Chamaecyparis is a genus of conifers in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to eastern Asia and western and eastern North America. In the nursery trade it is often incorrectly known as "false cypress" for lack of other common name, so as to distinguish it from other similar genera bearing cypress in their common names. See cypress (disambiguation). Synonyms include Retinispora Siebold & Zucc. and Retinospora Carr. The name is derived from the Greek khamai, meaning ground, and kuparissos for cypress. There are five or six living species, depending on taxonomic opinion: