14 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY. 



branches near the top; leaves in 3's, 10-15 in. long; sheaths 1-li in. 

 long, crowded near the ends of very scaly twigs ; staniinate aments 

 2-3 in. long, bright purple, conspicuous; cones terminal, oblong- 

 conical, 6-10 in. long, diameter 2-3 in. before opening, 4-6 in. when 

 fully opened ; scales much thickened at the apex and armed with a 

 short recurved spine at the end. February-March. The most com- 

 mon tree in the pine barrens ; wood hard, strong, and durable, espe- 

 cially valuable for floors and inside work. 



2. P. ViKGiNiANA Mill. Scrub Pine. A small tree, usually 

 20-30 ft. high, but sometimes much taller ; bark of the trunk rough, 

 nearly black; twigs smooth and glaucous ; leaves in 2's, 1-2 in. long, 

 rigid, sheaths very short ; staniinate aments dull yellowish purple, 

 1 in. long ; cones solitary, short peduncled, often reflexed, oblong- 

 conic, about 2 in. long ; scales thickened at the apex and armed 

 with a slender straight or recurved prickle. April-May. On dry, 

 sandy soil ; wood light, soft, weak, and of little value. 



3. P. Tj£da L. Loblolly Pine, Oldfield Pine. A large 

 tree ; bark very thick and deeply furrowed, becoming flaky with 

 age ; twigs scaly ; leaves in 3's, 6-10 in. long, slender, very flexible ; 

 sheaths |-1 in. long; cones solitary, oblong-conical, 3-5 in. long; 

 scales thickened at the apex, the transverse ridge very prominent 

 and armed with a short, stout, straight, or recurved spine. March- 

 April. Common and often springing up in old fields ; trunk con- 

 taining a large proportion of sap wood ; timber of little value for 

 outside work. 



II. TAXODIUM. 



Trees ; leaves spreading so as to appear 2-ranked, decidu- 

 ous ; flowers monoecious, appearing before the leaves ; stanii- 

 nate ones numerous, globose ; forming long, terminal, drooping, 

 panicled spikes ; anthers 2-5-celled ; pistillate flowers single 

 or in pairs, bractless, the peltate scales 2-ovuled ; cone globose; 

 the very thick woody scales angular, separating at maturity ; 

 seeds 3-angled, pyramidal. 



T. DiSTiciiuM (L.) Rich. Bald Cypress. A very large tree ; 

 bark dark brown, rough, fibrous ; many of the twigs deciduous with 

 the leaves ; leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, distichous, flat, 

 linear, i-| in. long; cones terminal, globose, about 1 in. in diameter; 

 ends of the scales much thickened, rugose and with a distinct tri- 

 angular marking. February-March. Common in swamps and on 

 the borders of streams ; wood reddish, soft, light ; specially valuable 

 for shingles and fence posts, and for boat building. 



