Conifera Pimis. 425 



and crowded appressed dark green and glaucous foliage. 

 Leaves slender, flexible, from 2 to 3 inches long. Sheath 

 small, deciduous, as it is also in the two last. Cone erect, 

 abjut 3 or 4 inches long. The variety pygmcea is an ex- 

 tremely diminutive Pine, attaining a height only of 5 or 6 

 feet, it is said, in a hundred years. There is also a variegated 

 and several other varieties, the best of which is Helvetica, with 

 twisted leaves, some of which are glossy green, whilst others 

 are glaucous and opaque. A very hardy species, occurring in 

 the mountains of Central Europe and in Siberia. 



17. P. flexilis. A small slow-growing tree near the last in 

 many particulars, but having more flexible branches and a 

 bushy habit. Leaves crowded, rigid, about 2 inches long. 

 Cones from 4 to 5 inches long, with wedge-shaped scales. A 

 native of California. 



18. P. lophosperma.This is very distinct in habit and foliage 

 from all of the preceding species of this section. It is a hand- 

 some tree of large dimensions with rather loose branches and 

 glossy yellowish green leaves from 7 to 10 inches long. Sheath 

 large, persistent. Cones nearly globular, about 5 inches long, 

 smooth and shining. This is a native of Lower California, and 

 rather tender. 



P. monticola and P. Lambertiana are Californian species 

 near P. Strobus ; and P. parvifldra and P. Koraiensis are 

 recently introduced Japanese species of this affinity. 



In addition to the foregoing species of Pinus, we might 

 have included some of the numerous Mexican species; but as 

 they are all more or less tender, and the scope of our work 

 limited, we have preferred to pass them by with this slight 

 allusion. 



2. ABIES (including Plcea and Tsuga). 



Evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves needle-shaped or slightly 

 flattened and linear, never clustered. Male cones or catkins 

 axillary. Female cones terminal or lateral, pendulous or erect, 

 with thin closely imbricated scales not thickened at the tip. 

 Seeds usually winged. The species included under this head 

 differ considerably in habit and foliage and position of the 

 cones, and by some authors they are divided into three genera ; 

 but the long series of species now known exhibit every grada- 

 tion of the supposed distinctive characters. Nevertheless, for 

 broad distinctions of groups some of these features are useful. 



