234 



CONIFERS. 



Thuya. 



1. Thuya occidentalis, Linn. Common Arbor Vita. 



Branchlets 2-edged, spreading ; leaves imbricated in 4 rows, ovate-rhomboid, closely ap- 

 pressed, with a small flattened gland on the back ; cones nodding, obovoid, the scales few 

 (5-7), inferior ones truncate, gibbous at the tip ; seeds compressed, winged all round. — 

 Linn. sp. 2. p. 1002 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 226 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 646 ; Michx. sylv. 2. p. 156 ; 

 Ell. sk. 2. p. 644 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 361 ; Beck, hot. p. 338 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 

 165 ; Loud. enc. tr. cj- shr.p. 1068. 



A tree with a narrowly conical and tapering head, seldom (within our limits) more than 30 

 or 35 feet high and 6-12 inches in diameter, much branched ; the ultimate divisions flattened 

 and covered with numerous obtuse shining leaves, each furnished with a little vesicle which 

 (as in the White Cedar) is filled with a thin aromatic turpentine. Sterile aments minute at 

 the extremity of the branchlets, consisting of a few concave scale-like anthers. Cones about 

 five lines long, yellowish brown ; the scales loosely imbricated, opening to the base. Seeds 

 conspicuously winged, emarginate, one under each scale. 



Rocky banks of rivers and hill-sides, also in swamps : abundant and very conspicuous on 

 the Hudson above Newburgh ; Oriskany swamp ; and various parts of the northern and 

 western counties. Fl. May. The wood is light, of a reddish color, and, though soft, is very 

 durable. It is not much used for lumber, as its trunk does not afford pieces of sufficient 

 length. It is often planted about houses and in pleasure grounds. In some parts of the 

 country it is known by the name of White Cedar, and in New-England it is often called 

 Hackmatack. 



4. JUNIPERUS. Linn,; End I. gen. 1789. JUNIPER. 



[So named from juncprus, the Celtic word for rough or rude ; which is the character of the genus.] 



Flowers dioBcious. Sterile aments very small, axillary or terminal. Anther-cells 3-6, 

 attached to the lower edge of the excentrically peltate scale, opening longitudinally. Fertile 

 aments axillary, ovoid, with imbricated bracts at the base. Involucre formed of 3 - 6 

 scales which are united at the base, bearing 1 - 3 ovules. Fruit drupaceous, formed of the 

 succulent involucre, which encloses 1-3 crustaceous seeds. — Evergreen trees or shrubs, 

 with rigid, scale-like or acicular, opposite or ternate leaves. 



1. Juniperus communis, Linn. Common Juniper. 



Leaves in threes, subulate, spreading, mucronate ; berries somewhat ovoid. — Linn. sp. 2. 

 p. 1040; Michx. fl. 2. p. 245; Engl. hot. t. 1100; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 647; Bigel. med. hot. 

 t. 44, fl. Bost. p. 371 ; Beck, hot. p. 337; Darlingt.fl. Cest. p. 571 ; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. 

 2. p. 165 ; Loud. enc. tr. § shr.p. 1081. 



