ABIES 



125 



Botanically it is more nearly related to A. pectinata. At Powerscourt, in 

 Ireland, there are large numbers in splendid vigour and size. 



ABIES NOKDMANNIANA. 



A. NUMIDICA, De Lannoy. ALGERIAN FIR. 



A tree said to become 70 ft. high, but at present rarely more than half as 

 high in this country ; buds not, or very slightly, resinous ; young shoots shining 

 brown, glabrous. Leaves arranged all round the shoot, but with those underneath 

 mostly brought upwards into a horizontal position ; on strong shoots the leaves 

 on the upper side are erect or pointed backwards, but on weaker shoots there 

 is a V-shaped opening formed by the separation of the leaves into two sets. 

 Leaves \ to f in. long, ^ in. wide ; rounded, or notched, or somewhat pointed 

 at the apex ; dark glossy"green above, often with a grey patch near the apex 

 made up of a few broken lines of stomata ; lower surface with a conspicuous 

 grey band of stomata each side the midrib. Cones 5 to 7 ins. long, i^ to 

 if ins. wide, cylindrical, brown. 



Native of Mt. Babor, in Algeria, where it grows in association with Cedrus 

 atlantica ; discovered in 1861, and soon afterwards introduced. It is a hand- 

 some fir although still uncommon. Vigorous plants are very distinct in the 

 grey patch of stomata on the upper side of the leaf and in the dense array of 



