Cupressus dupreziana

Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus

Family: Cupressaceae

Common name: Saharan cypress

This species is found in the wild on the Algerian Tassili plateau only, where there are just over 200 specimens, some of which are very old. It is a tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall, with a reddish-brown trunk surface and small scale-like leaves that are closely pressed to the branches, pointed, and up to 1.5 mm long. The male cones are yellow and reach a length of 6 mm, while the female cones are ovoid, purplish in color, about 2.5 mm in diameter, and mature into woody structures that are grayish-brown and up to 2.5 cm long. The seeds are flattened and equipped with wing-like appendages for dispersal.

This species is considered a relic of the Saharan flora, which once characterized the region before it became a desert; for this reason, it is represented in cultivation in the Botanical Garden.

It is worth noting that natural regeneration of this cypress is completely absent, mainly due to environmental conditions that are altogether unfavorable for seed germination and seedling development.