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arranged several polliniferous cavities ; while, in Araucaria, these cavities 

 occupy one side only of an ordinary flat scale. In the former case it is 

 probable that the stamens are really monadelphous ; an hypothesis which 

 appears to derive confirmation from Ephedra, in one species of which, E. 

 altissima, they are solitary, while in the common species they are manifestly 

 monadelphous. In Araucaria, and such genera as agree with it in structure, 

 the anthers may be considered to consist of an uncertain number of lobes, 

 and in this respect to recede from the usual structure of the male organs of 

 plants : in Coniferoe, the anthers of which are normal, we have 2 ; in Ephe- 

 dra, 4 ; in Juniperus, the like number ; in Cunninghamia, but 3 ; in Agathis, 

 14 ; and in Araucaria, from 12 to 20. Mr. Brown remarks, what is cer- 

 tainly very remarkable, that in Cunninghamia the lobes of the anther agree 

 in number, as well as insertion and direction, with the ovula ! King's Ap- 

 pendix, 32. It would almost appear, from Mr. Brown's remarks upon 

 Gnetum orThoa, that he considers that singular genus related to Coniferee. 

 But, independently of its very different habit, I confess it does not seem to 

 me certain that its ovula are naked, as Mr. Brown supposes: on the contrary, 

 as the nucleus has three coatings, I should rather understand the external at 

 least as analogous to a carpellum, if the two others are allowed to belong to 

 the ovulum, which I think admits of some degree of doubt. Coniferae occupy 

 a position, as it were, intermediate between Cellulares and Vasculares, ap- 

 proximating almost equally to each, connected with the former through 

 Lycopodiacese, and with the latter by the intervention of Myriceae and Cupu- 

 liferae, Salicinese, and Betulinese. With Lycopodiacese they agree in the 

 general aspect of the leaves and stems of several species, and in the nearly 

 total absence, or at least very imperfect formation, of spiral vessels ; with 

 all the latter in their amentaceous inflorescence, but especially with Myriceso, 

 which are both amentaceous and resinous. But their most immediate rela- 

 tion is undoubtedly with Cycadese, the following order, as is there explained. 

 The aspect of Callitris is so much that of Equisetum and Casuarina, that it 

 is difficult to doubt an affinity also existing between them. 



Geography. Natives of various parts of the world, from the perpetual 

 snows and inclement climate of arctic America, to the hottest regions of the 

 Indian Archipelago. The principal part of the order is found in temperate 

 climates; in Europe, Siberia, China, and the temperate parts of North Ame- 

 rica, the species are exceedingly abundant, and have an aspect very different 

 from that of the southern hemisphere. In the former we have various spe- 

 cies of Pines, the Larch, the Cedar, the Spruce, and the Juniper ; the place 

 of which is supplied in the latter by Araucarias, Podocarpuses, Dammars, 

 and Dacrydiums. 



Propekties. No order can be named of more universal importance to 

 mankind than this, whether we view it with reference to its timber or its 

 secretions. Gigantic in size, rapid in growth, noble in aspect, robust in 

 constitution, these trees form a considerable proportion of every wood or 

 plantation in cultivated countries, and of every forest where nature remains 

 in a savage state. Their timber, in commerce, is known under the names of 

 Deal, Fir, Pine, and Cedar, and is principally the wood of the Spruce, the 

 Larch, the Scotch Fir, the Weymouth Pine, and the Virginian Cedar ; but 

 others are of at least equal, if not greater, value : the Norfolk Island Pine 

 is an immense tree, known to botanists as Araucaria excelsa ; the Kawie 

 Tree of New Zealand, or Dammara australis, attains the height of 200 feet, 

 and yields a light compact wood, free from knots ; the Dacrydium taxi- 

 folium, or Kakaterro, equals this in stature. Ed. Ph. Journ. 13. 378. But 

 they are both surpassed by the stupendous Pines of north-west America, 

 one of which, P. Lambertiana, is reported to attain the height of 230 feet. 



