334 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFER^E 



Distinguished from the other Japanese species by its resinous 

 conical buds and glandular hairy shoots. 



This interesting addition to the conifers of Japan was made by 

 Mr. Mitsua Koyama, who found it in 1911 on the slopes of the 

 mountain Yatsuga in Central Hondo, which is the only known 

 locahty. Wilson, who has since visited the place, states that 

 there is only one small grove, consisting of about 100 trees at an 

 altitude of between 3,000-5,000 ft., and that on account of its 

 rarity the species is in danger of extirpation. Young plants are 

 in cultivation in Britain. 



Wilson, Conifers oj Japan, 39 (1916) ; Gardener's Chronicle, Aug. 14, 1915, 

 p. 98. 



Picea likiangensis, Pritzel. (Fig. 73.) 



Abies likiangensis, Franchet ^ ; Picea Balfoiiriana, Rehder and Wil- 

 son ; P. likiangensis, var. rubescens, Rehder and Wilson. ^ 



A tree 50-100 or more ft. high, with a mast-like trunk up 

 to 10 ft. in girth. Bark thick, deeply furrowed. Young shoots 

 pale brown, reddish brown or greyish, sparsely or densely bristly 

 or occasionally without hairs, the pulvini or peg-like leaf -bases 

 twisted more or less horizontally. Buds ovoid or conic, more or 

 less resinous. Leaves on the upper side of the shoot pointing 

 forwards and more or less densely overlapping ; those on the 

 lower side spreading in two opposite ranks, quadrangular, com- 

 pressed, up to f in. long and slightly keeled on both surfaces, 

 apex acute, ending in a horny point ; stomatic lines few, unequal. 

 Cones ovate or ovate-oblong ; scales flexible, rhombic, ovate 

 in shape, narrowed above to a rounded or acute apex, margin 

 undulated, those of ripe cones more or less spreading, sometimes 

 horizontal. Seeds about f in. long, including the obovate wing. 



Var. purpurea. (Fig. 74.) 



P. purpitrea. Masters. 



Leaves shorter and more crowded, about \ in. long, closely 

 pressed to the upper side of the shoot, wliich is often densely 

 hairy. Cones somewhat smaller. 



Native of W. Szechuen, China, where it occurs in forests and 

 open country at 9,000-12,000 ft. altitude. 



Young plants of this spruce variously named, P. likiangensis, 

 P. purjmrea, or P. Balfouriana, are now to be found in collections, 

 but they do not seem to us to represent more than one species. 

 No two specimens are ahke in the degree of hairiness of the shoots, 

 which often varies in amount on the same plant, and in length 

 and direction of leaves there is also considerable variation. The 



^Journ. de Bot. xiii, 257 (1899). 

 2 Pi. Wils. ii, 31 (1914). 



