SEQUOIA 225 



Radial. Ray cells straight or rarely contracted at the ends, somewhat 

 resinous, equal to about 4 spring tracheids ; the upper and lower 

 walls thin, rather uniform, rarely pitted ; the terminal walls very thin, 

 straight or curved, and not pitted ; the lateral walls with large, oval, 

 narrowly bordered pits 2-6 per tracheid, the round or broadly oblong 

 orifice either parallel with or diagonal to the cell axis. Bordered pits 

 conspicuously in 1-2 rows, elliptical. Pits on the tangential walls of 

 the summer wood numerous, small, the orifice broadly trumpet-shaped 

 or bell-shaped ; the pits on the tangential walls of the spring wood 

 large, sometimes rather abundant. Resin cells rather numerous, 

 30-40 p. wide, 175-480 (j. long. 



Tangential. Rays medium to high, often more or less 2-seriate ; the cells 

 very large and broadly oval, those in the center commonly conspicu- 

 ously squarish. 



Wood very durable in contact with the soil and of great economic value. 

 Trees 61-92 m. in height and 2.40-7 m. in diameter. 



Relative specific gravity 0.4208 



Approximate relative fuel value 42.02 



Coefficient of elasticity in kilograms on millimeters . . 676. 



Ultimate transverse strength in kilograms 255. 



Ultimate resistance to longitudinal crushing in kilograms 6656. 



Resistance to indentation to 1.27 mm. in kilograms . . 1242. 

 (Sargent) 



From the northern borders of California southward through the coast 

 ranges to near the southern boundary of Monterey County (Sargent). 



2. S. gigantea, Decaisne 

 Big Tree 



Transverse. Summer wood very thin, of 2-6 tracheids, the transition to 

 the spring wood usually abrupt. Spring tracheids large, open, thin- 

 walled, uniform, squarish, in regular rows. Resin cells not very numer- 

 ous, but large and prominent, scattering. Medullary rays not very 

 prominent, rather numerous, i cell wide; distant 2-14, rarely 25, rows 

 of tracheids. 



Radial. Ray cells usually somewhat contracted at the ends, equal to 6-8 

 spring tracheids, chiefly resinous throughout ; the upper and lower 

 walls thin and entire or distantly pitted, unequal ; the terminal walls 

 thin, straight or curved, not pitted or locally thickened ; the lateral 

 walls with oval and commonly narrowly bordered pits, the broadly 

 oblong orifice equal to the outer limits of the pit and chiefly parallel 

 to the cell axis, 1-2, or more rarely 3-4, per tracheid. Bordered pits 

 in one or two rows, elliptical, the orifice large, elliptical. Pits on the 

 tangential walls of the summer wood prominent and frequent ; on 

 the tangential walls of the spring wood prominent but rare. Resin 

 cells few, about 20 yu. wide and 140-325 ^ long, chiefly about 250 p.. 



Tangential. Rays chiefly low to medium, the large cells broadly oval or 

 round, thin-walled. 



