Abies 733 



seedling was planted out in 1 868. M. Phillipe L, de Vilmorin ^ states that the tree 

 was in 1905, 50 feet high by 5 feet in girth; and has three main stems, one of 

 which, however, was broken by a storm two years ago. In its habit and foliage it 

 resembles A. Pinsapo more than the other parent. The leaves, however, are longer 

 and less rigid than in A. Pinsapo, and bear stomata only on their lower surface ; 

 moreover their radial arrangement on the branchlets is imperfect. The cones, which 

 are produced in abundance and contain fertile seeds, resemble those of A. cephalonica, 

 being fusiform in shape ; they have longer bracts than in A. Pinsapo, in some years 

 exserted, in other years shorter and concealed between the scales. Seedlings raised 

 from this tree, now four years old, have acuminate sharp leaves like those of 

 A. cephalonica. 



2. Abies insignis, Carriere, Rev. Hort. 1890, p. 230. This hybrid was obtained 

 in 1848 or 1849 in the nursery of M. Renault at Bulgndville in the Vosges. A 

 branch of A. Pinsapo was grafted on a stock of the common silver fir (A. pectinata) ; 

 and after some years the grafted plant produced cones. Seeds from these were 

 sown ; and of the seedlings raised one-half were like A. Pinsapo, the remainder being 

 intermediate in character, it was supposed, between A, Pinsapo and A. pectinata; 

 and the variation was considered to be the result of graft hybridisation. However, 

 at no great distance there was growing a tree of A. Nordmanniana ; and it is more 

 probable that the hybrid character of the seedlings was the result of a cross from 

 A. Pinsapo fertilised by the pollen of A. Nordmanniana. A complete account of 

 these seedlings is given by M. Bailly.^ 



3. Abies Nordmanniana speciosa, Hort.^ This hybrid was raised in 1871-1872 

 by M. Croux in his nurseries near Sceaux, the cross being effected by placing pollen 

 from A. Pinsapo on female flowers of A. Nordmanniana. A full account of this 

 hybrid is given by M. Bailly." 



4. Mosers hybrids. Four different forms, all raised from A. Pinsapo, fertilised 

 by the pollen of A. Nordmanniana, which were obtained in 1878 by M. Moser at 

 Versailles. Full details are given in Dr. Master's paper, to which we refer our 

 readers. 



Distribution 



A. Pinsapo has a restricted distribution, being confined to the Serrania de 

 Ronda, a name given to the mountainous region around Ronda in the south of Spain. 

 The late Lord Lilford informed Bunbury^ in 1870 that he had seen it growing on 

 the Sierra d'Estrella in Portugal; but we have not been able to confirm the 



statement. 



There are three main forests of this species, none of considerable extent, occurring 

 in localities at considerable distances apart. I visited these forests in December 

 1906, and explain the rare occurrence of the tree as due to the fact, that in the dry 

 climate of the south of Spain, it can only exist on the northern slopes of mountain 



1 Hortus Vilmorinianus, 6g, plate xii. {1906). See also Card. Chron. 1878, p. 438; Rev. Hort. 1889, p. 115, and 

 1902, p. 162, fig. 66. 



s Rev. Hort. 1890, pp. 230, 231. ' Arboretum Notes, 147 (1889). 



