304 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



Completely naturalised and often cultivated in Switzerland and 

 France, both in masses and singly in the forests. May. Originally 

 from N. America. 



Pinus Laricio L. 



This southern species is cultivated in plantations, and solitary 

 specimens are occasionally seen in forests, but it is not supposed to 

 be native in Switzerland. The leaves are long and glaucous, the 

 cones ovoid-conical, sub-sessile, the boss of the scales pale yellow. 

 Heart-wood blackish grey. 



Abies Miller. Fir. 



Characters the same as those of Pinus, but the leaves are solitary 

 and evergreen. 



Abies alba Miller (^4. pectinata DC). Silver Fir. 



Leaves pectinate, 2-5 cms. long, with 2 white lines beneath, 

 disposed all round the fruiting twigs at the top. Cone-cyUndrical, 

 reddish violet first, then green, erect, shorter than in A. excelsa 

 (8-10 cms.), with prominent bracts. Scales dentate, shortly 

 petioled, and falling with the seeds. Heart-wood light grey. 



According to Schinz and Wilczek it reaches a height of 1800 

 metres in Switzerland, and forms great belts of forest from about 

 1000-1600 metres, and to 1300 metres in the Jura. According to 

 my own observation in the Eastern Pyrenees this tree forms (with 

 P. austriaca and P. ficea) the chief forests, and in certain districts 

 the' forest-belt lies between about 5500 and 6700 feet. May. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps ; Vosges, Jura, 

 Pyrenees, Corsica ; Central and Southern Europe, Caucasus, Asia 

 Minor. 



PiCEA Dietrich. 



Leaves (or needles) compressed, 4-angled. Cone pendent, 

 falling in one piece (in Abies the scales only fall), the scales persistent 

 on the rachis. 



Picea excelsa Link {Abies excelsa Poir.). Spruce Fir. 



Leaves mucronate, somewhat 4-edged, green, disposed equally 

 all round the twigs. Cone cylindrical (10-15 cms.), pendulous, 

 without bracts. Scales dentate, sessile, and persistent. Heart- 

 wood brown. 



In Switzerland it reaches from the plains to the upper limit of 

 trees (1650-1980 metres), except in Tessin, the Grisons and the 

 Valais, where the Larch and the Arolla Pine (P. Cemhra) are the 

 highest trees (Schinz). 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps ; Jura, 

 Vosges, Central and Northern Europe, Siberia. Very often planted. 



