Callitris.
Division Pinophyta > Order Pinales > Family Cupressaceae.
Sometimes known as the cypress pine, 13 of the 16 species are native to Australia.
They grow as evergreen shrubs or trees to 25 m tall.
Juvenile leaves are needle-like.
The scale-like adult leaves are in whorls of 3, with alternate whorls rotated to form 6 ranks.
Male cones, to 6 mm long are on the branchlet tips.
Female cones, to 3 cm long, are spherical or ovoid and have 6 overlapping scales.
The woody scales are arranged in 2 whorls of 3 and overlap.
Fire is needed for the mature cones to release the seeds.
Callitris baileyi.
An evergreen tree growing to 18 m.
Scale like adult leaves, flattened on the branch, are about 25 mm long with bases that run down the branch.
They are in whorls of 3 with successive whorls rotated to form 6 ranks.
Solitary male and female cones are on the same tree.
Male cones are 2 to 3 mm long.
Oblong female cones, covered in short narrow scales produce only a few winged seeds.
J.F.
