208 THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



branches all erect, although somewhat like var. pyramid- 

 <d!s in its general outline, but with branchlets more slen- 

 der and compressed, and with small, slender, and frequently 

 incurved leaves. 



Var, liana. Knight. According to Gordon this is a 

 very dwarf variety, growing one or two feet high, and 

 smaller in all its parts. Of French origin, and probably 

 the var. ctiierea, of Baumann, and mentioned by London. 



30, A, religiosa, Lhulley. SACRED SILVER FIK. Syn. 

 A. hirtella, TAndley; Picea Mrtella & P. religiosa, London; 

 Finns hirtella & P. religiosa, Humboldt. Leaves, from 1 

 to H inch long, linear, entire, obtuse, coriaceous, distich- 

 ous, dark green above, silvery glaucous below. Branch- 

 es, when young, hirsute, but smooth and covered with a 

 brown bark when old, slender. Cones 5 inches long, 

 roundish-oval, obtuse, pedunculate; Avith large, entire, 

 lamelliform, cordate, acute scales ; and broad, reflexed, 

 serrated, membranaceous bracts. Seeds, rather large, 

 irregular, and wedge-shaped, with a thinly membranaceous, 

 transparent wing. 



This beautiful Silver Fir is a native of Mexico, and is 

 found on several of the colder altitudes of the mountains 

 in that country. London says : " This is a tall and elegant 

 tree found by Ilumboldt on the lower hills of Mexico, be- 

 tween Masantla and Chilpantzingo, at an elevation of 4,000 

 feet. Deppe and Schiede found it upon the cold moun- 

 tains of Orizaba, at the highest limit of arborescent vege- 

 tation. The leaves are larger, and the branches more 



^j f 



slender than those of any other of the Silver Fir tribe; 

 and they are used by the Mexicans for adorning their 

 churches." 



The Sacred Silver Fir is peculiarly handsome in foliage, 

 with long, slender, drooping branches, and of immense 

 size. A plant in our own collection fully endorses the 

 character given it in this respect, but it has not been 

 tested in the open air. As we have no accounts from oth- 



