64 Illustrations of Conifers. 



SEQUOIA SEMPERVIREN8 (Endlicher). REDWOOD. 



Gardmm' Chronicle, Vol. XIX. p. 556 (1896) with fig. 



VeitcKs Man. Conif. ed. 2, p. 270 (1900). 



Tree* of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. III. p. 688 (1908). 



A TREE attaining a height of over 300 feet with a slightly tapering 

 and irregulary lobed trunk, which is sometimes 50 to 75 feet in girth 

 above the enlarged base. Bark 6 to 12 inches thick, divided into 

 rounded ridges two or three feet in width, separating on the surface 

 into long narrow fibrous scales which on falling display the reddish- 

 brown spongy middle bark. 



Young trees pyramidal with slender branches to near the base ; 

 older trees with stout horizontal branches above, forming an irregular 

 narrow crown. Branchlets slender, green at first, becoming brownish 

 later, spreading in two ranks. Buds small, with ovate, acute scales 

 which persist dry and brown at the base of the branchlets. 



Leaves on lateral brauchlets spreading in one plane in two ranks 

 by a twist on their bases, 3 to f inch long, linear or lanceolate, ending 

 in short cartilaginous points, narrowed at the base, decurrent ; upper 

 surface dark green, furrowed ; lower surface with a green midrib and 

 two whitish stomatic bands. Leaves on leading branchlets radially 

 arranged, about J inch long, ovate or ovate-oblong, incurved. 



Male flowers terminal or axillary, surrounded, at the base by ovate, 

 acute, imbricated bracts. Jl/ones^ ellipsoidal, f to 1 inch long by inch 

 broad, ripening in one year ; scales with slender stalks which enlarge 

 abruptly into discs J inch in breadth. Seeds light brown, winged, 

 one-sixteenth inch long. 



This tree is found in a wild state on the western slopes, valleys 

 and alluvial flats of the coast range from the Chetco river in Oregon, 

 to twelve miles south of Punta Gorda in Monterey Country, California, 

 occupying a narrow strip of country along the sea-coast, and extending 

 inland only a few miles. It ascends from sea-level to 2,000 or rarely 

 3,000 feet. 



It was introduced into England in 1863, and only thrives well 

 on the south and west coast of Great Britain and in Ireland. In its 

 native country the timber of the Redwood is largely employed for 

 building and a variety of other purposes. 



The specimens at Bayfordbury were planted in 1850, the largest 

 tree measuring 74 feet by 10 feet 2 inches. 



