270 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



when expanded), on stout, hairy stalks about 1 in. long, purple 

 or brownish when mature ; scales larger and broader at the apex 

 than in K. Davidiana,th.e widest part (about 1^ in.) beiag above 

 the middle, the upper margin rounded and slightly toothed. 

 Seed about f in. long, with a wing 1-1 j in. long, both seed and 

 wing larger than in K. Davidiana, bright glossy brown in colour, 

 the seed greyish beneath. 



A native of the mountains near Foochow, E, China, where it 

 was first noticed by Fortune in 1844 and was also seen in quantity 

 by Maries in 1878. Seeds were distributed by Fortune, but none 

 of the original plants survived in England. A fine plant at 

 Pallanza, Italy, is said to be over 80 ft. high, and from this tree, 

 which produces seeds freely, large numbers of plants have been 

 raised. 



LARIX, Adanson. 

 Larches. 



Piiuis, Liimseus ; Abies, A. L. de Jiissiexi. 



Deciduous trees widely distributed in the colder regions of 

 the northern hemisphere, occurring in Europe, Asia from the 

 Himalaya northwards, and in N. America. Trunks tall, tapering 

 very gradually in the forest, less symmetrical when isolated. 

 Bark thin and scaly on young trees, thick and deeply fissured at 

 the base of old trees, particularly in very cold regions. Branches 

 irregularly disposed and smaU on young trees which are of pjn^a- 

 midal outline, spreading on old trees which develop flat heads. 

 Braiichlets of two kinds : (1) Long terminal shoots bearing soUtary, 

 spirally arranged leaves ; (2) short secondary shoots which increase 

 very slowly in length but have each year's growth marked exter- 

 nally by a distinct ring of leaf- scars and bear compact, terminal 

 tufts of leaves of unequal length. Long shoots channelled or 

 grooved, roughened by the bases of fallen leaves. Buds of three 

 kinds : (1) Terminal on the long branchlets, producing long or 

 short shoots. (2) AxiUary on the long shoots, solitary in the 

 leaf axils, producing long or short shoots, but usually the latter. 

 (3) Buds from the points of short shoots, usually producing a 

 tuft of leaves or flowers accompanied by a slight elongation of the 

 shoot, or less often a long shoot with spirally arranged leaves. 

 Leaves flat, keeled beneath, and in some species on the upper 

 side also ; those on the long shoots more uniform in size and 

 broader than those on the short shoots ; thin, narrow, bright 

 green, turning yellow in autumn, pointed or rounded at the apex, 

 stalkless, with stomata on each surface but more abundant be- 

 neath ; resin canals 2, near the outer margin of each leaf. Male 

 and female flowers from short shoots on the same tree, expanding 

 in advance of the leaves. Male flowers globular, egg-shaped or 



