pad, and crowded, ovato-lanceolate, acute. There is no gland at the back of the leaf as in the Cypress ;
but along each side are a number of stomata irregularly scattered. Male catkins [figs. 4a and 4b natural
size, and 5 and 6 magnified], in structure the same as those of Sequoia sempervirens,
but smaller and narrower, pedunculated, subglobose, single,
at the extremity of the branchlets ; the peduncle
slight, placed in the centre of a sort of involucre composed
of peltate scales spirally arranged, the inner of
which are largest, and have a membraneous margin :
stamens pedicellate, and the anthers, three or four in
number, globose, sessile, and borne on the inner lower
margin of the scale [figs. 7, 8, and 9]. The microscopic
structure of the scale is seen in fig. 10, which shews that
it is petaloid, adding probability to the idea that the
scale is the perianth of the male flower. The pollen is
variable in shape [figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14]. The scales
are larger than those of Sequoia sempervirens, and less
gins ; the stamens smaller. The scale of the female flower is at first similar to the male
1 size, and assumes the form shewn in figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18. A claretcoloured
exudation forms between
the scales, simulating a membrane.
Cones, from one to two inches long
by one and three-quarter inches in
diameter at the widest part [fig. 19],
ovate, obtuse, ligneous, composed of
a central axis of a stoutish ovato-cylindrical
form, bearing a number (if
rather large, thick, spreading, stipitate
ligneous scales, growing like
branches out of the axis. Fig. 15
represents the young cone magnified, and figs. 16 and 17 the outer and inner side of the scale, and fig. 18
a side view. The cone at a more advanced age is shewn in fig. 19, and the outer, inner, and side view of its
^hsj. scale in figs. 20, 21, and 22.
The cone is thick, and its core
is a continuation of the solid
wood of the axis of the tree,
as shewn in fig. 23, which is
copied from a section of the entire
cone. Fig. 24 shews the
skeleton core of a single scale
at that stage. The apex of the
scale is dilated, convex, wrinkled,
transversely rhomboidal, with a transverse elevated ridge
or keel, and in the middle a depression, from the centre of
which springs a setaceous umbo. Beneath each scale are
lodged a variable number of seeds (from 3 to 7), flat, compressed, circular, about a line in length, surrounded
by pergaminous wings, which are widest on the sides. The seed is represented in fig. 25a\ 25b is a side
view of it. They are arranged in rows, some lying over the others, as shewn in figs. 21 and 22; and
attached,
attached, not at the base but towards the top, by the margin of the wing, in the same way as they are
the Dammara, and in Cunninghamia sinensis, and Sciadopitys verticillata. Cotyledons, germinal lca\
3 to 7, generally 4 [fig. 26a and 26b\ thick, rounded above,
somewhat glaucous, almost flat, reddish below, the colour .
blending with that of the bark. The primordial leaves linear,
alternate, subcylindric, glaucescent, and terminated
by a small mucronated point. The young
plants, on pushing their way out of the earth,
have their young bark of brick red or violace- Sol9' 5 set .1,,.™^
ous colour, which they preserve for the first year.
Dr Bigelow {Joe. cit.) says, " I observed a remarkable peculiarity with regard to their
fruit cones; namely, that they were in every state of development, from the germ to the ripe
fruit. I was near them about the middle of May, when the ground was literally covered
with their cones and seeds." Mr Clark (who appears to be a resident in the valley of the
south fork of the Merced River, not far from the Mariposa Grove, and who is said by Mr
Blake (loc. cit) to be very familiar with the trees, and to have collected their seeds) observed
>nes require two years to mature or yield seeds that will germinate ; and we find
0 be the case in this country.
that the c
the same I
The proper designation of this tree has given rise to much discussion. It was first
described by Dr Lindley ; and the name given by him (Wellingtonia gigantea)
[ /J f should, by the rules of priority, if there were no intrinsic objections to it, have
" precedence over all others. Objections, however, have been taken to it, both on
scientific and general grounds.
On the former, exception has been taken to the generic denomination, first by
Professor Asa Gray, and Professor Decaisne, and latterly by most botanists, that the
tree is only a second species of Sequoia, and, consequently, that a new generic
was uncalled for.
H T
X
( Wellingtonia)
The following were the reasons given by Dr Lindley, in his original description of the tree (" Gardeners'
Chronicle," 1853, p. 823), for separating it as a genus from Sequoia.
" Let us now," says he. " endeavour to shew upon what technical grounds we conceive that the genus Wellingtonia is satisfactorily established.
Wellingtonia is a tree with the imbricated scale-like leaves of some Junipers attached to the branch by a broad base; and when, as
happens in the more vigorous shoots, the leaves acquire unusual development, they still are sessile bodies, with a triangular seftion. and no tendency
whatever to form a flat lamina. But they are alternate, not opposite." [No, only so on a cursory inspection; they are in reality disposed
trobilar scales as i
sapprehension here—Sciadopitys has them verticillate; and
ey are in reality spirally disposed too], " the leaves acquire
spirally]. " In Sequoia and Sciadopitys, genera also having alternate leaves" [som
ough generally distichously spread out like those of the Silver Fir
if a Tax,is or a Pod:carp.
fs are like those of Sciadopitys in size and form ; but the bracts, instead of being half-free, are so completely consolidated with the
e body, the double nature of which is only discoverable by a transverse furrow along the middle of the truncated
by a mucro, evidently belonging to a bract, situate in the centre of the furrow, and by the double plate of woody matter, of which
•responds with Sequoia; but the strobilar scales
dried when immature], " and attached slightly
are mere wedges, whose double woody interior
o separate them." [The cones of Wellingtonia
fl*er in nothing but size, and consequent greater
each scale is found to consist when divided longitudinally. In this respect, indeed, Wellingtonia cc
in the latter are few. unguiculate [not more so than in Wellingtonia], "almost peltate" [only so i
to a weak axis " [only when immature, and on weak plants): " whereas in Wellingtonia the scales
communicates with an axis so hard and stout that a sharp chisel and a forcible blow are necessary
are certainly, when full grown, larger and stronger than those of Sequoia sempervirens, but they c
lia correspond with Zuccarini's figure and description of those of Sciadopitys, both in form, number, and place of
quoia is different, having seeds far less thin, with a corky rather than a membraneous wing, fewer in number, and
originating just within the edge of the unguiculate scales." [We fail to see any distinction between the two on the points here noticed by Dr
•• These considerations seem to leave no room for doubt that Wellingtonia is an entirely new coniferous form; and possibly, when its male
flowers shall have been seen, still further distinguished by the struflure of these parts."
In reply to these arguments, Decaisne maintained that two forms of foliage occur in a more or less
[ 20 1 b marked