INCENSE CEDAR 



Libocedrus decurrens TORR. 



This beautiful conifer, discovered by 

 Fremont in 1846 on the upper waters of 

 the Sacramento River, has received the 

 name of Incense Cedar because of the 

 aromatic resin which perfumes its bark 

 and leaves. The leaves are short, flat 

 scales arranged in broad sprays of in- 

 tensely rich green. They are in whorls 

 of four but so closely adherent to the 

 stem that they are not easily recognized 

 as true leaves. Only the sharp ends of 

 the outer leaves are free. The inner 

 ones are much compressed and almost 

 completely covered by the outer lateral 

 leaves so that the stem appears jointed. 

 The specific name decurrens refers to 

 the fact that the leaves are prolonged on 

 the stem beneath the point of their ap- 

 parent insertion. 



The bark of the older trees is of a rich 

 cinnamon-red color, thin and scaly, and 



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