490 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



strong, but durable in contact with the soil or when exposed to 

 the weather ; is easily worked and polishes well. 



Sequoia belongs to the Taxodinese group of PinacecB, and 

 consists of two species which differ from Taxodium in their ever- 

 green leaves, persistent cone-scales, small, thin-coated, winged 

 seeds and highly coloured wood. The name Sequoia was prob- 

 ably founded in honour of the distinguished Sequoyar tribe of 

 Cherokee Indians. Although only two living species are known, 

 numerous fossil remains of Sequoia have been found, indicating 

 that the genus is of very ancient origin. About 40 fossil species 

 have been described. 



Sequoia gigantea, Torrey. (Fig. 107.) 

 Big Wood. 



Sequoia Wellingtonia, Seemann ; S. Washingtoniana, Sudworth ; 

 Taxodiiim Washingtonianiim, Winslow ; Washingtonia californica, 

 Winslow ; Wellingtonia gigantea, Lindley. 



Mammoth Tree ; Wellingtonia. 



A giant tree 150-320 ft. high, with a tapering trunk some- 

 times 90 ft. in girth above the buttressed base, clear of branches 

 for haK or more than half of its height, with a dense, rounded 

 crown much broken in aged trees. Young trees are of conical 

 outUne. Barh |-2 ft. thick, deeply furrowed, fibrous, bright 

 bro'WTi. Branches drooping suddenly at the trunk. Young 

 shoots without do"svTi, green by reason of attached leaf -bases, 

 becoming brown. Winter buds minute without scales, hidden 

 by late leaves. Leaves persisting about 4 years, crowded, 

 spirally arranged, lance -shaped, the flat base adhering to the 

 branch, the free tip |-tV in. long, sharp-pointed, stomata on 

 both surfaces. Male flowers in short, terminal catkins, |-| in. 

 long, arising at the points of the shoots. Cones terminal, solitary, 

 ovoid, 2-3 in. long, l-l^ in. -wade, reddish brown, maturing the 

 second autumn, persisting after the fall of the seeds ; scales, 

 35-40 in number, apex woody, four-sided, |-1 in. across with a 

 central depression. Seeds numerous, flat, thin, oblong, margined 

 by a narrow membranous wing. 



There are several garden varieties, of wliich the most impor- 

 tant are : — 



Var. argentea. 

 Shoots and leaves silver-variegated. 



Var. aurea. 

 Shoots yellow. 



Var. glauca. 

 Leaves glaucous. 



