Taxodium mucronatum
Encyclopedia
Taxodium mucronatum, also known as Montezuma Cypress, Sabino, or Ahuehuete is a species of Taxodium
native to much of Mexico
(south to the highlands of southern Mexico), and also the Rio Grande Valley
in southernmost Texas
, USA
as well as Huehuetenango Department in Guatemala
. Ahuehuete is derived from the Nahuatl name for the tree, āhuēhuētl, which means "upright drum in water" or "old man of the water."
or semi-evergreen tree
growing to 40 m (131.2 ft) tall and with a trunk of 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) diameter (occasionally much more; see below). The leaves
are spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 1–2 cm (0.393700787401575–0.78740157480315 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.0393700787401575–0.078740157480315 in) broad. The cones
are ovoid, 1.5–2.5 cm (0.590551181102362–0.984251968503937 in) long and 1–2 cm (0.393700787401575–0.78740157480315 in) broad.
Unlike Bald Cypress
and Pond Cypress
, Montezuma Cypress rarely produces cypress knee
s from the root
s. Trees from the Mexican highlands achieve a notable stoutness.
One specimen, the Árbol del Tule
in Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca
, Mexico, is the second stoutest tree in the world with a diameter of 11.42 m (37.5 ft). Several other specimens from 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) diameter are known. The stoutest tree in the world is the Big Baobab, an African Baobab
.
tree, growing along upland riversides, but can also be found next to springs
and marsh
es. It occurs from 300 to 2500 m (984.3 to 8,202.1 ft), in Mexico mainly in highlands at 1600–2300 m (5,249.3–7,545.9 ft) in altitude. T. mucronatum is very drought
-tolerant and fast-growing and favors climates that are rainy throughout the year or at least with high summer rainfall.
of Mexico
in 1910. The tree is sacred to the native peoples of Mexico, and is featured in the Zapotec creation myth. To the Aztec
s, the combined shade of an āhuēhuētl and a pōchōtl (Ceiba pentandra
) metaphorically represented a ruler's authority. According to legend, Hernán Cortés
wept under an ahuehuete in Popotla after suffering defeat during the Battle of La Noche Triste
.
since Pre-Columbian
times. The Aztec
s planted āhuēhuētl along processional paths in the gardens of Chapultepec
because of its association with government. Artificial island
s called chinampa
s were formed in the shallow lakes of the Valley of Mexico
by adding soil to rectangular areas enclosed by trees such as āhuēhuētl; they also lined the region's canal
s prior to Spanish conquest.
Ahuehuetes are frequently cultivated in Mexican park
s and garden
s. The wood is used to make house beams and furniture. The Aztecs used its resin to treat gout
, ulcer
s, skin diseases, wounds, and toothaches. A decoction
made from the bark was used as a diuretic
and an emmenagogue
. Pitch
derived from the wood was used as a cure for bronchitis
The leaves acted as a relaxant and could help reduce itching.
A linear grove is located in the main courtyard of the Getty Center
Art Museum, thriving since 1995.
Taxodium
Taxodium is a genus of one to three species of extremely flood-tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae...
native to much of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(south to the highlands of southern Mexico), and also the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
in southernmost Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as well as Huehuetenango Department in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. Ahuehuete is derived from the Nahuatl name for the tree, āhuēhuētl, which means "upright drum in water" or "old man of the water."
Description
It is a large evergreenEvergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
or semi-evergreen tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
growing to 40 m (131.2 ft) tall and with a trunk of 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) diameter (occasionally much more; see below). The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 1–2 cm (0.393700787401575–0.78740157480315 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.0393700787401575–0.078740157480315 in) broad. The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are ovoid, 1.5–2.5 cm (0.590551181102362–0.984251968503937 in) long and 1–2 cm (0.393700787401575–0.78740157480315 in) broad.
Unlike Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...
and Pond Cypress
Taxodium ascendens
Taxodium ascendens, also known as Pond Cypress, is a deciduous conifer of the genus Taxodium, native to North America. Many botanists treat it as a variety of Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum Taxodium ascendens, also known as Pond Cypress, is a deciduous conifer of the genus Taxodium, native to...
, Montezuma Cypress rarely produces cypress knee
Cypress knee
In the biology of trees, a cypress knee is a distinctive structure in a root of a cypress tree of any of various species of the subfamily Taxodioideae. Their function is unknown, but they are generally seen in swamps...
s from the root
Root
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
s. Trees from the Mexican highlands achieve a notable stoutness.
One specimen, the Árbol del Tule
Árbol del Tule
El Árbol del Tule is a tree located in the church grounds in the town center of Santa María del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, approximately 9 km east of the city of Oaxaca on the road to Mitla. It is a Montezuma Cypress , or Ahuehuete...
in Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca
Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca
Santa María del Tule is a town and a municipality in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.It is part of the Centro District in the Valles Centrales region.It is located SE of the city of Oaxaca on Highway 190, passing the city and ruins of Mitla...
, Mexico, is the second stoutest tree in the world with a diameter of 11.42 m (37.5 ft). Several other specimens from 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) diameter are known. The stoutest tree in the world is the Big Baobab, an African Baobab
Adansonia digitata
Adansonia digitata is the most widespread of the Adansonia species on the African continent, found in the hot, dry savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. It also grows, having spread secondary to cultivation, in populated areas...
.
Habitat
Montezuma Cypress is primarily a riparianRiparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
tree, growing along upland riversides, but can also be found next to springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. It occurs from 300 to 2500 m (984.3 to 8,202.1 ft), in Mexico mainly in highlands at 1600–2300 m (5,249.3–7,545.9 ft) in altitude. T. mucronatum is very drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
-tolerant and fast-growing and favors climates that are rainy throughout the year or at least with high summer rainfall.
Culture
Ahuehuete became the national treeNational emblem
A national emblem symbolically represents a nation. Most national emblems originate in the natural world, such as animals or birds, but another object may serve. National emblems may appear on many things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 1910. The tree is sacred to the native peoples of Mexico, and is featured in the Zapotec creation myth. To the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s, the combined shade of an āhuēhuētl and a pōchōtl (Ceiba pentandra
Kapok
Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae , native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa...
) metaphorically represented a ruler's authority. According to legend, Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
wept under an ahuehuete in Popotla after suffering defeat during the Battle of La Noche Triste
La Noche Triste
La Noche Triste on June 30, 1520, was an important event during the Spanish conquest of Mexico, wherein Hernán Cortés and his army of Spanish conquistadors and native allies fought their way out of the Mexican capital at Tenochtitlan following the death of the Aztec king Montezuma, whom the...
.
Uses
Montezuma Cypresses have been used as ornamental treesOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
since Pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
times. The Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s planted āhuēhuētl along processional paths in the gardens of Chapultepec
Chapultepec
Chapultepec Park, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" in Mexico City, is the largest city park in Latin America, measuring in total just over 686 hectares. Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is to be an ecological space in the vast...
because of its association with government. Artificial island
Artificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is an island or archipelago that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means...
s called chinampa
Chinampa
Chinampa is a method of ancient Mesoamerican agriculture which used small, rectangle-shaped areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.-Description:...
s were formed in the shallow lakes of the Valley of Mexico
Valley of Mexico
The Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly coterminous with the present-day Distrito Federal and the eastern half of the State of Mexico. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the Valley of Mexico was a centre for several pre-Columbian civilizations, including...
by adding soil to rectangular areas enclosed by trees such as āhuēhuētl; they also lined the region's canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s prior to Spanish conquest.
Ahuehuetes are frequently cultivated in Mexican park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s and garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s. The wood is used to make house beams and furniture. The Aztecs used its resin to treat gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
, ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
s, skin diseases, wounds, and toothaches. A decoction
Decoction
Decoction is a method of extraction, by boiling, of dissolved chemicals, or herbal or plant material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes. Decoction involves first mashing, and then boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances...
made from the bark was used as a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
and an emmenagogue
Emmenagogue
Emmenagogues are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation. Women have used plants such as mugwort, parsley and ginger to prevent or terminate early pregnancy...
. Pitch
Pitch (resin)
Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.Pitch was...
derived from the wood was used as a cure for bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
The leaves acted as a relaxant and could help reduce itching.
A linear grove is located in the main courtyard of the Getty Center
Getty Center
The Getty Center, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, is a campus for cultural institutions founded by oilman J. Paul Getty. The $1.3 billion center, which opened on December 16, 1997, is also well known for its architecture, gardens, and views overlooking Los Angeles...
Art Museum, thriving since 1995.