TAB. 7. Fig-. 1.
TAXODIUM SEMPER VIR ENS.
EVERGREEN TAXODIUM.
TAXODIUM. Rich.
CUPRESSI SP. Rinn.
l'lores monoici. Masc. Amentum cylindricum, laxè imbiicatum: squamis membranaceis, rotundatis, apiculatis,
basi intùs antheriferis. Anilieroe didymæ, bivalves, rimâ transversali hiantes. Foem. Amentum subro-
tundum : ovulis geminis. Galbulus globosus : squamis trapezoideis, crassissimis, fungosis, stipite trian-
gulari longiusculâ ad rachin adnatis, peltatis. Nuces geminæ, oblongæ, trigonæ, ad latus superius stipitis
aftixae, rachidi msertae : testa crassa, ossea. Semina solitana, pendula ] albumen parcum, lacteum,
membranaceum. Embryo teres, crassus, albus: cotyledones indivisæ, obtusæ, crassæ plano-convexæ:
radicula crassa, teres, superior, cotyledonibus multô longior, obtusa, recta.
Arbores ( Amer, boreal.J, proceroe, elegantes, facie Taxi. Ramuli pectinati, patuli. Folia disticha, linearia.
Amenta mascula, mimer osa, terminalia, spicato-racemosa ; foemineis subrotundis, terminalibus, solitariis.
1 AXODiUM SEMPERVIREN3, fobis distichis linearibus acutis perennantibus coriaceis glabris opacis.
Habitat in Orâ occidentali Americæ borealis. Menzies.
D E S C R IP T IO .
Arbor sempervirens. Ramuli angulati, foliosi, glabri. Folia linearia, acuta, disticha, coriacea, glabra
utrinque opaca, lucida, subtùs nervo medio carinata, margine plana, semi vel mine ferè pollicem longa,
semilineam lata, basi decursiva. Galbuli terminales solitarii, subrotundi, basi squamis brevibus imbricatis
muniti: squamis trapezoideis, peltatis, crassis, fungoso-lignosis, suprà rugosis, atque radiatim striatis,
centro-depressis, basi in pedicello crasso angulato desinentibus.
The great difference in habit existing between the Cupressus dislic/ia of Linnaeus and the other species
referred by him to that genus, induced M. Richard* to form it into a separate genus, to which he gare the name
of Taxodium. Two years afterwards Messrs. Mirbcl and Schoubert described it under the name of Sckubertia.f
The very different habit of the trees themselves, the disposition of the male flowers, and the solitary
pendulous seed, will readily distinguish this genus from Cupressus, to which most Botanists have hitherto
referred it. On my way from the country last Autumn, in the beginning of November, I was fortunate in
* Annal. du Museum. XVI. p. 269. t Nouv. Bull, delà Soc. Philom. III. p. 123.
meeting with a single tree of Taxodium distichum bearing plenty of ripe fruit in the garden of a Blacksmith
opposite the King’s Arms, Bagshot. I was delighted with my discovery, as I had never before had the pleasure
of meeting with this interesting tree with fruit on it, a circumstance of very rare occurrence in this country.
The garden is the property of Mr. Rogers, Innkeeper, at Southampton. At the Parsonage in the vicinity
of Bagshot there are two trees of the Taxodium, even larger than the one in the Blacksmith’s garden, but on
them I was able to find a single cone only. I am in possession of several native specimens with male flowers,
collected by Mr. Nuttall on the banks of the Missouri, and others from Mexico sent me byM. Pavon. The
North American and Mexican specimens appear to me to belong decidedly to one and the same species as
Humboldt has already rightly determined. The generic description given above is exclusively formed from the
Taxodium distichum, having had only a single imperfect specimen of the other species for examination. It is not
without some hesitation, therefore, that I have referred it to Taxodium. I have thought the plant too interesting,
however, to omit in the present work, leaving it to future observations to determine, whether or not
the place which I have assigned to it be its true place. This plant, I propose to call mnpervirens, from
its evergreen leaves, so different from the Taxodium distichum, whose leaves are deciduous.
I have been enabled to give the accompanying figure of this interesting tree from a specimen obligingly
communicated to me by my friend Mr. Menzies, who collected it on the north-west coast of America
during his voyage on board the expedition of the celebrated Vancouver. The largest and finest trees of
the Taxodium distichum, in this country, are those belonging to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland,
at Sion-House.
TAB. 7. Fig. 2.
DACRYDIUM TAXIFOLIUM.
YEW-LEAVED DACRYDIUM.
Dacrydium taxifolium, foliis distichis late linearibus acutis falcatis margine deflexis basi obliquis utrinque
opacis viridibus, amends masculis drupisque in spicâ digestis.
Dacrydium taxifolium. Solander MSS.
Habitat in Novæ-Zealandiæ sylvis copiosè. Banks, Solander, Menzies, Phillips.
D E S C R IP T IO .
Arbor procera, in uliginosis proveniens. Truncus crassus, strictissimus. Rami et ramuli numerosi, paten-
tissimi, flexuosi, cortice rufo obducti. Folia distantia, duplici sérié ordinata, patula, laté linearia, acuta
ut plurimùm falcata, instar illis Taxi atque simùl colore opaco-viridi gaudentia, margine deflexa, basi obliqué
inæqualia, pollicem longa, lineam aut nunc rariùs ultra lata, petiolo brevissimo exili stipitata. Amenta
mascula plura (10-20), distantia, sessilia, patula, in spicis lateralibus nunc terminalibus digesta, semiun-
cialia, oblonga, cylindracea, patula, crassitie bilinearia. Drupcc plures (4-7), spicatæ, subsessiles,
ovales, mucrone brevi terminatæ.
o