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Re: Cedars etc.
"Cedar is the common name given trees of various genera in several
families." (Trees of North America) These include; the genera Libocedrus,
Thuja, Chamaecyparis and Juniperus of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae);
Cedrus of the Pine family (Pinaceae); and Cryptomeria of the Redwood
family (Taxodiaceae). The term 'cedar' can therefore refer to many different
trees of several families. Perhaps the one constant is that all trees
called 'cedars' are aromatic. Cypress on the other hand refers to trees
found (in North America) only in the west. They are all of the genus
Cupressus of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). Finally, Baldcypress are in
the redwood family (Taxodiaceae) of the genus Taxodium. These are the
'cypresses' found in the swamps of the south-eastern United States. In
North America there are three species of Baldcypresses, Taxodium
distichum being the most widespread.
This info can be found in the book "Trees of North America" put out as a
field guide by Golden Press, New York.
Sorry to be off topic, but I think this is a good illustration as to why
common names are not particularly useful.
dave huebert.