472 CONIFERS. (pine family.) 



ward. — A slender tree, of no value as timber, when young very handsome, 

 but short-lived. Leaves 6" -10" in length, narrower and lighter green above 

 than those of the European Silver Fir. Also called Balm-of-Gilead Fir. Canada 

 balsam is drawn from blisters in the bark of this and the next species. — A sub- 

 alpine state on the Green Mountains, &c, has shorter or oblong, stunted cones, 

 and approaches the next. 



5. A. Fraseri, Pursh. (Fraser's or Southern Balsam Fir.) Cones 

 small (1'- 2' long), oblong-ovate; the bracts oblong-wedge-shaped, the short-pointed 

 upper part much projecting and reflexed. (A. balsamifera, Michx. Ft.) — Moun- 

 tains of Penn., Virginia, and southward on the highest Alleghanies. — Foliage, 

 &c. nearly as in the last. 



3. LARIX, Tourn. Larch. 



Catkins lateral, terminating short spurs on the branches of the preceding 

 year, short or globular, developed in early spring ; the sterile from leafless buds ; 

 the fertile mostly with leaves below. Anther-cells opening transversely. Pol- 

 len-grains simple, globular. Cones as in Spruce, the scales persistent. — Leaves 

 needle-shaped, soft, deciduous, all foliaceous, very many in a fascicle developed 

 in early spring from lateral scaly and globular buds, and scattered along the 

 developed shoots of the season. Fertile catkins crimson or red in flower. (The 

 ancient name.) 



1. L. Americana, Michx. (American or Black Larch. Tamarack. 

 Hackmatack.) Leaves short; cones ovoid (6" -9" long), of few rounded 

 scales, arranged in f order. (Pinus pendula, Ait. P. microcarpa, Lambert.) — 

 Swamps, New England to Penn. and Wisconsin, and (chiefly) northward. — A 

 slender tree, with heavy, close-grained wood, horizontal branches, and more 

 slender and usually shorter leaves than the European Larch; — which is a 

 handsomer tree, and has the scales of its larger cones arranged in the order -£j. 



4. T HIT J A, Tourn. Arbor Vit^e. 



Flowers mostly monoecious on different branches, in very small terminal ovoid 

 catkins. Stamens with a scale-like filament or connective, bearing 4 anther' 

 cells. Fertile catkins of few imbricated scales, fixed by the base, each bearing 

 2 erect ovules, dry and spreading at maturity. Cotyledons 2. — Small ever- 

 green trees, with very flat 2-ranked spray, on which the small and appressed 

 persistent leaves are closely imbricated : these are of two sorts, on different or 

 successive branchlets ; the one awl-shaped ; the other scale-like, blunt, short, and 

 adnate to the branch. (Guuz, Ova, or Gueta, the ancient name of some resin- 

 bearing evergreen.) 



1. T. OCCidentalis, L. (American Arbor Vit^e.) Leaves appressed- 

 imbricated in 4 rows on the 2-edged branchlets ; scales of the cones pointless , 

 seeds broadly winged all round. — Swamps and cool rocky banks : common 

 from Penn. northward, where it forms extensive " cedar-swamps/' and is called 

 White Cedar : rare southward along the Alleghanies. May, June. — Tree 

 20° - 50° high, yielding a pungent aromatic oil : wood light, but very durable. 



