Illustrations of Conifers. 43 



PICEA OMORIKA (Bolle). SERVIAN SPRUCE. 



Gardeners' Chronicle, Vol. XXI. pp. 308, 809 (1884), with figs. 



Vol. XXI. new series p. 158 (1897), with fig. 



Veitch's Man. Conif. ed. 2, p. 442 (1900). 

 Trees of Great Britain and Ireland, VoL I. p. 78 (1906). 



A tree with a slender trunk and spire-like crown, attaining in its 

 native habitats a height of over 100 feet, with a girth of only 

 about 4 feet. Bark of trunk reddish-brown, exfoliating in plate- 

 like scales. 



Branches short in proportion to the height of the trunk, the 

 lower ones decurved but turning upwards at the ends, the upper 

 ones horizontal or ascending. Branchlets brown, pubescent. Buds 

 ovoid-conic with red-brown scales, the outermost of which end in 

 long subulate points. 



Leaves on vertical shoots radially arranged ; on lateral shoots 

 pointing forwards on the upper side ; pseudo-distichous in three- 

 four ranks on the under side, persisting about four years, flattened, 

 ^ to f inch long, with a short tip, acute or obtuse, convex and 

 shining green on the ventral surface, with a prominent midrib and 

 lines of stomata on the dorsal surface. 



Cones ovoid - conic, 2 inches long or more, bluish - black when 

 young, becoming dark brown when ripe, horizontal or pendulous, 

 with suborbicular convex scales. Seed small, about J inch long, 

 wing J inch long. 



Picea Omorika has a restricted distribution, being only known 

 to occur on both sides of the valley of the river Drina, which forms 

 the boundary between Servia and Bosnia. It was discovered there as 

 recently as 1875 by Dr. Pancic, growing on limestone rocks at an 

 elevation of 2,700 to 5,300 feet, and introduced into cultivation about 

 1884. It is quite hardy. 



A young tree was added to the Bayfordbury collection in 1906. 

 The photograph represents a specimen from one of the Kew trees 

 which were raised from seed obtained from Belgrade in 1889. 



