516 OEDER CXVII. CONIFERS. 



Genus III— CUPRES'SUS. L. 19—15. 

 (From ku8, to produce, and parisos, equal, in allusion to the branches.) 



Floivcrs monoecious. Sterile flowers ; the anient ovate, im- 

 bricate. Scales peltate. Anthers 4, ses.sile. Fertile florets; 

 anient a cone. Perianth none. Ovaries 4 — 8 under each 

 scale. jVuts angular, compressed. 



1. C dis'tica, (L.) a laige tree. Leaves small, linear, acute, flat, 

 deciduous. Sterile flowers pauiculate; catkin sub-globose. — Ma}'. Deep 

 swamps. 90 — 100 feet. Cypress. 



2. C. thyoi'des, (L.) a large tree, with compressed branches. Leaves 

 imbricate, in four rows, ovate, tuberculate at the base ; catkin globose. 

 — T^. May. Swamps. 70 — 80 feet. White Cedar. 



The Cypress is one of our most remartable trees. It grows to its greatest dimen- 

 sions in dee[), miry soil. The base of tlie tn;nk is conical and usu:<lly holow. Its 

 roots are immense, and produce reu aikable jnotul eninces. wliicli rise to the liight 

 of 2- 3 feet. These are conical and hollow, covert-d by tlie same kind of bark as the 

 root: never produce branches or leaves. Often used for bee-hives. The wood of t!ie 

 Cypress is the moat durable of any in exposed situations. 



Gexus IV.— thuya. L. 19—15. 

 (From thuon, a sacrifice : the resin used as incense.) 



i^/oi^^ers monoecious. Sterile florets ; ament imbricate. Calyx 

 a scale. Anthers 4, sessile. Fertile flowers in cones, with scales 

 2-flowered. ^ut 1-winged. 



1. T. occidenta'lis, (L.) A t=mall tree, with spreadin^f, ancipital 

 branches. Leaves imbricate, in four rows, apprt^ssed, naked, ov.ite- 

 rhomboi.lal, tuberculate. Cones obovate, with ihe inner scales trun- 

 cate, gibbous below the summit. — ^. May. Mountain streams. 15 — 

 20 feet. American Arbor-vitce. 



Gexus v.— TOR'REYA. Arn. 20—15. 

 (la honor of Professor John Torrey.) 



Dioecious. Staminate flowers ; araent sub-globose, leno-then- 

 ing as it becomes perfected, wiih bracts at the base, imbricate, 

 in 4 rows, many-flowered ; anther bearing scales, pedicellate. 

 Pistillate flowers ; ament ovate, 1-flowered, bracteate ; ovule 

 solitary, sessile ; seed nut-like ; testa thick, without coriacfeous- 

 fleshy, within fibrous. Small trees, with spreading branches. 



1. T. taxifo'lia, (Arn.) (Taxns montana, Nutt.) An evergreen tree. 

 Branches spreading ; branclilcts disticliously forked. Leavfs approx- 

 imate, solitiiry, distichous, on short petioles, linear, mucronate, shining 

 above, paler beneath ; vein bioad. alnnit one inclj long. Fruit about 

 one inch long, ovate, rough; outside covering brittle.— Middle Floi-ida. 

 20 — 40 feet. Florida Yew tree 



