182 ALNUS 



young shoots downy. This hybrid (also known as A. badensis and A. spuria) is 

 intermediate between the parents. Probably of more than one independent 

 origin, being found wild in several parts of Europe. 



A. INCANA, Moench. GREY ALDER. 



A tree 60 to 70 ft. high, with a trunk occasionally 6 ft. in girth ; young shoots 

 covered with a short, grey down. Leaves ovate, oval, or occasionally obovate, 

 rounded or wedge-shaped at the base, and with short, abrupt points ; 2 to 4 ins. 

 long, i \ to 2^ ins. wide ; the margins with six or more coarse teeth about the 

 middle, these again being sharply toothed, the base entire ; upper surface dull 

 green covered with flattened down when young, lower surface grey with a 

 close down ; veins in nine to twelve pairs ; stalk ^ to in. long, covered with 

 minute down. Male catkins 2 to 4 ins. long, usually three or four in a 

 cluster, opening in February. Fruits ovoid, numerous, and rather densely 

 clustered, \ to f in. long. 



Native of Europe and the Caucasus, not of Britain, but introduced in 1780 ; 

 also found in Eastern N. America. This alder is an exceptionally hardy tree, 

 and useful for planting in cold, wet places. With the exception of A. glutinosa, 

 it is the commonest of alders, but is more frequently represented in gardens by 

 the various cut-leaved and coloured forms than by the type. From A. glutinosa 

 in all its forms it is most obviously distinguished by the grey downy leaves and 

 young shoots. The typical A. glutinosa is, of course, very distinct in the 

 obovate, round-ended leaves, green, and almost smooth beneath. 



The North American form of A. incana, known there as the "speckled 

 alder," is a shrub or small tree under 20 ft. in height, its leaves glaucous to 

 rusty red beneath. 



Var. AUREA, Schelle. Young shoots and leaves yellow, the colour lasting 

 through the summer. 



Var. GLAUCA, RegeL Leaves blue-green beneath, becoming almost smooth 

 there as the season advances. 



Var. INCISA. The handsomest of cut-leaved alders, the blade being 

 pinnately divided into six to eight pairs of narrow, lanceolate, toothed lobes, 

 reaching two-thirds or more of the way to the midrib. Sold in nurseries as 

 "var. laciniata" and " var. pinnatifida." 



yar. MONSTROSA is a bushy-headed, small tree, with broad, flattened, 

 fasciated growths. Merely a curiosity. 



Var. ORBICULARIS, Callier. Leaves round-oval, under 2 ins. in length ; 

 veins in about five pairs. Native of Silesia. 



Var. PENDULA. Branches weeping. 



Var. RAMULIS COCCINEIS. A pretty tree in early spring, the twigs being 

 reddish, the bud and catkin scales distinctly red. 



A. JAPONICA, Siebold. JAPANESE ALDER. 



A pyramidal tree, from 60 to 80 ft. high ; young shoots smooth, or downy 

 towards the base ; buds stalked. Leaves lanceolate to narrowly ovate or oval, 

 tapered at both ends, usually more slenderly at the apex ; 2 to 5 ins. long, 

 I to 2 ins. wide, finely toothed, smooth, dark glossy green ; stalks downy, 

 \ to I in. long. Male catkins opening in February or March, according to the 

 warmth of the season, and produced in a terminal cluster of four to eight ; 

 each catkin erect, 2 to 3^- ins. long. Fruits oval, f in. long. 



Native of Japan, the true date of whose introduction is not recorded. 

 Plants obtained from Lee's nursery had already reached the fruiting state at 

 Kew in 1880. It is considered to have some relationship with the North 

 American A. maritima, and has been regarded as a variety of it, but in the 

 field it is quite distinct. It grows more than twice as high, has narrower, 



