ARAUCABTA IMBRICATA. 



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Araucaria imbricata. — A tall tree of singular habit and striking 

 aspect, caused by the formal arrangement of the branches in 

 regular tiers or whorls, generally of fives, growing horizontally 

 from its straight upright trunk, and by its rigid, sharp-pointed, 

 " noli-me-tangere " foliage, uniformly covering the branches and 

 their ramifications, and even the trunk itself, during many years 

 of its growth. Although the direction of the branches is at first 

 horizontal, the lower ones in time become sub-pendulous or decum- 

 bent by their own weight ; those forming the uppermost tiers 

 curve upwards, giving the top of the tree a candelabra-like appearance. 

 The branchlets are in opposite pairs, distichous, or whorled, like 

 their primaries. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate, without foot-stalks, 

 thickened at the base, very stiff, leathery, and sharply pointed, about 

 an inch long and half an inch wide at the broadest part, and of 

 a bright green on both sides. Both pollen and ovule-bearing catkins 

 are produced at the extremities of the upper branches, the former 

 soon withering, and falling off after the pollen is shed, the latter 

 continuing to increase in size until it attains its maturity, which it 

 does in the autumn of the second year, so that the branch on 

 which it is produced has increased in length by two season's 

 growth when the seed is ripe. The fertile cone is nearly spherical, 

 from 6 to 8 inches in diameter; it soon falls to pieces after 

 arriving at maturity ; the scales and seeds coalesce, and form 



