GYMNOSPEEMS 



313 



w knees " are quite soft, and it is believed that they furnish 

 a passageway by which air is conveyed to the roots. The 

 tamarack (Larix) is common in bogs in the north temperate 

 regions. It and bald cypress are deciduous conifers. The 

 northern white cedar, or " arbor vitae " (Thuja) (Figs. 257, D, 

 and 259), and southern white cedar (Qhamcecyparis), which 

 often are low shrubs but in forests become large trees, are 

 other members of the fam- 

 ily. The red cedar, juniper, 

 and low juniper, all species 

 of the genus Juniperus (Fig. 

 258, F), are some of this 

 family's most widely distrib- 

 uted members. Redwoods 

 and "big trees" (Sequoia) 

 (Figs. 258, J; 250, and 

 260) are famous over the 

 entire world, though they 

 now grow only in the west- 

 ern part of North America. 

 They have been the objects 

 of many laudable efforts on 

 the part of people who de- 

 sired to preserve them. 



The American' yew, called 

 " ground hemlock," is our 

 only representative of the 

 Yew family (Taxacece). It 

 is low and sprawling in growth. Its branch resembles in form 

 that of the true hemlock, but its leaves are distinctly pointed, 

 while those of the hemlock are blunt. Its ripe cone consists 

 of a central hard structure which contains a few seeds, and 

 an outer coating which is pulpy and brilliant red in color. 



288. Industrial importance of conifers. Several species of nut 

 pine in western North America and one in southern Europe 

 bear edible seeds, which are of considerable value as food. 



FIG. 260. " Big trees " of California 



The largest living trees belong to this group 



of gymnosperms. Original negative by Mode 



Wineman 



