446 Con if era Biota. 



14 BIOTA. 



This genus was separated from Thuja on account of a rather 

 slight difference in the form of the fruit, which is composed of 

 about 6 scales in opposite pairs, with a hook or tubercle near 

 the apex, and 2 wingless seeds at the base. The scales are 

 somewhat fleshy at first, but ultimately become more or less 

 coriaceous or woody. This genus is, so far as at present known, 

 limited to a single species, which is, however, almost endless in 

 its forms. The name is probably a modification of /&OTOS-, life, 

 signifying the same as its trivial name. Tree of Life, or Arbor 

 Yitse. 



1. B. orientaiis, syn. Thuja orientalis. Chinese Arbor 

 Vitse. A small compact densely-branched tree, from 15 to 20 

 feet high, with compressed crowded branchlets. Leaves bright 

 green, very small, and closely imbricated, with slight depression 

 or channel above, destitute of tubercles. The typical form of 

 this species is a handsome shrub, preferable to the other Arbor 

 Vitses in some respects, especially for its brighter green foliage 

 and less powerful odour, and some of its numerous varieties 

 may be numbered amongst the most ornamental of evergreens, 

 requiring little space for their full development. There is 

 scarcely any appreciable difference in the foliage of most of 

 these forms, except that in some there is a tendency to produce 

 linear spreading leaves. This is more particularly the case 

 in the variety Meldensis, syn. hybrida, which has decurrent 

 glaucous linear acute spreading leaves, and the fruits of the 

 ordinary shape. This was raised from seed in a garden at 

 Meaiix, amongst a lot of the ordinary form, and at first supposed 

 to be a hybrid between the Red Cedar and the Chinese Arbor 

 Vitse, but subsequent investigation has proved it to be a variety 

 of the latter. It is more curious than beautiful, as it rarely 

 forms a good specimen. Another very distinct and remarkable 

 variety is that named filiformis, sjn. flagelliformis, pendula, 

 etc. This has long pendulous flexible whip-like branchlets, 

 and longer though appressed acute leaves. A very beautiful 

 and desirable shrub for sheltered localities on well drained soil 

 where alone it will flourish satisfactorily. The Grolden Cypress, 

 B. orientalis aurea, is one of the most familiar of the compact- 

 growing varieties, being nearly spherical in outline, with the 

 young foliage of a bright yellow tinge. This is very pretty 

 when the yellowness is not too highly developed, for in that 



