SILVER FIRS. 213 



Picea religiosa glaucescens, Gordon, the Silver-leaved 



Mexican Fir. 



Syn. Abies glaucescens, Roezl. 

 glauca, Roezl. 

 Tlapalcatuda, Roezl. 



Leaves longer and more silvery on both sides than those of 

 the Oyaniel Fir, but in other respects very similar. Cones 

 also like those of Picea religiosa, but broader, and furnished 

 with large, reflected bracts, which are very much longer than 

 the scales, except near the apex of the cone, where they are 

 mostly wanting. Bracteas much longer than the scales, bent 

 backwards, very broad, spoon-shaped, fringed round the mar- 

 gins, and furnished with a long, tapering point, quite entire on 

 the edges. 



A beautiful glaucous variety of the Mexican Silver Fir, 

 found growing on the " Mont de las Cruces," in Mexico, by 

 M. Roezl, who says the leaves are so glaucous, or silvery on 

 each side, that, at a great distance, one would declare the trees 

 were covered with snow, and that they are much whiter than 

 the Ceclrus Deodara, on closer inspection. The cones, when 

 young, are of a bright green colour, whereas those of the spe- 

 cies are deep purple. 



Section II. BREVIBRACTEATA, or those kinds with 



THE BRACTEAS SHORTER THAN THE SCALES, AND ENCLOSED. 



No. 13. Picea amabilis, Loudon, the Lovely Silver Fir. 

 Syn. Pinus amabilis, Douglas. 

 lasiocarpa, Hooker. 

 Abies amabilis, Lindley. 

 lasiocarpa, Lindley. 



Leaves, Solitary, linear, flat, entire, blunt-pointed, one inch 

 long, irregularly and densely two-rowed, incurved on the upper 

 side of the branches, bright green above and glaucous below. 

 Branches irregular on the main stem ; lateral ones numerous^ 



