Chamaecyparis formosensis

Formosan cypress or Taiwan cypress is a species of conifer in the cypress or Cupressaceae family. It is native to the central mountains of Taiwan, where it is threatened by over-harvesting and loss of habitat. It can reach up to 60 m tall.

The species is similar to the Japanese species sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) (although the Japanese species has smaller, globose cones).

• Leaves are in flat sprays, and are scale-like, 1–3 mm long, with pointed tips, and arranged in decussate pairs (intersecting to produce an “x”), with an inconspicuous white band at the base of each scale. The juvenile leaves on young seedlings are needle-like, 4–8 mm long, soft and glaucous bluish-green.
• Species is monoecious. Female seed cones are ovoid-oblong, 6–12 mm long, 4–8 mm in diameter, 8–16 scales in opposite pairs, turning dark brown after dropping their seeds in the fall; male pollinators are 4–7 mm long and at the ends of tips.
• Bark is reddish brown, and vertically fissured, with a stringy texture.