- "JT 



^ ^ 



R. IL COMPTON: GYMNOSPERMS. 427 



Dackydium araucarioides Brongn, & Gris. Plaine Jes Lacs ; abundant 

 on moderate slopes 800-1500 ft. ; serpentine ; Presqu'ile Bogota ; Comboui 

 mountains, etc. 320. This remarkable endemic Dacrydinm is characteristic 

 of serpentine rocks all over the island, occurring in dry arid localities and 

 not entering the forest^- A singular feature, apparently not previously 

 recorded, is the fact that the whole apex of the female slioot beconu^s purple 

 ami fleshy on maturity, as in Fodocarjms spp. and Microcaclivys : this does 

 not occur, as far as is known, in any other Dacrijdlum, though in D. 

 cupresslmini the epimatium becomes somewhat fleshy. D. araucarioides 

 conies u[) fairly readily from seed in its native localities, where there is 

 always a fair amount of bare soil. The young plants have a distinct juvenile 

 form, with linear pinoid crccto-patent leaves reaching 1 cm. in length. 



■ 



Growth is slow in the arid conilitions, and the mature tree rarely exceeds 

 20 ft. in height, having a sparse candelabrum form. 



D, LYCOPODIOIDES Erongn. & Gris. Mt. Mon ; coniferous forest ; ser- 

 pentine ; 3500 ft. ()22. A tree of 30-40 ft,j with a slender and graceful 

 habit. The juvenile form (Xo. 622 a) is very distinct, having filiform 

 orecto-patent leaves about 1 cm. long. 



r 



D. TAXOIDES Brongn, fe Gris. Ignambi; high forest; gneiss; 3000 ft, 

 1571, My gatherings were from trees of 50 ft. Brongniart and Gris quote 

 Panclier to tlie effect that 7), taivoides is a shrub of about 3 m. in height. I 

 do not doubt, however, that my specimens belong to this specio^s ^vliose 

 mature stature is thus seen to vary \\idely. 



D. Balans^ Brongn. & Gris. liiver Comboui ; lowland forest of river- 

 side; serpentine; 50 ft. 2015. I saw this tree on one occasion only, and 

 was then unable to find reproductive branches. 



AusTROTAXUS Oompton, gen. nov. (PL 26.) 



Arbor follosa non resinosa. Tracheides margmato-punctati non s})iraliter 

 crassati. JRamidi fertiles axilhires. Ovidrnn singularc tcrminalo orthotropum 

 integumento unico. Semen in arillo carnoso undiquc inclusum, StroUlus 

 ma&culus spicatus bractcatus : stamina peltata in bractearum axillis : micro- 

 spora baud alata. Genus adhuc monotypicum. 



A. SPICATA Compton, sp. nov. Arhor dense foliosa 15-25 m. alta. 

 Tru}iciis cortice grisco rugoso tectus copiose ramosus. J^\fUa in ranmlis 

 spiraliter sessilia angusle lineari-lanceolata circa 10-15 cm. long. 6-S nnn, 

 lat. saturate viridia glabra integra acuta marginibus leviter revolutis ; costa 

 mcilia inferne prominens superue sulculo notata. IxamuVi ovuliferi in 



