218 



A MANUAL OF THE CONIFEK.E. 



and like its nearest allies, the Taxodium and the Sequoias of North 

 America, it may be regarded as a relic of a former vegetation, among 

 which its progenitors were once widely distributed. 



The Glyptostrobus possesses no attraction for the horticulturist. Less 

 hardy than the deciduous Cypress, and far less handsome, it not only 

 requires a moist situation but also a sheltered one, and although 

 introduced to European gardens many years ago it has never been 

 extensively propagated. The few specimens still living in this part of 

 the world are those that received an asylum in collections of rare and 

 curious plants. 



Glyptostrobus, from yXwrrbg (gluptos), " sculptured," in reference to 

 the markings on the outer face of the scales of the cone, and trrpdtoe 

 (strobos), " a whirl, or whirling motion ; " or perhaps the tree " Strobus " 

 mentioned by Pliny is meant. (See page 184.) 



The specific name, lieterophyllus, refers to the various forms of the 

 leaves. By Bentham and Hooker (Gen. Plant., vol. iii., p. 429) the 

 Glyptostrobus is referred to Taxodium. 



Cryptomeria elegans.— A beautiful tree with a robust upright 

 trunk, furnished with short horizontal branches, and branchlets 



pendulous at their extremities. The 

 foliage and young growth during 

 the growing season is bright green, 

 but towards the end of autumn the 

 colour changes to a bronzy-crimson, 

 by which the plant is rendered a 

 most striking and attractive object 

 during the winter months. The 

 leaves are linear, flattened, soft in 

 texture, decurrent at the base, 

 sharply pointed, spreading, more or 

 less falcate, marked both above and 

 beneath by a shallow groove, and 

 less crowded than in C. japonica. 

 The cones are not distinguishable 

 from those of 0. japonica. 

 Introduced from Japan in 1861, by Mr. J. Gr. Veitch, who met 

 with it only in cultivation in the neighbourhood of Yokohama. 



Fig. 51. — Fertile branchlet of Cryptomeria 

 elegans. Grown at Linton Park. 



Cryptomeria elegans nana.— A low, dense, bushy shrub, with 

 leaves more crowded and more slender than the preceding, It 



