224 CUPRESSIXE.E. [part i. 



flower is contained in four cells, attached to the 

 lower part of the inside of the scales. The 

 wood is remarkably hard and fragrant, and it is 

 of a fine close grain ; it is also very durable. 

 It is supposed to have been the gopher-wood of 

 Holy Writ, and the citron-wood of the ancient 

 Roman.*, the beauty of which in tables was so 

 celebrated. 



The White Cedar (Cupressus thyoides) is a spe- 

 cies of Cypress, having imbricated leaves, and 

 the same kind of cone ; and the Cedar of Goa 

 (C. lusitanica) is another species of Cupressus, 

 which appears from the shape of its cones to be 

 nearly allied to the Arbor vit». There are some 

 other species, but they are not common in 

 British gardens. 



THE GENUS TAXODIL'M. THE DECIDUOUS CYPRESS. 



The Deciduous Cypress {Taxodium distichum) 

 has numerous leaves arranged in two even rows, 

 one on each side the branch, which fall off in 

 autumn, assuming a reddish tinge before they 

 drop. This genus was separated from Cupressus, 

 because the male catkins, instead of being pro- 

 duced singly at the tips of the branches, are in 

 clusters or panicles, and the anther-like scales, 

 have the pollen in five cells. The cone, which 

 is very small, has only two seeds to each scale, 

 instead of four ; and the young plant has five 



