228 Pines found in the Taurian Caucasus. 



more laxly imbricated as the seeds ripen, inferior broadly 

 rounded, superior somewhat acute, with a few minute denticu- 

 lations, sometimes without any. 



Neither Pinus A K b\es L., nor Picea vulgaris Link, has been 

 found in the Caucasus ; nor has any species of Z/arix yet been 

 discovered. 



III. Pi^nus Ltinlc. [Pinus Arb. Brit."] Leaves in twos, threes, 

 or fives. Scales thickened at the tip. 



4. P. maritima Lamb, (not Link). [P. halepdnsis Arb. Brit.'] 

 Leaves in pairs. Strobiles conic, on short footstalks; scales 

 at the lower part obtuse, towards the top mucronate, de- 

 pressed at the back, and without a longitudinal keel. 



On the shores of Abshasia, around Pezundan, the ancient 

 Pity us ; from which circumstance, formerly, when I thought it a 

 distinct species, 1 named it P. pityusa. [See p. 130-] I received 

 branches with strobiles, many years ago, from Admiral Greig, 

 then commanding the Russian fleet in the Euxine ; and subse- 

 quently from Surgeon Iljin. 



This species is easily distinguished from the others, by its 

 scales not being tuberculated on the back, but having an im- 

 pressed pit in the middle. I refer it to P. maritima (P. hale- 

 pensis Dec. BertoL), although in some particulars they seem to 

 differ. Leaves sometimes occur shorter and thinner than I have 

 ever met with in P. maritima, scarcely 2 in. long ; whilst other 

 branches bear leaves so like those of P. monspeliensis Salzmarin 

 (which is a variety of P. maritima), that you would scarcely 

 believe them the produce of one tree. It also agrees with the 

 French tree in size of cone, and general form of scales ; but in 

 our specimen the upper scales are acute, and even mucronate, 

 which I have never seen in P. maritima, nor has it been observed 

 by any author, to my knowledge. The lowest scales have an 

 apical orbiculate disk, with a round depression in the middle ; 

 the next have a trapezoidal apex, but still obtuse, and a medial 

 transverse keel, twice or thrice the length of the disk, in a trans- 

 verse oval pit; presently the apex becomes smaller and mucro- 

 nate, often pungent ; the keel also is conspicuous in the pit ; and 

 at last scarcely broader than long, with a smaller point, and a 

 slightly elevated, transverse keel on each side of the pit. 



I dare not cite any from Link (Linneea, Litt. Ber., 1833, 

 p. 33. &c): 9. P. halepensis agrees in other respects, but differs 

 very much in the tuberculated back of the scale ; 10. P. mari- 

 tima differs in the transverse keel of the scale being obliterated, 

 whilst in ours it is very conspicuous ; the rest are still more dis- 

 similar. From a specimen, but without fruit, given me by Bil- 

 lardiere, I doubt the identity of the Syrian tree with the French 



