PINETUM DANICUM, 



359 



Resin. 312. P. Diclsoni, liort. Stwhiis ezcelsa, A. S. Oersted, 

 Frilands-Trovoxten i Danmark, 18G4, 80. 



Habitat. — The Himalayas, from Bhotan to Afghanistan, at eleva- 

 tions ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 feet. 



The first author who drew attention to this species was Dr. Francis 

 Hamilton, who gathered it in 1802 near Narainhetty, and noticed it 

 in his "Account of iSTepaul " under the name of Finns Strohus, from 

 which he did not separate it. Dr. Wallich next determined its 

 characters, and named it P. excelsa. He brought home many good 

 specimens in various states, some of which he placed in the hands of 

 Mr. Lambert, who published it as a new species in the second edition 

 of his " Genus Pinus" under the name given to it by Dr. Wallich, 

 and the rem.ainder are still in his collection in the possession of the 

 Linnean Society. Since then its history is almost confined to 

 the discovery of additional localities and the ascertainment of its 

 geographical range. It was introduced into Britain by Dr. Wallich 

 about 1827 (" Pinetum Britannicum "). 



The specific name excelsa, "lofty," refers, according to Major 

 Madden, not to the stature of the tree, but to the elevation at which 

 it is found. 



It is one of the most common Pines of the central zone throughout 

 the whole Himalayas. Dr. Griffith states its most eastern limits to be 

 Bhotan, where it is called " Lumshing," " Lamshing," or " Lemshing 

 and its most western locality to be on the mountains of Kafiristan, 

 near Jalalabad, where it is called " Piunee." It has not hitherto 

 been met with in Sikkim, and appears to be wholly wanting in Central 

 and North-west Kamaon, but is the uppermost and only Pine met 

 with in the ascent to the Neetee Pass in Gurwhal, at an elevation of 

 11,000 feet, and on both the north and south faces of the Lamakaga 

 Passes ; while, according to Captain Gerard, its highest limit on the 

 snowy range of Leem is at an elevation of 12,000 feet, and its lowest, 

 near Deorah, in Joobul, at only 5,000 feet, thus fixing the extreme 

 limits of Finns excelsa at from 5,000 to 12,000 feet of elevation. 

 Again, Mr. Winterbotham traced it to the mountains of Gilgit, beyond 

 Cashmere, its most northern habitat hitherto ascertained, as Bhotan 

 is its most southern and Jalalabad its most western limits. 



This is the " Kail," or " Kaell" (sort of Pine), of the hill people 

 about Simla, the "Lem" of Kunawur, and the " Yari " of Cashmere; 

 also the Weeping Fir of the Himalayan travellers, and the " Chylla," 

 or "Cheel," of Kamaon and Gurwhal. 



Timber soft, white, and remarkably compact, producing in great 

 abundance a highly fragrant resinous turpentine. 



Dr. Wallich and some other travellers mention what they consider 

 varieties of this Pine, some with shorter, others with greener leaves, 

 and others with stifi"er foliage, but all such varieties no doubt arise 

 from climate and elevation. 



