THE CYPRESS SUB-FAMILY. 315 



19 THUJA, Tvnnnfnrt. WESTERN", OR AMERICAN 



ARBOR VIT.K. 



Flowers monoecious and terminal, on different branches; 

 sterile aments, elliptical or ovoid ; fertile ann-nts, ovoid 

 and solitary. Cones small, ovoid, with from 4 to 6 coria- 

 ceous scales, the latter spreading, adherent at the ba-<-, 

 and covering '- x'eds, winged all round the margins. Co- 

 tyledons, '2. Leave- vinall. M-:ile-like, or awl-shaped, oppo- 

 site, appressed, and imbricated in 4 rows on the Hat 

 branchlets. 



The American Arbor Vita?s in ornamental plantations 

 bear a conspicuous part ; for not only do they form desira- 

 ble specimen trees, but are useful in forming screens and 

 hedges. They bear the knife or shears with perfect impu- 

 nity, the plants thickening up to a degree of density rare- 

 ly surpassed by any other evergreen. And then again, 

 the comparative cheapness of the type of the genus and 

 the readiness with which it will grow and flourish in al- 

 most any soil are additional incentives to its increased 

 cultivation. 



The timber is reputed to be very durable. Xame prob- 

 ably derived from thyon, " sacrifice ; " or from theaneient 

 Greek name of some resin-bearing tree. The origin of the 

 common name Arbor Yitae is involved in obscuritv : some 



* 7 



writers say it was introduced into England under that 

 title, but the reason for it is unknown. 



1. T, gfcantea. JWfrrtf. GIGAN-TK- ARBOB 

 Leaves acute, incurved, ovate, quadrately and closely im- 

 bricated, entirely destitute of the glandular tubercle, bright 

 green or occasionally glaucous-green in color, and exceed- 

 ingly beautiful, resembling the fronds of a fern. Branches 

 and branchlets, erect, somewhat flattened, regular in ar- 

 rangement, long, and slender. Cones abruptly recurved, 

 more clustered and drooping than in T. o<-<-i<1tnt<iU$, oth- 

 erwise very similar. Seeds elliptic and furnished with a 

 wide winged margin. 



