Some Notes on the CotiifercB of California. 139 



who, noticing its unusually large cones, gave it the specific name. Gordon, 

 in his Finciujit, p. 65, claims it as identical with his C. Lambcrtiana, raised 

 from seeds distributed by Mr. Lambert among his friends ; but the country 

 from whence they came was unknown. The tree-seedlings were recognized 

 subsequently by Mr. Gordon by comparison with a specimen received from 

 Prof. Fischer, who considered it a new species from California. " It is one 

 of the finest cypresses yet introduced, on account of its beautiful bright- 

 green aspect, its great size, and hardiness. Mr. Hartweg found it forming 

 a tree sixty feet high, on the wooded heights near Monterey, in Upper Cali- 

 fornia, and with a far-spreading, branching, flat top. It is hardy, and will 

 grow in almost any kind of soil which is not very poor " {Finetum, p. 66). 

 According to Mr. Bolander, it seems to be very variable ; on granite rocks, 

 slightly disintegrated, only six inches in height, bearing perfect cones. In 

 a depression associated with Piniis muricata, from ten to fifteen feet high, 

 full of cones. At a distance of three or four miles more inland, it made 

 a large grove of trees of great beauty, size, and perfection ; the average 

 height from forty to sixty feet. At this point, these trees were daily envel- 

 oped in a dense fog {Free, I. c). A tree of such beauty and variableness 

 would be a veiy desirable addition for either border or pot culture. 



9. Lihrocedrus decurrens (Torrey). — This is the California white cedar, 

 and is a handsome tree. The largest specimens noticed by Mr. Lolandet 

 were from forty to sixty feet high, and two or three feet in diameter. A full 

 description with an excellent figure may be found in Flantas Fremontiatia 

 {Smithsonian Contributions, vol. vi. p. 7, tab. 3) ; in which, however, the 

 cones, which are represented as erect, should have been drawn as pendu- 

 lous. 



10. Taxus brev folia (Nuttall). — A small tree in California; and though 

 similar to the common yew of Europe, yet considered as distinct (Torrey). 

 A handsome tree, says Mr. Bolander, attaining the height of twenty or 

 thirty feet, with extremely slender and drooping branches. The yew of 

 the Middle and Eastern States {T. Canadensis) is a mere bush, as is well 

 known ; while the shortdeaved yew of the North-west Territory and Califor- 

 nia, like its type the 2\ baccata, is a stately tree of sometimes sixty feet in 

 height. 



11. Torreya Calif ornica {Torrey). — The foliage of this fine evergreen 



