420 Contfera—Pinus. 
or several, and then inonadclphous; females in cones or 
solitary, when in cones two or more at the base of each bract. 
By some authors these are considered as naked seeds on an 
open carpellary leaf, and by others as inverted or erect carpels, 
each containing a solitary erect seed destitute of the usual 
integuments or coats. For the purposes of this work it 
matters little which view we adopt, but we shall follow the 
usual course and refer to them as ovules and seeds. The 
seed is albuminous, with usually more than two cotyle- 
dons, and sometimes as many as 12 in two opposite fascicles. 
The genera are variously estimated according to the views of 
different systematists, but they are reduced to about 30 by 
the more moderate. The species—which are widely dispersed, 
occurring in most temperate countrics, and rare in the tropic 
and arctic regions —nunmiber between 200 and 300. The num- 
ber of species and varieties in cultivation belonging to this 
order is very great, though many of them are still very rare, 
and others are too tender for our climate. We shall confine 
ourselves to descriptions of the most desirable hardy species. 
The genera may be conveniently grouped in three tribes, 
founded upon the nature of the fruit. 
Trinp I.—ABIETINELE. 
Flowers usually moneecious. Cones usually large, the scales 
becoming more or less woody. Ovules and seeds 2 or more at 
the base of each scale, inverted. 
1. PINUS. 
Regularly branched evergreen trees, often of large dimensions. 
Leaves needle-shaped, commonly fascicled, 2 to 5 together in a 
membranous sheath. Male cones or catkins in spikes, furnished 
with membranous scales. Jemale cones solitary or clustered 
with eventually woody scales, usually not reaching maturity 
in one season. Sceds inverted, 2 at the base of each scale, 
almost always winged at the base. In most Pines the cone 
becomes very dense aud woody, the tops of the bracts being 
much thickened, expanded and shield-like. Upwards of 100 
species are known, all in the northern hemisphere, and chiefly 
in temperate regions. The name is from the Greek qiwy, fat, 
referring to the resin, and of which the English pine is merely 
an altered form. 
