io8 CONIFEROUS TREES 



being most pronounced at the branch tips. This 

 seems to be identical with the continental variety 

 named P. excelsa magnifica, but of which I have 

 only seen dried specimens. 



P. EXCELvSA BREViFOLiA. — A plant of this sent 

 to me certainly well bears out the name, the leaves 

 being nearly one-half shorter than those of any 

 other known variety. The growth is remarkably 

 slow, and the plant dwarf and compact in habit. 

 It is not well known. 



P. EXCELSA Clanbrassiliana is a dwarf variety 

 that is useful for certain positions. The short and 

 slender branches are densely packed with needle- 

 shaped leaves, each a quarter of an inch long, and 

 of a light glaucous hue. 



P. EXCELSA ELEGANS attains to 8 feet in height, 

 and is chiefly remarkable for its compact and fragile 

 mode of growth and greyish slender leaves, which 

 have an erect tendency. 



P. EXCELSA FiNEDONENSis has the young shoots 

 of a bronzy or brownish yellow colour; but this 

 gradually gives place with age to a bronzy green 

 tint. It is highly ornamental. 



P. EXCELSA Gregoryana is of neat and very 

 dwarf growth, rarely being found more than 2 feet 

 high. The foliage is of a pleasant green shade, 

 short, stiff, and arranged thickly on the branches. 



P. EXCELSA INVERTA cannot be described as at 

 all an ornamental variety, but it is highly curious 

 and interesting, owing to the branches hanging 

 down almost close to the main stem, and thus 

 imparting to the tree a strange and striking appear- 

 ance. Of the weeping or inverted Spruce, the 

 largest trees I know of are those at Ide Hill, Seven- 



