120 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



resinous. Leaves on the lower side of the shoot horizontally 

 arranged, spreading right and left, those above shorter, crowded, 

 directed upwards, the middle leaves on strong shoots directed 

 backwards and covering the upper side of the shoot ; short and 

 broad, |-f in. long, by yV in. broad, flattened, apex rounded, 

 entire or notched, the upper surface dark, shining green with a 

 few lines of stomata near the apex ; the under-surface with two 

 white bands of stomata ; resin canals marginal. Cones cylin- 

 drical, brownish, about 5 in. long by 1| in. broad ; scales fan- 

 shaped, 1| in. wide byf in. high, or smaller in cultivated speci- 

 mens ; bracts concealed, one -quarter to one-half the length of 

 the scales. Seed-wing about 1 in. long. 



This fir may generally be recognized by its short, stout leaves, 

 usually more or less vertically arranged on the upper side of the 

 shoot, with broken lines of stomata on their upper surface. Forms 

 of A . hrachyphyUa with non-pectinate leaves occasionally resemble 

 it, but these may always be known by the absence of stomata 

 on the upper side of the leaves, the median resin canals and 

 resinous buds. 



A. numidica occurs wild only in Algeria, where it occupies a 

 small area towards the summit of Mount Babor in the Kabylie 

 range, from 5,000-0,000 ft. altitude. It was discovered in 1861 

 by Captain de Guilleil and introduced into cultivation the follow- 

 ing year. 



The wood of this species is similar to that of A. ]) ectinata, hut 

 it is of Httle commercial value outside its native country. The 

 value of the tree in this country is purely for decorative purposes. 

 It requires similar conditions to A. Nordmanniana, hut is not so 

 liable to insect injury as that species, although not immune. 



Abies marocana, Trabut, described in Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. liii, 

 154, t. 3 (1906), from a tree found byM. Joly in the mountains of 

 Tetuan, Morocco, is said to be intermediate in foliage characters 

 between A.nu7nidica and A. Pinsajw, hut we have seen no speci- 

 mens. 



Elwes and Henry, loc. cit. iv, 737 (1909). 



Abies pectinata, De Candolle. (Fig 24.) 

 European Silver Fir. 



Abies alba, Miller ; A. argentea, De Chambray ; A. candicans, Fischer ; 

 A. excelsa, Salisbury ; A. nietensis, Hor. ; A. Picea, LincUey ; A. 

 taxifolia, Desfontaine ; A. vulgaris, Poiret ; Picea pectinata, Loudon ; 

 Pinus Abies, Dviroi ; P. j^ectinata, Lamarck ; P. Picea, Linnaeus. 



Common Silver Fir ; Silver Fir ; Swiss Pine ; Wliite Deal in part. 



A tree up to 150 ft. or more high and 20 ft. or more in girth. 

 Trunk straight and tapering, often bare of branches for the 

 greater part of its length, or, when isolated, heavy branches 

 may be produced from aU parts. Bark on young trees smooth, 



