954 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



at Port Chusan ; and in Formosa, it grows near Tamsui at the north end of the 

 island. According to Sargent, it is the most beautiful and largest of the alders in 

 Japan, forming a pyramidal tree, often 70 or 80 feet in height, and well furnished to 

 the ground with branches clothed with large dark green lustrous leaves. It differs 

 from A. maritima in the larger, differently shaped and coloured leaves, and in the 

 time of flowering. 



Sargent states that it is perfectly hardy in New England, where it grows rapidly 

 and promises to become a large and handsome tree. It was introduced, according to 

 Nicholson,^ in 1886. There are small healthy trees in the collection at Kew ; and at 

 Aldenham a specimen is about 14 feet high. (A. H.) 



ALNUS NITIDA, Himalayan Alder 



Alnus nitida, Endlicher, Gen. PI. Suppl. IV. ii. 20 (1847); Brandis, Poresf P/ora N.-W. India, 460, 

 t. 57 (1874), and Indian Trees, 623 (1906); Hooker, Flora Brit. India, v. 600 (1888), and 

 Bot. Mag. t. 7654 (1899); Gaxahle, Indian Timbers, 670 (1902); Winkler, Betulacece, 108 

 (1904). 



Clethropsis nitida, Spach, Ann. Sc. Nat. six. 2, xv. 202 (1841); Cambessedes in Jacquemont, 

 Voy. dans tinde, Bot. 159, t. 159 (1844). 



A large tree attaining 100 feet in height and 15 feet in girth. Bark blackish, 

 with thin quadrangular scales. Young branchlets densely and minutely pubescent. 

 Leaves (Plate 268, Fig. 3) about 5 inches long, and 2\ inches broad, ovate-elliptical 

 or elliptical, base rounded or cuneate, apex acuminate; margin entire, obscurely 

 crenate, or remotely and slightly serrate ; thin in texture ; nerves, nine to twelve 

 pairs, looping before reaching the margin ; upper surface dark green, glabrous, 

 shining ; lower surface light green, glabrous except for slight axil-tufts ; petiole, f to 

 I inch, minutely pubescent. Male catkins, 2 inches long, in terminal erect, often 

 leafy racemes. Cones, f to i^ inch long, three to five in erect lateral racemes ; 

 nutlet with a narrow thickened margin. The flowers in this species open in 

 September. 



Alnus nitida occurs in the north-western Himalaya, from Kashmir to Kumaon, 

 usually at low elevations, 2000 to 4000 feet, fringing the banks of rivers, and not 

 uncommonly descending with them into the plains. It occasionally, however, ascends 

 as high as 9000 feet ; and is common on the Sutlej in the dry region of Kunawar, as 

 far as Spui on the right bank and Namgia on the left bank, according to Brandis, 

 who states that it attains 100 feet high and 15 feet in girth ; but Gamble has never 

 seen it so big, and says it is usually crooked and branching. An attempt was 

 made recently to float out the wood from the Tons river forest, but failed, 

 as the timber quickly became waterlogged. The bark is used for tanning and 



dyeing. 



Alnus nitida is one of the few Himalayan broad-leaved trees which have 



> Diet. Gardening, Suppl. 34 (1900)- 



