KETELEERIA 



Ketekeria, Carriere, in Rev. Hort. 449 (1866); Pirotta, in Ann. R. 1st. Roma, iv. 200 (1889); 



Masters, in Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) xxx. 33 (1893). 

 Abies, Bentham et Hooker, Gen. PI. iii. 442 (in part) (1880) (not Linnaeus). 



Evergreen trees belonging to the division Abietineae of the order Coniferse, and 

 closely allied to Abies, from which they differ mainly in the persistent scales of the 

 cones, in the fascicled staminate flowers, and in the leaves with the midrib prominent 

 on both surfaces and ending in a spine on young plants. Branchlets smooth, with 

 circular depressions, from which the leaves arise. Buds, of numerous imbricated 

 scales, persisting after the branch has developed as a conspicuous sheath at its base. 

 Leaves solitary, spiral on the branchlets, but thrown usually into a pectinate arrange- 

 ment on lateral branches ; linear, with the narrow stalk-like base expanded into a 

 circular disc ; acute or retuse at the apex (spine-tipped in young plants) ; upper surface 

 with the midrib prominent in a longitudinal depression ; lower surface with a raised 

 midrib, two longitudinal sets of white stomatic lines, and two green marginal bands ; 

 fibro-vascular bundle undivided, with two resin-canals close to the epidermis of the 

 lower surface near the outer angles. 



Staminate flowers, in umbel-like clusters, each cluster of five to ten flowers either 

 terminal or in the axil of a leaf on the current year's branchlet, arising on a short stalk 

 covered with imbricated scales ; each flower with a stipitate axis bearing numerous 

 anthers, each with two pollen sacs ; pollen grains with air-vesicles. 



Cones erect on the branches, ripening in one year, and very similar to those of 

 Abies, but differing in the persistent bracts and scales, the latter gaping apart to shed 

 the seeds. Seed as in Abies, with resin-vesicles, and a hatchet-shaped wing, but 

 detachable from the latter, which envelops it on one surface and two edges. 



About five species of Keteleeria are known in the living state, natives of China, 

 Formosa, and Tonking. They are closely related l to the silver firs, but exist in a 

 warmer and drier climate, to which their varnished coriaceous needles are adapted. 

 The leaves resemble superficially those of Cephalotaxus, but are readily distinguish- 

 able by the circular disc at the base. 



Two species have been introduced into Europe. 



1 They have been erroneously supposed by various authors to be allied to Pseudotsuga and Tornya. 



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