SILVER FIRS. 205 



stiff, and acute. Seeds triangular and soft, with broad wings. 

 Seed-leaves in fives. 



A tall tree, with the appearance of the common Silver Fir 

 found, according to Dr. Siebold, on the Japan Islands of 

 Nippon, and Jezo, and frequent in the provinces of Matsu and 

 Dewa, at an elevation of 2000 or 3000 feet. The Japanese dis- 

 tinguish different varieties under the names of " To-Momi," from 

 the north of China, and the " Jezo-Momi," or the "Nire-Momi," 

 of Japan ; this last is distinguished by its leaves sloping more 

 towards the ends of the branches, and by the cones being much 

 shorter. They also distinguish a kind with the ends of the 

 leaves deeply divided (bifid) ; but such variations appear to be 

 produced by elevation, climate, and soil, and are, as well as Dr. 

 Siebold's Abies homolepis, nothing but the species altered by 

 such circumstances. In Japan it is called " Uro-Siro" (leaves 

 white beneath), and " Sjura-Momi " (white, or Silver Fir). 



No. 7. Picea Fraseri, Loudon, Fraser's Silver Fir. 

 Syn. Abies balsamea Fraseri, Spach. 

 Fraseri, Lindley. 

 Pinus Fraseri, Pursh. 



Leaves solitary, scattered all round the shoots, or irregularly 

 two-rowed, linear, flat, slightly emarginate, or bluntly pointed, 

 deep-green above, silvery beneath, shorter, and more erect than 

 those of the Balm of Gilead Fir, and denser on the branches. 

 Cones erect, oblong egg-shaped, two inches long, and rather 

 more than one inch broad, and singly on the upper surface of 

 the branches. Scales orbicularly wedge-shaped, and half an 

 inch broad ; bracteas inversely heart-shaped in the upper part, 

 sharp-pointed, half projecting beyond the scales, reflexech or 

 bent backwards, very broad, and in regular rows. 



A small tree, growing from 1 5 to 20 feet high, thickly set 

 with rather flat branches and branchlets, found on the 

 mountains of Carolina and Pennsylvania. It is the Double 

 Balsam Fir of the Americans. 



Tli ere are the following varieties : 



