PINACE^E, OR CONIFERS. 



Nat.syst. ed. 2. ^.313. 



PINUS. 



Flowers monoecious. $ . Catkins solitary or stalked. Stamens 

 numerous, inserted on an axis ; filaments very short ; anthers 

 2-celled, terminated by a crest, or scale-like connective ; the cells 

 bursting longitudinally or irregularly in a transverse direction. 

 ? . Catkins solitary or clustered. Scales imbricated, usually 

 subtended by an adnate scale. Ovules 2, at the base of the 

 scales, collateral, inverted, their points lacerated and directed 

 downwards. Cone consisting of hard woody truncated scales, 

 excavated at the base for the reception of the seeds. Seeds ex- 

 tended at the base into a membranous wing. Leaves ever- 

 green, -in fascicles, surrounded at the base by a membranous 

 tubular sheath. 



1170. P. sylvestris Linn. sp. pi. 1418. Lamb. pin. t. i. E. 

 Bot. t. 2460. Woodv. t. 207. London Arb. et Frut. 2153. 

 Sandy hills and woods of Europe, north of the Alps. (Scotch 

 Fir, Red Deal.) 



Sheaths of the leaves spirally disposed, tubular, membranous, at 

 length rugged, torn at the end. Leaves in pairs from each sheath, 

 equal, about 2 inches long, linear, narrow, obtuse with a small point, 

 minutely serrated, evergreen, smooth ; their upper surfaces, which are 

 dark green, and rather concave, originally clapped together, but soon 

 separated; the under convex, more glaucous, striated. Flowers ter- 

 minal, erect; the males aggregate spiked, sulphur-coloured, soon sur- 

 mounted by a protruding leafy branch, each flower having several chaffy 

 concave scaly bracteas at its base, which some call a 4-leaved calyx : 

 females solitary, globular, variegated with purple and green, with several 

 serrated, pointed, scaly bracteas. The first year, after impregnation, 

 the young fruit becomes lateral, stalked and reflexed, green, of an ovate 

 figure; and the second year ripens into ovate, pointed, hard, tessellated 

 but unarmed, woody cones, whose dry scales finally gape, and allow of 

 the dispersion of the winged seeds. Smith. Common turpentine is 

 obtained from this. 



1171. P. Pumilio Willd. sp. iv. 495. Lamb. pin. t. 2. 

 London Arb. et Frut. 2186. Mountains in the South East 

 of Europe. 



Very like a Scotch Fir only not forming a tree, but always remaining 

 a low bush. Leaves in pairs, short, straight. Cones ovate, obtuse, 

 very small ; the younger ones sessile and erect. Crest of the anthers 

 projecting, slit. Hungarian balsam is spontaneously exuded by the 

 branches of this species. 

 553 



