276 KNGLISII BOTANY'. 



where it occurs in Wales. Common in the north, extending to Orkney 

 and Shetland. Frequent on the Irish mountains. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Shrub. Summer, early Autumn. 



Perhaps not hereditarily distinct from J. eu-communis, with which 

 it is more or less completely connected by intermediate forms. It 

 has, however, a very different aspect from its procumbent habit and 

 incurved boatshaped leaves, which are commonly about -^ inch long, 

 and rarely exceed I inch. The berries are ratlier longer, but about 

 tlie same size as those of J. eu-communis, but from the leaves being 

 much shorter they generally equal, and sometimes even slightly exceed, 

 the leaves. 



Alpine Juniper. 



German, Zwerg WacJiholder. 



Sub-Order IIL— TAXINE/E. 



JMale flowers in catkins. Female flowers solitary, terminal, not in 

 the axil of a scale, commonly with the apex or opening of the ovule 

 superior. Fruit consisting of a naked seed, surrounded by a fleshy 

 cuphke disk. 



GENUS /.— T A X U S. Toumef. 



Flowers dioecious. Male flowers in small globular solitary or twin 

 axillary catkins, reduced to naked stamens: anther-cells 3 to 8, 

 attached to the edges of peltate lobed scales (connective?). Female 

 flowers solitary, Avith scaly bracts at the base, reduced to an erect 

 sessile ovule, surrounded by a disk, not produced into a tube at apex. 

 Fruit a bony nutlike seed, the apex of which appears above the 

 much enlarged fleshy or juicy red disk, which resembles a drupe with 

 the apex of the fleshy portion deficient. Seed ovoid, not winged 

 with a bony testa ; albumen fleshy-farinaceous ; cotyledons 2 ; radicle 

 superior. 



Evergreen trees with scaly buds and scattered more or less biftxrious 

 rigid strapshapcd leaves. Wood cells with spiral markings as well as 

 the disks proper to the Conifera?. 



The name of this genus of plants is derived, from T6S,or (fn.i'on), a bow, being for- 

 merly much used in making these instruments ; or from taxis, arrangement, from the 

 leaves being arranged on the branches like the teeth of a comb ; or from toxicum, 

 poison; though Pliny says that poison (toxicum) was so named from this tree, which 

 was considered iioisonous. 



