446 Con ifera —Biota. 
14. BIOTA. 
This genus was separated from Thijya on account of a rather 
slight difference in the form of the fruit, which is composed of 
about 6 scales in opposite pairs, with a hook or tubercle near 
the apex, and 2 wingless seeds at the base. The scales are 
somewhat fleshy at first, but ultimately become more or less 
coriaceous or woody. This genus is, so far as at present known, 
limited to a single species, which is, however, almost endless in 
its forms. The name is probably a modification of B:d70s, life, 
signifying the same as its trivial name, Tree of Life, or Arbor 
Vite. 
1. B. ortentélis, syn. Thija orientalis. Chinese Arbor 
Vite.—A small compact densely-branched tree, from 15 to 20 
feet high, with compressed crowded branchlets. Leaves bright 
green, very small, and closely imbricated, with slight depression 
or channel above, destitute of tubercles. The typical form of 
this species is a handsome shrul, preferable to the other Arbor 
Vitzes in some respects, especially for its brighter green foliage 
and less powerful odour, and some of its numerous varieties 
may be numbered amongst the most ornamental of evergreens, 
requiring little space for their full development. There is 
scarcely any appreciable difference in the foliage of most of 
these forms, except that in some there is a tendency to produce 
linear spreading leaves. This is more particularly the case 
in the variety Meldénsis, syn. hybrida, which has decurrent 
elaucous linear acute spreading leaves, and the fruits of the 
ordinary shape. This was raised from seed in a garden at 
Means, amongst a lot of the ordinary form, and at first supposed 
to be a hybrid between the Red Cedar and the Chinese Arbor 
Vite, but subsequent investigation has proved it to be a variety 
of the latter. It is more curious than beautiful, as it rarely 
forms a good specimen. Another very distinct and remarkalile 
variety is that named filiforius, syn. flagelliformis, péndulu, 
ete. This has long pendulous flexible whip-like branchlets, 
and longer though appressed acute leaves. A very beautiful 
and desirable shrub for shelter¢d localities on well drained soil 
where alone it will flourish satisfactorily. The Golden Cypress, 
B. orientalis wivrea, is one of the most familiar of the compact- 
growing varicties, being nearly spherical in outline, with the 
young foliage of a bright yellow tinge. This is very pretty 
when the yelluwness is not too highly developed, for in that 
