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ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

seen the cones, and as the plant is now being extensively dis-tributed, through the activity of Mr. Lawson, we have consideredit best, in the meantime, to give it in the form of a species,i P. L. 6 pyrenaica; P. hispanica Cook ; ? P. pyrenaica Lap .—From thebuds of the young plants of this pine, in the Horticultural Society’sGarden, and more especially from the cones, some of which wereceived from Captain Cook, we are induced to refer it also to P.Laricio ; but, as it seems a very distinct and beautiful variety, andas it has been lately extensively distributed by Captain Cook , whointroduced it, we shall also give it in the form of a species,i P.L.7 taurica .—There is a tree bearing this name in Loddiges’s arbore-tum, which is not introduced into their catalogue for 1836, andwhich appears, from its buds, to be identical with P. taurica ( Lodi.Cat. , ed. 1836.) of the same collection; and of which name P.Pallasiarca is a synonyme: but, as this variety of Laricio is verydistinct, particularly in the greater length of the cones and leaves,we have given it as a species.

Other Varieties. P. altissima and probably some other names are ap-plied to P. Laricio , or some of its varieties, but not in such a manneras to enable us to state anything satisfactory respecting them. Theonly truly distinct forms of this species, in our opinion, are, P. L. corsicana,P. L. caramanica (of which there is a handsome tree in the HorticulturalSociety’s Garden, under the name of P. romana), P. L. Pallasid»« (ofwhich there are trees at White Knights and Boyton), and perhaps P. L. pyrenaica.

Description. A tree, attaining the height of from 80 ft. to 100 ft., with aregular pyramidal head, and the branchesdisposed in whorls, of five or six in a whorl;which are distinguished from the branchesof P. Pinaster, by being often twisted andturned in a lateral direction at their extre-mities, especially in full grown trees. In theIsland of Corsica, it is said that there aretrees of this species from 140 ft. to ISO ft. inheight. The trunk and branches of full-grown trees have a reddish grey-colouredbark, not unlike that of P. sylvestris ; andthe bark of the trunk cracks, and partiallyseparates in the form of large plates, as inthat tree. The leaves vary much in length,according to the age of the tree, and the soilon which it grows. The shortest are ge-nerally 4 in. or 5 in., and the longest 7 in. or8 in. long. They are slender, not sensiblyrough, and much darker-coloured than those of either P. sylvestris or P.Pinaster. In young plants, and on the extremities of the shoots of the lowerhorizontal branches of old trees, they are frequently much waved and twisted;but near the top of the tree they are straight; and on the leading shoot ofyoung trees, three leaves are occasionally found in a sheath. The sheaths ofthe leaves vary from f in. to 1 in. in length, and have generally 4 or 5 rings.At first,the sheath is white and membranaceous; but it becomes torn and short-ened as the leaves advance in age, and ultimately becomes black. The malecatkins, which are produced at the extremities of the shoots, are from 6 to 13in number, and they are surrounded by numerous scales. They are from 1 in.to If in. in length, and from -Jg-in. to fin. in breadth; yellowish before thebursting of the anthers, which are terminated by a round crest, and whichcontain abundance of pollen, of a beautiful sulphur colour. After the malecatkins drop ofF, the part of the young shoot which they occupied is left naked;and hence the branches of old trees, particularly at their extremities, havethose tufts of leaves, alternately with naked places, which are so conspicuous

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