480 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE NATURAL ORDERS. 



linear, entire. Flowers monoecious or dicecious, commonly amenta- 

 ceous. Staminate flowers consisting of one or more (often mona- 

 delphous) stamens, destitute of calyx or corolla, arranged on a com- 

 mon rhachis so as to form a kind of loose ament. — The particular 

 structure of the flowers and fruit varies in the subordinate groups, 

 chiefly as follows : — 



923. Subord. AbietlneSE {Fir, or Pine Family proper). Fertile 

 aments formed of imbricated scales ; which are the flat and open 

 carpels, and bear a pair of ovules adherent to their base, with the 

 foramen turned downwards (Fig. 511). Scales subtended by bracts. 

 Fruit a strobile or cone (Fig. 596). Integument of the seed cori- 

 aceous or woody, more or less firmly adherent to the scale. Em- 

 bryo in the axis of fleshy albumen, Avith two to fifteen cotyledons. 

 Buds scaly. 



924. Subord. CliprcssineBB {Cypress Family). Fertile aments of 

 few scales crowded on a short axis, or more numerous and peltate, 

 not bracteate. Ovules one, two, or several, borne on the base of the 

 scale, erect (the foramen looking towards its apex. Fig. 516, 1180). 

 Fruit an indurated strobile, or sometimes fleshy and witli the scales 

 concreted, forming a kind of drupe. Integument of the seed mem- 

 bi'anous or bony. Cotyledons two or more. Anthers of several 

 parallel cells, placed under a shield-like connective. Buds naked. 

 — Ex. Cupressus '(Cypress), Taxodium (American Cypress), Juni- 

 perus (Juniper, Red Cedar). 



925. Subord. Taxineae {Tetu Faynily). Fertile flowers solitary, 

 terminal, consisting merely of an ovule, forming a drupaceous or nut- 

 like seed at maturity. There are, therefore, no strobiles and no 

 carpellary scales. Embryo with two cotyledons. Buds scaly. — 

 Ex. Taxus (the Yew), Torreya. 



926. It is unnecessary to specify the important uses of this large 

 and characteristic family, which comj^rises the most important tim- 

 ber-trees of cold countries, and also furnishes resinous products of 

 great importance, such as turpentine, resin, pitch, tar, Canada hal- 

 sam, &c. The terebinthine Juniper-berries are the fruit of Juni- 

 perus conimunis. The Larch yields Venetian turpentine. Tlie 

 powerful and rubefacient Oil of Savin is derived from J. Sabina of 

 Europe : for which our nearly allied J. Virginiana (Red Cedar) 

 may be substituted. The leaves of the Yew are narcotic and dele- 

 terious. The bark of Larch, and especially of the Hemlock-Spruce, 

 is used for tanning. 



