cypress

Any of a group of coniferous trees or shrubs containing about 20 species, originating from temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. They have tiny scalelike leaves and cones made up of woody, wedge-shaped scales containing an aromatic resin. (Genera Cupressus and Chamaecyparis, family Cupressaceae.)

All species of cypress native to the US occur in the west. Bald cypresses (genus Taxodium) belong to the redwood family and are found only in the southern US and Mexico.

Cypress

City in Orange County, south-central California, USA, 27 km/17 mi southeast of downtown Los Angeles; population (1990) 42,700. It was developed in the 1960s, to house aircraft and other industrial workers, in what had been a market-garden and dairy farming area. Cypress now has house trailer and car factories.

A branch of Forest Lawn, the well-known cemetery, is here, as is Los Alamitos Race Track (harness racing).