364 RETINOSPORA. 



No. 4. Retinospoea filifera, Standish, the Thread-branch- 

 letted Japan Cypress. 



Leaves ovate, very acute, and spiny-pointed, loosely imbri- 

 cated, open and spreading at the points, keeled on the back, 

 decurrent at the base, and of a bright green colour, more or 

 less glaucous beneath. Branches open and spreading, with the 

 secondary ones alternate, long, somewhat distant, and furnished 

 principally on one side with numerous branchlets of various 

 lengths; the terminal branchlets are long, slender, undivided, 

 filiform, and frequently eight or ten inches long, with tufts of 

 small spray at their points; while the lateral ones are rather 

 short, somewhat flattened, and bright gi-een on the uj)per side, 

 and more or less glaucous on the under one. 



This kind forms a beautiful tree, fifty feet high, pyramidal 

 in outline, and peculiarly graceful on account of its drooping 

 branches and long pendulous spray. 



It is a native of Japan, and is much planted in the gardens 

 about Yeddo, on account of its very elegant appearance. 



It is quite hardy. 



No. 5. Retinospoea junipeeoides, Carriere, the Juniper-like 



Retinospora. 

 Syn. Retinospora dubia, MaJcoy. 

 „ „ decussata, Hort. 



„ Chamsecyparis decussata, Hort. 

 Thuja ericoides, Hort. 

 Leaves heath-like, erectly-spreading, distantly decussate, 

 acute pointed, fiat on the upper side, slightly rounded on the 

 back, of a light glaucous green in summer, changing to a 

 purplish-brown in winter, and from two to four lines long. 

 Branches erectly-spreading, much divided and compact.' 

 Branchlets slender, flexible, more or less erect, dense, and verj'^ 

 numerous. 



A small, dense, and very compact pyramidal bush, seldom 

 growing more than three or four feet high, and of a fine 

 glaucous gteen in summer, but changing to a violet or 



