468 CONIFERS. (PINE FAMILY.) 



SUBCLASS II. GYMNOSPERM.E. 



Pistil represented by an open scale or leaf, or else entirely want- 

 ing ; the ovules and seeds therefore naked (without a pericarp), and 

 fertilized by the direct application -of the pollen. Cotyledons often 

 more than two. 



ORDER 106. CONIFERJE. (PINE FAMILY.) 



Trees or shrubs, with resinous juice, mostly awl-shaped or needle-shaped 

 entire leaves, and monoecious or rarely dioecious Jlowers in catkins, destitute 

 of calyx or corolla. Ovules orthotropous. Embryo in the axis of the al- 

 bumen, nearly its length. (Wood destitute of ducts, composed chiefly of 

 a homogeneous large woody fibre which is marked with circular disks on 

 two sides.) Composes the three following Suborders : 



SUBORDER I. ABIETINEJE. PROPER PINE FAMILY. 

 Fertile flowers in catkins, consisting of open imbricated carpels in the 

 form of scales in the axil of a bract ; in fruit forming a strobile or cone. 

 Ovules 2, adherent to the base of each carpellary scale, their orifice turned 

 downward. Buds scaly. 



* Cone maturing the year after flowering. 



1. Finns. Leaves 2 - 5 in a cluster from the axil of a scale-like primary leaf, persistent. 



* * Cones maturing the same year. 



2. Abies. Leaves all scattered on the branches and alike, persistent. 



3. Larix. Leaves many m a cluster, the primary ones similar to the others, deciduous. 



SUBORDER H. CUPRESSINEjE. CYPRESS FAMILY. 



Fertile flowers consisting of few carpellary scales, without bracts, bear- 

 ing single or several erect ovules on their base (the orifice upward), form- 

 ing a closed strobile or a sort of drupe in fruit. Buds naked. 



* Flowers monoecious. Strobile dry, opening at maturity. 



4. Thuja. Fruit of few imbricated oblong scales. Ovules 2. Leaves scale-like, closely im- 



bricated on the flattened branches. 



5. Cupressiis. Fruit of several shield-form thick scales united in a globular woody cone. 



Seeds 2 or more on the stalk of each scale. Leaves scale-like or awl-shaped. 



6. Taxodium. Fruit of several thick shield-shaped scales united in a globular woody 



cone. Seeds 2 on the base of each scale. Leaves linear, 2-ranked, deciduous. 

 * * Flowers chiefly dioecious. Fruit berry-like, not opening. 



7. .Tuniperns. Fruit composed of 3-6 coalescent 1 -3-ovuled scales, becoming fleshy. 



SUBORDER III. TAXINEJE. YEW FAMILY. 

 Fertile flower solitary, consisting of a naked ovule, ripening into a nut- 

 like or drupe-like seed. Carpel or scale entirely wanting. Buds scaly. 



8. Taxws. Ovule erect, encircled at the base by an annular disk, which in fruit forms a 



berry-like cup around the nut-like seed. 



