4 2 o Conifercz Pinus. 



or several, and then monadelphous ; females in cones or 

 solitary, when in eones two or more at the base of each bract. 

 By some authors these are considered as naked seeds on an 

 open carpellary leaf, and by others as inverted or erect carpels, 

 each containing a solitary erect seed destitute of the usual 

 integuments or coats. For the purposes of this work it 

 matters little which view we adopt, but we shall follow the 

 usual course and refer to them as ovules and seeds. The 

 seed is albuminous, with usually more than two cotyle- 

 dons, and sometimes as many as 12 in two opposite fascicles. 

 The genera are variously estimated according to the views of 

 different systematists, but they are reduced to about 30 by 

 the more moderate. The species which are widely dispersed, 

 occurring in most temperate countries, and rare in the tropic 

 and arctic regions number between 200 and 300. The num- 

 ber of species and varieties in cultivation belonging to this 

 order is very great, though many of them are still very rare, 

 and others are too tender for our climate. We shall confine 

 ourselves to descriptions of the most desirable hardy species. 



The genera may be conveniently grouped in three tribes, 

 founded upon the nature of the fruit. 



T BIBB l.ABIETINE^E. 



Flowers usually monoecious. Cones usually large, the scales 

 becoming more or less woody. Ovules and seeds 2 or more at 

 the base of each scale, inverted. 



1. PlNUS. 



Kegularly branched evergreen trees, often of large dimensions. 

 Leaves needle-shaped, commonly fascicled, 2 to 5 together in a 

 membranous sheath. Male cones or catkins in spikes, furnished 

 with membranous scales. Female cones solitary or clustered 

 with eventually woody scales, usually not reaching maturity 

 in one season. Seeds inverted, 2 at the base of each scale, 

 almost always winged at the base. In most Pines the cone 

 becomes very dense and woody, the tops of the bracts being 

 much thickened, expanded and shield-like. Upwards of 100 

 species are known, all in the northern hemisphere, and chiefly 

 in temperate regions. The name is from the Greek TriW, fat, 

 referring to the resin, and of which the English pine is merely 

 an altered form. 



