ATHROTAXIS. 



259 



ATHEOTAXIS. 



' Don in Trans. Linn. Soc. XVIII. 172, t. 14 (1839). Endlicher, Synops. Conif. 193 

 (1847, Arthro taxis). Parlatore, D. C. Prodr. XVI. 433 (1868). Benthani and Hooker, 

 Gen. Plant. III. 430 (1881). Eichler in Engler and Prantl, Nat. Pfl. Fam. 89 (1887). 

 Masters in Jonrn. Linn. Soe. XXX. 21 (1893). 



Fig. 75. Athrotaxis cupressoides. 

 (From the Gardeners' Chronicle.) 



Athrotaxis* is a genus of much-branched evergreen trees of low 

 or medium stature and of pyramidal or columnar habit, clothed with 

 short, thick, homo- or dimorphic leaves which are either concrescent 

 with their axes, adnate at the base and free at the apex, or 

 slightly spreading and more or less incurved. It is further distin- 

 guished by the following characters : 



Flowers monoecious on different branches ; the staminate flowers 

 small, solitary and terminal on branchlets of the preceding year, with 

 crowded, imbricated stamens subspirally arranged, each formed of a 

 slender stipes expanded into a transverse peltate connective from which 

 the two anther cells liang. 



Ovuliferous flowers also terminal, nearly globose, composed of ten to 



* Errore Arthrotaxis auctormn fere omnium. 



