Callitris Vent.
Monoecious trees or shrubs. Branchlets not obviously flattened, in several planes, with ultimate shoots angular. Juvenile lvs needle-like or subulate, in whorls of 4. Adult lvs scale-like, in whorls of 3-(4), lacking prominent dorsal gland. ♂ strobili (cones) solitary and terminal on short ultimate shoots, or several towards shoot apex, cylindric to oblong, usually yellow, with numerous stamens in whorls of 3. ♀ cones solitary or several on short lateral shoots, globose to ovoid, ripening in 1-2 years. Scales 6 or 8, in 2 whorls attached round central column, their bases uniting after fertilisation to appear as 1 whorl, the alternate scales (corresponding to outer whorl) shorter and narrower, with a subapical mucronate boss or umbo on each scale, smooth or verrucose; ovules 6- c. 55 to each scale. Mature cone persistent, sometimes enlarging after maturity. Fertile seeds 1-2-(3) on each scale, winged; cotyledons 2.
Key
17 spp., mainly in Australia, 2 in New Caledonia. Naturalised spp. 2.
Callitris spp. are often confused with those of the related southern African genus Widdringtonia Endl. in N.Z., but Widdringtonia spp. may be readily distinguished by the opposite and decussate scale lvs and the almost equal cone scales.
