. Diversions of a naturalist. Natural history. CHRISTMAS TREES 319 The Douglas fir is readily recognized by the decorative trifid outer scales or " bracts " of the rather short cone (Fig. 42). When freshly grown these cones have beau- tiful purple tints mingled with pale green. The larches and cedars form the second group or section of the Abietinae, distinguished by the fact that the needle-like leaves grow in tufts of twenty to forty at the end of short stumpy branchlets or " spurs " (Fig. 38). In the larches, which form the genus Larix, the needles fall off every autumn
. Diversions of a naturalist. Natural history. CHRISTMAS TREES 319 The Douglas fir is readily recognized by the decorative trifid outer scales or " bracts " of the rather short cone (Fig. 42). When freshly grown these cones have beau- tiful purple tints mingled with pale green. The larches and cedars form the second group or section of the Abietinae, distinguished by the fact that the needle-like leaves grow in tufts of twenty to forty at the end of short stumpy branchlets or " spurs " (Fig. 38). In the larches, which form the genus Larix, the needles fall off every autumn and leave the tree bare, the annually - renewed feathery foliage contrasting, by its fresh bright green colour, with the darker hues of the per- sistent needles of other coni- fers. The common larch (Larix Europoea) is a native of the mountainous regions of Central Europe. The French Fig. 38.—Cone and foliage (many call it Mdeze. There are needles in each tuft) of the Himalayan, Japanese, and Common Larch, Larix Euro- . . poea. Of the natural size. North American species. The common larch when full-grown is 100 feet and more in height, and has the branches arranged in whorls of diminishing length, so as to give the " Christmas-tree shape " so common among coniferae. It was introduced into England in the seventeenth century. The cedars closely resemble the larches, but have the leaves or needles persistent, and the large cones take. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Lankester, E. Ray (Edwin Ray), Sir, 1847-1929. London Methuen
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlankestereray, booksubjectnaturalhistory, bookyear1915
