18 KEY AND FLORA 



1. L. laricina Koch. American Larch, Tamarack, Hackma- 

 tack (wrongly, but quite generally, called Cypress and Juniper). 

 A tall, slender tree, 30-100 ft. high. Leaves slender and less than 

 1 in. long, very pale bluish-green. Cones ^-| in. long, few-scaled. 

 Wood hard, tough, and heavy, of considerable use for shipbuilding. 



2. L. decidua Mill. European Larch. Leaves bright green and 

 longer. Cones longer than in the preceding species and many-scaled. 

 Cultivated from Europe. 



VI. TAXODIUM Richard 



Trees. Leaves spreading so as to appear 2-ranked, decidu- 

 ous. Flowers monoecious, appearing before the leaves ; stami- 

 nate ones numerous, globose, forming long, terminal, drooping, 

 panicled spikes ; anthers 2-5-celled. Pistillate flowers single 

 or in pairs, bractless, the peltate scales 2-ovuled. Cone globose ; 

 the very thick woody scales angular, separating at maturity. 

 Seeds 3-angled, pyramidal.* 



1. T. distichum Richard. Bald Cypress. A very large tree ; bark 

 dark brown, rough, fibrous ; many of the twigs deciduous with the 

 leaves. Leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled, 2-ranked, flat, linear, 

 |-| in. long. Cones terminal, globose, about 1 in. in diameter ; ends 

 of the scales much thickened, wrinkled, and with a distinct trian- 

 gular marking. Common in swamps and on the borders of streams ; 

 wood reddish, soft, light; specially valued for shingles and fence 

 posts, and for boat building.* 



VII. THUJA L. 



Mowers small, terminal, monoecious, on different branches. 

 Stamens each consisting of a scale-like portion bearing 4 

 anther-like cells. Pistillate flowers consisting of a few overlap- 

 ping scales which ripen into a small, loose cone. Leaves ever- 

 green, opposite, and closely overlapping on the stem, of two 

 kinds, those on the more rapidly growing twigs awl-shaped, 

 the others mere scales. 



1. T. occidentalis L. Arbor Vit,e, Cedar. A small tree, 20-50 

 ft. high, with soft, fibrous bark. Leaves mostly awl-shaped and blunt. 

 Cones ellipsoidal, their scales 2-seeded. Grows on rocky ledges, but 

 reaches its greatest size in cool cedar swamps. Wood soft, yellowish, 

 fragrant, durable, prized for shingles and fence posts. 



