THE FIXE SUB-FAMILY. 181 



Seeds, very small, pale cinnamon colored, with a small, 

 oblong, ovate wing. 



Another new species closely allied to A. Alcocquiana, 

 and found growing in the vicinity of Hakodadi, on the 

 Island of Jesso. The only specimens seen were from 20 

 to 30 feet in height, but exceedingly beautiful; perhaps 

 one of the finest of the genus. Its ultimate height is sup- 

 posed to be about 40 or 50 feet, with very rough, pale 

 brauchlets, and longer leaves than those of A. Alcocquiana. 



14 t A, polita, Siebold & Zuccarlni. Syn. Pin us Abies, 

 Thunberg ; Abies Torano, Siebold in Verhandl. ; Pinus 

 polita, Antoine & Endlieher ; Picea polita, Carriere. 

 Leaves, from 6 to 10 lines long, very persistent (for seven 

 years), spirally alternate, not distichous, sessile, linear, 

 rigid, glabrous, bright green, thick, slightly curved, with 

 a somewhat sharp point, entire, tetragonal. Cones, from 

 4 to 5 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, elliptical, rounded 

 at both ends, solitary, terminal, with obovate, or obovate- 

 subrhomboidal, irregularly crenulated, coriaceous, glabrous, 

 bright chestnut-colored scales ; bracts, minute, linear-ob- 

 tuse, entire, coriaceous, scarcely equalling in length the 

 fourth part of the scale. Seeds, rather small, with a broad 

 wing. (Murray). 



According to Murray, " Siebold informs us that he saw 

 this superb Fir for the first time during his journey to 

 Jeddo, in the sacred groves around the temples of Miako. 

 The form of its cones and the entire habit of the tree 

 forcibly recalled to his mind the Common Spruce. At 

 Jeddo he received branches of cultivated specimens, but 

 lie thinks it should be found wild in the mountains of Ni- 

 kao. From other accounts it appears that it forms great 

 forests on the high mountains which stretch along the 



j * ' 



frontiers of Dewa and Mutsu, all the way to the northern 

 coast of Nippon, and, according to Japanese reports, it is 

 likewise to be found in the Kurile Islands. It is also found 

 wild on the peninsula of Korai, and Sk-l>old obtained a 



