THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



for the characteristics of the old plant are thus insured. C 

 nootkatensis, C. ohtiisa, and C. thyoides do not propagate readily 

 in this way, and for them it may be necessary to resort to 

 grafting. 



A consultation of the following descriptions will readily sug- 

 gest the use for which each is best adapted. 



The genus, which includes 5 species, all in cultivation, inhabit- 

 ing North America and Japan, may be briefly characterized as 

 follows : 



Chamaecyparis Spach. Hist. Nat. Veg. 11: 329. 1842 



Retinispora S. & Z. Fl. Jap. 2 : 36. 1842. 



Evergreen trees, with opposite scale-like appressed or some- 

 what spreading leaves (or linear and widely spreading in seed- 

 lings and in some of the horticultural forms), arranged in 4 rows 

 and usually densely crowded. Flowers of 2 kinds, staminate and 

 pistillate, borne on the same plant, the staminate yellow or red, 

 of numerous stamens, and often very conspicuous by their abun- 

 dance, the pistillate inconspicuous, globose. Cones ripening the 

 first year, globular, the abruptly enlarged and rounded scales flat 

 or somewhat depressed at the apex and sometimes with a short 

 central projection. Seeds with two broad wings, 1-5 under each 

 scale. 



Key to the Species 



Cones less than 4" in diameter. 



Cones bluish purple, with a bloom when young; fruiting branchlets i" 



wide or less. i. C. thyoides. 



Cones brown, without a bloom; fruiting branchlets over i" wide. 



2. C. pisifera. 

 Cones 4" in diameter or more. 



Cones with 4-6 scales; leaves without glands. 3. C. nootkatensis. 



Cones with 8-10 scales ; leaves with a gland on the back. 



Scales without a terminal projection; fruiting branchlets much 



compressed, over i" wide. 4. C. obtusa. 



Scales with a stout projection at the apex; fruiting branchlets 

 usually less than i" wide. 5. C Lawsoniana. 



Many of the forms rarely if ever produce cones, so that in their 

 absence it is difficult for those unfamiliar with these plants to 

 identify the species. For such the following key, based upon leaf 

 characters, is provided. 



228 



