TAXODIUM DISTICHUM. 215 



branci.es, but after arriving at maturity, the upper branches fre- 

 quently lengthen, and the tree then assumes a broad Cedar-like 

 aspect. The foliage, which is deciduous, is light and open, bright, 

 but soft and pleasing green, which changes to dull red before it 

 falls in autumn. The leaves are pinnate, the leaflets being arranged 

 in two horizontal rows, like the teeth of a comb, on opposite 

 sides of the midrib ; they are from a quarter to half an inch in 

 length, narrowing a little at the apex, and slightly curved. The 

 cones are about the size of a small walnut, very uneven owing 

 to the projection of the thick scales, which are striated or marked 

 with a series of longitudinal lines. 



Habitat. — The south-eastern States of North America, from Dela- 

 ware, in latitude 38° 51' N., southwards to Florida; thence westwards 

 through Louisiana and Texas into the Mexican Territory, its 

 southern limit being Oaxaca, in latitude 17° N. Also on the 

 west side of the Mississippi from Missouri to eastern Texas. 



Introduced into England by Tradescant about 1640. 



Taxodium distichum pendulum is a slender tree, from 25 to 

 40 feet high, with horizontal branches and short branchlets, which 

 are at first nearly erect, but become pendulous and deciduous in 

 autumn. The leaves on the young shoots are twisted and appressed 

 to the stem, but become more expanded and spread out like 

 those of the common form as the season advances. 



This is a very beautiful variety, deserving of greater attention than 

 it has hitherto received at the hands of horticulturists. A moist 

 retentive soil, and a somewhat sheltered situation are necessary conditions 

 for its well being. Neglect of these has led to frequent failures, and 

 doubtless the disfavour into which this form of the deciduous Cypress 

 has fallen. There are" some fine specimens in the grounds of Eobert 

 Barclay, Esq., at Bury Hill, Dorking. 



Under cultivation Taxodium distichum has a tendency to sport in 

 the seed beds, and numerous varieties have thence at different times 

 been selected and named by horticulturists.* But it is now well-known 

 that although the deciduous Cypress in its maturity presents consider- 

 able diversity as regards habit, the striking differences observed in 

 young plants gradually diminish by age, and that the trees, as they 



* Loudon (Arb. et Frut., p. 2481) gives the names and descriptions of several of these 

 forms. Carriere (Traite GinAral des Coniflres, p. 181), describes fifteen varieties, and 

 Henkel and Hochstetter {NadiMlzer, p. 260) select five. 



