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XXIV. Descriptions of Five new Species of the Genus Pinus, discovered by 

 Dr. Coulter in California. By Mr. David Don, Libr. L.S. 



Read June 2nd, 1835. 



1 HE accession of new species which this highly important genus has received 

 of late years, by the labours of Mr. Douglas, Dr. Wallich, and others, affords 

 a striking example of the superior intelligence and zeal with which scientific 

 researches in distant countries are prosecuted in our times. Mr. Douglas's 

 travels in the North-west regions of the American continent has made us 

 acquainted with seven new species of this genus, some of which are remark- 

 able for their vast size. So large an addition to these giants of the forest from 

 one quarter was scarcely to have been looked for, but the soil and climate of 

 those regions, especially the western flanks of the northern Andes, and the 

 extensive parallel ranges of mountains which extend from south to north 

 through California, appear to be peculiarly favourable to the development and 

 growth of the Fir tribe: for notwithstanding the successful labours of my 

 lamented friend Mr. Douglas, already mentioned, I have to record in this 

 paper five more species collected in the same countries by my learned and 

 indefatigable friend Dr. Coulter, whom a zeal for the advancement of science 

 has led him to devote ten years to the investigation of the natural history of 

 Mexico and California. In the latter country he spent nearly three years, 

 and having visited regions unexplored by Mr. Douglas, many new species 

 have been added to those already made known by that enterprising botanist, 

 and among them the five species of Pinus already noticed. 



As but a very small proportion of the mountainous parts of that interesting 

 country has been explored, it may be reasonably inferred that many new spe- 

 cies of hardy trees, and especially of the Fir tribe, still remain to recompense 

 the labours of some future botanist. 



I shall now proceed to lay before the Society the descriptions of the five 



