Tas. 8050. 
SCIADOPITYS verricttuata. 
Japan. 
Conirera&. Tribe Taxopiex. 
Scrapvoritys, Sieb. & Zuce.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 437. 
Sciadopitys verticillata, Sieb. § Zucc. Fl. Jap. vol. ii. p. 1, tab 1, 2; species 
unica. 
Arbor excelsa, sempervirens, pyramidalis, ramis patentibus. Folia squamosi- 
formia, deltoidea. Cladodia prope apices ramulorum verticillata, hori- 
zontaliter expansa, foliiformia, linearia, rigida, apice obtusa, brevissime 
bifida, supra saturate viridia, nitida, leviter sulcata, infra sulco profundo 
niveo predita. Flores masculini ovoidei, in racemum congestum ter- 
minulem subsessilem bracteis paucis membranaceis brevibus suffultum 
aggregati. Stamina late oblonga, apice acuto reflexo. Loculi 2, penduli, 
oblongi, rima longitudinali dehiscentes. Pol/en globosum, minute tuber- 
culatum. Strobi/us femineus ad 3 poll. longus, 14 poll. latus, terminalis, 
deinde innovatione accrescente lateralis, cladodiis prolatis seepe coronatus, 
crassus, ovoideo-oblongus, breviter pedunculatus, pedunculo bracteis 
paucis membranaceis predito. Sguama ovulifera majuscula, bractew 
breviori membranacew apice acato reflexo adnata, orbiculari-rhomboidea, 
carnosa, infra viridix, margine brunneo. Ovula 6-9, compressa.— Taxus 
verticillata, Thunb. F]. Jap. 276. Pinus verticillata, Sieb. in Verhand. 
v. h. Batav. Genootsch. vol. xii. p. 12. : 
Sciadopitys, like Gingko, stands alone amongst Coniere, 
‘with no obvious affinities or immediate allies. Both, it 
must therefore be conjectured, come down to us from a 
remote geological past, which has obliterated all trace of 
their immedate ancestors or contemporary congeners. It 
is a native of Japan, where it was long only known to 
botanists from a few individuais cultivated in temple- 
gardens. Professor Sargent, however, found it forming 
forests on mountains in the Province of Mino, where it 
attains the height of 100 feet, and its timber is an article 
of commerce. 
It was first made known to European botanists by 
Thunberg, who saw it in cultivation during his visit to 
Japan (1775-6). As he supposed it to be a species of 
yew with which it has not the slightest affinity, it 1s clear 
that he could not have seen the cone. Siebold first 
accurately described it in 1842, and gave it a scientific 
name which is a literal translation of ‘‘ Umbrella Pine,” 
DecEMBER Ist, 1900. 
