254 A MANUAL OF THE CONIFERS!. 



clothed with alternate opposite pairs of subulate decurrent leaves — 

 larger , wider apart, and less appressed than in the species. 



This curious variety, long believed to be a distinct species, is now 

 known to have originated from the common form. It was met with in 

 cultivation in China and Japan many years ago, .and forms perfectly 

 identical were subsequently raised from seed both in England* and 

 France.f During a visit to the Botanic Garden at Turin, in the autumn 

 of 1860, Dr. Hooker had his attention drawn to a fine specimen of 

 Biota pendula, bearing fruit in all respects like that of B. ofientalis. 

 On inquiry, it was proved to him that plants of B. orientalis, which 

 were pointed out by the Curator of the Garden, had been raised from 

 seeds of B. pendula, thus showing, beyond all doubt, that B. orientalis 

 and B. pendula are only forms of one species. | As a garden plant, 

 B. pendula is rather a curiosity than an ornamental subject — it casts 

 off its lower branches at a very early age, leaving the trunk bare to 

 a considerable part of its height. 



Biota orientalis semperaurescens. — A dwarf globose shrub, 

 resembling in habit B. orientalis aurea. The foliage and terminal 

 growth are of a golden hue, which they retain throughout the 



season. 



It originated in the Nursery of M. Lemoine, at Nancy, in France. 



Biota orientalis Zuccariniana. — A dense, dwarf. globose variety, 

 with very bright green branehlets and foliage, a colour it partially 

 retains during the winter months. 



IV. — THUIA (ToumefortJ. The American Arbor Vitm. 



The Thuias are evergreen trees, sometimes attaining a consider- 

 able height, with numerous spreading or sub-erect branches, covered 

 with smooth greyish-brown barkj and compressed branehlets dis- 

 tichously alternate, the ultimate ones being produced on the 

 anterior side only, and clothed with imbricated scale^like leaves, 

 arranged in opposite pairs ; the cones or strobiles are small oval 

 bodies^ composed of from eight to ten imbricated scales in opposite 

 pairs, of which two only are fertile, with two winged seeds at the 

 base. The Thuias are natives of North America, and are spread 



* At Messrs. Loddiges' Nursery, Gardeners' Chronicle, 1861, p. 575. 



t Carriere, TraiU General des Cmviferes, p. 101. 



% Communicated to the Gardeners' Chronicle for 1861, p. 575. 



