Coniferce of the Rochy Mountains. 117 



CONIFERS OF THE EOCKY MOUNTAINS. 



BY J. G. KNAPP, ESQ., MADISON. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen : — I have the pleasure of pre- 

 senting you some seeds — nuts you may call them — which as 

 you perceive are somewhat irregular in form, one-half inch in 

 length, and one-third in thickness. Generally they are of a 

 pale brown color. The testa, outer shell, of a very peculiar 

 texture, is neither woody nor leathery, but a mixture of both, 

 and about .02 of an inch in thickness. It is easily broken in 

 fragmentary pieces, though in germination it parts in two equal 

 valves. When this testa is removed, the inner integument of 

 a slight drab color, and gauze-like texture is exposed. Beneath 

 this is formed the kernel. The body is of a pearly whiteness, 

 cylindrical, two and a half times as long as thick, with a light 

 brown apex. On cutting this through the centre longitudin- 

 ally, the cylindrical embryo or embryos, are seen occupying 

 nearly the entire length of the albumen, and one-third the face 

 of the hemi-cylinder. The cotyledons vary from three to 

 twelve, and are arranged around and cover the apex of a cen- 

 tral shaft, the radicle occupying the opposite extremity. This 

 nut is therefore the fi*uit of some acrogens, or is nearly allied 

 to such plants. The whole of this kernel is gorged with a 

 remarkably sweet oil, and is perhaps the most delicately 

 flavored of any nut in North America, if not in the world. 

 When the inner integument is eaten with the kernel, it imparts 

 to it a balsamic flavor. 



These are the nuts of a pine tree, although there is no trace 

 of the fragile wing with which the nutlets of the coniferse are 

 I. 



