THE LARCHES. 125 



seed-leaves, from five to seven in number. Cones ripen late in 

 the autumn. 



A fine, deciduous, and quick-growing tree, in favourable 

 situations attaining from 80 to 100 feet in height, and from 

 three to four feet in diameter, with a conical head, and hori- 

 zontal, spreading branches, with the branchlets pendulous, par- 

 ticularly in old trees. 



The Common Larch is spread over Central Europe, and forms 

 forests in the upper regions of the Alps of France and Switzer- 

 land, from east to west ; its proper region is at a height of from 

 3,000 to 6,500 feet of elevation, but it sometimes occurs as high 

 as 7,000 feet of elevation ; but then it is a dwarf bush or scrubby 

 plant, while it, on the other hand, descends as low as 1,500 

 feet, but is not found anywhere on the Apennines, according to 

 Professor Schouw, and is less common on the northern than on 

 the southern slope of the Alps. It is found on the Carpathian 

 Mountains, in Tyrol and Hungary, but does not exist in the 

 German plains, nor in the mountains of Scandinavia, nor in 

 the Pyrenees, and is equally wanting in Greece, and in the 

 Iberian peninsula. Those Larches found in Russia, &c., are 

 different species. 



The following are the most striking varieties of the Common 

 Larch. 



Larix Europjea pendula, Loudon, Godsall's Weeping Larch. 

 Syn. Larix Europaea Godsallii, Loudon. 

 A very distinct variety ; on account of its very pendant 

 branches, said to be a subvariety of the Tyrolese Larch, picked 

 out of a seed-bed in Mr. Godsall's Nursery. 



Larix Europ^a repens, Loudon. 

 Another variety, differing from the Common Larch in having 

 wide-spreading, robust branches, and a less aspiring stem, with 

 all the lateral branches pendant. 



Larix Europjea rubra, Endlicher. 

 The Red-flowered Common Larch. 



