480. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE NATURAL ORDERS. 



linear, entire. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, commonly amenta- 

 ceous. Staminatc flowers consisting of one or more (often mona- 

 delphous) stamens, destitute of calyx or corolla, arranged on a com- 

 mon rhachis so as to form a kind of loose anient. — The particular 

 structure of the flowers and fruit varies in the subordinate groups, 

 chiefly as follows : — 



923. Sllbord. AbietineiB {Fir, or Pine Family proper). Fertile 

 aments formed of imbricated scales ; which are the flat and open 

 carpels, and bear a pair of ovules adherent to their base, with the 

 foramen turned downwards (Fig. 511). Scales subtended by bracts. 

 Fruit a strobile or cone (Fig. 596). Integument of the seed cori- 

 aceous or Avoody, more or less firmly adherent to the scale. Em- 

 bryo in the axis of fleshy albumen, with two to fifteen cotyledons. 

 Buds scaly. 



924. Sllbord. Cliprcssincse {Cypress Family). Fertile aments of 

 few scales crowded on a short axis, or moue numerous and peltate, 

 not bracteate. Ovules one, two, or several, borne on the base of the 

 scale, erect (the foramen looking towards its apex, Fig. 516, 1180). 

 Fruit an indurated strobile, or sometimes fleshy and with the scales 

 concreted, forming a kind of drupe. Integument of the seed mem- 

 branous or bony. Cotyledons two or more. Anthers of several 

 parallel cells, placed under a shield-like connective. Buds naked. 

 — Ex. Cupressus (Cypress), Taxodium (American Cypress), Juni- 

 perus (Juniper, Red Cedar). 



925. Sllbord. Taxinca! {Yew Family). Fertile flowers solitary, 

 terminal, consisting merely of an ovule, forming a drupaceous or nut- 

 like seed at maturity. There are, therefore, no strobiles and no 

 carpellary scales. Embryo with two cotyledons. Buds scaly. — 

 Ex. Ta'xus (the Yew), Torreya. 



926. It is unnecessary to specify the important uses of this large 

 and characteristic family, which comprises the most important tim- 

 ber-trees of cold countries, and also furnishes resinous products of 

 great importance, such as turpentine, resin, pitch, tar, Canada bal- 

 sam, &c. The terebinthine Juniper-berries are the fruit of Juni- 

 perus communis. The Larch yields Venetian turpentine. The 

 powerful and rubefacient Oil of Savin is derived from J. Sabina of 

 Europe : for which our nearly allied J. Virginiana (Red Cedar) 

 may be substituted. The leaves of the Yew are narcotic and dele- 

 terious. The bark of Larch, and especially of the Hemlock-Spruce, 

 is used for tannin";. 



