598 CONTFEE^. 



ovules at the tase of each scale (fig. 520, p. 292) ; emhryo in the axis of fleshy 

 and oily albumen, di- or poly-cotyledonous. The following are divisions of 

 this tribe : — 



A. Scales 2-seeded, seeds adnate to the scale, and at length separating from 

 it ; anthers bUocular. 



a. Scales with a thickened apophysis, which is either entire or dimidiate, 



Pinus. — Leaves in twos, threes, fours, or fives. 

 h. Scales without an apophysis. 

 * Leaves solitary. 



Ahies, Picea, Tmga. 

 ** Leaves fasiculated. 

 Larix, Oedrus. 



B. Scales 1-seeded, seed adnate to the scale, and not separating from it, 

 anthers multilocular. 



Araucaria (Eutassa). 



C. Scales 1- or many-seeded, seeds free, anthers bi- tri- or multi-looular. 



Dam/mara, Cunninghamia. 



2. Cupressinese, Cypress, and Juniper ; anthers 3-5, rarely 2 ; ovules erect ; 



fruit either an indurated cone (fig. 573, p. 317), with 4 decussate scales, 

 or fleshy with the scales connected and forming a galbulus (fig. 574, p. 317) ; 

 seeds 2-3-winged, rarely apterous ; embryo dicotyledonous ; leaves opposite 

 or whorled. Examples — Cupressus, Juniperus, Thuja, Taxodium, CaUitris, 

 Libocedrus, Fitzroya. 



3. Taxines, Yew (fig. 128, p. 63) ; anthers usually bilooular, with longitudinal 



dehiscence ; fertile flowers, solitary, terminal ; ovule solitary, sessile in the 

 centre of a fleshy disk, when in fruit forming a sort of drupe (fig. 538, p. 

 302) ; testa fleshy ; embryo dicotyledonous. Mxamples — Taxus, Podocar- 

 pus, Daorydium, Phyllocladus, Salisburya, Torreya, Cephalotaxus. 



4. Gnetaceae, Joint-fir ; male flowers with a perianth, anthers uni- or quadri- 



looular, opening by a short cleft ; ovules with a projecting process formed 

 from the seoundine, which is exserted through the open exostoma in the form 

 of a filiform tube, which expands into a stigma-like disk (endostome) ; seed 

 solitary ; embryo at the apex of fleshy albumen ; radicle superior ; stems 

 jointed ; zones of wood, often separated by marked cellular circles (fig. 122, 

 p. 61). Examiples—Gnetam, Ephedra, Welwitschia. 



The order embraces about 33 genera and 300 species. Zuccarini enume- 

 rates 216 species of Coniferse — inlthe northern hemisphere 165, and 

 in the southern 51, some species being common to both hemispheres. 

 The plants of this order furnish valuable timber, and yield various 

 important products, such as turpentine, pitch, and resin. The various 

 kinds of Pine, Fir, Spruce, and Oedar, belong to this family. Eutassa 

 (Araucaria) excdsa is the Norfolk-island Pine, famed for its size and 

 for its wood. Sequoia (Wellingtonia) gigantea is another large tree in 

 the order. Its trunk sometimes attains a height of 450 feet. Ahies 

 Doufflasii, the Douglas-Fir, yields excellent timber. Cedrus Libani 

 is the Cedar of Lebanon, the HN, Eres, of the Bible. Gedrw 

 Beodara is the Deodar or Himalayan Cedar. The name Js said to be- 

 derived from Deva, a deity, and Bora, timber. Hooker considers the 

 cedar of Lebanon, the Deodar, and the Atlantic cedar to be varieties of 



