8 



This Indian fir has hccn very much confused, and is supposed 

 by some to be the same as A. Morinda (also Khutrow) of 

 Royle, but they are very distinct in the cones ; cones of the 

 true A. Smithiana having been sent to the Society by Dr. 

 Wallich, and of A. Morinda {Khutrow), by Dr. Royle. 

 The cones of A. Smithiana are not half the size of those of 

 A. Morinda, but more conical, with the scales rather cuneated, 

 and much divided at the margins ; while those of A. Morinda 

 (Khutrow') are bluntly oblong, with the scales rounded, nearly 

 entire (mostly bilobed), much thicker and larger in propor- 

 tion. I have not been able to detect any difference in the 

 leaves of the young plants, but the young seedlings of A. 

 Smithiana are much slenderer and smaller than those of 

 A. Morinda of the same age. The tree in the Horticultural 

 Society's Garden, of which a portrait is given in the Arb. 

 Brit. vol. viii. t. 340. is A. Smithiana, Wall." 



As this paragraph contains some rather important errors, 

 it is necessary that they should be rectified. 



In the first place the plant called Abies Smithiana, is 

 figured by Dr. Wallich in his PlantcB Asiaticce rariores, t. 246, 

 and the name can belong to no other. Now that plant has 

 the broad leaves of a Picea or Silver Fir, and the erect cones 

 of the same section. Most assuredly the tree in the Horti- 

 cultural Society's garden agrees with it in neither the one nor 

 the other of those circumstances. If it is alleged that the cones 

 of A. Smithiana, are represented as erect by some mistake 

 on the part of Dr, Wallich, the peculiarity of its leaves still 

 remains as a sufficient mark of distinction from the plant in 

 the Horticultural Garden. But such an assertion is destitute 

 of all proof : and Dr. Royle by no means supports it ; he who 

 had such ample means of studying Indian firs in their native 

 mountains, merely says that the opinions of Mr. Lambert and 

 Professor Don, lead him to suppose there may be some ambi- 

 guity on the subject. Certainly then the Abies Morinda of 

 the Horticultural Garden is not A. Smithiana, whatever that 

 may prove to be. 



Mr. Gordon says that the cones of A. Smithiana are not 

 half the size of those of A. Khutrow. Now the cones of the 

 latter are figured by Dr. Royle, and measure as nearly as 

 may be 6 inches in length; the cones of the former, as figured 

 by Dr. Wallich are 5 inches 6-10ths and a half long ; a dif- 

 ference which in such matters amounts to nothing. It is 



