CONIFERS 



71 



on the same or on different branches of the same tree or on separate trees, deciduous. 

 Flowers unisexual, from buds formed the previous year; staminate in the axils of 

 scale-like bracts in long terminal drooping panicles, with 6-8 stamens, opposite in 2 

 ranks, their filaments abruptly enlarged into broadly ovate peltate yellow connectives 

 bearing on their inner face in 2 rows 4-9 2-valved pendulous anther-cells ; pistillate 

 scattered near the ends of the branches of the previous year, subglobose, composed 

 of numerous ovate spirally arranged long-pointed scales adnate below to the thick- 

 ened fleshy ovuliferous scales bearing at their base 2 erect bottle-shaped ovules. 

 Fruit a globose or obovoid short-stalked woody cone maturing the first year and per- 

 sistent after the escape of the seeds, formed from the enlargement and union of the 

 flower and ovule-bearing scales abruptly dilated from slender stipes into irregularly 

 4-sided disks often mucronate at maturity, bearing on the inner face, especially on 

 the stipes, large dark glands filled with blood-red fragrant liquid resin. Seeds in 

 pairs under each scale, attached laterally to the stipes, erect, unequally 3-angled ; 

 seed-coat light brown and lustrous, thick, coriaceous or corky, produced into 3 thick 

 unequal lateral wings and below into a slender elongated point; cotyledons 4-9, 

 shorter than the superior radicle. 



Taxodium, widely distributed through North America and Europe in Miocene and 

 Pliocene times, is now confined to the coast region of the south Atlantic and Gulf 

 states and to Mexico. Two species are distinguished. 



The generic name, from rd^og and eldof, indicates a resemblance of the leaves with 

 those of the Yew-tree. 



1. Taxodium distichum, Rich. Bald Cypress. Deciduous Cypress. 



Leaves on distiehously spreading branchlets linear-lanceolate, apiculate, ^'-f long, 

 about yY wide, light bright yellow-green or occasionally silvery white below, or on 



the form with pendulous compressed branchlets long-pointed, keeled and stomatifer- 

 ous below, concave above, more or less spreading at the free apex, about ^' long; in 

 the autumn turning with the branchlets dull orange-brown before falling. Flowers: 

 panicles of staminate flowers 4'-5' long, l-|'-2' wide, with slender red-brown stems, 

 obovate flower-buds nearly l' long, pale silvery-gray during winter and purple when 

 the flowers expand in the spring. Fruit usually produced in pairs at the extremity 



