16 ABIES, OR 



the upper ones more wedge-shaped, somewhat pointed, narrower, 

 and slightly uneven on the margins. Bracteas shorter than 

 the scales, and enclosed. Seeds very small, and nearly black, 

 with a short but rather broad wing. 



A lofty tree, with a straight stem, closely covered with rather 

 stiff branches, growing 70 or 80 feet high, and If foot in 

 diameter, forming a conical-shaped head. Timber excellent 

 and tough. 



A native of the coast of the Black Sea, on the loftiest moun- 

 tains of Imeretia, in Upper Mingrelia and the neighbourhood 

 of Teflis, forming whole forests between Guriel and the Adshar 

 mountains. 



It is quite hardy. 



No. 10. Abies polita, Siebold, the Tiger's- tail Spruce. 



Syn. Abies Torano, Siebold. 



Thunbergii, Lambert. 



Pinus Abies, Thunberg. 



polita, Antoine. 



Picea polita, Carriere. 

 Leaves thickly arranged all round the branchlets, straight or 

 slightly curved, stiff, somewhat four-sided by the prominent 

 mid-ribs on both faces, glabrous, entire, acute or somewhat 

 spiny pointed, and of a glossy green, marked on the under side 

 with several ranges of glaucous stomates, and from three-fourths 

 to an inch long, and three-fourths of a line broad. Cones, 

 ovate or ovate-oblong, rounded at both ends, quite smooth, 

 and from 3 to 4 inches long and 2 inches broad in the widest 

 part ; they are solitary and pendulous at the ends of the slender 

 branchlets, and, when young, of a bright green colour, but 

 when fully matured, of a fine deep, chestnut brown. Scales, 

 numerous, persistent, closely imbricated, leathery in tex- 

 ture, with those nearest the base and apex of the cone the 

 smallest ; they are obovate, rounded on the upper part, wedge- 

 shaped at the base, entire on the edges, three-fourths of an inch 

 long and the same in breadth, and of a fine chestnut brown. 



