EU-CUPRESSI AND CHAM^CYPARIS 159 



Briefly defined the cones of the Cypresses are 

 rotund and sub-globose in shape. The cones of the 

 Thuya are oblong, conical, or, as some describe them, 

 ovoid-cylindrical, while the fruit of the Juniper is 

 no ligneous cone at all, but merely a little succulent 

 blue-black and brown berry, with mucronate fleshy 

 scales maturing the second year and bearing 2 to 5 

 seeds ; and we may add, while we are about it, that 

 the Cupressi bear from 15 to 20, and the Chamae- 

 cyparis 4 to 5 seeds. Even these brief definitions 

 disclose a state of palpable differences, upon which, 

 however, we will expatiate a little further. 



The cones of the different Cupressi are of different 

 sizes. 



The Eu-Cupressi have large ligneous, more or less 

 rotund, strobiles. 



The Chamsecyparis group have small, woody, sub- 

 globose cones. In both cases they are what is 

 called peltate. Pelta is the Latin word for a target- 

 like shield, and these scales, fixed to the stalk by the 

 centre, describe the construction of what is called 

 peltate cones. Like the shields of the ancient Britons 

 or Gauls, they too have a boss enlargement, and in 

 some cases — e.g. the C. Nootkatensis — they show 

 some half-dozen little horn-like protuberances in the 

 middle of these shield-like scales. When the cone 

 of a Lawson Cypress breaks and scatters to the four 

 winds of heaven its seed, the little brown ligneous 

 framework — all that is left of its light-green glory 

 of the previous year — when set upright and looked 

 at from a side point of view, develops, with a little 

 effort of imagination, the outlined appearance of a 

 Maltese Cross. 



Looking, then, at the cones from these points of 

 view, a Cypress need never be taken for a Thuya, and 

 much less a Juniper for either. The suspicious 

 likeness of the adult leaves of a Juniper is our only 



