ORDER 12?, COXIFfiR^E, 



CLASS II. GYMNOSPEBM.E, 



EXOGENOUS plants with chiefly parallel-veined leaves, always 

 diclinous, with the flowers very incomplete. Pistils none, or 

 represented by open scales, Ovules axillary or naked, fertilized 

 by the direct application of the pollen, becoming at maturity 

 naked seeds, destitute of a true pericarp, Cotyledons often 

 more than 2. This Class constitutes the 



COHORT 4. COKOIDE.& 



ORDER CXXVII. CONIFER^. CONIFERS, 



Trees or shrubs mostly evergreen, abounding with a resinous juice. Leaves scat* 

 tered or Fascicled, acerous, linear or lanceolate, paralleUveined Flowers monoecious 

 or dioecious, achlamydeous, in aments or cones. $ Stamens 1, of several united, 

 Ovary, styls and stigma wanting. Ovules 1 or several at the base cf the car* 

 pellary scale. Fruit a strobile (cone), woody with the scales distinct, or baccate 

 with the scales fleshy and coherent, Illust. in Figs, 46> S, 87, 152, 153, 567, 440, 

 468, 579. 



Genera 20, species 110, natives of all climates, but most abundant in the temperate zones, 

 those of the southern, however* very different from the pines, spruces^ larches and cedars oftho 

 northern. 



Properties* Few orders can be named, which are of more importance to mankind, whether in 

 reference to their invaluable timberor their resinous secretions. Turpentine, tar, pitch and resin, 

 ure the product of the pines. Burgundy pitch is yielded by Pinus sylvestrls of Europe; Vene- 

 tian turpentine, by the Larix ; oil of Savin by Juniperus Sabina of Kurope, etc. In stature the 

 ('..nilV-ru- are the loftiest of all trees. Pinus strobus, arises often 200f. Araucaria imbricata oi 

 Chill 250f, and Sequoya gigantea of California 400f. 



SUBORDERS AND GENERA, 



I. ABlETINE^E. ? Scales many, each subtended by a bract, tvith 2 inverted ovules 

 (their micropyle turned downwards) at the base inside. Seeds winged. (*) 



* Leaves evergreen, fasciculate in clusters of 2 to 5 . , , , . Fixes, 1 



* Leaves evergreen, separate, scattered. , . ABIES. 2 



* Leaves deciduous, many in the fascicles on short lateral branchlcts, . . . , -. . i . . LAI-.IX. 8 



II. CUPRESSLXE^E. 9 Scales few, bractless, each with 2 to S erect ovules, (*) 



* Flowers monoecious. Fruit a woody cone opening at maturity, (a) 



a Leaves evergreen, scale-like. Cone-scales oblong, loose, flattisb, 2ovuled THUJA. 4 



a Leaves evergreen, scale-like or subulate. Cone-scales peltate, angular. . . iOtrpBBSsus. 3 

 a Leaves deciduous, linear, 2-rowed. Cone-scales peltate, angular TAXODIU.M. G 



* Flowers ditecious. Fruit a fleshy cone, the scales consolidated, berry-like. .JfxipEp.us. T 



1. PrNUS, L. PIXE. (Celtic pin or pan, a rock or crag ; from the 

 locality of many species.) Flowers monoacious. $ Atnents clustered, 

 terminal ; stamens oo, with 2 cells and a scale-like connective ; pollen 

 grains triple. ? Aments conical or cylindric, the carpellary scales 

 bracted, each bearing on its base within 2 inverted ovules ; strobile com* 

 posed of the imbricated hardened scales which arc often thickened or 

 awncd at the tip; seeds nut-like, winged ; cotyledons 3 to 12, linear.- 

 Trees with evergreen, acerous l\s. in fascicles of 2 1o 5, each fascicle 

 subtended and invested by a membranous scale or Icr.f. (Fig. 152.) 



