398 thuiop^is. 



Yew, are poisoned, while if eaten in a dried state, they are 

 perfectly harmless. 



Gen. THUIOPSIS. Siebold. The Broad- leaved 



Arbor-Vitae. 



Flotvers monoecious, or male and female on the same plant, 

 but separate, solitary, and terminal, the male ones cylindrical 

 catkins, the females somewhat globular. 



Cones ligneous, sub-globular, and composed of eight or ten 

 valvated. opposite, imbricated scales. 



Scales wedge-shaped, leathery, valvate, more or less orbi- 

 cular, concave, smooth, and persistent. 



Seeds five at the base of each scale, orbicular, compressed, 

 and free, with a membranaceous v/ing on each side. 



Leaves scale-formed, in opposite cross pairs, regularly and 

 closely imbricated in four rows, flattened on the upper and 

 under surfaces. 



Name derived from " Thuia," the Arbor-vita?, and " opsis," 

 like, resemblance to the Arbor- Vita?. 



A majestic evergreen tree, found in moist situations in Japan. 



No. 1. Thuiopsis dolabrata, Siebold, the Hatchet-leaved 



Arbor- Vita?. 

 Syn. Thuja dolabrata, Thunberg. 

 Platycladus dolabrata, Spach. 



Leaves in four rows, scale-formed, decussate, broad, thick, 

 ovate, rounded at the points, and imbricated, convex above, 

 furrowed along the middle, and of a beautiful shining deep 

 green, concave-margined, and silvery white beneath, with the 

 marginal ones clasping over on each side, and connected at the 

 base with the adpressed flat upper and lower ones to such an 

 extent as to appear on the under side of the branchlet, as one 



