60 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



for the oleoresiii which they yield ubuiidautly. This, kno\\ai as " aceite de 

 palo " or " aceite de abeto," is used in medicine for its balsamic properties, 

 and as an ingredient of paints. The specific name " reUgiosa " was applied 

 to the tree because of the fact that its branches are often used as decorations 

 in churches. 

 2. Abies concolor Lindl. Jouru. Hort. Soc. Lond. 5: 210. 1850. 



San Pedro MSrtir Mountains of Baja California, at altitudes of 2,250 meters 

 or more. New Mexico (type locality) to California and Oregon. 



Large tree, sometimes attaining a height of 75 meters and a trunk diameter 

 of 2 meters, but usually smaller; bark very thick, reddish brown or light gray, 

 deeply furrowed ; leaves 3 to 6 cm. long ; cones 7 to 15 cm. long, greeo or 

 purplish ; wood very soft, of medium strength, coarse-grained, inodorous, its 

 specific gravity about 0.36. 



The balsam fir is valuable for Iuml>er when it occurs in sufficient abundance. 



4. TAXODIUM L. Rich. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 16: 298. 1810. 



Only 2 other species are known, natives of the southeastern United States. 

 1. Taxodium mucronatum Ten. Ann. Sci. Nat. III. 19: 355. 1853. 



Taxodium montezumae Decaisne, Bull. Soc. Hot. France 1: 71. 1854. 



Taxodium mexicanum Carr. Trait. Conif. 147. 1855. 



Sinaloa to Coahuila and southward, chiefly in wet soil ; often planted as a 

 shade tree. Guatemala. 



Large tree, 20 to 30 meters high ; trunk straight, enlarged near the base, 

 covered with brownish red, rather smooth but shredded bark ; roots of trees 

 growing in water often sending up conical projections or " knees ; " leaves 

 (and many of the young branches) deciduous, 6 to 12 mm. long; staminate 

 flowers in long slender spikes; cones subglobose, 1.5 to 2.5 cm. in diameter. 

 The Nahuatl name is " ahuehuetl," in modern Mexican " ahuehuete " ; the 

 Tarascan name is " pentamu " or "pentam6n;" " cipr^s " (Tamaulipas) ; 

 " cipreso " (Chiapas); " sabino" (Durango, San Luis PotosI, Oaxaca, and 

 in other states); "cipres de Montezuma" (Oaxaca, Valley of Mexico); 

 " tnuyucu " or " yucu-ndatura " (Oaxaca, Mixtec, Reko) ; " yaga-chichicino " 

 or " yaga-guichi xina " (Oaxaca, Zapotec, Reko). 



This bald cypress is one of the best-known trees of Mexico, being noted 

 especially for its size. The largest individual reported is the famous tree at 

 Santa Maria del Tule, Oaxaca, near the city of Oaxaca, which has a height 

 of 38.6 meters and a trunk circumference of 51.8 meters ; ^ the greatest diameter 

 of its trunk is 12 meters, and the spread of its branches about 42 meters. 

 The Cypress of Montezuma, in the gardens of Chapultepec, has a height of 

 51 meters and a trunk circumference of 15 meters. It was a noted tree four 

 centuries ago, and has been estimated to be about 700 years old. Other trees 

 have been estimated to have attained a much greater age. A third famous 

 tree is the "Arbol de la Noche Triste," in the village of Popatela, near the 

 City of Mexico, which is noted for its association with Cort6s. 



The wood is soft and rather weak, light or dark brown or yellowish, and 

 is often obtained in very large planks. It is susceptible of a good polish and 

 is used in Mexico for fine furniture, as well as for general construction. The 

 tree furnishes an acrid resin which was used in pre-Conquest times for the 

 cure of wounds, ulcers, cutaneous disea.ses, toothache, gout, etc., and which is 

 still used extensively in popular practice. The bark is employed as an emmena- 



*M. O. Reyes. El gigante de la flora Mexicana 6 sea el sabino de Santa 

 Maria del Tule del Estado de Oaxaca. Naturaleza 6: 110-114. pi. 6. 1884. 



