86 CUPEBSSUS, OE 



Leaves on the adult plants ovate, in alternate opposite pairs, 

 closely pressed, in four imbricated rows, and of a glaucous 

 green colour, while those on the young plants are lanceolate, 

 sharp-pointed, spreading at the ends, and frequently furnished 

 with a small gland on the back. Branches crowded, flexuose, 

 and more or less ascending. Branchlets ver}^ slender, flattened 

 on the upper and lower surfaces, much divided, bending alter- 

 nately inwards and outwards, and thickly covered with decur- 

 rent leaves in alternate opposite pairs, closely pressed together 

 on the adult plants, but spreading on the younger ones. Cones 

 solitary, terminal, many-sided, of a light brown colour, covered 

 with a glaucous bloom when young, and about tlie size of a 

 large pea, and on rather short foot-stalks. Scales mostly .six in 

 number, but sometimes more, flat, with a rough external sur- 

 face, of a corky texture, light brown, and irregularly four or 

 five sided, with an elevated straight point in the centre. Seeds 

 somewhat ear-shaped, rather large, and mostly three under 

 each scale. 



A large graceful tree, growing 100 feet high, and two feet in 

 diameter, found in the Shasta and Scots valleys, and, according 

 to Mr. Murray, along the banks of streams in a valley in the 

 mountains of Northern California, in lat. 40° to 42°, where it 

 lormed the handsomest tree seen by him in his whole expedi- 

 tion, the habit of the tree being the most graceful, with the 

 branches at first curved upwards, like those of the common 

 Spruce, and towards the ends hanging down like an ostrich 

 feather, with the leading shoots, when yoiing, drooping like 

 those of the Deodar. 



This beautiful tree is nearly related, and in some respects 

 somewhat resembles the Cupressus Nutkaensis (syn. Thuiopsis 

 Borealis), but diflTers in being much slenderer and smaller in all 

 its parts, and of a more graceful habit. 



Timber, good, clear, and easily worked, with a strong odour. 



It is quite hardy, and has numerous varieties, of which the 

 following are the most distinct : — 



