Callitris, genus Callitris(noun)

evergreen monoecious coniferous trees or shrubs: cypress pines

Callitris

Callitris is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae. There are 15 species in the genus, of which 13 are native to Australia and the other two native to New Caledonia. Traditionally the most widely used common name is cypress-pine, a name shared by the closely related genus Actinostrobus. However, this is inaccurate as these are just cypress and in no way pines, and they are increasingly being called cypress. They are small to medium-sized trees or large shrubs, reaching 5-25 m tall. The leaves are evergreen and scale-like, except young seedlings, where they are needle-like; in C. macleayana, needle-like leaves are found mixed with scale leaves throughout the tree's life. The scales are arranged in six rows along the twigs, in alternating whorls of three. The male cones are small, 3-6 mm long, and are located at the tips of the twigs. The female cones start out similarly inconspicuous, maturing in 18-20 months to 1-3 cm long and wide, globular to ovoid, with six overlapping, thick, woody scales, arranged in two whorls of three. The cones remain closed on the trees for many years, opening only after being scorched by a bushfire; this then releases the seeds to grow on the newly cleared burnt ground.