UNDERWOOD AND SWAMP. 



15 



Pinus Mertensiana by Professor Bongard ^2 | 3 jQ.* In Sitka it is as abundant 



as the former, and in growth and habit approaches our European pines ; hence 

 the Russians generally term it " J611 " or " Jollnik " (pine), whilst the other is known 

 by the name of "Lis wen" (larch). They rival each other in height, but the stem 

 of the Canadian pine is generally thicker, round and straight, whilst the Mertens' 

 pine has a more diversified growth and highly fantastic branches ; its stems are 

 always slender, in proportion to the branches, and show irregular longitudinal fur- 

 rows, somewhat imparting to them the look of fluted columns. Generally both 

 species are densely covered with mosses and common lichens (Usnea), the latter of 

 which, being of considerable length, remind one of the Tillandsias of tropical 

 America. They are of a lively fresh green, that of the Canadian pine more inclin- 

 ing to yellow, that of the Mertens' pine more to blue, which renders these pine 

 forests more beautiful than ours, the dark gloominess of which justifies the Grer- 

 mans calling their deciduous forests " living woods " in contradistinction to them. 

 There will be no difficulty in recognising both species in the various young spe- 

 cimens given in our plate. A fine group of two young plants, which have 



taken root upon the undisturbed remnant of an old stump ^6 | 7 has been 



carefully copied, and furnishes a good illustration of the prevailing character of 

 growth in this region, — old dead wood, already converted into vegetable mould, 

 harbouring the roots of other trees, whilst it yet retains its perfect shape and 

 bark. Thus most of the plants grow epiphytically upon their own kind, a 

 phenomenon finding a ready explanation in the prevailing moisture and low 

 temperature of the climate, the absence of destructive insects, &c, but which 

 may be regarded as an interesting addition to the fact that America generally 

 produces numerous parasites and epiphytes, of very diversified form. The 

 third species of pine, growing isolated in swampy declivities, is Pinus jpalustris, 

 a tree not attaining any height, and having much the habit of our Pinus syl- 

 vestris, but the aspect of the branches and fruit of the so-called " Knie-holz " 



(Pinus Pumilio) so common in the Alps ^15 | 16 Amongst the different 



reciduous plants mostly assuming the form of shrubs, and here and there associated 

 with these pines, we meet the indigenous apple-tree (Pyrus diversifolia, Bongard), 

 the habit of which resembles that of the different kinds of Crataegus, while its fine 



white flowers bear a great likeness to those of our apple-tree ^12 There is 



* Placed amongst the doubtful species of the f This is probably not Pinus palustris, which does 

 section Abies, by Endlicher. — B. Seemann. not grow so far north. — Berthold Seemann. 



