94 DWABF AND SLOW-GBOWING CONIFERS 



var. compacta, and Beissner's short description of var. 

 compacta pyramidalis — " a compact pyramid with short 

 branches and short pointed leaves " — covers it, as far as 

 it goes, but he says nothing about its fohage, branchlet 

 colour and buds being identical with those of Clanhrasi- 

 liana, which is the case. Having regard to its close 

 affinity to var. Clanhrasiliana (type) and its var. stricta, 

 I prefer for it the name of var. Clanhrasiliana elegans, a 

 name existing for a long time in Kew, but at present 

 attached to a straggly indefinite form in no way resembhng 

 the variety. 



P. excelsa, var. " Clanbrasiliana " plumosa of Beissner 

 (ii. 234.) 



Beissner records a plant thus named forming a compact 

 cone, with short sturdy branches; stout, rather curved 

 leaves arranged spirally and twisted, especially at the 

 points. The buds enveloped with leaves, the whole plant 

 having a rather " curly " look. 



This appears to be a very distinct form. I have not 

 seen it, and there is no record of where Beissner saw it, 

 and in the absence of definite proof I hesitate to class this 

 as a Clanhrasiliana form. On the whole, the chances 

 are against it being a variety of that form. In the first 

 place, its " stout " leaves seem similar to Beissner's 

 erroneous description of var. Clanhrasiliana (which he 

 describes as having " short thick leaves," whereas the 

 leaves of all the true Clanhrasiliana forms are exceptionally 

 thin and fine). 



In the second place, Beissner's note on var. Clanhrasi- 

 liana (type) (ii. 232), with the exception of that part of it 

 which refers to the early history of this form, seems to 

 point to an examination by him of one of the false Con- 

 tinental forms frequently sent out as var. Clanhrasiliana, 

 and not of specimens of the true form. Only once have 

 I received the true form from the Continent, and his 

 reference to a supposed example of var. Clanhrasiliana 

 planted in 187u in the Pinetum at Weihenstephen, and in 



