238 TAXACE.E 



is how, when, and where are ordinary mortals to 

 obtain a sight of them together, and acquire experi- 

 ence of them from direct object-lessons. 



In the disposition and measurement of their leaves, 

 irrespective of the marked fruit distinctions, they 

 show other differences. Some are long-, some are short- 

 leaved. Some leaves are pectinate, others not, and 

 they stand out from the central axis of their stems from 

 all sorts of situations, scattered, alternate, or opposite. 



We will adduce instances, and when we refer to 

 long- or short-leaved we will take the standard as 

 being either longer or shorter than the Common 

 Yew, which we will approximate as, under usual 

 conditions, at f in. 



(i) Those that are long-leaved and pectinately 

 arranged on their lateral branches. The 

 Cephalotaxi and Torreyas. 



(2) Those that are long-leaved and not arranged 



pectinately, but standing out at different 

 angles as above explained. Podocarpus 

 Chilensis, P Macrophylla, and P. Nubigena. 



(3) Those that are short-leaved and not pec- 



tinately, but as above explained arranged. 

 Podocarpus Alpinus and Totara, while the 

 Prumnopitys and Saxegothea are, in leaf 

 disposition, spirally arranged and densely 

 crowded. 



The presence of their fruits- — if we could only issue 

 a mandamus for their appearance — ^would soon 

 banish doubts and dispel difficulties. Between the 

 rather elongated, pear-shaped fruit — or when in 

 dried fruit condition fashioned more after the form 

 of an almond within its pitted shell — of the Cephalo- 

 taxi, and the rounder structure of the purple plum 

 fruit of the Prumnopitys, there is nothing in common, 

 While the bulbous, apoplectic-looking stalk that 



