CONIFER.^;. 



69 



sections and sub-sections of my S.D. Cupressinece are more or less 

 closely related to them. 



Flowers, male and female, on the same plant, but separate ; in 

 clusters or solitary. 



Leaves, scale-formed, linear, and spreading; in threes, opposite 

 pairs, and singly ; persistent, four-rowed, and imbricated. 



Cones, small, globular, or shield-shaped ; ligneous, and generally 

 solitary ; some more or less clustered together on the branches ; the 

 scales are from six to twelve in number, and the seeds are more or 

 less resinous, with membranaceous wings. 



Sub. § 1. ChaM-^EGYPARIS : The Ground Cypress. 



From Greek x^H-^^y (Chamai,) on the ground, and KuTrapto-o-oc, 

 the Cypress tree. They are found in their native habitats in marshes, 

 swamps, or moist low-lying ground ; hence they are called Ground- 

 Cypress, Marsh -Cypress, or Water- Cypress, and popularly known 

 in this country as the White Cedar. 



ChaM-^GYPARIS SpHCEROIDES: The Spherical Cypress. 



A most beautiful and distinct tree, attaining heights of from twenty 

 to eighty feet, with trunks one to three feet in diameter. It is found 

 more or less plentiful in the wet or marsh lands, and maritime districts 

 of Maryland, ISTew Jersey, Virginia, and extending so far as Carolina. 

 This tree was introduced into this country about 1 30 years ago ; it is, 

 however, but little planted, though it be perfectly hardy, and not very 

 fastidious as to soil and situation, and a most useful ornamental tree. 

 As I have stated, it delights in moist and low-lying healthy soils. Its 

 wood is soft, light, easily wrought, but not durable ; however, for 

 standing the injurious effects of alternations of moisture and dryness, 

 it has indeed few equals. 



There are several varieties and sub-varieties of it, but the only ones 

 I commend are Atrovirens, (the dark green,) Argentea, (the silvery- 

 variegated,) Aurea, (the golden-variegated,) Fastigiata, (fastigiate or 

 upright-growing,) Glauca, (glaucous-leaved,) Gracilis, (slender-branched,) 

 Nana, (very dwarf,) and Pendula, (pendulous-branched,) aU of them 

 more or less beautiful and useful for ornamental purposes. 



ChaM^GYPARIS ThURIFERA: Frankincense-bearing Cedar. 



According to Endlicher, and other species-mongers, this is a taU, 

 horizontal, and pendent-branched tree, found on the mountains of 

 Mexico ; but, as I have not yet been to the said mountains, I can neither 

 affirm nor contradict the existence of such a species or variety of the 



