160 



PINACEJE. 



very sliarp-pointed ; one-nerved, shining, glossy green above and 

 yellowish-green below. It is found in a slightly altered form on the 

 mountains of Saragura, (in the same country,) from whence it was 

 introduced to us as Taxifolia^ and still more recently it has again been 

 re-introduced and re-named Taxifolia densifolia. It is half-hardy. 



PODOGARPUS SaliGIFOLIA : TheWillow-LeavedPodocarpus. 



This kind is found more or less plentiful on the Colombian moun- 

 tains, and other high altitudes of the north-western parts of South 

 America ; and at best it is only a very slightly altered form of the 

 preceding ] for the oleander-leaved, and the willow-leaved Podo- 

 carpus are one and the same tree ; though found in two distinct native 

 habitats. Both of these forms are quite tender in Britain. 



PODOGARPUS ToTARA: The Kew Zealand Totara Pine. 



This kind is at best only a quasi-species of Elata^ ''Kaka-terro," or 

 big- tree of jS^ew Zealand ; the natives call it " Totarra," and the 

 colonists esteem it more than they do " Kaka-terro," inasmuch as it 

 produces more durable, compact, close-grained, and ruby-coloured wood, 

 than the big-tree ; but when this is the case, the quantity is less, and 

 the tree only attains one hundred feet in height ; which clearly in- 

 dicates to us that these mighty influences — soil, climate, and altitude, are 

 the agents which produce such results : for when found in warm alluvial 

 valleys, or soils rich in natural humis, then we have Elata instead of 

 Totara, a two hundred instead of a one hundred feet tree ; a creamy- 

 white or brownish-yellow instead of a rich ruby-coloured wood. Such 

 remarkable changes or transformations are, however, only the phe- 

 nomena of nature's laws. 



PODOGARPUS ValdIVIANA : The Yaldivian Podocarpus. 



This kind, though nearly allied to Andiiia, is distinct from it both in 

 foliage and fruit. It is also somewhat sportive in character ; and has 

 been frequently re-introduced into this country as a new species, and 

 two or three years ago as a new genus of Pinacese ; and named 

 Prumnopitys Elegans : the Elegant Plum-Fruited Pine. It was 

 formerly introduced and named Saxe-Gothcea Gracilis: and is to be 

 found in catalogues and collections named Podocarpus Nuhigcena, It has 

 been found in several habitats in Chili, more particularly in the provinces 

 of Yaldivia and Colchagua ; and also, though less plentifully on the 

 Andes of Chili and Patagonia. It attains heights of from twenty-five 

 to fifty feet, with linear, thick, flat, foliage, dark glossy green above, 

 and lighter and more or less glaucous green below ; from half an inch 

 to one-and-a-half inches in length ; one-nerved ; and generally disposed 



