Vietnamese Golden Cypress

The Vietnamese Golden Cypress, Xanthocyparis vietnamensis, is a conifer of the cypress family and the sole species of the genus Xanthocyparis, growing on karst limestone mountains in northern Vietnam and adjoining parts of southeastern China. First recorded in Ha Giang province, it has since been found in Vietnam's Cao Bang and Tuyen Quang provinces and in China's Guangxi region. The species was formally described in 2002 by Aljos Farjon and colleagues, who established the new genus Xanthocyparis to hold it. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its limited natural range and the pressures on the limestone habitat where it grows.