Cedrus

Cedrus

Cedrus (pronunciation: /ˈsiːdrəs/), commonly known as Cedar, is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae. They are native to the mountains of the western Himalayas and the Mediterranean region, occurring at altitudes of 1,500–3,200 m in the Himalayas and 1,000–2,200 m in the Mediterranean.

Etymology

The word Cedrus is the Latin name for true cedars. The name was borrowed from Greek κέδρος (kédros). Roots are traced to the Old Akkadian kadiru, related to the Sumerian gazur meaning 'tree'.

Description

Cedrus trees can reach 30–40 m (occasionally 60 m) in height. They are evergreen conifers with a large body of dense branches. The leaves are needle-like, 8–60 mm long, and arranged in an open spiral phyllotaxis on long shoots, and in dense spiral clusters of 15–45 together on short shoots.

Species

There are four species of Cedrus, classified based on their different characteristics:

• Cedrus atlantica (Atlas cedar)
• Cedrus brevifolia (Cyprus cedar)
• Cedrus deodara (Deodar cedar)
• Cedrus libani (Lebanon cedar)

Uses

Cedrus wood is used for the construction of houses, furniture, and for the production of certain types of paper. Cedar oil is used in medicine and perfumery.

Related Terms

• Coniferous trees
• Pinaceae
• Evergreen
• Phyllotaxis
• Cedrus atlantica
• Cedrus brevifolia
• Cedrus deodara
• Cedrus libani

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Cedrus
• Wikipedia's article - Cedrus

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