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 PART 17— UMBRELLA PINE 



A CURIOUS TREK FROM JAPAN 



The collection of Umbrella Pines is located at the extreme 

 northern end of the open meadow that borders the Hemlock Grove 

 on its western side (Map p. 137). These trees are 



Sciadopitys verticillata, the Umbrella Pine 



This is one of the most distinct of conifers. It is not a pine 

 and has no immediate relatives. It is the sole survivor of a pre- 

 historic group of plants whose other members were exterminated 

 in a remote geological period. 



The Umbrella Pine is an evergreen tree, a native of Japan, 

 where it attains heights from 70 to 120 feet and diameters up to 

 10 feet. It is common in some parts of Japan and the timber is a 

 regular article of commerce. The durable wood is used for boats, 

 bathtubs, etc. The fibrous bark is made into oakum, used for 

 caulking boats and packing steam-pipe joints. 



To the Japanese this tree is known as Koya-maki, which means 

 the Podocarpus of Mt. Koya. Podocarpus is another kind of tree 

 found in Japan, specimens of which are growing under glass in 

 the Garden. Like the Ginkgo, Sciadopitys was for a long time 

 known, ornamentally, only in temple gardens near the ancient 

 monastery town of Koya. It is not, however, as popular as the 

 Ginkgo and is not extensively planted in Japan. 



Under cultivation the tree is very hardy but slow-growing. It 

 requires some shelter from strong winds and enjoys cool moist 

 situations. Reproduction is accomplished by seeds borne in cones. 



The odd feature of the Umbrella Pine is the production of two 

 kinds of leaves. The conspicuous foliage at the tips of the 

 branches resembles the ribs of an umbrella and has given the tree 

 its common name. But these are not true leaves or needles as on 

 other conifers; they are modified stems and have been known to 

 branch. The true leaves are very small and occur at the base of 

 each of these larger rib-like structures known as phyllodes. The 

 possession of these two kinds of leaves makes the Umbrella Pine 

 one of the most curious and interesting of trees. 



