128 The Torreyas 



its flesh gelatinous; seed-coats thin, the inner irregularly impressed into the endo- 

 sperm, giving it the appearance of a nutmeg, whence the common name. 



The wood is soft, rather weak, close-grained and satiny, light yellow; its specific 

 gravity is about 0.48. It is sometimes used as fence-posts, for which its durability 

 makes it very desirable. 



Podocarpus, another genus of the Yew Family, is represented by several 

 species in the mountains of the West Indies- 



The Ginko, Ginkgo biloba Linnaeus, that peculiar tree with deciduous, fan-shaped leaves, 

 coming to us from Japan and sometimes called Salisburia adiantijolia, was formerly placed 

 in this family, but on account of important differences it is now considered the type of a distinct 

 family. It is one of the most striking and ciuious as well as most successful of shade trees, 

 thriving almost all over the United States and is remarkably free from insect or fungus affections. 

 Its large oily fleshy-covered fruit, however, is very disagreeably odorous and its dropping in great 

 numbers on sidewalks has caused some painful accidents to persons stepping upon them. It has 

 not become naturalized. It is commonly called Maidenhair tree, from the similarity of its leaves 

 in shape to the leaflets of some Maidenhair ferns. 



