8/3/06, 2112man                                            Key to Narrowleaved Evergreens 

                                                          Clarence E. Lewis (rev. by J.L. Saylor)

1.   Winter buds inconspicuous or very small - Cryptomeria.

1.   Winter buds very conspicuous.

      2.   Needles needle-like, not whorled, no groove in back of leaf.

            3.   Needles clustered on short spur-like branches - Cedrus.

            3.   Needles not clustered on short spur-like branches.

                  4.   Needles born in a fascicle or sheath - Pinus.

                  4.   Needles born single on stem.

                        5.   Base of needle brown or woody and four sided - Picea.

                        5.   Base of needle light green to dark green, and flat appearing.

                              6.   Base of needle constricted into distinct petiole, no distinct leaf-like structure on young

                                     stems - Tsuga.

                              6.   Base of needle without distinct petiole.

                                    7.   Young stems covered with leaf-like structure - Taxus.

                                    7.   Young stems bare and not covered with leaf-like stuctures.

                                          8.   Base of needle somewhat constricted - buds long and pointed and with little or no

                                                 resin - Pseudotsuga.

                                          8.   Base of needle broader, buds short, blunt and often resinous - Abies.

      2.   Needles scale-like, or needle and scale-like, not whorled, leaves less than 1 in. long, no groove in back of

             leaf.

            9.   Needles scale-like and needle-like on same plant - Juniperus.

            9.   Needles mostly all scale-like.

                  10.   White markings between the leaves in the backs of branchlets, cone round or ball-like

                           - Chamaecyparis.

                  10.   White markings absent, cones bell-like.

                          11.   Branchlets flat, leaves with raised gland on underside, cone scales not hooked at tip - Thuja.

                          11.   Branchlets angled and upright, leaves with depressed gland on underside (not easily visible),

                                  cone scales hooked at tip - Platycladus.

      2.   Needles in a whorl at the end of each year's growth, leaves very thick, 4-5 inches long, with a groove on

            the back of each leaf - Sciadopitys