CONIFER/B 241 



GYMNOSPERM.E. 



CONIFER/E. 



Tribe I. ABIETINE^J. Plants monoecious. Cones usually large, conical ; 

 scales more or less woody. Pollen curved. Trees with needle-shaped or 

 subulate fascicled leaves. 



Cone woody, scales persistent PINUS. 



Characters as in Pinus, but leaves solitary .and evergreen ABIES. 



Leaves fascicled, deciduous. Seeds winged LARIX. 



Tribe II. CUPRESSINE^E. Plants mono-dicecious. Cones usually globose 



or short ; scales woody or fleshy, persistent. 

 Cone fleshy, globose; scales at length connate JUNIPERUS. 



Tribe III. TAXINE^E. Flowers dioecious. Cones much reduced, scales small, 

 thin or coriaceous, the upper with i ovule. Seed hard, with a fleshy coat, 

 or sealed in a fleshy cup. 

 Seed solitary, seated in a fleshy cup TAXUS. 



PINUS L. PINE. 



P. silvestris L. Scots Pine. Needles in pairs, stiffly subulate, about 2 in. 

 long (5-7 cms.), glaucous inside. Cones very shortly stalked, recurved when 

 young, symmetrical, conical. Scales rhomboid, with flat boss and a transverse 

 keel and deciduous point. Seeds winged, small. Heart-wood reddish. 



Mountain woods. May-June. Common in the Maritime Alps, a few trees 

 descending to Menton; and occasionally in the hill country of the Var, especi- 

 ally in the N. of the Department. 



P. Pinea L. Pin Parasol, Stone Pine (Plate III). Needles in pairs, rather 

 stiff, 8-15 cms. long, shorter and a deeper green colour than those of P. marl- 

 tima. Cones very large, ovate obtuse or subglobular, reddish-brown, shining, 

 subsessile, shorter and rounder than those of the Maritime Pine. Scales large, 

 rhomboidal. Seeds veiy large (16-20 mm.), edible. Male cone oblong, yellow- 

 ish, i cm. long. A tree often in the shape of an umbrella. 



Here and there on the littoral, and often planted. May-June. Fine speci- 

 mens and characteristic woods can be seen on the coast near Hyeres. Small 

 forests also near Cannes and in the Esterel. 



P. halepensis Mill. (Plate III). Aleppo Pine. Needles in pairs (or 

 rarely 3-5), narrow filiform, 7-10 cms. long, soft, smooth, bright green ; shorter, 

 weaker and lighter green than in P. maritima. Cones oblong-conical, acute, 

 8-12 cm. long, reddish-brown, shining, on a very thick peduncle ; scales feebly 

 bossed. Seeds about 7 mm. with wing 4 times its length. Male cone oblong, 

 reddish, small, 6-7 mm. long. A fairly large tree with bark at first silvery-grey. 



Woods and stony hill-sides and on the extreme coast line ; especially on 

 limestone. April-May. Very fine specimens with large horizontal branches 

 can be seen on the coast about Carqueiranne. 



P. Pinaster Solander = P. maritima Pair. (Plates II and XXVI). 

 Maritime Pine. Needles in pairs, stiff, thick, 10-20 cm. (up to 8 in.) long, dark 

 green. Cones larger than in halepensis, oblong-conical-acute, 12-18 cm. long, 

 dark red and shining, subsessile. Scales with prominent bosses, lacquered. 

 Seeds 8-10 mm., black and shining on one side, with wing 4-5 times as long. 

 Male cone ovate, yellowish, i cm. long. A tall tree, with frequently pyramidal top 

 and rough reddish bark. Usually taller than the last, to which it is closely allied. 



Very common in woods in the Maures region (Var), especially characteristic 

 of siliceous soils. April-May. It also forms rapidly disappearing forests on 

 several places between Menton and the Esterel. 



ABIES Mill. FIR. 



A. pectinata DC. = A. alba Mill. = Pinus Picea L. Leaves pectinate, 

 2-5 cms. long, with 2 white lines beneath, disposed all round the fruiting twigs 

 at the top. Cone cylindrical, reddish-violet first, then green, erect ; shorter than 



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