168 LARIX, OR 



Gen. LARIX. Link. The Larch. 



Flowers monoecious, or male and female on the same plant, 

 but separate ; the male catkins small, without footstalks, and 

 egg-shaped; the female ones erect, solitary, ovate, and much 

 larger than the males. 



Cones small, oval-obtuse, or somewhat cylindrical, and 

 consisting of but few scales. 



Scales persistent, leathery, thin towards the margins, and a 

 little reflected or undulated. 



Bracteas either longer or shorter than the scales, unevenly 

 notched on the edges, ovate-pointed, or lanceolate. 



Seeds very small, with a leathery covering and membrana- 

 ceous wings. 



Seed-leaves from Ave to seven in number. 



Leaves deciduous, linear, obtuse, soft, without footstalks, and 

 either produced in bundles or singly. 



The name Larch, according to some authors, is derived from 

 the Celtic word " Lar" (fat), on account of the tree producing 

 an abundance of resinous matter, which flows externally down 

 its stem, and which Ovid describes in the following lines — 

 «*' The new-made trees in tears of amber run, 

 Which harden into value by the sun." 



But, according to other writers, the name is derived from the 

 Welsh "Liar" (wide spreading)', on account of its horizontally ' * 

 extended branches. Its Spanish name, "Alerce," and its 

 Italian one, "L'Arice," are derived from the Arabic "Al-araz," 

 a kind of cedar, or coniferous tree. 



All deciduous trees, found in the colder parts of Europe, 

 Asia, and America. 



No. 1. Labix Dahtjeica, TuTcsam,inow, the Dahurian Larch. 

 Syn. Larix Europsea Dahurica, Loudon. 

 „ „ GmeUni, Ledebour. 

 „ Abies Gmehni, Rupreoht. 

 „ Pinus Dahurica, Fischer. 

 „ „ Larix Americana, Pallas. 



