Natural Family of Plants called Coniferse. 171 



on the sides parallel to the medullary rays with a single row of minute dots, 

 with a circular outline, much smaller and more crowded than in Pinus. 

 These characters agree with the Cupressinece, and differ entirely from the 

 fibrous tissue of Araucaria Cunmnghamii, the vessels of which are furnished 

 with two or three rows of dots having a hexagonal outline ; a peculiarity 

 attributable to pressure, and arising, doubtless, from their close contact prior 

 to the full growth of the membrane composing the vessel. 



The specimen from which my description of this remarkable tree was 

 taken, is contained in the extensive collections of the Society. It formed part 

 of the Herbarium of the younger Linnaeus, having been communicated to 

 him by his friend and successor Thunberg on his return from Japan, and it 

 was afterwards incorporated with the collection of our late distinguished 

 President and Founder Sir J. E. Smith. 



The concealed position of the reproductive organs has suggested the generic 

 name, which is derived from KpvirToc, occulfus, and /ue/oic, pars. 



ATHROTAXIS. 



Ord. Nat. Conifers. Linn. Juss. 

 Trib. II. CuPRESsiNEiE. Rich. 



Character Essentialis. 



Amenta mascula solitaria, multiflora, capitata, laxa. Sqvamce antherifer(e 

 long^ unguiculatee, subfastigiatae. Antherarum thecce 2, distantes, diva- 

 ricato-patentes. Strohili squamae indefinitse, lanoeolatse, acutse, regione 

 seminifera incrassata. Semina 2 v. 3, compressa, pendula ! margine altero 

 alato. 



Character Generalis. 

 Flore s monoici. 



Masc. Amenta terminalia, solitaria, sessilia, capitata, rhachide brevissima 



subulata, squamis pluribus membranaceis involucrata. Squamce antheri- 



feroe long^ unguiculatse, subfastigiatse, laxse : ungue lineari-angustissimo, 



compresso : limho oblongo, membranaceo. Antherarum thecce 2, ovato- 



oblongae, obtus6e, uniloculares, h baseos angulis squamarum limbi ortum 



