Taxodium ascendens Brongn.
Pond cypress, pondcypress
Pondcypress is a North American native.
Plants: Trees are 49–59′ (15–18 m) tall. Like other cypresses, they have “knees”—woody projections that extend above the water line—and buttressed trunks. Knees are less common and smaller than for bald cypress. These have thicker bark than bald cypress trees, an adaptation for fire resistance. Often branches are draped with Spanish moss.
Leaves: Overlapping, appressed, spirally arranged scale-like leaves are up to ¼″ (8.5 mm) long. The leaves resemble evergreen needles, but they are dropped in the winter. They are more threadlike, while bald cypress leaves are more feathery.
Fruits: Oval or round, 1–3 ⨉ ½–1″ (2.5–7.6 ⨉ 1.3–2.5 cm).
Habitats: Southern swamps, bayous, and rivers, tolerating flooding for extended periods. Usually found on pond margins rather than in deeper water.
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Closely similar cypress species. |
Online References:
Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. var. imbricarium (Nutt.) Croom
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 2 × 1′ (59 × 39 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) 
8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia 
ID is uncertain 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 15 × 10″ (37 × 25 cm) 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida 
4/13/2015 · Pa-hay-okee Overlook, Everglades National Park, Florida 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida 
4/13/2015 · Pa-hay-okee Overlook, Everglades National Park, Florida · By Susan M. Kent · ≈ 4½ × 6′ (1.5 × 1.9 m) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida · ≈ 11 × 11″ (28 × 27 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida · ≈ 10 × 15″ (25 × 37 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida · ≈ 2½ × 1½′ (79 × 53 cm) 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida 
4/13/2015 · Pa-hay-okee Overlook, Everglades National Park, Florida 
4/15/2015 · Kirby S. Storter Park, Florida 
4/11/2015 · Kirby Storter Park Boardwalk, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) 
4/13/2015 · Pa-hay-okee Overlook, Everglades National Park, Florida 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Coniferophyta | Conifers—cone-bearing trees (and a few shrubs) |
| Class | Pinopsida | Gymnosperms such as cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews |
| Order | Pinales | Cone-bearing plants: cedar, cypress, fir, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, yew, and others |
| Family | Cupressaceae | Cypres family, including junipers and redwoods |
| Genus | Taxodium | From the Latin Taxus meaning yew and the Greek eidos meaning resemblance from a similarity of leaf shape. |
| Species | ascendens | With the flowers or leaves turning upwards or rising gradually |
Taxodium ascendens description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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