RETINISPORA. 93 



slightly flattened on the sides, keeled on the back, and densely 

 arranged more or less spirally all round the branchlets, while 

 those near the base of the principal shoots, and on the lesser 

 spray, are more or less scale-formed, adpressed in opposite 

 pairs, keeled on the back, oval-shaped, closely imbricated, and 

 all of a deep glossy green colour. Branches spreading, and 

 rather slender, with the branchlets and lesser spray scattered 

 irregularly all round, and very dense, especially towards the 

 ends of the branches ; branchlets numerous, short, linear, and 

 thickly placed irregularly along the sides of the lateral branches, 

 with the leading ones frequently confused, and ending in a 

 flattened kind of monstrosity, more or less contorted near the 

 points, and densely covered with small pointed scale-like leaves, 

 sometimes more or less glaucous on the under side. 



A fine evergreen tree, resembling Retinispora obtusa, found 

 in the gardens near Yeddo, in Japan. 



It was first imported by Mr. Standish, of the Royal Nursery, 

 near Bagshot, in the early part of 1861, through the valuable 

 exertions of his friend, Mr. Robert Fortune. 



Page 295. 

 Retinispora obtusa, S'lebold, the Blunt-leaved Japan Cypress. 

 Syn. Chamsepeuce obtusa, Zuccarini. 

 „ Retinispora Fusinoki, Zuccarini. 

 This beautiful tree is called " Hen-hak" by the Chinese, and 

 ** Fu-si-no-ki" (tree of the Sun) by the Japanese, and of which 

 there are the following varieties, viz: — 



Retinispora obtusa aurea, Fortune, the Golden Variegated 

 Japan Cypress. 



This variety differs from the ordinary form of the tree in 

 having a portion of the smaller spray and leaves of a golden 

 colour, intermixed with the usual glossy-green ones, all over 

 the plant. 



A nice variegated variety, found by Mr. Fortune, cultivated 

 jn the Japanese gardens about Yeddo, in Japan, where it is 

 called "Kwa-furi-hak^^ (variegated tree of life). It has been 



