34 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



GLYPTOSTKOBUS 



Included by some authors under Taxodium to which it is closely- 

 allied. The leaves, together with the short annual shoots, are deciduous, 

 and the cone scales are deciduous as well, whereas in Taxodium the cone 

 scales are persistent. Taxodium is now confined to N. America and 

 Mexico, but at former geologic periods, widely distributed in N. America 

 and Europe. 

 Glyptostrobus heterophyllus Endlicher 



(Taorlium heterophylla) 



Swamp cypress j " Water Pine." 



Is a shrub about 3 m. tall, confined to swampy lowlands in S. China. 



LIBOCEDRUS 



Evergreen, resinous, aromatic trees with naked buds and scaly bark. 

 Branchlets flattened, frond-like. Leaves scaly, in 4 ranks, more or less 

 compressed, with or without glands. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, 

 solitary, terminal; staminate oblong, composed of 6-8 pairs of stamens 

 each bearing 4 subglobose anther cells; pistillate oblong, composed of 3 

 pairs of scales, subtended by several bracts which are persistent in the 

 fruit. Fruit maturing in 1 year, an oblong-ovate cone consisting of 6 

 scales, the lower and the middle pairs spreading at maturity; the third 

 pair united to form a woody septum. Seeds winged, 2 in each fertile scale. 



8 species in W. N. and S. America, Australasia, Formosa and S. China. 



In America Libocedrus is known as Incense Cedar on account of its 

 aromatic resinous property. The following is the only species known 

 in this country. 



Libocedrus macrolepis Bentham and Hooker. 



Tree to 3:5 m. tall. Branchlets compressed, green on both sides. 

 Leaves acute, the lateral pair strongly keeled, the middle ones obovate, 

 apiculate. Cones obovate-oblong, composed of 6 scales about 2.5 cm. long. 



S. W. China. 



The wood is straight grained, fragrant and durable. 



THUJA 



Evergreen, resinous, aromatic trees with much-ramified spreading 

 branches and flattened branchlets arranged in a horizontal or vertical 

 frond-like spray. Leaves decussate (in alternate pairs), in 4 ranks, 



