2248 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART III. 



2140 



on the tree in the Horticultural Society's Garden (see ^g. 

 2139.), nearly 1 in. long, and fin. broad; convex on the sides, 

 imbricated, but not covered with resin. Leaves from 10 in. to 

 1 ft. in length ; glaucous in every stage of their growth, flexuose ; 

 and, when full-grown, partly bent downwards, as those shown in 

 fig. 2142. Sheaths above 1 in. in length, membranaceous, ash- 

 brown, shining, and nearly entire at the top,with numerous rings; 

 scales of the cones, in the specimens sent home by Douglas, 2 in. 

 long and If in. broad (see fig. 2140.). Seeds (a in fig. 2 140., and 

 b infig. 214^1) above ] in. long,and nearly iin. broad, much larger 

 than those of P. Coulteri shown at a in fig. 2141. ; wing very 

 short. Shoots of the current year covered with violet-coloured 

 '^^^^ bloom, like those of P. inops, but darker. Native of California. 

 Description. Douglas describes the leaves as in threes, very rarely in 

 fours, from 11 in. to 14 in. long, sharp, round, and smooth on the outside, 

 antoilar on the inside, serrated, more widely and conspicuously so towards 

 the point, erect, but flaccid and drooping during winter; sheath I^ in. long, 

 li^ht brown, chaffy, sometimes torn at the top. Stipules lanceolate and 

 rigid. Male and female catkins erect. Flowers appearing in February and 

 March. Cones 

 ofa bright green 

 when young ; at 

 the end of the 

 first season, 

 measuring from 

 6 in. to 8 in. 

 round, and being 

 then of a more 

 rounded form 

 than they are 

 when perfect, in 

 the November 

 of the following 

 year (see fig. 

 2138.: when ma- 

 ture, ovate, re- 

 curved, pressing 

 on the shoots 

 for support, in 

 clusters of from 

 3 to 9, surround- 

 ing the stem ; 

 remaining on the 

 treeforaseriesof 

 years ; and from 



9 in. to 1 1 in. long, and from 16 in. to 18 in. round ; some, however, are larger. 

 Scales spathulate, 2\ in. long, having a very strong, sharp, incurved point 

 (see b in fig. 2140.) with abundance of pellucid resin. Seeds (see a in fig. 

 2140.) somewhat oblong, tapering to the base; flattish on the inside, 1 in. 

 long, and nearly ^ in. broad ; shell thick, hard, brown ; wing yellow, short, 

 stiff, and half the length of the seed, which it nearly encompasses ; kernel 

 pleasant to the taste. Cotyledons from 7 to 12. The tree does not attain 

 quite so large a size as the other gigantic species of the genus, which inhabit 

 the northern and western parts of North America. The trees are ofa tapering 

 form, straight, and of regular growth; from 40 ft. to 120 ft. in height, with 

 trunks from 2 ft. to 12 ft. in circumference (or, as Douglas states in his letter 

 to Sir W. J. Hooker, from 110 ft. to 140 ft. in height, with trunks from 3 ft. 

 to 12 ft. in diameter), clothed with branches to the ground when standing far 

 apart or solitary. The largest ami most handsome trees inhabit the atjueous 



