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service: 363-369. [7599]
9. Jolad, Shivanand D.; Hoffmann, Joseph J.; Schram, Karl H.; [and others].
1984. A new diterpene from Cupressus goveniana var. abramasiana:
(Cupresol). Journal of Natural Products. 47(6): 983-987. [21752]
10. Keeler-Wolf, Todd. 1993. Rare community conservation in California. In:
Keeley, Jon E., ed. Interface between ecology and land development in
California: Proceedings of the symposium; 1992 May 1-2; Los Angeles, CA.
Los Angeles, CA: The Southern California Academy of Sciences: 43-50.
[21696]
11. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
12. Ledig, F. Thomas. 1987. Genetic structure and the conservation of
California's endemic and near-endemic conifers. In: Elias, T. S., ed.
Conference on the conservation and management of rare and endangered
plants: Proceedings of symposium; [Date of conference unknown];
[Location of conference unknown]. Sacramento, CA: California Native
Plant Society: 587-594. [22218]
13. Little, Elbert L., Jr. 1975. Rare and local conifers in the United
States. Conservation Research Rep. No. 19. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 25 p. [15691]
14. Little, Elbert L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native
and naturalized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 375 p. [2952]
15. McDonald, Philip M.; Laacke, Robert J. 1990. Pinus radiata D. Don
Monterey pine. In: Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H., technical
coordinators. Silvics of North America. Volume 1. Conifers. Agric.
Handb. 654. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service: 433-441. [13401]
16. McMillan, Calvin. 1956. The edaphic restriction of Cupressus and Pinus
in the Coast Ranges of central California. Ecological Monographs. 26:
177-212. [11884]
17. Mitchell, Alan F. 1972. Conifers in the British Isles: A descriptive
handbook. Forestry Commission Booklet No. 33. London: Her Majesty's
Stationery Office. 322 p. [20571]
18. Munz, Philip A. 1973. A California flora and supplement. Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press. 1905 p. [6155]
19. Olson, David F., Jr.; Roy, Douglass F.; Walters, Gerald A. 1990. Sequoia
sempervirens (D. Don) Endl. redwood. In: Burns, Russell M.; Honkala,
Barbara H., technical coordinators. Silvics of North America. Volume 1.
Conifers. Agric. Handb. 654. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service: 541-551. [13414]
20. Posey, Clayton E.; Goggans, James F. 1967. Observations on species of
cypress indigenous to the United States. Circular 153. Auburn, AL:
Auburn University, Agricultural Experiment Station. 19 p. [20384]
21. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
22. Smith, James Payne, Jr.; Berg, Ken. 1988. Inventory of rare and
endangered vascular plants of California. 4th ed. Special Publication
No. 1. Sacramento, CA: California Native Plant Society. 168 p. [7494]
23. Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern
Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090]
24. Thorne, Robert F. 1976. The vascular plant communities of California.
In: Latting, June, ed. Symposium proceedings: plant communities of
southern California; 1974 May 4; Fullerton, CA. Special Publication No.
2. Berkeley, CA: California Native Plant Society: 1-31. [3289]
25. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
2013. PLANTS Database, [Online]. Available: https://plants.usda.gov
/. [34262]
26. Vogl, Richard J.; Armstrong, Wayne P.; White, Keith L.; Cole, Kenneth L.
1977. The closed-cone pines and cypress. In: Barbour, Michael G.; Major,
Jack, eds. Terrestrial vegetation of California. New York: John Wiley
and Sons: 295-358. [7219]
27. Wolf, Carl B.; Wagener, Willis W. 1948. The New World cypresses. El
Aliso Series: Vol. 1. Anaheim, CA: Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. 444
p. [20740]
28. Zedler, Paul H. 1986. Closed-cone conifers of the chaparral. Fremontia.
14(3): 14-17. [18648]
29. Miller, J. T.; Knowles, F. B. 1990. Introduced forest trees in New
Zealand: recognition, role and seed source. 9. The cypresses: Cupressus
spp. and Chamaecyparis spp. FRI Bulletin 124/9. Christchurch, New
Zealand: New Zealand Forest Service. 33 p. [21880]
30. Bartel, Jim A. 1991. Nomenclatural changes in Dudleya (Crassulaceae) and
Cupressus (Cupressaceae). Phytologia. 70(4): 229-230. [22637]
31. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 2016.
Endangered Species Program, [Online]. Available: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
[86564]
32. St. John, Harold. 1973. List and summary of the flowering plants in the
Hawaiian islands. Hong Kong: Cathay Press Limited. 519 p. [25354]
33. Baldwin, Bruce G.; Goldman, Douglas H.; Keil, David J.; Patterson, Robert;
Rosatti, Thomas J.; Wilken, Dieter H., eds. 2012. The Jepson manual. Vascular plants of
California, second edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1568 p. [86254]
34. de Laubenfels, D. J. 2009. Nomenclatural actions for the New World cypresses
(Cupressaceae). Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature. 19(3): 300-306. [87295]
35. Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2013. Flora of North
America north of Mexico, [Online]. Flora of North America Association (Producer).
Available: http://www.efloras.org/flora_page.aspx?flora_id=1. [36990]
36. Little, Damon P. 2006. Evolution and circumscription of the true cypresses
(Cupressaceae: Cupressus). Systematic Botany. 31(3): 461-480. [87294]
FEIS Home Page
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/hesgov/all.html
