2248

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

on the tree in the Horticultural Society’s Garden (see fig.2139.), nearly 1 in. long, and fin. broad; convex on the sides,imbricated, but not covered with resin. Leaves from 10 in. to1 ft. in length; glaucous in every stage of their growth, flexuose ;and, when full-grown, partly bent downwards, as those shown in* fig. 2142. Sheaths above 1 in. in length, membranaceous, ash-brown, shining, and nearly entire at the top,with numerous rings;scales of the cones, in the specimens sent home by Douglas, 2 in.long and 1J in. broad (see fig. 2140.). Seeds (a in fig. 2140., andb in fig. 2141) above 1 in. long,and nearly Jin. broad, much largerthan those of P. Coulter* shown at a in fig. 2141.; wing veryshort. Shoots of the current year covered with violet-colouredal3a bloom, like those of P. inops, but darker. Native of California.

Description. Douglas describes the leaves as in threes, very rarely infours, from 11 in. to 14 in. long, sharp, round, and smooth on the outside,angular on the inside, serrated, more widely and conspicuously so towardsthe point, erect, but flaccid and drooping during winter ; sheath 1J in. long,light brown, chaffy, sometimes torn at the top. Stipules lanceolate andrigid. Male and female catkins erect. Flowers appearing in February andMarch. Conesof a bright greenwhen young; atthe end of thefirst season,measuring from6 in. to 8 in.round, and beingthen of a morerounded formthan they arewhen perfect, inthe Novemberof the followingyear (see fig.

2138.: when ma-ture, ovate, re-curved, pressing jon the shootsfor support, inclusters of from3 to 9, surround-ing the stem;remaining on thetreeforaseriesofyears; and from

9in. to 11 in. long, and from 16in. to 18 in. round; some, however, are larger.Scales spathulate, 2| in. long, having a very strong, sharp, incurved point(see b in fig. 2140.) with abundance of pellucid resin. Seeds (see a in fig.2140.) somewhat oblong, tapering to the base; flattish on the inside, lin.long, and nearly J in. broad; shell thick, hard, brown; wing yellow, short,stiff, and half the length of the seed, which it nearly encompasses; kernelpleasant to the taste. Cotyledons from 7 to 12. The tree does not attainquite so large a size as the other gigantic species of the genus, which inhabitthe northern and western parts of North America. The trees are of a taperingform, straight, and of regular growth ; from 40 ft. to 120 ft. in height, withtrunks from 2 ft. to 12 ft. in circumference (or, as Douglas states in his letterto Sir W. J. Hooker, from 110 ft. to 140 ft. in height, with trunks from 3 ft.to 12 ft. in diameter), clothed with branches to the ground when standing farapart or solitary. The largest and most handsome trees inhabit the aqueous

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