250 



OBSERVATIONS ON HIMALAYAN CONIFEES. 



tains, the Urukta of Royle, I found it named Morinda, which 

 Dr. HofFmeister states to be the usual designation in Gurhwal, 

 though " Koolloo " appears to be occasionally used, when Mo- 

 rinda is transferred to Abies Smithiana. It is the Chilrow of 

 Joobul and the Choor, where, however, the people often con- 

 found it with the yew r . In Koonawur it is known as the Khurok 

 or Khurog ; and along the whole length of the Busehur snowy 

 range (south side), Picea Pindrow and Webbiana are equally 

 termed " Kulrai" quasi Kala-rai, " the black fir." 



The Pindrow flowers in April and May, at which seasons the 

 tender shoots, as in the yew, have leaves of the brightest green, 

 those of the past year being almost black. The trunk is branched 

 nearly to the ground, but cones are only produced on the Loftiest 

 boughs, and (it seemed) more numerously on young than on old 

 trees. From the fresh bud-scales at their base, I conclude that 

 they are formed and matured in one season, and in about the 

 same period as those of the spruce. By the middle of May the 

 cones are about three inches long by one in diameter, and more 

 or less cylindrical : as the season advances, they become com- 

 pletely so, and from the concealment of the bracteoles, very 

 smooth ; of the same rich and beautiful dark purple colour as 

 those of P. Webbiana ; they ripen in October and November. 

 The distinction of P. Pindrow from P. Webbiana by its oval, 

 not cylindrical; cones, is untenable ; and the result of a careful 

 examination strongly favours the supposition, that either the 

 fruits are interchangeable or that Professor Don (in Royle's 

 Illustrations) has exactly reversed the descriptions ; the cones 

 of the Pindrow being perfectly cylindrical : those of Webbiana 

 nearly cylindrical, thicker, and shorter. Scales of Pindrow more 

 prominently eared ; bracteoles oval, obtuse, eroded, emarginate, 

 the mucro of the same length as the border of the sinus ; in 

 Webbiana the bracteole is more rounded, scarcely emarginate, 

 with thicker and longer mucro or apex. 



The spiral arrangement of the scales seems identical, and each 

 has the same copious supply of white resin. This substance 

 perhaps indicates the origin of the name Pindrow (as P. bal- 

 samea in Canada), phid in Sanscrit signifying " incense, " 

 " myrrh," " frankincense ;" as well as a ""date tree," to which 

 the etymology was referred, p. 57. 4< Morunda" without root 

 or application in Wilson's Dictionary, is defined " the nectar or 

 honey of a flower," and may originally have designated this re- 

 sinous substance of the cones. 



On several of the lofty Passes between Toongnath and Gun- 

 gotree, Dr. HofFmeister records instances of Pindrow, which he 

 estimated from 30 to 40 feet in circumference, and about 200 in 



