140 



PIISrACE^. 



singly, Wo, three, five, or more seeds in a fruit or "barry; in some 

 species connected, in others unconnected. 



S.D. L DacRYDIUM: The Gum-exuding Pine. 

 From Greek, daKpv, a tear ; hence a weeping or shedding of Gum," 

 this pine being full to exudation of gummy juice. 

 Flowers, male and female, on separate plants. 



Leaves, variously formed ; awl-shaped, needle-shaped, linear, obtuse, 

 ovate, rhomboid, more or less four-sided, blunt or acute pointed ; some 

 scale-formed, variously disposed : alternate, spreading, four-rowed, im- 

 bricated ; and generally a rich, deep, glossy green, when young ; when 

 old they become yellowish-green, or brownish in colour. 



Fruit, drupaceous, small, terminal, erect, solitary; ovate in form, 

 though somewhat squarrose in shape ; and edible. 



In this genus we have Dacrydium Cupressinum^ (the cypress-like,) 

 Colensoi^ (Colenso's,) Elatum, (the lofty,) FranMinii, (Franklin's,) and 

 Laxifolium^ (loose-leaved,) which are to be found in catalogues and col- 

 lections in about a dozen and a half of different names. These five 

 kinds, however, constitute and comprise this very peculiar and some- 

 what distinct genus of Pinacese. Their native habitats are the East 

 Indies, JN'ew Zealand, and Tasmania, where the first-named is found 

 growing to nearly two hundred feet ; while the last-named is a creeping 

 bush, never rising above a yard high. The wood they produce is hard 

 and dui'able, and much used, and highly esteemed by the Indian 

 tribes. But excepting Franhlinii — a tree growing one hundred feet 

 high, and found on the banks of the Huon, Van Dieman's Land — and 

 Laxifolium^ found in Kew Zealand, they are much too tender for a 

 sharp night's frost in this country ; and even these two kinds will not 

 stand unprotected an ordinary winter in Britain; though in the best 

 soils and warmest localities in the south of England they may, or may 

 not, be induced to grow ; so that none of them are of any economic 

 value in Albion's Isles. 



S.D. IL JUNIPERINEuE : The Juniper Tribe. 



Many derivations have been given for this name ; but most pro- 

 bably it takes its rise from the Latin Juvenis and Pario ; hence quia 

 juniores fructus foliis parity antiquis, mature-scent thus ; — young and 

 old leaves and berries are on the plant at the same time. 



Neither the Hebrew nor the Greek appear to help us in this word. 

 Elijah sits under a juniper tree. The Hebrew word is Dil'T Bothem, 



