Chamaecyparis thyoides (Linnaeus) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenburg var. henryae (H.L. Li) Little. Panhandle White Cedar. Hab: Blackwater stream swamps, depression ponds and borrow pits with pond cypress, wet pine flatwood ecotones, ditches, borders of tidal wetlands. Dist: Var. henryae is sometimes interpreted as endemic of the w. Panhandle of FL and s. AL east of Mobile Bay, notably in the drainages of the Yellow River, Blackwater River, Escambia River, and Perdido River, with populations further west (in s. MS) as being part of Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides, or arguably in a third, unnamed, clade.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The recognition of this taxon at either varietal or specific rank has been controversial. Mylecraine et al. (2004) found significant genetic variation, with Group 2 (FL peninsula) first diverging, Gulf Coast populations (Group 3) in three clusters in a major clade, and all populations north of GA in Group 1.

Synonymy: = Farjon (1998), Farjon (2005), Mylecraine et al (2005), Schulz, Knopf, & Stützel (2005); = Chamaecyparis henryae H.L.Li; < Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. – FNA2, K1, K3, K4, S, WH3

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 5