leaves, the deciduous leaf-sheaths and the glabrous young 
shoots. It is most closely allied to P. albicaulis, which has 
also entire leaf-margins and deciduous leaf-sheaths, but has 
reddish pubescent young shoots and indehiscent cones with 
much thickened, triangular, pointed scales. 
Asa tree for garden and park, P. flecilis is worth grow- 
ing for its distinct appearance. Its branches are upturned 
at the ends, rather candelabra-like; the leaves are 
often pointed forwards more than is shown in the plate; 
this, in conjunction with the sparse branching, produces a 
slender form. The species is widely spread and forms 
extensive forests in Western N. America, reaching its 
largest size on the mountains of Northern New Mexico and 
Arizona, It thrives very well in the indifferent soil and 
atmosphere of Kew, and whilst its.growth is not rapid— 
under a foot a year—the trees are very healthy. It has 
hitherto been propagated by imported seeds, 
_ Descriprion.— Tree, ordinarily 40-50 ft, sometimes 
80 ft. high, but sometimes also reduced to mere scrub a 
foot or two high on bleak mountain-tops ; young branchlets 
perfectly smooth and glabrous in the tree figured, but some- 
times in a wild state covered with minute pubescence. 
Leaves in bundles of fives, persisting for 5-7 years, the 
younger ones often somewhat appressed to the branch, 
triangular in section, sharply pointed, curved, margins 
entire, 2-33 in. long, s'5 in. wide, grey-green with 3—4 lines 
of stomata on each face. Cones ovoid, 3-4 in. long, 13 in. 
wide, solitary or in pairs or threes, sessile ; scales broadly 
obovate, $-1 in. long, 2-3 in. wide, grey within, the 
exposed margin pale brown, deflexed, tipped by a stout 
mucro. Seeds ovoid, flattened to a sharp edge on one or 
both sides, about + in. long, with only a rudimentary wing. 
Fig. 1, transverse section of a leaf; 2 and 3, stamens; 4, female cone in 
flower ; 5 and 6, bract and scale; 7, fruit scales; 8, sced :—all enlarged. 
