TSUGA ALBEKTIAXA. 459 



HESPEROPEUKE.* Leaves convex, acute, often keeled on the upper side 

 and with stomata on both sides. Cones ovoid-cylindric (much longer 

 than broad). 



All the species are described in the following pages ; of these 

 three are Asiatic, each of which has but a limited geographical 

 range ; two are east North American, one the type species widely 

 distributed, and the other a comparatively recent discovery restricted 

 to a locality of small extent on the southern Alleghany mountains ; 

 the remaining two are west North American, one a tree of the coast 

 and plains, and the other chiefly of the mountains at high altitudes 

 The Hemlock Firs are cultivated in Great Britain almost solely for 

 ornamental purposes ; they are trees of graceful habit and aspect, and 

 whether standing alone or in contrast with other trees are effective 

 subjects for the lawn, park and landscape. As timber trees 

 they are not much in repute even in their native countries ; the 

 wood is for the most part loose in grain, soft in texture and 

 soon decays on exposure to the weather. Much of the vigour 

 of the trees is expended in the formation of branches rather than 

 in the development of the trunk which is frequently knotty and 

 of small scantling. 



Tsuga is the Japanese vernacular name of the two native 

 species. 



Tsuga Albertiana. 



A stately tree 100 200 feet high with a trunk 2 6 feet in diameter, 

 but much smaller at its northern limit. Bark of trunk thick, reddish 

 brown, coarse in texture and irregularly fissured. Primary branches 

 spreading or slightly ascending and ramified laterally ; secondary branches 

 slender and much ramified, the ramification chiefly lateral with many 

 short slender growths on the upper side ; the youngest shoots both 

 terminal and lateral pubescent, slender, flexible and pendulous ; bark 

 pale yellow-brown marked with leaf pulvini and short cortical outgrowths 

 decurrent from them. Buds small, clavate, pubescent, reddish brown. 

 Leaves persistent four five years, linear, flattish, obtuse or sub-acute, 

 0'5 0'75 inch long, shortly and abruptly petiolate, pseudo-distichous, 

 dark green with a small median groove above and with two 

 stomatiferous bands beneath. Staminate flowers mostly clustered near 

 the apex of short lateral shoots of the preceding year, cylindric, 

 0'25 inch long, reddish crimson changing to dull violet, the basal 

 iiivolucral bracts in two series. Ovuliferous flowers terminal, solitary, 

 composed of fewer scales than the staminate flowers, and of the same 

 rich colour before fertilisation and with the basal iiivolucral bracts 

 more numerous. Cones ovoid-cylindric, about an inch long, composed of 

 twenty-five thirty scales arranged spirally in five series, pale brown 

 striated on the outer dorsal side. 



* Separated from Tsuga as a distinct genus under this name by Lenimou and other 

 Calitbrman botanists. 



