286 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFER.E 



had attained the height of 28 ft. and a girth of 4| in. after 76 

 years' growth, but after the trees near it were cut down it grew 

 rapidly and made as much wood in ten years as it had done dur- 

 ing the w^hole of its previous existence. The fruiting stage of 

 the fungus Fomes officinalis is collected from larch trunks in 

 Switzerland, and from it agaracine is obtained, which is some- 

 times used in medicine in cases of phthisis. 



From an aesthetic point of view the common larch has much 

 to commend it, for not only are the delicate green leaves and 

 bright-coloured cones beautiful in spring and summer, and the 

 rich golden-yellow of the leaves charming in autumn, but the 

 young shoots brighten up the landscape in winter and reheve 

 the rather depressing greenery of pines, firs, and spruces. 



Elwes and Henry, loc. cit. ii, 349 (1907). 



Larix Griffithii, J. D. Hooker. 

 SiKKiM Labch, 



Larix Griffithiana, Cariiere ; Abies Griffithiana, Lindley and Gordon ; 

 Pinus Griffithii, Parlatore. 



A tree up to 60 ft. high with a spreading head and long pen- 

 dulous branchlets. Bark thick, brown. Young shoots downy, 

 reddish brown the second year. Terminal buds conical, non- 

 resinous, covered with hairy scales ; lateral buds egg-shaped, non- 

 resinous, downy ; buds of short shoots downy. Leaves 1-1 5 in. 

 long, light green, ending in a blunt point, deeply keeled below, 

 stomata on each surface but most prominent beneath. Male 

 flowers I in. long on short, stout stalks. Female flowers ovoid, 

 bracts long, reflexed. Cones cylindrical, 2-4 in. long, 1-1 J in. 

 in diameter, violet-purple during growth, the short stout stalk 

 twisted to bring the point of the cone upwards on the pendent 

 shoot ; scales four-sided, about 1 in. long and wide, furrowed, 

 downy towards the base ; bracts awl-shaped, the long pointed 

 apex protruding beyond the scales. Seed about ^ in. long, with 

 the wing about ^ in. long. 



L. Griffithii differs from other larches by its long, weeping 

 branchlets and large cones. 



It was discovered by Dr. Griffiths, but was not recognized as 

 distinct until Sir Joseph Hooker found it in Nepal in 1848. Of 

 limited distribution, it occurs in E. Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan, 

 at elevations of 8,000-12,000 ft., but is commonest at 9,500-11,000 

 ft., and is also found in the Chumbi Valley, Tibet. ^ In Bhutan 

 it occurs with Pinus excelsa or in pure forest above it, or in small 

 groups with an undergrowth of Rhododendron. It inhabits deep 

 valleys, but prefers dry, rocky, ancient moraines and grassy slopes 

 where drainage is good. 



1 Troup, Silviculture 0/ hidian Trees, iii, 1157 (1921). 



