PINUS INSIGNIS TREE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 34, 3 November 1928, Page 30

PINUS INSIGNIS TREE

“RADIATA” OR “INSIGNIS”? To unravel the tangle Dr. George Engelmann in 1878 visited Europe to examine various herbariums, and in 1880 in his “Revision of the Genus Plnus" he confirmed London’s naming “Pinus insignls.’’ In the “Botany of California” he stated:—“Much interest attaches to this pine because it is probably the old Pinus Californiea which has never been Identified.” Lambert, on z the other hand, supported Don’s naming, “Pinus radiata,” but later Gordon, in his “The Pinetum,” wrote: “This beautiful pine (Pinus radiata) resembles Pinus insignia in some respects, but differs very much in foliage and cones, the leaves of the ipslgnis being very much longer and stouter than those of the radiata, while the cones of the radiata are three times the size of those of insignis.” With the weight of its selection by the Arnold Arboretum thrown into the scales _in favour of “radiata,” together with Lambert's choice and Lemmon’s differentiation, the name “radiata” will in time become the recognised specific name of this pine; but the suppression of “insignis” will not be an easy task, nor do many folk desire it, for sentimental reasons. While failing to untangle this botanical knot satisfactorily we may consider the vernacular “Moneterey Pine” and also the place-name “Monterey.” Mrs. M. H. Field in a rhapsody, “Under the Pines of Monterey,” in 1887, wrote, “No grove ever had greater Charm than that which fringes the beautiful bay whose first navigators, nearly 300 years ago, gazing with delight upon the verdure-clad cliffs, named them Monterey, the King’s Wood.” Commenting on this an editorial note stated “Mrs. Field’s rendering into English of King’s Wood seems to be incorrect, but it is not. The word ‘mens’ in Latin _ meq.ns a mountain or elevation; but in Spanish ‘monte’ has the added signification of a wood or forest, and Monterey is a Spanish name.” This would be as acceptable as pleasing were it not for the records. The King of Spain, Philip 111., fretting with thoughts of the pir-ate-haunted galleons in the Pacific, commanded the viceroy of Mexico to find a safe harbour. The viceroy in turn commanded Sebastian Vizcaypo, who sailed north from Acapulco to find a harbour of refuge from such terrors as Spain had found in el Draque and piratical folk in general. Vizcayno discovered the harbour in 1602, and named it Monterey, in honour of the viceroy, who was Count Monterey, of Salamanca, in' Spain. I have said that he discovered it; but we have still to learn that he discovered it; but we have still to learn in what bay Drake anchored the Golden Hind some 20 years earlier when he named New Albion. and where before sailing to the Philippines he was ceremoniously made a chief of the local Indians; where, too, he left for worship by his “subjects” a stout pole, probably Of Monterey Pine, to which he had nailed a sixpenny piece, with the name of Elizabeth carved above it. It was not San Francisco. What could it have been other than that whic hwas navigated iu 1602 and christened by Vizfiiiyno?