Taxodium mucronatum Montezuma cypress

Alas, a graceful specimen reputed to be one of this species, planted in 1973 at 1089 Vernier Place, has disappeared. One that thrived for many years in William Durand’s garden at 623 Cabrillo Avenue also is now gone. See mature trees at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, Strawberry Canyon, Berkeley. The distinctions between this species and T. distichum are notoriously subtle. Indeed, recently T. mucronatum has been reclassified as Taxodium distichum var. mexicanum.

Name derivation: Taxodium – Greek word taxus (yew) and eidos (resembling), referring to the similar leaf shapes; mucronatum – small point (at tip of needle).