216 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



duced in 1910 by Matsamura, who sent seeds to Bayfordbury, but 

 only one seedling was raised. 



Clinton-Baker, op. cit. iii, 56 (1913). 



Var. Keteleeri. 

 A form with golden leaves similar to var. Grijjpsii. 



Var. lycopodioides, Masters. 



Of dwarf habit with irregular rigid branches and coarser 

 branchlets than in the type, the ultimate branchlets decidedly 

 crowded and angled, and the leaves arranged in many ranlis, 

 closely pressed, elongated and blunt at the apex. It was intro- 

 duced in 1861. 



Var, tetragona aurea, Masters. 



Shrubby in habit, branchlet systems tufted, irregularly 

 arranged, the ultimate divisions quadrangular. Leaves almost 

 uniform in size, ovate, sharp and spreading at the points. Young 

 growths golden yellow, becoming ultimately dark green. First 

 noticed in the Elvaston nursery, Derbyshire, in 1873. 



Var. Troubetzkyana, Rovelli. 



Dwarf and compact, with short, widely spreading branchlets 

 and closely pressed light green, thick, lance-shaped leaves which 

 are glandular on the back. First noticed in the garden of Prince 

 Troubetzky at Pallanza. 



C. obtusa is easily recognized among the small-coned species 

 by its unequal, blunt leaves with clearly defined white markings. 



It is found wild in S. and Cent. Japan at elevations of 2,000- 

 5,000 ft., where it grows in mixed forests. It was introduced 

 into cultivation in 1861 by John Gould Veitch. 



Wood often white or straw-coloured, but sometimes pink. 

 It is light, strong, very durable, fine and straight grained fragrant, 

 easily worked, and finishes with a good lustrous surface. It 

 is very popular in Japan for high- class building construction, 

 houses, bridges, etc., and is also used for general joinery, ceilings, 

 panelling, and for cabinets and furniture, especially for high-class 

 lacquer ware. Mr. H. J. Elwes ^ regarded it as unsurpassed 

 amongst coniferous woods for fine, high-class work, the nearest 

 to it being C. nootkatensis . In some instances the wood is very 

 beautifully marked, and such samples command a high price for 

 furniture. The tree is sacred amongst the disciples of the Shinto 

 faith and is cultivated in the vicinity of temples. The palaces of 

 the Mikado in Kyoto are said to be largely built of this wood, 

 and the bark is used for roofing purposes. So straight and even- 

 grained is the wood that it can be cut up into very thin shavings 

 which are used for chip-braid for the manufacture of ladies' 

 ^ Trees oj Great Brit, and Ireland, 1189 (1910). 



