THE CYPRESS SUB-FAMILY. 371 



in the Evans collection is of nearly the maximum size, and 

 is a perfect model of excellence. 



The Weeping Deciduous Cypress derives it name from 

 the drooping tendency of the branchlets. These are placed 

 alternately on the stout horizontal branches, and are ex- 

 ceedingly numerous and well furnished with foliage. 

 Their gracefulness, added to the charming color of the 

 leaves during the summer, is the attractive feature of the 

 tree. During the autumn months, the verdure changes to 

 a pale yellow hue, and afterward to a bright orange-red. 

 This species has been considered as a variety of Taxo- 

 dium distichum, but the formation of the leaves is so very 

 distinct as to enable the observer to distinguish them at 

 once. The foliage of the former is always imperfectly 

 two-rowed, and more or less appressed ; whilst that 

 of the latter is always two-rowed and spreading. 

 A plant of this species flowered last season 

 at Kew, England, and resembled the Taxodium 

 distichum, in having pendulous spikes of male 

 aments, with one or two female cones at the 

 base of the spike. It sheds its ultimate branches 

 annually, but it differs in the foliage not being 

 distichous, in the scales of the cone not being 

 peltate, but arising from one point at the base of 

 the cone, and in the winged seeds. The stem, 

 branches, and foliage, are also very dissimilar, but 

 these are so liable to sport that no dependence 

 can be placed upon them when forming true 

 botanical distinctions. A branch one-third the 

 natural size is shown in figure 59, and figure 60 gives 

 the leaves of the real size. 



