THE WHITE CEDARS. 51 



Leaves, in four rows, ovate-lanceolate, imbricated, smooth, 

 without any footstalks, and pointed ; those on the adult plants 

 much broader, more ovate, thicker, and blunt pointed, with a 

 deep sunken groove along the back, and more closely imbricated, 

 while those on the young plants are much more pointed, longer, 

 narrower, and spreading at the points ; one line long, and of a 

 glaucous green colour. Branches, spreading out horizontal, 

 much divided, reflexed at the ends, scattered, and rather distant 

 along the stem ; lateral branches, flat, subdivided, two-rowed, 

 and spreading widely. Branchlets, four-sided, straight, regu- 

 larly placed in two rows, along the sides of the lateral branches, 

 of a bright glaucous green, and thickly covered with small 

 imbricated foliage. Cones, solitary, rather oblong, the size of a 

 very large pea ; and of a brownish colour, covered with a 

 glaucous bloom, half an inch broad, and rather more in length, 

 on very short footstalks, and mostly composed of from six to 

 eight scales, with a terminal scar or rudimentary scale on each, 

 near the apex. Scales, oblong, rounded on the margins, rarely 

 angular except on the upper ones, in two sets, the four lower or 

 outer ones are connected at their base, much the largest, and 

 flattened on the sides, while the inner or central ones are long, 

 narrow, and shield-shaped on the top, and springing from the 

 centre of the others, and generally abortive or one-seeded, 

 while the alternate pairs of the others contain two seeds at the 

 base of each. Seeds, convex, sometimes a little flattened on 

 one or two of its sides, hard-shelled, and without any wings. 



A tall tree, with horizontal spreading branches reflected at 

 their extremities, and frequently pendant, found on the moun- 

 tains of Mexico in forests, at Tasco and Tehuilotepec at an 

 elevation of 5500 feet. It is also found on the mountains of 

 Orizaba, and may prove hardy in England. 



B 2 



