PINUS ARISTATA. 
Identification —PINUS ARISTATA, Engelmann in Trans, of Ac. of Sc. of St. Louis, vol. ii. p. 205, 1863, Gard. Chron., Oct. 30, 1875, 
P- 549 - 
PINUS BALFOURIANA, var. ARISTATA, Engelmann in Bot. California, ii. p. 125. 
Engravings. — Cones and Leaves. —Engelmann, loc. cit., tab. 5 and 6. 
Specific Characters .—Pinus modica altitudine ; foliis dense congestis quinis abbreviatis, viz. uncialibus, 
integris rigidis acutiusculis curvatis ex axillis perularum per plures annos persistentium; amends masculis 
ovatis involucro 4 phyllo munitis in axilla bractese ovatse acuminatae persistentis stipitatis; antherarum, 
crista ad umbonem parvulum singulum vel binos reducta; amentis femineis erectis herbaceo-echinatis atro 
purpureis ; strobilis ovatis (2J-4I") horizontalibus violaceo-fuscis, squamarum elongato-cuneatarum apophysi 
rhombea parum tumescente transverse acute carinata parte superiori augustiori medio in umbone aristata; 
seminibus breviter alatis ala ipsa oblique obovata duplo minoribus concoloribus. 
Habitat montibus rupestribus super culmina altiora et nivosa circa “ Pikes Peak, Colorado. 
A tree reaching in sheltered situations 40 or 50 feet high and 1 or 2 feet in diameter; but on 
more exposed and lofty places only a stunted bush. The bark is thin and scaly, even in older trees not 
more than three or four lines thick, of a light greyish-brown colour; that of younger branches smooth, with 
many large vesicles containing a clear fluid balsam, which remains between the layers of the old bark. 
Branches spreading, very often many of them twisted, stunted, or dead; the larger branches and the stem 
itself frequently covered with young branches or shoots, which seem to keep life in the old trunk. The 
branchlets are thickly set and closely covered with fascicles of leaves, the sheaths, which are very short and 
broad (varying from one-half to one line in length), with somewhat loose and ragged light-brown oval 
acuminate scales, standing like short cups, with the edges turned over: these remaining longer than the 
leaves themselves, cover the branches with their rough, blackish remains. The leaves, five in each sheath, 
are light green on both sides, the stomata not very perceptibly distinguished by white efflorescence, mostly 
with numerous exudations of white resin, usually curved upwards, entire on the edges and keel, abruptly 
acutish, stouter in fruit-bearing branches, more slender in such trees as produce principally male flowers, in 
very robust specimens ii and rarely even ii, usually about 1 inch long; on sterile branches straight and 
horizontal, “ giving the branches the appearance of so many little brushes,” with from one to three longi¬ 
tudinal grooves, but no rows of stomata, along the back of the leaf, usually three grooves at the base, the 
two outer of which soon disappear, and with some very irregular rows of stomata 
on the other two sides of the leaf, usually from three to five, the rows being very 
fine cut and narrow, the line being occasionally interrupted, and when a greater 
number of rows than three are present it seems to be by two very close together 
being substituted for a space for a single line (fig. 1). The sheaths consist of seven 
to eight oblong scales with fringed margins, adpressed and forming a sheath 3 to 4 
lines long on the young leaf, soon spreading and squarrose, falling off in the second 
or third year. The resin ducts are described by Engelmann as peripheral and surrounded by strength¬ 
ening cells ; but in specimens exhibited by us there was only a single canal. 
Many lanceolate acuminate scales, perulse, sheathe the lower part of the young shoots; shorter and 
broader bracts, bearing in their axils the male catkins, follow next. The aments together form a very short 
IT cl A branched 
