Treasuryofbotany01lind PDF
Treasuryofbotany01lind PDF
Treasuryofbotany01lind PDF
TEEASUEY OF BOTANY.
PART I.
LONDON
PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO.
NEW-STREET SQUARE
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PKEFACE.
notices of the more remarkable species, together with such popular matter
as would give interest to the otherwise dry technical character of generic
or specific descriptions. This information was to be diversified by wood-
cuts, and illustrated by views of scenery, representing the peculiar physio-
gnomy of vegetation in different parts of the world.
The genera under which botanists have arranged the subjects of the Vege-
table Kingdom are however, as is well known, so numerous, that they could
groups has been added a still larger one, comprising a selection of genera
serving as representatives of the whole series of Natural Orders and their
subdivisions. The space devoted to each separate genus is necessarily brief;
and, except in the case of medicinal or economically valuable plants, of
;vhich a rather fuller account is given, the object has been to convey some
notion of the characteristics of genera or families, rather than to attempt an
enumeration, much less a description, of the species of which they consist.
For that a massive Cyclopaedia would have been necessary.
\Bxziztc.
genera and species, besides a large number of the Local Names of plants and
vegetable productions in different countries throughout the world. In the
Introduction, some excellent observations by Dr. Seemann, descriptive of the
Plates, serve as illustrations of Phyto-Geography.
The style which has been aimed at, and as far as practicable realised, in
the preparation of the several articles, is such that anyone, taking up the
book in an idle hour, may be able to< read a page without being reminded
that he knows nothing about the plants which clothe our beautiful earth
and such also as, it is hoped, will induce in him a desire to increase his know-
ledge concerning them.
In the preparation of the- Illustrations, the work has had the advantage of
the admirable botanical and artistic talent of Mr. W. H. Fitch, by whom the
very expressive though diminished woodcut figures have been drawn. These
have been engraved with great fidelity by Mr. R. Branston while the Plates, ;
The length of time which is taken up in the passage through the press of
a book of so comprehensive a character, and into which, owing to the small
type adopted, so great an amount of matter is compressed, has on this occa-
sion been unhappily augmented by the complete failure of Dr. Lindley's
health, which took place at an early stage of the progress of the work, and
Preface.
has not permitted him to witness its completion—for his labours, till lately
so unceasingly devoted to the science of which he stood as one of the
mightiest pillars, were stayed by the stroke of death shortly after this page
had passed into the printer's hands. The plan of the book had, indeed, been
perfected under his supervision, but he was unable to continue his editorial
labours beyond letter C and the superintendence of the subsequent portion
;
has devolved entirely upon the writer of these sorrowing words, who is de-
sirous of expressing not only his own keenly-felt sense of personal bereave-
ment, but the still greater blow which has fallen on botanical science, by
the loss of one of its ablest and most profound expositors.
December 1865.
* One such, at p. 731 (line 3 of art. MrcLIACE JE), may be here pointed out, where violal ' has
been priuted for 'rutal.'
LIST OF PLATES.
X.
of Ualan ........
Swampy Forest, with Banyan Trees, in the Island
1139
XL Vegetation
Caldera .........
op the Canary Islands— View in the
89
XII.
XIII.
......
Vegetation op the Cinchona Forests op Peru, with
Palms and Tree-Ferns
.......
Vegetation of Java
284
840
572
—
ILLUSTKATIONS OF PHYTO-GEOGKAPHY.
The Plates of -which the following pages furnish explanations, have been prepared
with the view of showing some of the more remarkable aspects of the vegetation
which clothes the surface of the earth in different parts of our planet. From these
examples, which have been selected from a variety of sources, a tolerably adequate
notion may be formed of the nature of the luxuriant and diversified leafage to be
met with in tropical forests ; while some knowledge may also be obtained of the
quaint succulent vegetation which is scattered over the rocky arid wastes of the Sew j
World of the
; scarcely more abundant, and much less developed, clothing to be
found on arctic cliffs ; of the peculiar tree-growth of the Australian continent; and
of the characteristics of various other well-marked centres of plant life, the peculiar
features of which are pointed out in the descriptive notice of each Plate.
EPIPHYTAL RHODODENDRONS OF I
right hand and on the left hand of the
THE HIMALAYA. j
devious path, the old trees and bushes are
I
seen breast high or branching overhead,
(Plate I.— Frontispiece.) I
whilst the seedlings cover every mossy
I
bank. At 13,000 feet the flanks of the
[REFERENCE. Rhododendron I/alhousice.'] snowy mountains glow with the blood-red
blossoms of Rhododendron fulgens, whilst
The focus of the genus Rhododendron the beauty of R. campanulatum and the
seems to be East Nepal and the Sikkim great elegance and delicacy of the white
Himalaya mountains. It is there we find bells of R. campylocarpum excite the more
the species most numerous and their admiration from their being found in such
flowers of the greatest size and most regions of fog and rain. Some kinds grow
brilliant tints. The genus chiefly prevails habitually as epiphytes, among them R.
between 10,000 and 14,000 feet above the |
Dalhousice figured in our frontispiece, and
sea-level, its several species composing one of the many noble introductions for
three-fourths of the vegetation above the which we are indebted to the labours of
forest region (12,000 feet). There Rhodo- the indefatigable Dr. J. D. Hooker. R. Dal-
dendron wood supplies the native with housim is a slender straggling shrub, six
fuel, and, from its tough nature and to eight feet high, with oblong leaves, and
property of being easily worked, with white bell-shaped fragrant flowers with a
many domestic utensils, poles for his tent, I
delicate rosy tinge. It is generally grow-
stools, saddle, bowl and spoon. The bark |
ing, like many tropical orchids, amongst
is used as that of the birch is in the Arctic moss, with ferns and Aroidew, upon the
regions, and the leaves serve as plates and I
limbs of large trees, at from 6,000 to 9,000
wrappers for butter, curd, and cheese. It j
feet above the sea, in a region of fogs,
is the traveller's constant companion moisture, and rain, in sight of the snow-
throughout every day's march ; on the I
capped peaks of the Himalaya. [B. S.]
— J
JHusttrattang at pj)j)tG--#nnjrap?)g,
fabulous accounts propagated about this
VEGETATION OF THE CAROLINE IS- famous poison plant by the early travel-
LANDS, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF lers. There is no sign of the extreme
sterility of the ground in the vicinity of
WOOD. the poison trees, which was said for a
(Plate II.)
considerable distance round to produce
[REFERENCE. a. Artocarpus incisa; b. Cala-
neither grass nor any other vegetable.
dium; c. Pandamis odoratissimus in fruit; Nor can it, with such surroundings, be
d. Crimwm; e. Tree- Fern. true that, if the tree be pierced, those
standing to windward would quickly be
This illustration introduces us into a suffocated by its noxious effluvia, or that
valley of the island of Ualan, Caroline birds which fly over a recently wounded
Archipelago, where, without much labour, tree would meet the same fate. These and
the level land has been brought into a similar fables, Bennett and others have ex-
certain state of cultivation, being planted plained by transferring the odium to the
principally with those products of the marshy and unwholesome exhalations of
island which furnish food. Bread-fruit parts of the Indian Archipelago to which
trees, bananas, two gigantic species of state criminals, and especially those of the
Caladium, and the Tahitian sugar-cane highest class, were sometimes banished,
grow here so intermingled that there is and where they speedily died of malaria,
some difficulty in determining whether and not, as the vulgar believed, of the
there has been any arbitrary plantation or emanations of the Upas tree. The poison-
not. The Bread-fruit tree (Artocarpus in- ous nature of the Antiaris toxicaria,
cisa) on the left-hand side is quite a young stripped of all exaggeration, is, however,
specimen, just beginning to bear fruit. sufficiently powerful and deadly to make
The plantains and bananas of this place great precaution necessary. Dr. Horsfield
belong to four varieties, the specific types had some difficulty in inducing the inhabi-
of which are Musa paradisaica and Musa tants of Java to assist him in collecting
sapientum. Of the two larger Caladiums the juice which he required for his experi-
(fig. b) one is allied to, if not identical with, ments, as they feared a cutaneous eruption
the well-known C. macrorrhizum, the root and inflammation, resembling, according to
of which is used as an article of food. A the account they gave of it, that produced
third smaller species is the Caladium by the Rhus vernix of Japan, and the Rhus
esculentum, the Kalo or Taro of the South radicans of North America but they were
;
Sea Islands. Pandanus odoratissimus, the only affected by a slight heat and itching
Screw-pine, so called from its leaves being of the eyes. In clearing new grounds for
arranged like the windings of a screw, and cultivation, in which the Upas tree occurs,
its fruits having somewhat the outward it is with difficulty the inhabitants can be
appearance of pine-cones, is seen on the made to approach the Upas, as they dread
right-hand side of our illustration. Close the cutaneous eruption which it is known
to it will be seen the Morinda citrifolia, to produce when newly cut down. But
having a pale-green foliage and a whitish except when the tree is largely wounded,
edible fruit of poor flavour. To the most or when it is felled, by which a consider-
prominent plants of this island belongs the able portion of the juice is disengaged,
widely-diffused Draccena terminalis, com- the effluvia of which, mixing with the
monly used for hedges. A fine Crinum atmosphere, affect persons exposed to it
with massive leaves grows isolated about with the symptomsjust mentioned, the tree
the outskirts of the forests anda Maranta,
:
may be approached and ascended like the
growing gregariously, abounds. Almost other common trees of the forests. [B. S.]
in the very centre of our picture are seen
tree-ferns and just above them the Termi-
;
purposes, and its light feathery foliage, is trunks, grass-like leaves, and tall rod-like
placed by the side of some small rattau as scapes of flowers. We
can still revel
'
In habit the two natural orders have much shed their bark instead of their leaves, and
in common their leaves are formed upon
: all the leaves are turned edgeways or cast
;
exactly the same plan, the only difference our eyes over large tracts of country still
!
being that those of the palms are generally wearing the same evergreen, or rather
I
(not always) divided. Even the siliceous brownish-green, mantle which it wore
secretions so characteristic of grasses, are when Captain Cook and his naturalists first
observable in rattans whilst about their
I
;
; set foot on the shores of Port Jackson,
flowers, it may be said that those of the then the unknown haunt of a few lawless
. grasses are those of the palms, with the savages, now the capital of Australia and
floral envelopes removed and only the the seat of the Governor-General. Unger,
bracts remaining. The group on the in his ' New Holland in Europe,' has shown
j
right-hand side of our plate affords a good us that at one period of the earth's history
manner in which bain-
illustration of -the there flourished in Europe a vegetation
boos grow. They delight in humid local i- very similar to that still beheld in Aus-
j ties,and are the ornament of most tropical tralia ; but that the whole of it has been
rivers, often forming impenetrable thick- swept away, to make room for other vege-
ets,the favourite retreat of wild animals. table forms, leaving no trace behind
Their young shoots come up like aspara- except what is recorded in the great stone-
gus, and in many Eastern countries are
J
of the hands of a watch. [B. S.] with some kind of taste in them. But we
have here none of all that. The leaves are
of a dull green colour, the flowers have no
smell, and the fruits, without any excep-
tion, are tasteless and insipid. Not a single
edible plant has the whole of Australia
added to our tables, and Europeans who
VEGETATION OP NEW SOUTH should have to rely upon what Australian
WALES, NEAR PORT JACKSON. vegetation can supply for their food, would
have to share the melancholy fate of Burke
(Plate V.) and Wills when they tried to eke out their
existence by eating the wretched Nardoo
[REFERENCE. a. Banksia; b. Xanthorrkcea.] seeds of the Australian swamps. [B. S.J
are a few branching apparently very old hold the basin of unequal depth, surround-
specimens, as seen on the left of our plate. ed by the horseshoe-like chain, where the
The forest trees include one distinguished prospect is closed by a few islets of this
by its slender growth and thick foliage (the selfsame chain. Such coral islands, but
leaves resembling those of the ash), which recently risen above the sea-level, exhibit
vernacularly is termed Pai-pai,' and es-
' no trace of that vegetation which esta-
teemed on account of its extremely hard blishes itself on the older ones. The first
wood. The same remark applies to another green appearing on the hitherto naked
tree of similar aspect, the leaves of which sand invariably consists of shrubby Sccevo-
are, however, more like those of the myrtle, las with small white flowers, which after-
whilst the bark is pale yellow. A screw- wards form also the principal brushwood
pine, Pandanus, though isolated, is rather of the shores, and a specimen of which is
common. It does not seem to differ essen- represented in thecentreof theforeground.
tially from Pandanus odoratissimus, and is The rich juicy foliage of this plant may be
conspicuous by its slender undulated I
well suited to the formation of vegetable
branches, and long narrow leaves, of which j
mould, in which afterwards a more diver-
there are comparatively few in each crown. I
sified vegetation finds a home. Next fol-
Several species of Cordia exhibit their j
lows a Tournefortia, common in all the
gigantic growth, and are in the dry season islands of these seas, which assumes more
but sparingly clad with leaves; here and the look of a small tree, and has a less
there their stem is surrounded by a net- bushy habit the silvery grey colour of its
;
work of creepers. But the most striking leaves forms a strong contrast with the
of all the trees is a huge species of Fig, the fresh light green of the Scozvola. A young
representative of the banyan in this place. specimen of this exclusively littoral plaut
It differs evidently in every respect from is seen on the right-hand side of the fore-
that of Ualan, the height of which it no- ground, and an older one in the distance.
where seems to attain. Its comparatively Close by will be noticed the delicate f ol iage
tall stem has the appearance of a gigantic of another probably myrtaceous shrub pe-
bundle of sticks, the component parts of culiar to the outskirts of these forests an :
which must be considered as being curious- old fully grown specimen of it is seen in
ly twisted around each other, and grown the foreground to the left. In the out-
together into a compact mass. On the skirts of the forest at a distance are found,
upper end of this rather conical bundle besides theexclusivelylittoralplants, other
spreads out like an umbrella a crown form- half-shrubby trees. Two specimens of
ed of fantastically twisted branches, which Pandanus odoratissimus, so common in all
has numerous fine leaves of a dark rather these islands, will easily be recognised by
greyish-green. The tree seen on the right- their peculiar habit. Their trunks exhibit
hand side of the foreground is a smaller numerous crowns. On the right-hand side
species of fig, the aerial roots of which of the smaller specimen to the left are seen,
have quite the look of creepers. Elegant besides the low Scwvola and the just-men-
ferns cover its branches. There is also a tioned Myrtacea, a species of Hibiscus,
species of Cerbera, frequently met in the with cordate leaves and dark carmine-
Caroline, Marianne, and Bonine Islands coloured flowers, which either occurs as a
it resembles in growth and in its leaves shrub or small tree and above it a Calo-
;
he Terminalia Catappa, but its principal phyllum, which in other places becomes a
ranches are more rectangular. [B. S.] stately forest tree, and has a dark green
I
£lltts'tratt0ng of }3t)j)t0--<©c03nqpV)g. XV
observed in these trees. The present spe- ness' banished hither. It has allowed the
cies differs from other kinds of banyan, Are to accomplish what the axe was not
not only in its astonishing height (our able to do. In September 1852, says Bolle,
illustration shows only the lower parts of there stood only, on one inaccessible rock
the stems), but especially by its drooping near the Barranco del Almendrero Amargo,
aerial roots. These roots, appearing in surrounded by pine-trees, one solitary wild
bundles of tender, originally disconnected palm. Heine's conception of the longing
fibres, gradually grow together, and, after of the two trees, so beautifully expressed
reaching the ground, increase in thickness. in one of his elegies, had here found its
The new stem thus formed soon loses, realisation. [B. S.]
more or less, all traces of its original for-
mation. The height of the whole is so
considerable that the crowns reach above
that of other trees, and here and there
form as it were a forest above a forest.
The spectator, standing below, soon loses
sight of the upper parts of the tree, and VEGETATION OF THE CINCHONA FO-
only notices accidentally the connection RESTS OF PERU, WITH PALMS AND
existing amongst trees which at first view
would seem to be perfectly unconnected.
TREE-FERNS.
It has been found impracticable to show in (Plate XII.)
our plate the foliage of this tree of the ;
crown little was visible, and the leaves are The valley of San Juan del Oro represent-
small and of roundish shape. All the young ed in the accompanying engraving, is a
saplings growing about here are those of continuation of the ravine of Sandia, in
the Barringtonia acutangula, which in the Peruvian province of Caravaya. In
these woods assumes an epiphytal charac- this province great spurs run out from
ter. [B. SJ the main chain of the Cordillera, and gra-
dually subside into the vast plains, cover-
ed with virgin forest and traversed by na-
vigable rivers, which extend to the At-
lantic. These spurs form beautiful valleys,
such as that of San Juan del Oro, which
was once famous for its gold washings.
VEGETATION OF THE CANARY IS- Here torrents and cascades pour down on
LANDS-VIEW IN THE CALDERA. every side into the river flowing through
the valley, and the mountain-sides are
(Plate XI.) clothed with the richest subtropical vege-
tation. Here may be seen gigantic but-
[REFERENCE. a. Pistacia atlantica ; b. Juni- tressed trees, festooned with creepers and
perus Cedrus; c. Phcunix dactylifera; d. fringed with graceful ferns and orchids ;
strictly tropical, nor typical of the tempe- the towering muruna (Iriartea), with its
rate zone, but rather a blending of the roots shooting out from eight feet above
forms most peculiar to either. A singular the ground ;and an Astrocaryum with
instance of this is presented to us in Webb's thorny leaves, and a lofty stem thickly set
view of the Caldera. Surrounded by steep 1
with alternate rings of spines. But the
—
prevailing: vegetation of this valley, which with botanical treasures. Ferns and or- |
is about 5,000 feet above the sea, consists chids, palms and oaks, bananas and nut- I
of plants of the cinchonaceous order, with megs, vines and convolvuli, and an end-
their graceful foliage and panicles of fra- less host of other plants of which not even
grant flowers. Among them are several the name has penetrated beyond the circle
species of the Cinchona which yields the of scientific botanists, cover its surface.
inestimable bark of commerce. It was in In the illustration before us, the artist has
these lovely Caravayan valleys that Mr. contrived to introduce us to a genus of
Clements Markham made a collection of plants which bears the most gigantic of
cinchona plants for introduction into In- flowers, the famous Rafflesia. Nature has
dia, while he caused other collections of equally divided her gifts by according to
plants and seeds to be made in Northern the New "World the plant with the largest
Peru and Ecuador. Thus the cultivation leaves (Victoria regia), to the Old World
of those precious quinine-yielding trees, that with the largest flowers (Rafflesia Ar-
which were until lately only met with noldi) and it is not a little singular that
;
arrowing wild in such valleys as that of San both these plants, notwithstanding their
Juan delOro, is now successfully establish- prominence, have only been discovered in
ed in our great Indian possessions. The recent times. Rafflesia Arnoldi has flowers
cascarilleros or bark collectors are repre- often three feet across, but, alas it has
!
|
sented in the plate as engaged in packing no leaves. The gigantic flowers are seated |
the bark, previous to its being forwarded on the stems of vines, different, kinds of
to the nearest depot, on the hacks of In- Vitis (Cissus), from which they draw their
dians. [B. S.J nourishment pai-asitically. The species ;
|
stems, densely covered with bundles of
BIRCH FOREST IN THE DISTANCE. '
spines. An estimate may be formed of
I the number of these spines, by stating
(Plate XVI.) that a single specimen of an Echinocactus
I
Yisnaga, the Toothpick Cactus, was found
[REFERENCE a. b. Tall species of Nettle ; c. An- [
to have 51 ,000, and a Pilocereus senilis, the
gelica.] Old Man Cactus, 71,000. Yet the specimens
on which they were counted were only
I
Gigantic umbelliferous plants are more such as had been brought over to Eng-
1
characteristic of the grassy plains of land. The giants met with in Mexico and
Kamtschatka than of any other part of surrounding regions have hundreds of
the Bolschaja Reka district. The tallest thousands of spines. Tne favourite haunts
,
among them are the Heracleum dulce (? of Cacti are the mountain ridges which in
and a species of Angelica of surprising tersect or border the Mexican tableland,
dimensions; it abounds in a few level 5,000 to 7,000 feet above the sea. The view
valleys of the western slopes, principally chosen as an illustration of this singular
in the district traversed by the Bannaja vegetation is a landscape on the banks of
Reka, a tributary of the Bolschaja Reka, the river Gila, in the Colorado region of
but is not met with again even in the New Mexico, representing the largest
neighbourhood of its real home. This form of all known Cactacem, the Cereus gi-
stately herb is known throughout the ganteus, which rises like a huge candela-
country by the Russian name of Medwe- brum amongst the rocks and ravines of
'
shie Koren' (Bear's root); its hollow stems that barren wilderness. In front is a
are dark reddish in the autumn. Another specimen which, though already nearly
plant is a tall, always gregariously grow- sixty feet high, is still in vigorous health,
ing nettle (Urtica dioica), which contri- and sending forth young side branches.
butes an essentially characteristic feature On the right, a little towards the back-
to the country, but which does not occur ground, is a specimen in a decaying state,
anywhere in such masses as in these west- showing the form of a woody skeleton
ern districts. It is generally ten feet high. and around them at short distances may
|
Its long stems yield a superior fibre for be seen younger plants in various stages
|
nettle yarn, which in former times was of development. A few Opuntias (Cactuses
I
the only material the Kamtschatkans had with compressed articulated stems), fea-
for fishing-nets lately it has in some
; thery Mimosem, the usual companions of
'
I
'
to twelve feet high. We have actual mea- of Hyphcene thebaica has as yet to be ascer-
I
Emory's disputed statement that the Cereus where it leaves off, as we have no botanical
attains 50 to 60 feet in height. The stem specimens to decide the question, and have
is thickest at or a little above the
middle, to depend upon the information of travel- j
and tapers upwards and downwards. It is lers not able to discriminate between this i
mostly simple, but the older ones hare species and those allied to it. It is certain,
often a few erect branches. Both stem and however, that there are more than one I
branches are ribbed, almost fluted like co- species of Hyphcene, and that some, of
lumns, and covered with bundles of spines. them at least have a straight cylindrical
The flowers are produced in abundance and unbranched trunk, like that of the
near the summit, and the fruit has a crim- generality of palms. [B. S.J
son-coloured, sweet, but rather insipid
pulp. [B.S.]
XX $nustratt0ng al ffi)$ta*<StasKz$)£.
is hardly possible to imagine a more gro- tion, however, would convey but a vague
tesque aspect. Here are seen pieces of notion of what the vegetation of the Bri-
peat still covered with lichens, mosses, tish Islands really looked like to one who
and saxifrages there a shoal of earth with
; had nothad an opportunity of familiarising
bushes of willow at one place a lump of
; himself with the nature of the different
clay with Senecios and Polygonums at an-
;
zones, or the character of the types. To
other the remnants of the mammoth, tufts conjure up any idea of what the British
of its hair, and some brown dust which flora really appears like, we should have to
emits the smell peculiar to burial-places, speak of waving corn fields, smiling mea-
and is evidently decomposed animal mat- dows, shady lanes, mossy tombstones, yew-
ter. The foot frequently stumbles over girt churches, gloomy pine woods, purple
enormous osteological remains— some ele- heather, and golden furze— objects which
phant's tusks measuring as much as 12 at once recall scenes and aspects of nature
feet in length, and weighing more than familiarised by the pen of the poet and
240 pounds. Nor is this formation confined the brush of the painter. For that reason
to Eschscholtz Bay. It is observed in vari- we have chosen as one of the most charac-
ous parts of Kotzebue Sound, on the river teristic features of the vegetation of the
Buck land, and in other localities, making British Islands, Holy Cross Abbey covered
it probable that a great portion of extreme with Ivy. This ivy, it is true, is not pecu-
North-Western America is, underneath, a liarly British, butdiffused over the whole
solid mass of ice. With such facts before of Europe in several distinct varieties,
us, we must acknowledge that terrestrial some of which have white, some yellow,
heat exercises but a limited and indirect and some black berries. The yellow-berried
influence upon vegetable life, and that to Ivy is confined to the south of Europe,
the solar rays we are mainly indebted for and is the plant with which in times gone
the existence of those forms which clothe by poets were crowned, and which played
with verdure and gay flowers the surface so prominent a part in the festivals held in
of our planet. [B. S.] honour of Bacchus. The black-fruited va-
riety is much more common, and the one
indigenous to our islands. Though it can-
not claim the distinction of having en-
circled the heads of poets, it has furnished
the theme of many a poet's song, and in
no part of Europe does it thrive with such
HOLY CROSS ABBEY, COVERED WITH luxuriance as in the British Islands, espe-
IVY. cially in Ireland, where, favoured by a hu-
mid and mild climate, it ascends the tops
(Plate XX.) of the highest trees, covers with its thick
evergreen foliage rocks and walls, and
It now, thanks to the indefatigable
is gives a picturesqueness to many an old
labours of Mr. H. C. Watson, an easy task ruined castle or Gothic abbey. It has been
to give a scientificman a clear idea of the mentioned that in remote times our Euro-
nature and extent of the flora of our pean Ivy, Hedera Helix— sX least th e yellow-
British Islands, by explaining to him that berried variety— was brought from the
the whole territory is divisible into six highlands of Asia; -but the Ivy which flou-
zones of altitude, the super-arctic, the rishes in Nepal and throughout the Hima-
mid-arctic, the infer-arctic, the super-agra- layas with such luxuriance is a species
rian, the mid-agrarian, and the infer-agra- quite distinct, being covered with minute
rian, and into botanical provinces, the yellow bcales instead of white stellate
boundaries of which are founded upon hairs, as our Ivy is. Our Hedera Helix is
physical and not upon political differences a strictly European plant, which may be
and that the vegetation comprised in said to attain in Britain its highest de-
these divisions is composed of so-called velopment, imparting to some of its land-
Germanic, Scandinavian, Iberian, Boreal, scapes a striking and characteristic pecu-
and North-American types. This explana- liarity. [B. S.]
:
leaves, and terminal racemes of rather a capitate stigma and a three-celled ovary,
;
small, dull purplish, apetalous flowers, with of which two of the cells are many-ovuled,
numerous stamens. [J. T. S.] but abortive, and the other one-seeded
and fertile, becoming a coriaceous berry.
ABBREVIATIONS. Signs to express A. floribunda, which is a native of Mexico,
particular attributes arc largely employed is a very handsome freely-branching shrub,
by botanists. The following are those most naturally rather straggling in habit, pro-
in use ducing opposite, blunt, ovate, crenate
J = ma!e. leaves, which are smooth on the surface,
9 = female. and having large showy blossoms, which
come from the axils of the leaves, at the
g = hermaphrodite, or bisexual. ends of branches, so as to form a pendent
g . g - Q = polygamous. leafy panicle. These flowers are a couple
$ 9 = dioecious. of inches in length, rich purple-red, tubular,
the tube narrowing at the base and enlarg-
,^-Q = monoecious. ing upwards, and Anally spreading out into
$ - g - 9 = trioecious. a limb of live nearly equal rounded lobes.
(X or = annual.
O .4. rwpestris, a native of China, on the
(§;. or $ = biennial.
Chamoo hills, has shorter tubular flowers,
of a pale rose colour, and forms a lovely
% = perennial. dwarf bush, loaded towards autumn with
1? = a tree or shrub. its ornamental blossoms. The few known
00 = an indefinite and considerable num- species are rather objects of ornament than
ber of anything. of utility. [T.M.]
! placed after a person's name, indicates ABELICEA. A genus of Ulmacem, con-
that an authentic specimen from that taining a single species from Greece and
person has been seen. Eastern Asia. It is so nearly related to
* at the end of a citation, denotes that a Planera that it would perhaps be better to
plant is fully described in the place consider it as a section of that genus, sepa-
referred to. rated from the true Planerm by its smooth
v.v. = seen alive. capsule and subsessile leaves. Both have
v.s. = seen in a dried state.
alternate, ovate, crenate-serrate leaves, like
the elm. The flowers are hermaphrodite, or
v.c. = seen cultivated.
polygamous from the non-development of
v.sp. = seen wild. parts. They occur in axillary fasciculate
'" '" When these signs are placed after a clusters, the inferior flowers of the fascicle
number, they express a foot, an inch, being stamina!, the superior hermaphrodite
or a line respectively ; thus, or rarely pistilline. There are four or five
5'= 5 feet. stamens. The ovoid ovary is one-celled and
5"= 5 inches. one-ovuled, and crowned with two spread-
5'"= 5 lines. ing styles, which are stigmatose down the
A very full account of
all such signs is
inner side. [W.C.]
given in Lindley's Introduction to Botany, ABELMOSCHUS. The name applied to
ed. 4, ii. 384. a genus of plants of the mallow family
(Malvacece). The word is derived from the are boiled down in water to form essence
Arabic, signifying musk seed, and was of spruce, from which spruce beer is made.
given in allusion to the agreeable odour A. balsamea is the Balm of Gilead Fir, an
of the seeds of one species, A. moschatus, American tree of much smaller stature than
a native of Bengal. The seeds of this plant the common spruce fir, with fiat leaves,
were formerly mixed with hair powder, and whitish beneath. Its cones are erect. It
are still used to perfume pomatum. They yields a pure form of turpentine, called
possess cordial and stomachic properties, Canada balsam, much used for optical pur-
and are mixed with coffee by the Arabs. poses, and for preserving certain micro-
In the West Indies the bruised seeds, scopic objects.
steeped in rum, are used both externally A. canadensis, or the Hemlock Spruce, is
and internally as a remedy for snake-bites. a native of North America and Canada, and,
A. esculentus, formerly called Hibiscus es- from its abundance and eminent beauty,
culentus, a native of the West Indies, but is frequently referred to by the American
naturalised in India, furnishes the Ochro poets under the name of the hemlock. The
or Gobbo pods, that are much used in bark is much used for tanning purposes.
thickening soups, for which their abundant A. Picea, the Silver Fir, is so called from
mucilage well fits them. The young pods its leaves, which are whitish on their under
are gathered green and pickled like capers. surface, arranged in two rows, and have
The plant is cultivated in the south of their points turned upwards. The cones
France for the sake of its pods, which when are erect, of a greenish purple colour, their
ripe are of a conical shape, covered with scales provided with long tapering bracts
hair, and about an inch in length. All the on their outer surface. The beauty of this
species of this genus furnish excellent fibre. tree is such that Virgil has applied to it the
The genus is botanically characterised by epithet pulcherrima, 'very beautiful.' It
a deciduous ten-leaved involucel, a spathe- attains a height of 100 feet and upwards,
like, tubular, conical, five-toothed calyx, and is a native of Central Europe and
spreading petals, one-celled anthers, a style Northern Asia. Its timber is not so much
cleft into five divisions at the top, a capsule prized as that of some other species, but is
with five cells and five valves, whose edges durable under water, and from its bark
are not bent inwards. [M. T. M.] exudes a resin which, when purified, is
ABERRANT. Something which differs
known as Strasburg turpentine.
A. Larix is the common Larch fir. Its
from customary structure. Also a group of needle-shaped leaves are at first arranged
plants which stands intermediate, as it
in tufts, but subsequently become separated
were, between two other groups :— e. g. Fu-
one from the other by the lengthening of
mariacece, which are by some regarded as
the branch upon which they grow. They
an aberrant group of Papaveracece. fall off at the approach of winter. The
ABIES. In this genus of the cone-bear- cones are small, erect, somewhat egg-
ing family (Conifera) are included the plants shaped, but blunt-pointed, and the scales
commonly called Firs, in contradistinction have irregular margins for these reasons
:
to pines (Plnus). The firs are for the most the larch is sometimes placed in a distinct
part lofty trees, with small, narrow ever- genus, and called Larix europcea. The
green leaves, placed in two rows along the wood of the larch is much prized, and very
sides of the branches, or occasionally tufted. durable its bark is employed by tanners,
;
name of white deal. From its trunk exudes they lie at the bottom of the lake, and are
a resin commonly called frankincense, washed up round its margins.
which, when melted in water and strained, A. Cedrus, or, as it is sometimes called,
constitutes Burgundy pitch. The young Cedms Libani, is the well-known Cedar of
leaf -buds or shoots of this and other species Lebanon. It is principally distinguished
'
from the larch by its evergreen leaves, and i in the length of its leaves. The form and
by its cones, which are from three to Ave size of the cones are too variable to consti-
inches in length, oblong, blunt, erect, and
j
of the ripe cone fall off, instead of being ABO :j A. radiata is a curious little orchid
persistent, as in the Lebanon cedar, while from New Grenada, differing from Odonto-
its leaves are longer and more distinctly glossum and Oncidium in having a slender
three-sided than in that plant but it is by
; delicate caudicle, and solid pollen masses.
no means certain that the two plants are The flowers are brown, with yellow streaks
really specifically distinct. The individual and a white lip.
plants forming the species of this genus
differ so remarkably in habit and general
j
ABOLBODA. A genus of Xyridacear, con-
taining six or seven species of stemless
!
year 1822, and is now much cultivated as abortive stamens, which consist of a fila-
an ornamental tree, from its elegant form, ment only abortive petals, which are mere
;
j
mountainous regions of certain provinces
of Algeria. According to M. Cosson, there ABRODICTYUM. A name given byPresl
is no doubt but that this is a mere variety to a very elegant species of Trichomanes,
of the Lebanon cedar, from which it differs differing only in the form and arrangement
of the cells of Its tissue. A. Cuming ii purposes, and nre employed in India as a
isnow generally called T. Smithii. Van den standard of weight under the name of
Bosch has revived the name under the form Rati. The weight of the famous Koh-i-
of Habrodictyon. [T. M.] noor diamond is known to have been ascer-
tained in this way. The roots also are made
ABROMA. The name given to a genus of use of in the same manner as the roots
the byttneriaceous family. They are small
of the liquorice plant. The Abrus is of twin-
trees, with hairy lobed leaves, and termi-
ing habit, with pinnate leaves, numerous
nal or axillary clusters of yellow or purple
stalked flowers in axillary clusters, a bell-
flowers. Their fruits are capsular, five-celled,
shaped slightly four-lobed calyx, the upper
with five membranous wings, and many lobe broadest, and a pale purple corolla,
seeds in each cell. They are natives of succeeded by an oblong compressed pod
India, Java, and the tropical parts of New
containing four to six seeds. [M. T. M.]
Holland. Three species are known one :
the leaves, and are of very varied form is used for the same purposes in Australia.
in the different species. They are al- The pods of other species are likewise
ways so placed that their edges look up- similarly employed in Egypt and Nubia.
wards and downwards, so that by this Many furnish excellent timber, and the
means, as well as by the arrangement flowers of one species, A. Farnesiana, yield a
delicious perfume. The pods of A. concinna
,s **
are used in India like those of the soap-nut
for washing the head the leaves also are
;
techu is prepared from various trees, but mum in Chili. ' [A. A. B.]
especially from Acacia, Catechu, the wood ACALYPHA. A large genus of Spurge-
of which, is boiled down, and the de- worts (Euphorbiace(B), comprising upwards
of a hundred species, which are more or cesses, which are most commonly hooked.
less distributed over all tropical and sub- In the form of their embryo they agree
tropical regions, attaining their maximum, with bignoniads. They are of little impor-
however, in S. America. Agoodly number tance to man. The greater part are mere
are annual, but the great mass perennial weeds, but some are plants of great beauty,
shrubby plants, having much the appear- especially the species of Justicia, ApheUni-
ance of nettles, and readily known in the dra, and Ruellia. For the most part they
family from their nettle-like leaves and are mucilaginous and slightly bitter occa- ;
the disposition of their flowers, which, sionally the bitterness increases, and they
usually of a green or reddish colour, and become pectoral medicines some are dyers'
;
coloured sterile flowers which hung in whence, as is said, the idea was derived of the
Corinthian capital in Architecture.
great profusion from the twigs. A. iudica,
an annual Indian weed, one to two feet
high, with nettle-like leaves, and flower- also is Anisotes trisulcus, an Egyptian
spikes having toothed leafy bracts, has, ac- plant. About 1500 species are mentioned
cording to Nimmo, roots which attract in books.
cats quite as much as do those of Valerian.
This plant is the Cupameni of Rheede, who
ACANTHE D'ALLEMAGNE. (Pr.) He-
says the root bruised in hot water is ca-
racleum Sphondylium.
thartic, and a decoction of the leaves laxa- ACANTHODIUM. A genus of acantha-
tive. [A. A. BJ ceous plants, distinguished by Delile from
the genus Acanthus by reason of its two-
ACAMPE. Under this genus Lindley col- celled pod, each cell of which contains one
lects a few Indian and Chinese epiphytal or-
chids, formerly referred to Vanda, from
compressed seed, the radicle or young root
j
of which is placed near the scar of the seed,
which they differ in having small brittle
or that part where it is attached to the pod,
I
whorl. But their most exact difference very' short, and much branched, so that
from other Orders of the' Bignonal Alliance the plants form dense prickly cushions on
consists in the singular structure of their the rocks on which they grow the flower-
;
placenta, which expands into hard pro- stalks are simple or forked the spikelets in
;
; ;
a spike which is generally lax the calyx ; literally stemless, but a plant without a
white, its limb surrounding the rose- stem cannot exist, unless it is a mere vesi-
coloured corolla like a frill. A. glumaceum cle.
is a very pretty garden rock plant. [J. T. S.]
ACATJLOSIA. A diseased condition of
ACANTHOPHIPPII7M. A genus of ter- plants, in which the stem is imperfectly
restrial orchids allied to Bletia, with large, developed or wholly wanting. Its forma-
fleshy tubular flowers, growing almost at tion may moreover be retarded by the
the base of the leaves. These flowers are main powers of vegetation being directed
white or pink, and occasionally streaked to some other quarter, as in turnips to the
with a deeper colour. The few species that formation of an enormous root. There
are known come from the tropical regions may moreover be stemless varieties of some
of Asia. particular species the primrose represent-
;
and Nova Scotia, and yields a saccharine that of a goat. This species is occasionally
juice in such abundance that maple-sugar found in chalky districts all over the tem-
is an important article of manufacture. It perate regions of Europe. Haller says that
has been computed that in the northern the bruised root increases the flow of milk
parts of the two States of New York and in milch cattle. Other species occur in
Pennsylvania there are ten millions of Asia, reaching as far as Gossain Than in
acres which produce these trees, in the pro- the Himalayas; and one {A. secundiflora)
portion of thirty to an acre. The season for found in Barbary and Madeira is occasion-
tapping is in February and March, while ally seen living in the gardens of curious
the cold continues intense and the snow is collectors.
still on the ground. A tree of ordinary size ACE ROSE. Needle-shaped; as in the
yieldsfrom fifteen to thirty gallons of sap, leaves of heaths and pine trees.
from which are made from two to four
pounds of sugar. The tree is not at all ACETABULARIA. A beautiful genus of
injured by the operation, but continues calcareous green-spored Alga?, the species
to flourish after having been annually of which resemble little umbrellas or such
tapped for forty years without interruption. delicate gill-bearing fungi as Copriyius pli-
Greater facilities of intercommunication catilis. An erect articulated stem bears
and the decreased cost of cane-sugar, which above a whorl of threads which are united
is far superior, have tended of late years laterally so as to form an umbilicate orbi-
greatly to check the manufacture of sugar cular disk, from the centre of which arises
from the maple. Old trees of this species a bunch of delicate branched threads. The
; : ;
most remarkable species is not uncommon I rary. The older English botanists called it
in the Mediterranean, but none has yet !
Nose-bleed, 'because the leaves being put
been observed on our own coasts. [M. J. B.] into the nose caused it to bleed.' Several
foreign species are cultivated as border
ACETABULUM. The receptacle of cer-
plants, and are conspicuous either by their
tain fungals.
flowers or hoary foliage,. [C. A. J.]
ACHJEXE or ACHENE. Any small, brit-
tle, seed-like fruit, such as Linnteus called ACHIMENES. An extensive genus of
a naked seed. very handsome tropical and sub-tropical
herbs, furnished with scaly underground
ACHANIA. The name given to a genus tubers, by which they are perpetuated. They
of plants of the mallow family (Malvacea?), I are much cultivated in hothouses on ac-
some of the species of which are cultivated count of their ornamental character and ;
ly-pointed leaves. [M. T. M.] inserted on the tube of the corolla, with
A
I
ACHARIA. genus of erect, slender, the rudiment of a fifth a simple style with
;
glaucous Cape herbs, belonging to the natu- a subcapitate obsoletely two-lobed stigma
ral order Papayacece. They have alternate and an ovary coherent with the base of the
deeply trifid leaves, and axillary unisexual calyx, bordered by an annular or ring-
flowers, with a three-leaved involucel, and formed glandular disk, one-celled, contain-
a ca m panulate trifl d caly x. Th e male flower ing many ovules, which are attached to a
has three stamens, alternating with three of pair parietal placenta. They have fleshy
scales. In the females the three scales sur- ! erect stems opposite, serrated, often hairy
;
round the one-celled stipitate ovary. [W. C] leaves and axillary flowers, the pedicels of
;
jaa-sed leaves, and flat corymbs of flower- somewhat panicled flowers, having the i
heads, containing very few florets, which glandular ring composed of five distinct
are either white, pink, or, rarely, deep pur- glands, and a two-cleft stigma.
ple. Its properties are highly astringent, Of these new genera Tydcea is the most
and it was anciently much prized as a vuine- distinct and the most generally accepted. !
!
Achimenes as above restricted, consists of ovule, and has a simple style, and capitate
two distinct series, one of which is well re- j
stigma. The leaves are opposite. A. aspera
presented by A. coccinea,a species found in and fruticosa are administered in India in
Jamaica and Central America. This plant ;
cases of dropsy A. globulifera is used in
;
has slender, erect, branching stems a foot Madagascar as a remedy for syphilis. Up-
or rather more in height, furnished with wards of thirty species have been described.
small ovate, acute, serrated leaves, and I
Though natives of the Old World, three or
axillary one- or few-flowered peduncles four species have been accidentally carried
bearing small scarlet, somewhat salver- to the United States, where they have
shaped flowers, having a broadish cylindri- rapidly spread, becoming perfectly natural-
cal or somewhat swollen tube, nearly equal -ised. [W. C]
at the base, and a spreading limb of five
rounded segments. The other series is ACHYROPHORUS. A
'genus of annual
represented by the Mexican and Central or perennial herbs belonging to the
American A. long flora, in which the steins chicory group of the composite family,
i
are also erect, about a foot and a half in and only distinguished from Hypochceris
height, with ovate, acute, serrated leaves, by the feathery pappus-hairs being in a
and axillary peduncles supporting one large single instead of a double series. Of about
flower, of which the tube is elongated, twenty-five species four are S. European
slender, curved, and deflexed, saccate at and Altasian and one of these, A. maculatus
;
the base, and the limb very broad, plane, is also common to Britain, but usually
and lying in a direction oblique to the tube. placed in Hypochceris in our floras. The
The species are for the most part natives remainder are entirely S. American, and
of Central America, They are not applied chiefly extend from Chili southwards. A
to any use, but are much prized for few, found in the Andes at elevations of
their ornamental properties. The mode of 10,000 feet and upwards, are neat little
increase from the scaly tubers is very stemless plants, with a rosette of linear or
curious, every one of the scales, when se- lance-shaped toothed or entire leaves, and
parated, being capable of forming a new nestling in their midst a large and hand-
plant. The name Achimenes is also a some yellow flower-head often more than
synonym of Artanema,a. genus of the order an inch across. One of this set, A. sessili-
ScropkatariactCE itsderivatiou is unknown. Jtorus, is called in N. Granada Chicoria dela
;
column by a solid immovable concave what like that of a hammer. There are also
base, is three-lobed in various ways, and is three other petals, very small and incon-
furnished with a singular fleshy appendage spicuous, though occasionally they also
rising from the middle- in the form of a become hammer-shaped, like the two upper
truncated body or of a mere horn. The ones. The stamens are numerous and the
;
species mentioned in books are A. Hum- from three to five follicles.
fruit consists of
boldti, Barkeri, chrysantha (alias densa),
The plants constituting this genus are
Warczeivitzii, erythroxantha (alias chamse- found in Europe and Northern Asia, and
cycnoches), sella turcica, and cryptndonta, a few are natives of North America. One
all fine plants, and, with the exception of
species, A. napellus, is said to have been
sella turcica, all in cultivation.
found wild in Britain, but this is open
ACINODENDRON. A genus of Gronovius to grave doubts. All the plants of this
now reduced to Sagrcea, and supposed by genus possess virulently poisonous proper-
De Candoile to be the same as S. guadalu- ties the roots of some of the Indian species
;
and are pretty subjects for bulb gardens. flowers are placed in erect clusters, and are
A. rosea, one of the nicest species, has of a dull blue colour. The roots, or more
a small_ round bulb, narrow blunt linear properly rootstocks, are of a tapering form,
green leaves, and from one to three one- of a dark brown colour externally, and
flowered scapes, blooming in succession, the white internally the younger roots, which
;
flowers pendent, pale rose-coloured. The are placed on either side of the older one,
other species are A. autumnalis and A. are of a lighter colour. The taste is bitter
grandiflora. [T.M.] at first, but after a time numbness and
tingling of the lips and tongue are per-
ACKAWAI NUTMEG. The fruit of Acro- ceived. The root has none of the acridity
diclidium Camara. or pungency that fresh horse-radish pos-
ACKROOT or AKROOT. An Indian lar sesses. The two plants are so dissimi-
name for the Walnut. that it would seem impossible so ter-
rible a mistake should be made, but it has
ACLINIA. A supposed genus of Indian generally arisen from taking the root of the
acon] &i)z Cira^uro of $j0tang. 12
aconite when the leaves and flowers, which I knob at the extremity.This species does
are so unmistakable, have died away. The not possess such virulent properties as the
rootstock of the horse-radish is much larger others. [M. T. M.]
than that of the aconite, not of a tapering
form, dirty yellow externally, and the top ACONTIAS. A genus of plants so named
in allusion to the spots on the stem, which
or crown marked with transverse scars, in-
dicating the position of the old leaves its ;
resemble those of a species of serpent so
called. The genus belongs to the Caladium
tribe of the arum family, and has tuberous
rootstocks, lobed pedate leaves, green
erect spathes, enclosing a spadix or fleshy
spike, with female flowers at the lower
portion, and male flowers at the upper.
The species inhabit Brazil. [M. T. M.]
ACORE ODORANT. (Fn) Acorus Cala-
mus.
ACORIDIUM. A genus of csespitose
plants, natives of Manilla. They have slen-
der stems, sheathed at the base, and bear
dioecious flowers in a linear spike. They
are too little known to refer them satis-
factorily to their position, although they
seem to be allied to Burmanniacece and
Xyridacea:. [W. C]
ACORN. The fruit of the Oak or Quercus
family.— SWEET. The fruit of
, Quercus
Ballota.
ACORUS. The name of a genus of plants
referred by some .to the Aracece, and by
others to the Orontiacece. The most interest-
Aconitum Napellus. ing plant of the genus is Acorus Calamus,
Acorus Calamus.
Aconitum Lycoctonum (flower).
or sweet flag, a plant apparently known
hairy, of a dull yellowish green. Its flowers, to the Greeks, though not to be confounded
which are borne in slightly branching with the Calamus aromaticus, which, ac-
clusters, are of a dull yellowish colour. cording to Royle, was a species of grass.
and the shape of the upper sepal is that The sweet flas? grows in ponds, by the banks
of an extinguisher, with a thick rounded I
of rivers, and other wet places in England.
;;
aromatic taste, and an agreeable bouquet not united together, perfectly smooth
odour, to liquids in which it is infused. anthers smooth, not provided with any
Professor Johnston states, in his Chemistry
appendage. The ovaries adhere closely to-
gether, and are everywhere clothed with a
of Common Life, that it is used by the recti-
fiers to improve the flavour of .gin, and is
dense woolly covering, except that each
largely employed to give a peculiar taste
bears at its summit a small gland, whence
the name of the genus. "When the fruit is
and fragrance to certain varieties of beer.
ripe the inner shell remains firmly attached
It abounds near the rivers of Norfolk, and,
to the outer shell, instead of separating from
according to the same authority, the Lon-
it in- two elastic valves, as in the neigh-
don market used to be principally supplied
from this locality; as much as 401. having bouring genera. A. Frankliniw, a species
been sometimes obtained for the year's named after Lady Franklin, is a shrub now
in cultivation at Kew, with opposite ternate
crop of a single acre of riverside land,
leaves, which are thick, very rough and
on which it naturally grows. It is still
used, as "rushes," to strew the floor of
harsh on the upper surface, smooth on the
Norwich Cathedral on certain festivals. under surface, and fragrant. [M. T. M.]
[T. M.] ACR^EA. A small genus of terrestrial
orchids with fleshy fasciculate roots, and
ACOTTLEDONS. A name often applied close racemes of yellowish, downy flowers.
to Cryptogams, or flowerless plants, in In general aspect the species resemble the
consequence of their reproductive organs European Spiranthes. The three or four
or spores, when germinating, having no that are described come from Central
seed-leaves or cotyledons. There is, how- America.
ever, no rule without an exception, and
some lycopods present when young some- ACRAMPHIBRYA. Plants that grow
thing very like cotyledons. Though Crypto- both- at the point and along the sides, as
gams have no trne cotyledons, their spores endogens and exogens.
produce, mostly by cell-division, a mass of
threads, a leafy expansion, or a solid body,
ACRIOPSIS. In Burmah, Borneo, and
the Malay Archipelago, are found several
to which the name of false cotyledons (pseu-
epiphytal orchids with small reddish pani-
do-cotyledons)hasbeengiven,andsuch pro- j
crowning the stalkless ovary, which latter trunk rises to twenty or thirty feet in
ripens into a fruit so contracted at its base height, and is sometimes swollen in the
as to give an appearance as if it were middle the leaves are from ten to fifteen
;
placed on a stalk. They are natives of tro- feet in length, pinnate, with from seventy
pical America and the West Indies, and to eighty leaflets on each side. The young
partake in some degree of the general leaves are eaten as a vegetable. It is culti-
cordial properties of the family to which vated in our hothouses. [M. T. M.]
they belong. A. hispidulum is made use of ACROGENS. A large and most important
in the West Indies as a bitter and sto- division of Cryptogams, distinguished
machic. Several kinds are cultivated in for the most part from Thallogens, as
stoves as objects of curiosity or of botani- Funguses, Seaweeds, and Lichens, by their
cal interest rather than for their beauty. herbaceous growth, the presence of leafy
They are best known under the old name appendages which are frequently furnished
of Peperomia. .[M. T. MJ with stomates, the different mode of im-
ACROCH^JTE punctata. An epiphytal pregnation, and the presence of vascular
orchid from the Sikkira Himalaya, where tissue. A few acrogenous Liverworts have
it was found by Dr. Hooker at the height
the habit of Lichens, but differ totally in
of 4,000 feet above the sea. It has an ovate structure.
pseudo-bulb, a long solitary coriaceous leaf, The most important distinction, however,
and an erect radical inflorescence. The undoubtedly is that the impregnation takes
flowers are straw-coloured, dotted with place somewhat after the manner of Ph^;-
crimson. It is nearly related to Sicnipia, nogams, by an impression made upon the
with which it agrees in having a couple of contents of the embryonic sac, and not upon
long taper caudicles for the pollen masses. the spore itself, as is decidedly the case
amongst Thallogens where the mode of
ACROCLINIUM. A beautiful genus of impregnation has been ascertained, as
annual composites, at present represented in Algce. In Cliaracece alone the spore
in our gardens by the A. roseum, recently seems to be immediately impregnated,
introduced from the Champion Bay dis- though even in this case it is uncertain
trict, Western Australia. Its flower-heads whether impregnation does not take place
resemble those of the well-known Rho- before the spore is perfected.
dantJie Manglesii, but are larger, and the In Mosses, Liverworts, and Ferns, the
habit of the plant is entirely distinct. It spore after germination produces at first
produces numerous erect unbranched stems either a web of threads, a solid mass, or a
a foot or more high, the primary one emit- membranous expansion (prothallium). In
ting two opposite shoots from its base, the two former a distinct plant arises from
each of which in their turn throws out the threads with frequently symmetrical
two additional ones, which again become leaves, and on these plants urn-shaped
the parents of others, until the plant as- organs are produced (called archegones)
sumes a bushy character. The stems are analogous to pistils, which contain at their
clothed with numerous linear, smooth, base a cell which, after impregnation, pro-
pointed leaves, and bear at the summit a duces the proper fruit. In perennial spe-
sinarle handsome flower-head an inch and a cies a fresh crop of archegones may be
half in diameter, consisting of a bright produced in two or three successive years,
yellow disk of tubular florets, surrounded which require a distinct act of impregna-
by a many-leaved, imbricated involucrum, tion for the development of the capsules.
the innermost leaflets of which have In Ferns and their allies, on the contrary,
spreading rose-coloured tips, presenting, the archegones give rise to a new plant,
as in Ehodanthe, Helichrysum, and other which for one or for many successive years
allied genera, the appearance of ray florets. produces a fresh crop of fruit without fur-
The fruit, or, as it is popularly but in- ther impregnation. The result of impreg-
correctly termed, the seed, is clothed with nation in the two cases, then, is quite
;
ACROGLOCHIX. A
genus containing ACROPHYLLTJM. A genus of Cuno-
only a single species, A.chenopodioides, from niocea?, founded upon a Tasmanian plant
Nepal. It has been referred by some to allied to Weinmannia, but distinguished
Salsolacece, because of the horizontal posi- by the absence of -a disk in the flowers.
tion of the seed, as in Chenopodium but ; A. venosum is a small erect shrub with
the dehiscent utricle seems to separate it evergreen leaves placed in whorls of three
from the true Salsolacea? and join it to the they are nearly sessile, oblong, cordate,
Amarantfoacece, with which, however, it acute, serrated, and smooth the stipules
;
does not perfectly agree, for in this order are small and membranous and the flowers
;
the seeds are vertical. It in fact occupies are small, white tinged with red, in dense
J :
whorls round theupperpart of the stem and and Tasmania, and distin-
of Australia
branches. Above the whorls of flowers guished by having a bi-bracteate calyx
there is a terminal tuft of leaves, from a funnel-shaped corolla, the segments of
which the genus takes its name. The sepals which are clothed at the apex with deflexed
and petals are five each, and stamens ten. hairs, and five slightly exserted stamens,
It was introduced into this country in 1836, which are shorter than the lobes of the
and forms a very striking and handsome corolla. The fruit is a depressed globose
greenhouse shrub. [J. T. S.J berry. They are shrubs of dwarfish habit,
the branches usually divaricate, and clothed
ACROPTERIS. A name sometimes given, with scattered ovate or lanceolate leaves.
to Asplenium septentrionale, and a few other
[T. M.]
The flowers grow in short lateral or ax-
asplenioid ferns.
illary spikes, and are white or pale red. The
ACROSPIRE. The first leaf that appears name of Frcebelia fasciculiflora has been
when corn sprouts. It is a developed proposed for Acrotriche ramiflora. [R. H
plumule.
ACTiEA. A genus of plants so called
ACROSTICHE^. A section of polypodi-
from the resemblance borne by their leaves
neous ferns, in which the sori occupy al- and fruit to those of the elder, in Greek
most or quite the whole fructiferous sur- akte. The only British species, A. spicata,
face, and are not confined to distinct and
Baneberry, is of rare occurrence, and is
determinate points of the veins. [T. M.]
found only in bushy, mountainous lime-
ACROSTICPIUM. A genus of polypo- stone districts in the north of England. It
diaceous ferns, typical of the group Acro- bears its flowers, which are white, slightly
with which, in the wider sense, it is
stichece, tinged with blush, in a spike. The berries
synonymous. As restricted by modern are black and poisonous. The root has been
pteridologists, the name is chiefly confined used in nervous disorders, but is said to be a
to a somewhat variable subaquatic tropical precarious remedy. It is sometimes called
fern found in different parts of the world, Herb Christopher, a name also formerly
which is distinguished by having the veins given to the flowering fern Osmunda
of its fronds uniting everywhere in a close regalis. It is indigenous to the greater part
network of small meshes, and by the lower- of Europe. Two American species are occa-
most leaflets or pinnae being sterile, and sionally to be found in the gardens of the
the upper ones fertile. The fertile parts, curious, introduced from their native
both in this genus and the rest of the Acro- country, where they are abundant in rocky
stichece, are entirely occupied by the densely mountainous districts, from Canada to Vir-
packed spore-cases, which thus form uni- ginia, particularly about Lake Huron.
versal or shapeless masses, without any These are considered valuable medicines by
special covering or indusium. The typical the natives, especially as a remedy against
species is A. aureum, which, in one or other the bite of the rattlesnake hence they are,
;
of its forms, is found in the West Indies, with several other plants, sometimes known
j
disk-shaped, the fruit berry-like, placed in ADAM and EVE. Aplectrum hyemale.
the cup-shaped tube of the calyx. [M. T. M.]
ADAM'S NEEDLE. The vulgar name for
ACTIXOMERIS. A genus of perennial Yucca.
BT. American and Mexican herbs of the ADAMIA. A genus of the order Saxi-
composite family, closely allied to sun- fragaceo?, related to Hydrangea, found in
flowers (Helianthus), but differing in the India, China, and other eastern countries.
compressed and winged,— instead of 4-sided It has a short five-toothed calyx, a five to
and wingless,— achenes, which have a pap- seven-petaled corolla, ten to twenty sta-
pus of two smooth bristles. There are mens, .and a half-inferior ovary becoming a
about eight known species, most of them berry, which is many-seeded. A. versicolor,
tall branching herbs, with alternate or op- one of the most beautiful of the few-known
posite ovate or lance-shaped serrate leaves,, species, is a native of China, and forms a
which are smooth or rough, often tapering dwarf smooth-branched shrub, furnished
to the base, and decurient on the stem, with largish opposite leaves, resembling
thus giving it a winged appearance. The those of Hydrangea japonica. The flowers
rayed flower-heads, disposed usually in a are collected into a pyramidal panicle,
corymbose manner, are white or yellow, nearly a foot in diameter they are each six
;
sometimes li inches across, and not un- or seven-petaled, forming a pointed star,
like those of some species of Coreopsis. and while in bud are whitish, but they
The generic name alludes to the fewness gradually change to purple and violet; they
or irregularity of the rays. A
number of have twenty stamens. The berries are blue.
the species is cultivated in collections of Another species found in Nepal, A. cyanea,
herbaceous plants. [A. A. B.] also bears blue berries. [T. M.]
The leaves are alternate, petiolate, and 8 or 10 cells, each cell filled with a pulpy
deeply trisected. The umbels are simple substance in which the seeds are immersed.
and many-flowered, the flowers on short A.digitata, the Baobab, Ethiopian Sour
pedicels, and surrounded by a many-leaved Gourd, or Monkey-bread, is a native of many
large involucre, which gives the genus parts of Africa, It has been found in Sene-
somewhat the appearance of belonging to gal and Abyssinia, as well as on the west
the Composite. [W. C] coast, extending to Angola, and from
thence across the country to Lake Ngami.
ACULEUS. A prickle a conical elevation
;
It is cultivated in many of the warm parts
of the skin of a plant, becoming hard and
of the world. It has been called ' the tree of
sharp-pointed: as in the rose.
a thousand years,' and Humboldt speaks of
ACUMINATE. A term applied to leaves it as * the oldest organic monument of our
or other flat bodies which narrow gradually planet.' Adanson, whose name the genus
till they form a long termination if the : bears, and who travelled in Senegal in 1794,
narrowing takes place towards the base, it has given an account of this tree. He made
is so stated, e.g. acuminate at the base if ; a calculation to show that one of them, 30
towards the point, the term is used without feet in diameter, must be 5,150 years old ! !
with much the same structure as Brassia, Moicana (the name given to it in the
except that the lip is firmly consolidated neighbourhood of Lake Ngami) against a
with the base of the column. dozen floods, provided you do not boil it in
;
The pulp of its fruit 'has an agreeable ^acid case, a tendril-like appendage takes tbe
taste, like cream of tartar, and is peculiarly place of the third leaflet. Numbers of
refreshing in the sultry climates where the depressed circular glands are found on
tree is found. It consists of gum, starch, their surface, as well as on the calyx and;
sugary matter, and malic acid.' [A. A. B.] from this circumstance the genus receive?
19 Cfje Ereatfurg at Matmiy. [ades
signifying gland and fruit. They are cels, attached to the middle of the tube of
found in the Pyrenees, the Sierra Nevada, the calyx, with very short filaments and
and in other parts of southern Europe, long wavy anthers. The leaves are palm-
but chiefly at high elevations. One ately-lobed, stalked, with two glands at
species is found in Madeira, and a few in the extremity of the leaf-stalk. The plants
the Canaries, Mr. Bunbury, in writing on are natives of Sierra Leone and Western
the botany of the Peak of Teneriffe, says : Tropical Africa. [M. T. M.J
*
To the region of the heath succeeds, as ADENOSMA. A
genus of Acanthacece,
we ascend, that of the Codeso del Pico containing eight or nine species, natives
(Adenocarpus frankenioides). The limit of Asia. They are annual herbaceous
of this plant is particularly well marked.
plants, having the odour of the Mints,
For a little space it is intermixed with with opposite leaves, and sessile flowers
scattered and stunted bushes of the heath,
in the axils of the small leaves on the
but this soon thins out and disappears,
upper portion of the stem, so aggregated
and for miles the whole slope is covered
as to form a leafy spike. The genus is cha-
with the Adenocarpus alone, as some of
racterised by a five-partite calyx, a gaping
our commons and wastes in England are
corolla, four didynamous stamens, with
-covered with Furze. It is in general a low
anthers composed of two parallel cells.
compact rigid bush, peculiar in its multi- The long capsule is many-seeded. It dif-
tude of short lateral branches, and the
fers from the allied genus Ebermayera in
minute closely-crowded grey-green leaves ;
the gaping corolla, and in the structure of
by no means a handsome plant when out
the anthers. [W. C]
of flower but here and there, in sheltered
;
others they are few in number. Most of perate parts of S. America. Commencing in
the species are natives of Siberia, China, the Bolivian Andes, they extend southward
and Japan. One species, A. liliifoUa, or A. to Cape Horn but are found in greatest
;
Hungary, and Candia. In this the flowers five feet high, and most of them with
are numerous, sweet-scented, and disposed alternate equally pinnate leaves termi-
in a loose pyramidal panicle. The root is nated by a bristle. Their flowers are dis-
thick and esculent, as are those of some of posed in racemes at the apex of the
the other species. All are elegant border branches, or solitary in the axils of the
flowers, and are, therefore, worth culti- leaves, and are generally yellow with purple
vating in gardens. [C. A. J.] stripes. The pods are jointed, rough on
AD HA] &fje Ereagurjj at 23atang. 20
the surface, and sometimes beset with countries. They have all black shining
leathery bristles. One of the species, A. stipites.and mostly roundish or rhomboidal
aphylla, has its leaves reduced to mere or lunately-curved pinnules, the fronds
scales; and in another, A. trifoliata, they being very various in size and general
are not unlike those of the common wood character. The structure is very peculiar,
sorrel. A. balsamifera, a Chilian species unlike that ol any other lerns. The sori
called Jarilla, is a plant of great beauty are marginal, covered by indusia, which
when in flower it yields a balsam which
; are either roundish and distinct, or be-
has a very pleasant odour, perceptible at come blended into a linear form, these
a great distance. This balsam is said to be two conditions respectively resembling the
ol great efficacy in healing wounds. A few Iructification seen in Cheilanthes and Pteris;
of the species have their abortive flower- but it is resemblance only, the Iructifica-
stalks converted into forked spines. There tion (spore-cases) being in the latter genera
are upwards of fifty species. [A. A. B.] seated on the Irond itself, and covered by
the indusium, while in Adiantum they
ADHATODA. A
genus of acanthaceous are not attached to the Irond, but to the
plants, consisting of herbs or shrubs with under side ol the indusium, and are there-
opposite leaves, and axillary spikes of lore turned upside down on to the surface
flowers, each flower furnished with three ol the Irond. This structural peculiarity
bracts, the outer one of which is large and distinguishes Adiantum Irom all otherferns
persistent, covering the calyx ; the two except Hewardia, which is known by hav-
inner ones smaller. The calyx is five- ing a reticulated venation, that of Adian-
parted the corolla two-lipped ; the four
; tum being free. The genus is represented
stamens are inserted on the throat ol the in the British Flora, by A. Capillus-veneris,
corolla the anthers are two-celled, with a
; the Maidenhair Fern, a very elegant plant,
large connective.the lobes unequal, and the with a creeping scaly rhizome, and bipin-
inferior ones often spurred the filaments
; nate fronds, the leaflets of which are be-
compressed, bent downwards the style
; tween rhomboidal and wedge-shaped, mar-
thread-shaped, bent downwards and the ; gined with oblong sori, and more or less
capsule stalked, two-celled, four-seeded, deeply lobed. This species is very exten-
bursting by two valves. A. vasica, the sively distributed in the temperate or
Justicia Adhatoda of Linnaeus, is a common tropical parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and
plant in India its wood is soft, and its
; America, and not very materially varying
charcoal is excellent lor the manulacture in form, notwithstanding this wide range.
ol gunpowder. The flowers, leaves, root, Some species, as the A. reniforme ol Ma-
and especially the Iruit, are considered as deira, have entire Ironds in others, as the
;
anti-spasmodic, and are given in cases ol A. lunulatum of India, they are pinnate not ;
asthma and intermittent lever, The word a few species are, like our native one,
Adhatoda is a latinised lorni ol the native bipinnate ; and numerous others are tri-
Malabar or Cingalese name. [M. T. MJ pinnate, or still more divided. A. pedatum,
a very beautiful North American species,
ADIANTE.E. A section of polypodia- which has the fronds pedate, the divisions
ccous ferns, in which the receptacles to pinnate, and the pinnules halved oblong
which the spore-cases are attached, are and lunate, incised along the upper edge
placed on the under surface of the indu- it is sometimes used in the preparation of
;
sium itself, so that the fructification is, as capillaire. The species are great favourites
it were, upside down, and is hence said to
in hothouses. [T. M.]
be resupinate. [T. M.]
ADLUMIA. A climbing genus of fume-
ADIANTOPSIS. A
small genus ol ele- worts, consisting only of the A. cirrhosa, a
gant polypodiaceous lems, ol the section pretty North American biennial, formerly
Cheilanthece, distinguished partly by their
known as Corydalis fungosa. It is distin-
adiantoid aspect, but technically by having guished from the other genera of the
marginal punctiform sori terminal on the Order by the permanent cohesion of its
free veins, and covered by distinct orbi- four spongy petals into one piece, and by a
cular indusia. The plants bear generally many-seeded pod, splitting, when ripe, into
tulted stems, and small elegantly-divided two valves. Its chief attraction consists
fronds. The species are found in South in its delicate pale green triply pinnate
America, the West Indies, and Africa. A. foliage, the twining footstalks of which
radiata, one ol the best known ol them, act as tendrils the small flesh-coloured
;
common in the West Indies and South blossoms are Ireely produced, but possess
America, grows about a loot high, Irom a little beauty. The plant neither climbs
tufted crown, the stipites shining black, nor flowers till the second year. [W. T.]
and the fronds spreading out at top of the
stipites into a radiate tuft ol pinnate ADNATE. Grown to anything by the
branches. The species are olten seen in whole surface when an ovary
; is united to
cultivation, on account of their small size the side ol a calyx it is adnate.
and elegant character. [T. M.j
ADONIS. A small genus ol ranuncu-
ADIANTUM. An extensive and much lads,mostly European, comprising several
admired genus ol polypodiaceous lerus, popular border flowers, both annual and
typical ol the group Adiantece. The spe- perennial. It is characterised by the
cies are scattered nearly over the whole absence ol an involucre, a calyx ol five
world, but are most abundant in tropical sepals, a corolla ol Irom five to fifteen
;
petals, and numerous dry ovate carpels, times spiny at the margin and from the
;
for imagining that the JEcidium is a tran- germinating while yet in the fruit, and
sitional state of wheat mildew. It has its sending down strong perpendicular roots
own mode of propagation, and passes into the mud, without separating from their
through nearly the same phases of vege- parents. They have obovate entire dotted
leaves, the upper surface of which is
often covered with a saline inci-ustation,
which, according to Blume, they secrete.
Their flowers are white, fragrant, in ter-
minal or axillary umbels the flower-stalks
;
family by its follicular fruit. The species, in three or four years, to arrive at a true
of which there are five, consist of small variety of cereal wheat. What too is con-
trees, inhabiting swampy shores in the firmatory of this matter, is that the bruised
tropical parts of India, the Indian Archi- foliage of the wild grass, and the cultivated
pelago, and Australia, where they form wheat, emits the same peculiar odour, and,
impenetrable thickets like the mangroves besides the JEgilops, is subject to attacks
(Rhizophora), in consequence of their seeds of the same species of parasites (blights),
;
our examples of this year being much af- rollawith salver-shaped limb, distinguish
fected with the rust (Uredo rubigo), mildew them from the allied genera. The species
(Puccinia graminis), and others. These, it have, for the most part, pinnate or pin-
natifid clammy foliage, more or less spin-
ous, and small-clustered gilia-like flowers.
Noue of them are remarkable for their
beauty, and, with the exception of JE. pun-
gens, are not known in British gardens.
By some authors the species are classed
under the genus Navarretia. [W. T.]
jEGOPODIUM. An umbelliferous plant
with smooth thrice-ternate leaves, unat-
tractive white flowers, and an unpleasant
odour when bruised: a common pest of
orchards, shrubberies, and ill-kept gardens,
where, by means of its creeping roots, or
rather subterraneous stems, which are of
rapid growth and singularly vivacious, it
soon establishes itself when once admitted,
and defies eradication, smothering all vege-
tation less rampant than its own, and dis-
figuring where i-t finds nothing to choke.
Its old English names were Gout-wort or
Gout-weed, Herb Gerard, Ash-weed, and
JEeilops: —a JE. ovata; h IE. ovata triticoides; English Master-wort. It was, at one time,
c the same after four years' cultivation ; d the accounted a specific for the gout, hence its
same after five years' cultivation
specific name Podagraria ; but though, like
the rest of the umbelliferous tribe, partak-
would seem, are the effects of civilization ;
ing of aromatic properties, it is really of
and it is not a little remarkable, that in no more value in the pharmacopoeia than
this respect this grass should he so much
in the garden. Linnaeus says it is eaten in
like our field crops, which were par-
Sweden, boiled for greens when tender
ticularly liable to blight in the straw and
in the spring. It is a native of the whole
foliage during 1860. [J. B.]
of Europe to Caucasus and Siberia. Gerarde
^EGIXETIA. A genus of the broomrape says of it: 'Herb Gerarde groweth of it-
family (Orobanchacece), found in India and selfe in gardens without setting or sow-
the islands of the Indian Archipelago. ing, and is so fruitfull in its increase, that
They are annual, leafless, parasitical herbs, when it hath once taken roote, it will
growing on the roots of various grasses, hardly be gotten out againe, spoiling and
their stems from three inches to a foot getting every yeere more ground, to the
high, bearing a solitary terminal flower, annoying of better herbes.' An Alpine
and having at their base a few scales. The species is found in Asia, which appears to
whole plant is of a brown colour, except possess all the bad properties of its con-
the flower, which is large and tubular the ; gener. [C. A. J.]
tube white, and the limb rose, or alto-
gether purple outside, and the throat yel- ^GOTOXICTJM. A genus doubtfully
low. The calyx is one-leaved and cleft placed in the spurgewort family (Eaphor-
in front. A. indica, prepared with sugar
' biacece). There is but one species, JE. punc-
and nutmeg, is considered an antiscor- tatum, which is a native of Chili, and is de-
butic' [A. A. B.] scribed as a sombre-looking tree, forming
immense woods. The leaves are opposite,
iEGLE. The name of a genus of plants shortly stalked, oblong, and entire, the
belonging to the orange family (Auran- upper surface smooth, the under covered
tiacerp.). The fruit, known in India as the with rusty scales. The flowers are male
Bhel fruit, is the product of JE. Marmelos. and female, the males alone on one tree,
In appearance it is much like the orange. and the females on another they are dis-
;
The thick rind of the unripe fruit pos- posed in axillary racemes. The fruit is a
sesses astringent properties, on which ac- one-seeded drupe, about the size of a pea.
count it is used in India in cases of dysen- Planks and beams are made of the wood
tery and diarrhoea. The ripe fruit has an and the fruits are said to be a powerful
exquisite flavour and perfume. Not only poison to goats. [A. A. B.]
the fruit, but other portions of the plant
are used for medicinal purposes; and a IONIUM. The plants that are com-
yellow dye is prepared from the rind of the prised in this genus of Crassulacere are
fruit. The penus is distinguished by its much more generally known as species of
numerous disunited stamens, from the Sempervivum, from which, however, they
oranare (Citric), to which, in other particu- differ in their seed-vessels being partially
lars, it is closely allied. [M. T. M.] sunk in the receptacle, and not regularly
opening by their ventral suture, but only
^EGOCHLOA. A genus of dwarf, hardy at the base and back by an irregular tear-
annuals of the Polemonium family, chiefly ing. JE. arboreum is well known to gar-
Californian. Their tubular calyx, with un- deners as the tree houseleek its loose
;
equal, rigid, multifld segments, and co- panicles, with a profusion of clammy yel-
;
low blossoms, are very elegant. JE. tabula- gorgeous ornaments of hothouses in this
forme, as well as others of the genus, is country, many of them having been intro-
remarkable for the stem being so con- duced to cultivation. They have mostly
tracted that the leaves are closely packed pendent stems, opposite fleshy leaves, and
in flat rosettes. Like other succulent scarlet or orange-scarlet flowers. One Of
plants, their tenacity of life is remarkable. the finest species, JE. speciosus, is of sub-
They are natives of the Levant. Madeira, erect habit, with ovate lanceolate acumi-
the Canaries, &c. [M. T. MJ nate fleshy leaves, and a terminal fascicle
of from ten to twenty erect long-tubed
jEQUALIS. This term signifies equality flowers, of a rich orange-yellow below.pass-
or similarity in size, and is also used in the ing into scarlet at the top, and marked on
sense of uniformity thus, an equal umbel,
;
the face of the limb with yellow and black ;
is an umbel of which the florets are all the corolla tube in this species is narrow
alike. club-shaped, slightly curving towards the
AERANTHTTS grandiflora, is a Madagas- top, and the rich yellow of the throat, sur-
car epiphytal orchid with distichous leaves, rounded by a black band or zone, contrast-
and large green solitary flowers at the end ing with the scarlet of the outer portion
of weak, flexible scapes. It is sometimes of the limb, produces a fine effect. This is
seen in cultivation. From Angrcecum it a native of Java, as also is JE. longiflorus,
differs in having a lip articulated with the which has flowers of a similar shape, but
foot of the column. of a deep crimson. The calyx, in these
species, consists of narrow segments cut
AERIDES. A large genus of tropical down nearly to the base but in some
;
orchids, with distichous leaves, mostly other kinds, the calyx forms a deep vase-
channelled and unequally truncate, but shaped tube, with a short slightly spread-
sometimes terete. All the species inhabit ing limb. JE. Lobbianus is one of these,
the warmer parts of Asia. The flowers are with short elliptic leaves, and a large con-
usually among the largest of the order, spicuous purple calyx, covering half the
of all tints except blue, and frequently ex- length of the scarlet flower tubes. An-
tremely sweet. One of them, with small other, JE. javanicus, has the long tubular
flowers, clings to the branches of trees in calyx green edged with red, and the
Sylhet with such long flat roots, resem- flowers bright red, marked with yellow
bling bands of a tape-worm, that it has rays from the throat; these are both na-
pained the name of Aerides tceniale. This tives of Java. A still different form is
is not in cultivation. met with in JE. tricolor, a slender drooping
AEROCYSTS. The air-cells of algals. Bornean plant, with ovate leaves, in which
the calyx is cup-shaped with five short
AEROPHYTES. Plants growing wholly rounded lobes, and the flowers have a
in the air; such as epiphytal orchids, many much shorter tube than in the foregoing.
lichens, bromeliads. There are many other species, nearly all
2ERTTA, or CERVA, a genus of Amaran-
of ornamental character. [T. M .]
spreading five-lobed limb; there are four bird bush 'at Buenos Ayres, because that
didynamous stamens, and the ovary is bird seems to take more delight in it
surrounded by a fleshy hypogynous glandu- than in any other flower. JE. viscidula, a
lar ring. The species inhabit the tropi- native of Florida, has sensitive leaves;
cal parts of Asia, and are among the most and so also, as its name implies, has JE.
25 pjc Crcatfurn of SSotanrn [.ETHE
sensitiva, which common in the West rigid prickles, attain their full size in
Indies. [A. A. B.] October, when they fall off, and, splitting
with even valves, disclose three cells, in
JESCFLUS. The Horse-chestnut. The each of which is contained a roundish
name -Esculus (from esca, food) was ap- polished nut, resembling the sweet chest-
plied originally to a species of oak which, nut in colour, but not, like it, terminating
according to Plinj-, was highly prized for in a point. It rarely happens that all
its acorns ; but how it came to be trans- three nuts are perfected frequently only
;
ferred to the horse-chestnut is very un- two are developed, but the rudiments of
certain perhaps, as Loudon suggests, it
: all may be discovered. The nuts abound
was given ironically, nuts bear
because its in farinaceous matter, but are too bitter
a great resemblance, externally, to those to be fit for human food. They serve,
of the sweet chestnut, but are unfit for however, as food for goats, sheep, and
food. Hippocastanum (the specific name of deer, and are sometimes boiled and given
the common sort) is a translation of the to poultry. Reduced to powder, and mixed
modern name, which was given, Evelyn M-ith a third pare of flour, they are said to
tells us, 'from its curing horses broken- make better paste than that composed of
winded and other cattle of coughs.' The flour alone. The timber, owing to its
Horse-chestnut is a tree of large size, fre- rapid growth, is soft and of loose fibre, and
quently reaching a height of fifty or sixty is consequently of little value. The Horse-
feet, with an erect trunk and a broad chestnut is supposed to be a native of Asia,
pyramidal outline. It may be readily dis- probably of northern India, whence it was
tinguished, even in the depth of winter, introduced into Europe about the middle
by its unusually large buds, set on the of the sixteenth century. There is a very
extremities of thick and heavy-looking fine variety with deep rose-coloured blos-
branches, which are evidently destined to soms; and in North America is found an-
bear a weighty tuft of foliage and leaves. other species, the jE. ohiotensis or Buckeye,
These buds are covered thickly with a which is far inferior to the common sort in
gummy substance, which protects the ten- the beauty of its flowers. The tree some-
der interior from the cold and wet. As times called the Scarlet Horse-chestnut be-
the sun gains power, the gummy cover- longs to a closely allied genus, Pavia, which
ing melts and yields to the expanding pres- see. [C. A. J.]
sure from within, and then the scales on
which it is overlaid fall off, and the ^STIVAL. Of or belonging to the sum-
delicate green leaves are rapidly unfolded, mer.
en circling a conical mass of embryo flowers. ESTIVATION. The manner in which the
In this stage the leaves present a singular parts of a flower are folded up before the
appearance, drooping with their points to- flower expands.
wards the ground, as if not strong enough iETHALIUM. A genus of myxogastrous
to assume a horizontal position. The buds funguses, inhabiting more especially stoves
expand very early in spring, but not pre- and garden-frames where a strong heat is
maturely, for within three or four weeks
kept up, and doing much damage, by first
of their first unfolding they have attained
involving everything in a slimy mass, and
their full length, amounting sometimes to
then contaminating what it has not over-
eighteen inches. The leaves and flower-
run, by its myriads of dust-like spores.
buds continue to increase in size until The principal species, uEthaliumflavum (if,
May, when the latter expand; and now indeed, the others are not mere varieties,
the tree, having reached the meridian of
differing only in colour), appears first under
its glory, stands forth prominently in all
the form of a yellow cream-like mass,
the gorgeousness of leaf and blossom.
which is found to consist, when closely ex-
The downy covering, which was observ- amined, of little wavy viscid strings this
;
able on the leaves in their early stage,
at length swells, and produces abundant
has disappeared, and they have assumed dark spores, collected in little heaps sepa-
instead a rich full green. Each leaf is
rated from each other by thin irregular
composed of seven broad leaflets, unequal yellow partitions ; the outer surface is
in size, which radiate from a common
rough and scurfy. It sometimes occurs on
centre, a character of foliage different
leaves and rotten wood, in groves and
from that of any other British tree. The forests, and is found in various parts of
flowers, which grow in long cone-shaped
the world. The best way of getting rid of
clusters, are snowy white, dashed with
it, is dusting the plant, as soon as it ap-
pink and yellow, destitute of perfume, but pears, with quicklime or salt. This treat-
attractive to insects, and, as long as they
ment must, however, be followed up per-
continue in perfection, very beautiful. severingly, as the growth is so rapid that
They soon, however, become tarnished, the dusty stage, in which the lime or salt
and the tree consequently loses much is of little use, may recur before a se-
of its grace ; yet it is still a fine tree,
cond application is made. [M. J. B.]
readily distinguished at a considerable
distance by its tiers of large and massive ETHERIA. A genus of terrestrial orchids
foliage. Out of the numerous flowers con- found in the tropics of Central Asia, and
tained in every bunch, a few only mature nearly allied to Goodyera, from which it
their fruit ; the rest drop off soon after differs, indeed, in little except the presence
they have begun to lose their beauty. The of two callosities at the base of the lip.
seed-vessels, which are set with short J Five or six species are known.
, ,
.ETHIONEMA. A genus of
Cruciferce, which hang down vertically.
floral leaves,
containing fifteen or sixteen species, chieflyIts flavour and odour are unpleasaut, and
natives of southern Europe and Central the seeds are very nauseous. The whole
Asia, closely allied to the cress (Lepidium) plant is said to be poisonous, and there are
but differing from it, as well as from instances on record of persons having been
Thlaspi and Hutchinsia, by having its four made ill by eating it, even in the small
longer stamens winged and with a tooth quantities in which it is likely to have
;
also from Teesdalia, by having the pla- been present when mixed with parsley.
centas dilated at the base, and all the seeds Of its two names, JEthusa Cynapium, the
attached to their lateral portions; and from former is derived from the Greek aitho, to
Iberis by the petals being all equal. Some burn, from its acrid properties; the latter,
of the species, when in fruit, present a kynos apion, 'dog's parsley,' would seem
curious appearance, as the large dorsally- to denote its worthlessness. [C. A. J.]
compressed and concave fringed pods are
so closely imbricated, that the fruiting
AFFINITY. A term in systematic bo-
tany, signifying that one thing resembles
raceme resembles the fruit catkin of the another in the principal part of its struc-
hop, the individual pods representing the
ture, as is the case with Crowfoots and
scale-like bracts. [J. T. SJ Poppyworts.
iETHUSA. Under the name of Fool's AGALLOCHUM. The fragrant resinous
Parsley, this plant is well known even to heart-wood of Aquilaria ; also called agila
cottage gardeners. It is a common weed wood, aloes wood, and eagle wood.
in cultivated ground, and is consequently
likely to spring up uninvited in the parsley AGALMYLA. A small genus of Gesner-
bed. "When this happens, it runs a risk of acece allied to JEscliynanthus, having creep-
being mistaken for true parsley, to the ing stems, alternate leaves, and fascicles
same natural order with which plant it of axillary flowers. It differs in having
belongs this, however, can scarcely occur,
:
the oblique flve-lobed limb of the corolla
except in an early stage of growth. It scarcely two-lipped, and in having but
may then be distinguished by the bluish- two anther-bearins stamens. The species
green tint of its leaves, and by their fine are tropical, inhabiting the islands of the
subdivision. Being an annual, it comes Eastern Archipelago. A. staminea is a very
into flower before parsley shows any indi- handsome plant, epiphytal in habit, creep-
cation of sending up a flowering stalk. ing and rooting on the trunks of trees, hav-
By this unfailing criterion it may be dis- ing robust stems, large fleshy gloxinia-like
criminated when growing with the favour- leaves, and axillary fascicles of from twelve
ite pot-herb which it is supposed to simu- to fifteen flowers, which are a couple of
late. By equally certain marks it may inches long, curved tubular, bright scarlet.
he distinguished from any other umbel- The stamens are exserted an inch beyond
liferous plant which approaches it in habit: the corolla. [T. M.]
each partial umbel, which helps to com- AGAM^E. A name sometimes given to
pose the general umbel of flowers termi- cryptogams, resting on the supposition
that they are asexual plants. [M. J.B.]
AGANISIA pulchella is an orchid with
a creeping stem, throwing off at intervals
rib-leaved pseudo-bulbs, from the base of
which arise spikes of white or cream-
coloured flowers. It is a native of Deme-
rara, and has been figured in plate 32 of the
Botanical Register for 1840.
AGAXOSMA. A genus of Apocynacece
separated from Echites, with which it
agrees, except that the coronet is cup-
shaped or cylindrical, having its five parts
so united that they appear only as lobes
round the mouth of the cup, while in
Echites the scales of the coronet are free or
but slightly connate. The restricted genus
contains eight or nine species, which are
shrubs or creepers in the woods of India.
Their large panicles of flowers have a
showy appearance, and several have a fra-
grant smell. [W. C.j
AGAPAXTHTS (literally Love-flower).
A small genus of ornamental liliaceous
plants, natives of South Africa, and long
cultivated as ornaments of our greenhouses
and terrace-gardens. The perianth in this
./Ethusa Cynapium. family is tubular, with a short tube and
six-parted spreading equal limb there
;
natlne the stalk, has at its base three are six stamens inserted at the base of the
approximate narrow pointed bracts or limb, with somewhat declinate filaments :
Cf)c CrcaSurw of 33atan». [agak
the ovary is three-celled, with many ovules over, so as to bring them into their normal
arranged in two series. The species form position ; in a very few instances alone,
strong growing perennial herbs, with thick the whole plant is permanently resupi-
fleshy roots, and linear or somewhat lorate nate.
arching radical leaves, from among which The genus Agaricus is divided into five
springs the scape terminated by a large tun- natural groups, according as the colour of
nel of bright blue flowers. The species differ the spores is white, pink, ferruginous,
chiefly in size, in the breadth of their purple-brown, or black. These divisions,
leaves, and in the intensity of colour in the though presenting a few exceptional cases,
flowers. The common one is called A. um- are on the whole satisfactory, and, after a
bellatus. [T.M.] little experience, easy of determination.
% ^ These groups are divided into sub-genera,
AGAR-AGAR (or Agal-agal). The native according as they have a common wrapper
name of the Ceylon Moss, Gracilaria lichen-
or volva surrounding the whole plant, or a
oides, a seaweed which is largely used in partial veil attached to the margin or
the East for soups and jellies. Another
forming a ring upon the stem and then
;
alga of equal excellence, Gigartina speciosa,
from various conditions of the stem and
is abundant on the coasts of the Swan
gills. Considering the fact that there are
River. The far-famed swallows' nests were
at least a thousand good species, it may
formerly supposed to be formed of some
readily be expected that some difficulties
seaweed abounding in gelatine; but it is exist in the arrangement, and that, the
now ascertained that they are formed from species are not always easily determined.
a peculiar secretion derived from the birds
Though, however, as in other parts of
themselves. [M. J. B.] the vegetable kingdom, the limits of spe-
AGARIC BLASC. A (Ft.) Polyporus offi- cies are not easily defined, it may be
cinalis. — CHAMPETRE. Agancus cam- asserted that no more certain species
pestris. exist in the vegetable world, and that
they are not to be considered as mere
AGARICIKI. A
group of Fungi agreeing creatures of chance, without any stability.
with each other in having the hymenium or Many of them are of great beauty and
fructifying surface formed into distinct
elegance of form and colour, and are at-
gill-like plates, the modifications of which,
tractive from a thousand differences of
in combination with other circumstances, sculpture, clothing, &c. They occur in
serve to distinguish the genera. The all parts of the world, but abound most
mushrooms and toadstools are familiar where the air is moist, with a tolerable
examples, in which the gills are highly degree of warmth. Some species afford
developed. The chantarelle, on the con- the most delicious articles of food, while
trary, presents a case in which they are others are deleterious even when taken in
reduced to mere veins. Sometimes the small quantities. It is probable that the
gills become hard and corky, as in Lenzites,
number of esculent species is far more
of which a common species, Lenzites betu-
numerous than is usually supposed but as
;
lina, grows on old rails. [II. J. B.]
accidents are not unfrequent from con-
AGARICUS (Agaric). One of the largest founding species altogether, or mixing poi-
and most important genera of Fungi, sonous kinds with those which are whole-
containing some of the highest forms some, they are far more neglected in this
which these plants are capable of attain- country than they deserve. It is impos-
ing, of which the Common Mushroom is sible to give any positive rules for distin-
one of the most familiar examples. It is guishing those which are wholesome but ;
distinguished by the more or less fleshy in general, where the taste of the raw
substance of the hat-shaped receptacle, agaric is not decidedly unpleasant, there
by being furnished on the under surface, is little danger, though even this is not
whether supported by a stem or not, with without grave exceptions. With proper
gill-like plates, easily separable in the caution, the really useful kinds may readily
centre, as if composed of two membranes, be determined w.thout the slightest risk.
the central substance consisting, not of The common mushroom, however, is said
subglobose cells, but of delicate filaments, to be poisonous in Italy, and as the bad
and being immediately derived from the properties depend upon the degree in
flesh of the cap or pileus. Avhich the poisonous alkali is developed —
The pileus may be either central or a circumstance which varies with climate
lateral, and, in a few instances, where the and situation — even those species which
stem becomes at length obsolete, or is are usually wholesome may at times prove
wholly wanting, it is attached to the sub- deleterious.
stance on which it grows by the upper Agarics grow in various situations. A
surface, in which case the gills become vast variety affect dead wood, fallen leaves,
superior instead of inferior directed, that
: and other matters when passing into a
is, towards the light, and not, as is usually state of decay. Some affect the half-dead
the case, away from it. Where there is roots of grass, or large herbaceous plants,
originally a very short stem, the pileus is as the Eryngo. Many grow in pastures, or
at first in the usual position, but gradually on the naked ground. Several occur only
turns over, so as to bring the gills towards on dung or in highly-manured land while ;
the light. Sometimes the border of the a few inhabit principally stoves and other
pileus, which was at first resupinate, or structures where the temperature is arti-
having the gill3 on the upper side, turns ficially kept up. Occasi onally they i
agar] dDfje Eveagurg at 330tanj). 28
under curious circumstances. In Naples, I shrubs, with alternate linear-filiform leaves
for instance, the grounds of coffee are |
and terminal flower-spikes, belonging to
placed in a heap in some subterranean the natural order Selaginacece. The genus
place of moderate temperature, and an is characterised by having a five-toothed
esculent species almost invariably makes tubular calyx, an elongated tubular corolla,
its appearance. It is not, however, to be two included stamens, and a bilocular ovary
supposed that species which appear under with a single ovule. By the abortion of
such exceptional cases are creatures of one of the cells of the ovary, the fruit is a
spontaneous growth. They are generally simple achene, covered by the persistent
mere altered forms of species which have calyx. [W. C]
usually a different habitat.
The word agaric, amongst the old herbal-
AGATHOPHYLLUM. A name intended
to express the good qualities of the leaves
ists, had a wider signification than it has
of the plants to which it is applied. The
now, and was applied to many of the corky genus belongs to the laurel family, among
funguses. [M. J. B.]
which it may be known by its persistent
AGARTTM. A genus of olive-seeded A Jgce, calyx enclosing the fruit, and by its pos-
distinguished from Laminaria principally sessing nine stamens in three rows. The
by the frond being always perforated with innermost stamens have, on either side
roundish holes. These plants are peculiar of their base, a sessile awl-shaped gland
to the northern parts of the Atlantic and or abortive stamen. The anthers are four-
Pacific Oceans,on the American and Asiatic celled. One species, A. aromaticum, grows
shores. [M. J. B.] in Madagascar, where the natives use the
leaves for a condiment. The fruit is aro-
AGASTACHYS. A Tasmanian genus of matic, but encloses a kernel of an acrid
Proteacecv, containing only a single species, caustic taste, known as Madagascar clove
A. odorata, which has yellow apetalous nutmegs. [M. T. M.]
flowers of four sepals and four stamens,
one of which is attached by a short fila- AGATHOSMA. A genus of rutaceous
ment to the middle of each sepal; the plants, so named from their fragrance.
style is filiform, rather shorter than the They are natives of the Cape, and have
stamens, and bearing a two-lobed stigma. regular flowers. The petals are divided,
The flower-spikes are numerous, and, as with long claws. They have ten stamens,
the name implies, very handsome, from five of which are fertile, with the anthers
four to five inches in height, and crowded tipped by a small gland, and five sterile,
with flowers. The leaves are about two dilated above into a petal-like mass, thread-
inches long, obtusely lanceolate, occasion- shaped below. The fruit is two to three-
ally notched at the apex, with a smooth celled, each cell containing two ovules
plane surface, subsessile, and rather thick placed side by side. A. pulchella is said to
in substance. [R. H.] be made use of by the Hottentots to an-
oint their bodies, a process very distaste-
AGASYLLIS. A genus belonging to the ful to European noses. Some of the spe-
umbelliferous order, and consisting of a cies are cultivated for their pretty white
single species, found in the Caucasus. It or purplish flowers. [M. T. M.j
is a stout perennial herb, about three feet
high, furnished with ternately decompound
AGATHOTES. A genus of plants of the
slightly downy having lanceolate,
leaves,
gentian family, principally distinguished
The stems ter- by its corolla, which is divided above into
decurrent, serrate leaflets.
four pieces, while at the base are a number
minate in many-rayed umbels, without
of small glandular pits, each protected by a
general, but with partial involucres of
fringed scale; and by the stamens, which
narrow leaflets. The flowers are small and
are four in number, slightly connected to-
white. The chief characters of the genus
gether at the base. The dried stems of
are an obsolete calyx margin, compressed
A. Chirayta, a native of the north of India,
oval fruit, with five primary obtuse ribs to
furnish a pure bitter, very similar in its
each carpel, the two lateral ones shorter
properties to gentian, and used for like
than the others, and the number of vittae
eight to ten on the back, and five to six on
purposes under the name of Chiretta. By
the face of each carpel. [A. A. B.]
some this plant is referred to the genu's
Ophelia. [M. T. M.]
AGATH.EA. A genus of the composite
AGATI. A genus of the pea family
family (Compositfc), comprising twenty
(Lerjuminosa?). A. grand/flora is the only
species, one of them, A. abyssinica, found,
species. It is a native of the East Indies
as its name implies, in Abyssinia, the others
They are herbs or and tropical Australia, but is commonly
all natives of S. Africa.
cultivated in tropical countries for the
shrubs, with opposite, toothed or entire
beauty of its flowers. It is a small slender
leaves, and solitary terminal flower-heads ;
tree twenty or thirty feet high, of rapid
the ray florets blue and pistilliferous,
growth and short duration; its leaves
those of the disk yellow, and having both
alternate, abruptly-pinnate, with from
stamens and pistils. They are nearly allied
eight to ten pairs of small leaflets. Flower
to the well-known Michaelmas daisy (Aster),
stalks axillary, bearing from two to four
from which they differ chiefly in the pappus large pea-like red or white flowers. The
of their aehenes consisting of one series of
pods are about eighteen inches long, and
bristles. [A. A. B.]
as thick as a common quill. In India the
AGATHELPIS. A genus of Cape under- flowers, pods, and young leaves are used
; .
many ovules in twT o rows in the central by Toms from a drawing by Badeslade,
angle of each cell. Some of the species bearing date November of that year. This
become caulescent, and they are mostly plant opened the crown for flowering on
long-lived plants, making comparatively June 5th the stem-bud appeared on the
;
slow progress in growth until the ap- 15th, and grew Ave inches a day for some
pearance of the flower stem, which, on the weeks the flower branches were perfected
;
other hand, shoots up very rapidly. The in twelve weeks, and then it stood for a
best known species, A. americana, com- month while the buds were forming the ;
monly called the American Aloe, affords number of flowers was about 1,050. Two
a very good illustration of the family. plants, about fifty years of age, flowered
This species is almost stemless that is to
: at Hampton Court in 1743, their respective
say, its tuft of massive leaves is seated heights being twenty-seven feet and
close to the ground, and they spread out twenty-four feet. The flower stems ap-
on all sides so as to occupy considerable peared on June 3rd, were in perfection in
space. These leaves are very thick and the middle of August, and continued
fleshy, consisting of hard, firm pulpy blooming till the middle of October. A
matter intermixed with fibres they are
; plant which flowered near Carlsbad in
from three to six feet long, furnished with 1754 was twenty-six feet high, and pro-
hard spines, both along the margins and duced twenty-eight branches, which bore
at thepoint. These leaves are very durable, above 3,000 flowers. Another flowered at
continuing to exist for many years. The Lcyden in 1760, and a third at Friedricks-
plants are long in arriving at a mature or berg, in Denmark, twenty-two feet high,
flowering age ; indeed, so slow is their with nineteen branches and more than
progress, under the artificial conditions in 4,000 flowers. The tallest of which we
which they are placed in our gardens, as to have any account, was one that bloomed
have led to a popular though erroneous in the King of Prussia's garden, and this
notion that they flower once only in a reached forty feet in height.
century'. In reality they flower but once, The species of Agave are not only orna-
the mature condition being attained in a mental in character, but are important on
longer or shorter period, ten to fifty or account of their uses and products. The
seventy years or more, according to the ac- plants themselves, with their hard, un-
celerating or retarding influences under yielding spiny leaves, form impenetrable
which they are placed. Having, however, fences, and they are used for this purpose
acquired full growth, the plant produces its in many parts. The roots as well as the
giant flower-stem from the centre of the leaves of A. americana and some allied
leaves, after which it perishes. .New plants species, especially the Pita plant, furnish a
are formed around the base of the old fibre (pita thread) which is extremely
one in the form of suckers. After the tough, and is useful for making twine and
first appearance of the stem, it grows very rope, and for various other purposes, such
rapidly, until a height of from fifteen to as paper-making. Humboldt describes a
twenty or even forty feet is reached and,; bridpe of upwards of 130 feet span, over
towards the tip, a multitude of symmetri- the Chimbo in Quito, of which the main
cally-disposed horizontal branches are pro- ropes, four inches in diameter, were made
duced, at the ends of which branches are of agave fibre. The fibre is separated
crowded bearing the numerous erect yel- by bruising the leaves, steeping them m
lowish-green flowers, by which a sweetish water, and afterwards beating them.
liquid is secreted. The flowering plant re- The juice of the Agave leaves yields a
agde] Cf)e Ereatfurg af 230taug. 30
very useful succedaneum for soap. For it may be
distinguished by its cup-shaped
this purpose the juice is expressed, and involucre of numerous imbricated linear
then the watery part is evaporated, either leaflets, its naked receptacle, and its elon-
by artificial heat or exposure to the sun, gated angular fruit, crowned by a pappus
until it is reduced to a thick consistence, of several awned scales, which are dilated
when it may be made up into balls at the base. The genus includes some
with the help of lye ashes. This soap other annual species in addition to the
lathers with salt water as well as fresh. A. mexicanum, but none of them exceed,
A gallon of the juice yields about a pound and few equal it in value for gardening
of the soft extract. The roots of A. sapo- purposes. The A. conysoides very closely
naria, a powerful detergent, are employed resembles it, and has recently appeared in
in Mexico for a similar purpose. gardens under the name of Phalacrwa
The most important product, however, of ccelestina. The A. angustifolium and A.
the Agave, and especially of .4. americana, latifolium have white flowers, but are pro-
is the sap, which continues to flow for bably not in cultivation. There is a so-
some time upon cutting out the inner called white variety of A. mexicanum, but
leaves just before the flower scape is ready its flowers are really of a bluish cast. A
to burst forth. The plant is called Metl by few perennial spe,eies are comprised in the
the Mexicans, and Maguay de Cociuza in genus; they possess, however, ^mt little
Caraccas. Pittes, Acametl, Sequametl, and general interest. The Ccelestina agera-
Maguey-metl, are varieties of this species, toides, a half-hardy perennial, with blue
which is stated to be common everywhere ageratum-like flower heads, much em-
in Equinoctial America, from the plains ployed in bedding, must not be con-
even to elevations of 9,000 to 10,000 feet. A. founded with the true Ageratums. [W. T.]
mexicana, a closely allied species, is some-
times called Maguei-metl, and also Man- AGGLOMERATE. Heaped up; as the
guai. According to Humboldt, the plant stamens in Anona and Magnolia, or the
is extensively cultivated in the interior male flowers in a pine tree.
cable-land of Mexico, and, indeed, extends
as far as the Aztec language. A.vivipara
AGGREGATE. Several things collected
together into one body; as the achenes
isTheo-metl or Manguei divinum and in
:
liquor. A very intoxicating brandy, called are divaricated the fronds are naked, that
;
Mexical or Aguardiente de Maguey, is is, not clothed with scales they are arti-
;
funned from the pulque. Royle states that culated with the rhizome, and dimorphous,
the Government drew from the agave that is, certain sterile dwarfed oak-leaf-like
juice a net revenue of l<iG,49~l. in three fronds are produced as well as the larger
cities. The fresh Leaves of A. americana, fertiip ones and, finally, the fertile ones
;
nt into slices, are occasionally used as have the fertile segments, which are the
fodder for cattle and the centre of the
;
upper ones, much narrower than the lower
'.lowering stein, split lengthways, is said to sterile ones. There is but one species, A.
form no bad substitute for a European Mcimitana, a native of the Philippine
razor-strop, on account of the minute par- Islands. [T.M.]
ticles of silica in its composition. The
leaves are also said to be used for scouring AGNOSTUS. A synonym of Stenocar-
pewter. [T. MJ pus.
AGNUS CASTES. Yitex Agnus-castus.
AGDESTIS. A Mexican twining plant
originally described by De Candolle, from a AGRAPH1S The poets feign that the
'
drawing of Mocino and Sesse's collection, boy Hyacinth us, who was unfortunately
and which has till lately been very little killed by Apollo, was changed by that deity
understood. Specimens recently examined into a Hyacinth, which, therefore, was
however, shown that it forms a marked with the letters AI, alas to ex- !
very distinct and somewhat anomalous press Apollo's grief. It is also feigned,
genus of Phytolaccacece. that the same flower arose from the blood
of Ajax when he slew himself those let- :
AGERATUM. A genus of composites, ters being half the hero's name.'— Note in
belonging to the Eupatorium tribe of the Martin's Virgil. The flower referred to is
order, ofwhich the A. mexicanum, a well- now supposed to be the Martason lily,
known occupant of the flower-border, with the spots on the petals of which some-
densely clustered lavender-blue capitules, times run together so as to assume the
may be taken as the type. Botanically, required form but the name Hyacinthus
;
31 Cfje Crca^urp at 23ctang. [aigr
was given by the earlier botanists to a with large, entire, purple petals, is the
very different family, of which our com- only species belonging to the section as it
mon woodland plant, the wild Hyacinth or is now limited ;the rest of the Linnean
Blue-bell, was one. This, presenting no species being referred to the section Coro-
tracing of letters on its petals, even to the naria. [j. t. S.j
most imaginative eye, was named by Liu-
nceus -ST. non-scriptus, or uninscribed Hya- AGROSTIS. A genus of grasses, typical
cinth. It has now been removed by Link of the tribe Agrostidea?, and known by the
into a distinct genus and named Agra- English name of Bent grasses. The prin-
phis, a Greek compound bearing the same cipal characters, which serve to distinguish
meaning as non-scriptus. The wild Hya- this genus from its allies, are the flowers
cinth, as it continues to be popularly called, being single within the calyx glumes, and
is a liliaceous plant common in woods, having short hairs at their base, and
and too well known to need any descrip- the upper glume being smaller than the
tion. The blue-bell of Scotland, the hare- lower. The species are numerous, no fewer
bell in poetry, is a totally different plant, than 171 being described in SteudeVs Synop-
Campanula rotundifolia. [C. A. J.] sis Plantarum Graminearum, and their
range over the surface of the globe is
AGRIMONIA. A family of herbaceous also very extensive. The Falkland Islands,
perennial plants with yellow flowers, be- Kootka Sound, and Tasmania may be qui ited
longing to the natural order Rosacea', as some of the outlying stations for the
among which they are distinguished by species of Agrostis. In the British Isles,
bearing their enclosed seeds in the hard- the Bent grasses are of general currence
ened calyx, which is furnished on the on all damp pastures, as well as on dry
outside with a circle of hooked bristles. waste ground. The Marsh Bent, Agrostis
The British representative of the genus, alba, is the once famous Fiorin grass of the
A. Eupatoria, is a common way-side plant, late Dr. Richardson, who, by his writings
with interruptedly pinnate leaves, a scarce- on the subject, brought it prominently be-
ly branched stem about a foot and a half fore the agricultural public, and caused it
high, and an elongated spike of starry to be cultivated on a rather extensive
yellow flowers. When in fruit the calyx scale, particularly in Ireland. It has not,
becomes inverted. The foliage is astrin- however, been found to realise the expec-
gent and aromatic, and is an ingredient in tations held concerning its worth, and,
several herb teas.' Its medicinal virtues,
'
consequently, is not extensively grown at
though far inferior to what they were the present time. It is remarkable for hav-
anciently supposed to be, have retained for ing the long stems lying prostrate on the
it a place in the repertory of herb col-
surface of the ground, and throwing out
lectors, who recommend it as tonic and roots at their nodes or joints, by which
astringent. It contains tannin, and will means they frequently extend four feet or
dye wool of a nankeen colour. A Cana- more from the main root of the plant with-
dian species is said to be used with success out flowering. The Dog Bent, Agrostis
as a febrifuge. [C. A. J.] cannia, is the grass which sick dogs, and
even cats, sometimes chew, for the pur-
AGRIMONY. Agrimonia. — .HEMP. pose, it is supposed, of causing them to
Ei'imtnrhim cannabinum. — WATER
,
vomit. This species wants the inner glume
HEMP. An old English name for Bidens or pale to the flower. Agrostis pulchelh: a
cernua and B. tripartita.
native of Quito, is cultivated in gardens,
AGPJOPHYLLUM. A for the beauty of its elegant panicles
small genus of of
Salsolacea, containing two species, na- flowers, which, on being cut before they
tives of Caucasian Siberia. are fully ripe, remain a long time in a dry
They are an-
nual plants, with alternate, sessile, entire state, without much alteration in their ap-
leaves, and sessile axillarv flowers in
pearance. Some of the foreign species of
short squarrose spikes. this genus are valuable as pasture grasses
The" calyx, when
present, consists of a single membra- in the parts of the world where thev ltow
naceous sepal. There are three to five spontaneously. [D. M.]
stamens, and two filiform styles. The
fruit is a vescicular compressed capsule
AGROSTOPHYLLTJM. A genus of Java
Orchids with fleshy stems, narrow leave*
[W. C] and small flowers packed closely into ter-
AGRIPAUME. minal heads. Two or three unimportant
(Fr.) Leonurus Car-
diaca. known to botanists.
species are
AGROSTEMMA. A genus of
AGUILBOQUIL. A Chilian name for
Caryo- the berries of Lardizabala biternata.
phyllacem, of the tribe Silenece, founded
by Linnseus, but now generally regarded as AIAULT. (Fr.) Narcissus Pseudo-Nar-
a section of the genus Lychnis, from which cissus.
it only differs in the elongated segments
of
the calyx limb, in the petals being without AIGLANTINE. (Fr.) Aquilegia vulgar
a prominent scale at the base of the ex-
panded portion, and in the capsule opening
by valves alternate with and not opposite to AIGLE-IMPERIAL. (Fr.) Pteris aqui-
the calyx segments. Lychnis (Agrostemma) Una.
(rithago, the well-known weed Corn Cockle, AIGRELIER. (Fr.) Pyrus tormindlis.
aige] €fye Crcagurg at 3Satang. 32
AIGREMOINE. (Fr.) Agrimonia; also are specimens, both in England and on the
Aremonia agrimonioidcs. Continent, exceeding sixty feet in height.
The name 'Japan varnish,' seems to have
AIGUILLE DE BERGER. (Fr.) Scandix been applied to it through some mistake:
Pecten-Veneris. probably from its having been mistaken for
AIL. (Fr.) Allium sativum. —A. TO IT- Rhus succedaneum. Other species are
PET. Muscari comosum. DES BOIS.— stove-plants. [C. A. J.]
Allium ursinum. —
D'ESPAGNE. Allium AINSWORTHIA. A genus of Umbelli'
Scorodoprasum. —
DORE'. Allium Moly. /era?, containing three species, natives of
— D'ORIENT. Allium Ampeloprasicm. Palestine,having the habit of and nearly re-
lated to Tordyliam, from which, however,
AILANTUS. The Vernis du Japon of it differs in the absence of the calyx teeth,
the French, A. glandulosa of botanists, is
and in having the margin of the fruit
fn its native countries, China and India,
smooth. This genus was separated from
where it is called Ailanto, a tree of
Hasselquistia by Boissier, because of the
large size and handsome appearance, hear-
breadth of the oleiferous vittce in the fruit,
ing numerous pinnate leaves from one to
two feet long or more, and clusters of and also from the characters of the calyx
greenish flowers of a disagreeable odour.
and fruit, which are the same in Hassel-
It is of rapid growth, making, when favour-
quistia as in Tordylium. [W. O]
ably situated, annual shoots from three to AIR PLANTS. A common name for
six feet in length. Its German name, Got- Aerides. The name is also applied to Epi-
terbaum, ' Tree of the gods,' is said to be phytes, or plants which grow on trees and
a translation of Ailanto. French arbori- other elevated objects, not in the earth,
culturists recommend that its lateral and derive their nutriment from atmo-
branches should be annually lopped off, spheric moisture. They are to be distin-
when the main trunk will ascend perpen- guished from terrestrial plants, or those
dicularly an J sustain a symmetrical spread- growing in earth, and from parasites,
ing canopy. In France and Italy, it is
which derive nourishment directly from
other plants on which they grow. [T. M.]
AIRA. A genus of grasses, belonging
t<>the tribe Avenea>, distinguished by hav-
ing two perfect florets and frequently the
rudiment of a third floret within the
glumes. The pales are notched at the
point, and bear short awns on the back, the
awns being in most instances kneed or
bent. The species are numerous, and have
an extensive ranpe of localities over the
surface of the earth. Those that are na-
tive- of the British Isles are not heM in
great estimation for agricultural purposes,
being of a coarse wiry, nature.
The tufted Hair-grass, Aira ccespitosa, is
one of the tallest-growing British grasses:
indeed, under favourable circumstances,
the culms, or stems frequently attain a
neislit of six feet. In boggy land, the close
graving tufts form what are called tus-
uhich are found extremely useful
for stepping on when walking over soft
watery places. [D. M.j
yated in this country. [M. T. M.] formed of three large roundish concave
sepals, six to nine dwarfed abortive sta-
AIZOON. A genus of plants referred by \
mens, and from three to nine distinct ob-
Endlicher to Portulacece, but separated long-cylindraceous ovaries, crowned by a
from that order by Lindley on account of short peltate stigma. The species are climb-
their want of petals and the small number ing plants of Japan and China, commonly
of stamens, and formed, with some allied cultivated in gardens, and also forming
genera, into a distinct order, Tetragoniacece. !
welcome half-hardy climbers in those of
The calyx is five-partite, and coloured on our own country. One of them, A. quinuta,
the inner surface. The stamens, about i
has its freely running stems furnished with
twenty in number, are inserted singly or j
very pretty leaves, consisting of three to
in from three to five bundles in the base of five ovate or obovate entire obtuse emargi-
the calyx. There are five subclavate stig- i nate leaflets ; and from the axils of these
mas the ovary has five cells, each con-
; leaves grow the racemes of dull-coloured
taining from two to ten ovules. The fragrant flowers, of which the upper are
genus contains more than twenty species smaller and sterile, the lower larger and
of prostrate herbaceous plants, very abun- fertile. Mr. Fortune found this plant in
dant in Southern Africa, and found spar- Chusan, growing on the lower sides of the
ingly also in Southern Europe, Northern hills in hedges ; when climbing on other
Africa, and Arabia. The ashes of A. can- trees, its branches hung down in grace-
ariense and A. hispanicum abound in soda. ful festoons, attractiug attention by the
[W. C] |
delightful fragrance of their flowers, the
colour of which, a dark purplish brown, is
AJAX. A subdivision of the genus Nar- !
AJONC, or AJONC MARIN. (Fr.) Ulex AKEE TREE. Blighia (or Cupania) sa-
europceus. pida.
either grow in whorls of six or more, or seed of a bignoniad, from the summit or
singly in the axils of the opposite leaves : side of a seed-vessel, or on the angles of a
sometimes contracted so as to resemble a stem. Formerly, the axil, but not now em-
spike, in other species more loosely, but ployed in that sense. The word is generally
in all casei accompanied by leaves or leaf- used in the plural form, alas.
like bracts. Several species are furnished
with stolons or runners. Of the four ALABASTRUS. A flower-bud.
British species, the commonest is A. AL AM AN I A punicea. A little creep-
reptens (common Bugle), a woodland and ing Mexican orchid, scarcely distinct from
hedge-side plant, rendered noticeable by Epidendrum. It has crimson flowers, with
the dull purple tinge of its upper leaves a small bar across the lip.
ALANGIACEiE (Alanqiads). A natural ALASANDI or ARHAR. An Indian
order of plants inhabiting tropical Asia. name for a common Eastern pulse, Boli-.
With the exception of the genus Nyssa, chos Catjang.
which is found in the United States, all ALATE. Furnished with a thin wing or
are trees or shrubs with inconspicuous expansion.
flowers, structurally similar to those of
certain myrtles. Their fruit is succulent ALATERNUS. The common garden
and eatable, but not agreeable to European name of Rhamnus Alaternus, a well-known
tastes. The principal genera are Alaniiium evergreen shrub.
and Nyssa. Eight or nine species are all ALBEPACTIO. A condition of plants
that are known. induced by absence of light, commonly
ALANGIUM. A genus of Indian trees, called Blanching, in which little or no
containing two, or perhaps three species, chlorophyll is formed, the peculiar secre-
and belonging to the natural order Alan- tions are diminished, and the tissues are
giacece. The leaves are alternate, exstipu- tender and unnaturally drawn out and ;
peat earth ; but they are not very orna- for Rhamnus Frangida; also applied in
mental, having green or yellowish flowers America to Prinos verticillatus. , RED. —
striped with white, and leaves more or less A name given at the Cape of Good Hope to
like those of the hyacinth. Seventeen or Cunvnia capensis: — WHITE. A name
,
clusively applied to seeds. stalk is flat (not inflated), with four or Ave
ALBURNITAS. A tendency to remain bristles at the extremity; the stems are
like alburnum. A disease of trees, when
only a few inches long, generally simple,
white rings of wood are interposed among with the whorls of leaves approximate
heart-wood. the flowers are white, and rather small
and solitary, borne on longish slender
ALBURNUM. The sap wood of a tree peduncles, springing from the axils of the
the younger wood, not choked up by sedi- leaves. [J. T. S.]
mentary deposit, and therefore permeable
to fluids. ALE-COST. An old English name for
Pyrethrum Tanacetum, commonly known
ALCAMPHORA. A remedial prepara- as Balsamita vulgaris, the Costmary of
tion from Croton perdicipes. gardens.
ALCE'E DE LA FLORIDE. (Fr.) Gor- ALE-HOOP. An old English name for
donia Lasianthus. Nepeta Glechoma, the Ground Ivy.
ALCHEMILLA. A genus of herbaceous ALEPYRTJM. A genus of Besvauxiacece,
annual or perennial plants, belonging to containing three species of small tufted
the natural order Rosacea?. All the species herbaceous plants, natives of the shores of
have lobed leaves, and inconspicuous New Holland. They have solitary or few
yellow or greenish flowers. A. vulgaris, the terminal flowers, with two bracts a single ;
common Lady's Mantle, is frequent in wet stamen; and six or eight ovaries, with
pastures and the borders of woods the simple styles to each. The genus differs
:
leaves are rather large, roundish, seven to from Centrolepis in wanting bracteoles,
nine lobed, plaited, and notched at the and in the spathe consisting of one or
edges; the flowers, though small, are nu- very few flowers. [W. C.]
merous, of a golden green colour, and col-
lected into forked clusters. It often occurs ALETRIS. A genus of North American
in gardens, where it is valued more for the herbaceous B~cemodoracece, distinguished
pleasant green of its foliage than for any by the following features: The perianth —
showiness while in flower. Its properties is half-inferior, tubular, with a six-cleft
are astringent, and slightly tonic hence it spreading or funnel-shaped limb the six
;
;
comes within the province of the 'sim- stamens are inserted into the base of the
pler.' A. alpina is a mountain species, perianth segments, and have flat filaments
found on the banks of rivulets in Scotland and somewhat arrow-shaped anthers the ;
and the North of England. The leaves of ovary is three-lobed, pyramidal, with a
this species are deeply divided into five style composed of three connate bristles,
oblong leaflets, and are thickly covered distinct at the base, but joined at the top
with lustrous silky hair. To this species into a simple stigma; the capsule is py-
probably belongs of right the not inappro- ramidal, three-celled, tricoccous, enclosed
priate name of ' Lady's Mantle,' which is in the perianth, and opening at the point
shared in virtue of kin alone by its less in three directions and the seeds are
;
blades white underneath, and their foot- with vibrating cilia?, by means of which
stalks crisped and prickly; the stem they move from place to place for a greater
leaves are sessile and heart-shaped, except or less time, as if endowed with spontane-
the uppermost, which are narrow lance- ous motion, till they become attached and
shaped. Each branch ends in a nodding germinate. In most of the subdivisions
37 £Ijf Crcatfurg of 3Snian». [AJLG2E
sexual differences hare been observed; the tention of all wanderers along the coast.
antheridia, or male organs, containing These are often very abundant, but they
bodies often closely resembling the sper- seldom attain any considerable size, and
matozoa of animals. In some of the spe- some of them are as delicate as moulds.
cies fructification does not take place till The third class contains most of the
the threads throw out little processes, by smaller species, in which the frond seldom
means of which a complete union with one assumes the form of a membrane, but is
another is established, the endochrome of more frequently reduced to a mere thread,
the joint of one thread passing through or even to single articulations. A few only
their lateral tube and uniting with that of are conspicuous objects, amongst which
an opposite joint, and then forming a per- the genus Caulerpa is most remarkable, af-
fect spore. fording on warm sandy coasts an ahundant
In many of the lower Algce, as indeed in supply of nutritive food for turtles. Of
some of the higher, reproduction takes i
the smaller and more obscure species, in
place for an indefinite time by repeated which there is often no point of attach-
subdivision of the original individual. At ment, we have the most exquisite micro-
times, however, the proper fruit makes its scopical objects, exhibiting an almost
appearance, and sometimes in such an inexhaustible variety of form and sculp-
anomalous form as to cause much per- i. ture.
plexity. In the two latter classes, more especially,
Algce are related on the one hand to |
many species are so masked by calcareous
fuguses, and on the other to lichens. Dis- matter as to present the appearance of
tinctive characters are more easily derived corals, with which productions they have
from their respective habits than from accordingly been arranged. A weak solu-
differences of structure. tion of hydrochloric acid, however, soon
The term Alga had formerly a far wider changes the fixed carbonate of lime into
range than at present, and it is now almost soluble chloride of calcium, and the struc-
entirely confined to aquatic cryptogams. ture and fruit are then unmasked and found
There is no English word which will com- to correspond with those of true Algce. In
prise the whole. The most convenient, Diatomacece, silex instead of lime is im-
perhaps, is that of Hydrophytes, which, bedded in the substance of the cells.
however, does not apply to the aerial spe- Amongst the productions which appear
cies, and is objectionable because there are upon rocks exposed
to the action of the
many plants with a submerged habit which atmosphere, the lower Algce are often the
are not Algce. first to make their appearance. Even the
Algce are divided into three great classes, cold surface of snow and ice produce the
I
each of which comprises a number of very bright red Alga, known under the name of
|
distinct groups, the more prominent of Red Snow, while allied species appear on
|
which will be noticed in their proper order. darker grounds. These gradually, by their
These three classes are characterised by decomposition, afford soil for higher
the colour of their seeds, which correspond growths.
for the greater part with the general tint The larger species of Algce afford a useful
of the plants. though coarse article of food to men and
domestic animals, not to mention the
1. Mela>-osper3ie^:, or olive-spored: numberless tribes which they support in
2. RHODOSPEE3rEiE, or rose-spored.
their own element. The Laver of our south-
western coasts is, however, considered by
3. Chlobospeeme^:, or green-spored.
many an object of luxury, though, like
olives, it is not in general relished at first.
The first of these comprises the olive- "With use, however, it is esteemed by many
coloured species, which from their size and a most acceptable condiment. Many of the
abundance are so conspicuous on our shores, rose-coloured Algce abound in gelatine, and
or which float in dense masses, sometimes in consequence they are collected to make
many leagues in extent, on the surface of a fine kind of glue, or as a substitute for
the ocean. On our own coasts they attain isinglass. Carrageen or Irish moss, which
the length occasionally of twenty feet or consists, in great measure, of common spe-
more, and in the genus Laminaria indi- cies of Chondrus, is a most useful article in
viduals are sometimes large enough to be cattle feeding, when boiled and mixed with
a load for a man; but this is nothing to other nutritious matters. Amongst the
the size attained in the southern seas, or Chlorosperms.besides the Laver above men-
even in some parts of the northern hemi- tioned, a species of Nostoc is much used as
sphere. Individuals of the genus Macro- an ingredient in soup by the Chinese but it
;
cystis attain a length of a hundred feet seems not to have much to recommend it
or more, and Lessonia forms submarine beyond the quantity of bassorin which it
forests, the stems resembling the trunks contains. Durvillcea util{s is employed for
of trees. Some of the lower species have the same purpose in Chili. The siliceous
nothing like leaves, and are reduced to coats of Diatomacece, of which the substance
mere articulated threads, or a shapeless called Tripoli is entirely composed, form a
mass. capital substance for polishing, and the
The second class comprises those charm- close parallel lines of extreme fineness,
ing seaweeds, remarkable for their ele- with which they are frequently grooved,
gance of form, delicacy of texture, and make them very useful in microscopical
brilliancy of colour, which attract the at- researches as a test.
alga] QLty Cr*a£urg of Ufltaug. 38
ashes and dried in strongly ventilated and hence its name. The stem, which is
sheds. leafless, is bluntly triangular, from two to
Some of the lower Algce approach, as be- three feet high, much branched in its
fore observed, very near to moulds, and in upper part, and bearing numerous flowers
consequence many of these, when sub- in a loose pyramidal panicle or irregular
merged and barren, havo been assigned to clustor. The flowers, though not con-
Algm. Such productions, however, as spicuous, are singular from the unusual
yeast, and other matters which occur in number of their petals and the light
;
fermenting bodies, are now pretty well spray-like subdivision of their stalks,
understood, and are referred to a more joined to the vigorous habit of the leaves,
befitting place in the vegetable kingdom. claim for the plant a place among orna-
It is very doubtful whether any true alga mental aquatics. The solid part of the root
is parasitic on animals, those which have contains farinaceous matter, and, when
been supposed to be so, as Sarcina, &c, deprivod of its acrid properties by drying,
being in all probability Fungi. The curious is eaten by the Kalmucks. From some
productions which grow on fish and other fanciful notion that the fearful disease
aquatic animals, as Leptomitus, &c, are the hydrophobia could be counteracted by
only exception, if, indeed, these also should water-plants, Alisma was idly pitched on
not be excluded. Algce extend to the ut- as a specific by empirics, but is now no
most limits of vegetation, and some of longer in repute. Two other species occur
them are found at great depths in the sea. in Britain one of these, A. natans, is a
:
The limits of the distribution of species floating plant, with larger flowers than
are not so extensive as in Fungi, though the common water plantain the other,
;
some have a very wide range. Many fossil A. ranunculoides, is smaller in all its
species are described, but the nature of the parts, and possesses no attractive quali-
greater part is obscure. [M. J. B.] ties. [C. A. J.]
tinct oriu m, whose leaves are used for dyeing and Oriental Boraginacece, closely allied to
;
the fruit contracted at the base. In habit ing segments, often with a tooth or angle
however, more like Anchusa, but the
it is, on one side. A. neriifolia, another Brazilian
absence of scales closing the throat of the species, has a more compact shrubby
corolla, and the nuts not excavated at the habit of growth, broader, more oblong
base, are distinctive characters. The spe- leaves, and a panicle of many flowers,
cies are hispid or pubescent herbs, with which are really terminal, but by and by
oblong entire leaves and bracteated become lateral, from innovations, or young
racemes, rolled up before the flowers shoots, which grow past them and termi-
expand. The corolla is rather small, be- nate also in clusters of flowers. The
tween funnel and salver-shaped; usually flowers of this species have a shorter tube
purplish blue, but in some species yellow and a longer faux or throat, and are deep
or whitish ;the calyx enlarges in fruit. yellow, streaked with orange. Though
The root, which is often very large in pro- generally producing yellow flowers, the
portion to the size of the plant, yields a family yields, in the A. violacea described
red dye from the rind in many of the by Dr. Gardner, a species with flowers of a
species. Alkanet, (A. tinctoria, Anchusa reddish-violet colour. The genus has,
tinctoria of some authors, andLWiospermum moreover, a medicinal reputation the ;
legitimate purposes first mentioned. It is, lated, with free veinlets at the margin
however, perfectly harmless, which is so and a vaulted or convex indusium. As
far satisfactory. [J. T. S.] thus defined, it includes one Indian spe-
cies, A. Brunoniana, with pinnated fronds
ALKE'KENGE. (Fr.) Cardiospermum Ha- of large size. With this are sometimes
licacabum. — JAUNE DOUCE. Phy salts associated various free-veined species,
pubescens. with short tumid sori, which are not dis-
tinctfrom Asplenium. [T. MJ
ALKEKENGI. The common Winter
Cherry, Phy salts Alkekengi. ALLELUIA. (Fr.) Oxalis Acetosella.
ALLAMASDA. A genus of Apocynacece ALL-GOOD. An old English name for
consisting of handsome climbing shrubs, Chenopodium Bonus Eenricus.
found in Brazil and other parts of South —
America. They are well known in gar- ALL-HEAL. Valeriana officinalis.
dens, where they are prized for the gor-
CLOWN'S. Stachys palustris.
geous profusion of their rich golden ALLIACEOUS. Having the smell of
flowers. The peculiarities of the genus garlic.
reside in a small five-parted calyx a large ;
an irregular bell, about two inches long. arising from below the ovary, and included
Another still finer of similar
species, within the perianth, not projecting from
habit, A. Schottii, a native of Brazil, has it. The ovary is superior. [M. T. MJ
larger flowers, which are of a full yellow,
funnel-formed, the lower half, or rather ALLIUM. A genus of bulbous plants of
less, forming a narrow contracted tube, the lily family, remarkable for their pun-
thence suddenly expanding into a cam- gent odour, having grassy or fistular
AXLl] Kl)t Erea^urg at 2Sfltaii£). 40
beginning of the present century. In the salads. In French cookery, the Shallot is
West of England it is much cultivated, in great request, and several varieties are
being quite hardy, productive, and as mild i
noticed by French writers, which have
in quality as the Spanish onion. |
scarcely any other difference than that of
The bulb-bearing Tree-Onion, A. Cepa var. '
the bulbs being larser or smaller than the
bulbiferum, was introduced from Canada ordinary size. They make an excellent
in 1820, and is considered to be a viviparous pickle and, by putting half a dozen cloves
;
;
into a quart "bottle of vinegar, an agreeable the base behind, and often ventricose in
sauce may tie formed. front above, the limb five-toothed or shortly
The Garlic, A. sativum, is a hardy five-cleft; four didynamous included sta-
bulbous perennial, indigenous to the South mens, with the rudiment of a fifth and ;
of France, Sicily, and the South of Europe. a free ovary surrounded by an annular
It is stated to have been introduced in disk. The genus consists of tropical
1545, but appears to have been well known American soft-wooded or sub-shrubby
to the ancients. Homer makes it part of plants, of scandent habit, with opposite,
the entertainment which Nestor served up fleshy, often unequal leaves, and axillary
to his guest ilachaon; and among the flowers which are solitary or aggregated,
Greeks and Romans we are told it formed sessile or racemose. There are several
a favourite viand of the common people. species, most of which form desirable hot-
Even at the present day, in many parts of house plants. A. dichrbus is a Brazilian
the Continent the peasantry eat their sub-shrub, of erect habit, with ovate-ob-
brown bread with slices of Garlic, which long entire leaves, having several flowers
give it a flavour they seem to relish. At seated in their axils these flowers consist
;
Ovar, in Portugal, a great deal of this root of a large purple-red calyx of five trian-
|
is grown for exportation to Brazil. The gular or cordate lobes, the three outer of i
bulb is compound, being composed of ten which are larger and include the two inner, I
or twelve smaller bulbs, called cloves and of a large club-shaped tubular yellow
and, although seldom employed with us, it hairy corolla, the colour of which contrasts
is much used in Italian cookery for flavour- strongly with that of the calyx. A. con-
ing dishes, and is far more powerful for color is of similar habit, but has rather
this purpose than any of the other species. smaller flowers, of which both calyx and
The common Chive or Cive, A. Schceno- corolla are scarlet. The corolla in this
prasum, is indigenous to Britain, having latter plant is inserted at what appears to
been found in Oxfordshire, as well as in be the side of the tube near the base, and
Argyleshire, in the "West of Scotland. It is thus forms a blunt spur, whilst above it
perennial. The leaves, which rise from is remarkably ventricose on the upper
small slender bulbs, are about six or eight side, with the mouth very oblique, as if
inches long, erect, awl-shaped and thread- the opening were at the side opposite to
like, and form dense tufts. They are that by which it is aflixed, thus producing
generally cut off close to the ground, and a very singularly curved flower. A. capi-
used early in spring for salads, for which tatus is very distinct from the foregoing
purpose they are much milder than onions kinds, having tall stout red stems and
or scaUions —
a name usually given to large ovate leaves, from which the axils of
onions which have been sown thick for the uppermost leaves are produced on
drawing, without forming bulbs. They short stalks, a few dense globular heads or
are also used for seasoning soups, ome- umbels of flowers, having a very large
lets, &c. In England they are little known ;
blood-coloured calyx, and a comparatively
but in Scotland they are to be found in small yellow tubular coi-olla. The most re-
almost every cottage garden. markable peculiarity of the genus among
Hocambole, A. Scorodoprasum, is a gesneraceous plants, is the large coloured
native of Denmark and other parts of calyx, which adds much to the beauty of
Europe, whence it was introduced in 1596. the flowers. [T. M.]
It is a hardy, bulbous-rooted perennial,
with compound bulbs like garlic, but the ALLOSORUS. A genus of dwarf elegant
cloves are smaller. It is used for nearly polypodiaceous ferns, variously referred to
the same purposes as the shallot and the Polypodies, the Cheilanthece, and the
garlic and, although its flavour is con-
; Pteridece. They have punctiform sori at
sidered more delicate than either, it is not the apices of the free veins, and are with-
much cultivated in this country. [W. B. B.] out true indusia, the margin of the fronds
being folded over the spore cases and
ALLOBIUM. A genus of Viscacece, somewhat altered in texture, so as to be-
consisting of yellowish-green woody para- come indusia. Added to this, their fronds
sites on the branches of trees, with jointed, are dimorphous, the fertile and sterile
much-branched stems; thick firm per- being different in character, the former
sistent leaves, or only scales in their contracted by the involution of their mar-
place and small axillary spikes of flowers.
; gins, so that the divisions become pod-
The flowers are dieecious the calyx is ; shaped or siliculiform. One of the species,
globular and three-lobed, each lobe in the A. crispus, is a native of England, and is
male flowers bearing a transversely two- found also throughout Europe and in
celled sessile anther in the female flowers
; North America. This is a pretty dwarf
the calyx tube adheres to the ovary, which deciduous species, with bipinnate or tri-
has a sessile obtuse stigma. The ovary pinnate fronds. It is called the Rock
contains a single pidpy seed, with a small Brake. There is another species, A. Stel-
embryo. The species of this genus are leri, found in Siberia, India, and North
natives of America. [W. C] America. The genus has a very close
affinity with Cryptogramma. The name has
ALLOPLECTTJS. A genus of Gesneracece, been applied to various other ferns, espe-
distinguished by having a free, coloured, cially to certain species which are more
five-leaved calyx a fannel-shaped or club-
; correctly referred to Cheilanthes and Platy-
tubulose corolla, with the tube gibbous at loma. [T. MJ
AXLO VEfyz Crcasfuri) of 23ataug. 42
ALLOUCHIER. (Fr.) Pyrus Aria. and light and if exposed alternately to wet
;
the produce of different varieties of this glaucous, on short stalks. [M. T. M.]
species. — , AFRICAN. Brabcjion stcllati- A. metallica is a magnificent Bornean
fulium. —COUNTRY. The fruit of Ter- species, with very large cordate-ovate pel-
wmalia Catappa. — , JAVA. Canarium tate leaves, having a rich bronze-coloured
commune. surface, and is a very conspicuous orna-
ment of our hot-houses. The leaves look
ALMOND WORTS. An English name like great polished metal shields. [T. MJ
proposed for the group Drupacece.
ALOE. A Latinised form of an Arabic
ALNUS. A family of trees belonging to name given to a genus of succulent plants
the natural order Betulacece, and all more of the lily family (Liliacea;). The species of
or less approaching in character the com- the genus vary very much in height, and in
mon Alder, A. glutinosa. They inhabit the appearance of their leaves and flowers,
most temperate countries of the northern but are especially distinguished from al-
hemisphere, and delight in a moist soil. lied genera by their having a stem, some-
The common Alder, in its young state, is a times a very short one permanent fleshy
;
bushy shrub of a pyramidal form, heavily leaves flowers arranged in erect spikes or
;
clothed with dark green leaves, which, as clusters, each with a cylindrical perianth
well as the young shoots, are covered with divided into six pieces, secreting nectar at
a glutinous substance. The leaves are the base; six stamens arising like the
stalked, roundish, blunt, jagged at the perianth from below the genu en a mem-
;
edge, shining above, and furnished at the branous fruit, consisting of three cells,
angles of the veins beneath with minute each containing a great number of seeds.
tufts of whitish down. The flowers are of The species of Aloe are abundant in all
two kinds the barren are long drooping
; warm countries, especially in the southern
eat kins, which appear in the autumn and part of Africa and the isle of Socotra, where
hanc; on the tree all the winter; and the 'the bristling aloes' give a character of
fertile are oval, like little fir-cones, but are their own to the landscape.
not produced till spring. When these ripen, A. vulgaris, a native of the East and
the thick scales of which they are com- West Indies has been introduced into
posed separate, and allow the seeds to faD, Italy, Sicily, Malta, and the Mediterranean
but remain attached to the tree themselves region in general. The most important
all the winter; and by them the tree may product of this genus is the drug known
be distinguished when stripped of all its as aloes, which is the dried juice derived
leaves. In young trees the bark is smooth from the leaves of several species in the
and of a dark purple-brown hue, but in old East and West Indies, Cape of Good Hope,
trees it is rugged and nearly black. When and elsewhere. The finest kind of aloes is
allowed to attain its full growth, it reaches supposed to be derived from Aloe socotrina.
a height of forty or fifty feet, if the situa- The bitter resinous juice is stored up in
tion be favourable but in the mountains
; greenish vessels, lying beneath the skin of
and in hieh latitudes it does not rise above the leaf, so that when the leaves are cut
a shrub." The wood of the Alder is soft transversely, the juice exudes and is gradu-
;
ally evaporated to a firm consistence. The ncan Aloe a species of agave much like
is
inferior kinds of aloes are prepared by an Aloe in general appearance, but particu-
pressing the leaves, when the resinous larly distinguished from it by the perianth
juice becomes mixed with the mucilagi- being adherent to the ovary, or, as it is
nous fluid from the central part of the called, superior. [M. T. M.]
leaves, and becomes proportionately dete-
riorated. In other cases the leaves are cut ALOE, AMERICAN. Agave americana.
in pieces and boiled, and the decoction — FALSE. Agave virginica.
evaporated to a proper consistence. ALOE r
S BEC DE CANNE. (Ft.) Aloe, or
The drug is imported in chests, in skins Gustcria disticha. — CORXE DE BE'LIER.
of animals, and sometimes in the cavity of
large calabash gourds. It is largely used as
Aloe arborescens. —
LANGUE-DE-CHAT.
—
Aloe or Gasteria lingua and angulata.
a purgative, and in small doses as atonic; POUCE-E'CRASE'. Aloeretusa.
the taste is peculiarly bitter and disagreea-
ble, though the perfume of the finer sorts, ALOES-WOOD. The wood of Aloexylon
when breathed on, is aromatic, and by no Agallochum.
means so offensive as the taste. What is ALOEXYLON. The name given to a
called aloes fibre seems rather to be the
genus of the pea family (Leguminosa?)
produce of an Agave, though it is stated which is said to grow on the high moun-
that the negroes of Western Africa make
tains of Cochin China. There is but one
nets and cords of the fibres of various spe- species, A. Agallochum, which is described
cies of Aloe.
as being a tree of about sixty feet in height,
Many of the species of Aloe are cultivated with simple, alternate, stalked, entire,
in this country, being extremely easy to
lanceolate leaves, and terminal panicles
grow, ifplanted in a dry soil and very of small flowers. The wood of this tree is
little if any water supplied to them in the
one of the two woods known as Calambac,
winter season. The thick leathery skin of Lign-aloes or Eagle-wood. It yields the
the leaves prevents the internal moisture
perfume the most esteemed by Orientals,
from escaping so readily, hence these who apply it to their clothes and apart-
plants retain their vitality for a long time
ments, and use it in medicine, in the
under apparently adverse circumstances. treatment of paralytic affections. The
perfume by some is said to originate by
the concoction of oily particles into a
resin which action takes place in the
;
being much prized and eagerly sought petals and stamens the stamens spring
;
after as a botanical rarity [D. MJ from a disc surrounding the base of the
—
case throughout the genus, by the twisting name of Guiruauve, to form demulcent
of the foot stalk. The flowers are produced drinks. A. hirsuta is a rare English plant,
several in a terminal umbel, the perianth which has been probably introduced along
consisting of three outer spathulate, deep with foreign agricultural seeds. It is an
orange-coloured segments, and three inner erect slender annual, much smaller than
ones, which are narrower, lanceolate, acu- the preceding, with bluish flowers, and
minate, orange-coloured, the two upper of covered with long spreading stiff hairs.
them marked with several dark red lines A. rosea is the origin of the hollyhock of
distributed over their surface. Quite dis- gardens. It grows wild in China, also in
tinct from this is A. Flos Martini, the St. the South of Europe. It possesses similar
Martin's Flower of Chili, which has an properties to the common marsh mallow,
erect stem, linear acute leaves, and a and is used for similar purposes in Greece.
perianth consisting of three outer cuneately The leaves furnish a blue dye. Several
obcordate yellowish-white segments, and species of Althwa are in cultivation, but the
an inner series of one short lower whitish gay flowering shrub commonly called Al-
lobe, and two upper oblong spathulate ones thcea frutex is, properly speaking, a Hib i*cus,
which are bright yellow in the upper half, syriacus. [M. T. M.]
and stained with irregular dark red spots, ALTH.EA PRUTEX. The garden name
the spots becoming confluent towards the for Hibiscus syriacus.
top. A. Ligtu, so named because, according
to Feuillee, it is called Ligtu in Chili, is an- ALTHE'E. (Pr.) Althcea officinalis,
other very beautiful kind, in which the ALTHENIA. A genus of Naiadacece,
leaves are linear or linear-lanceolate, and containing a single species, a native of
the flowers, on corymbose two-flowered France. It is a slender tufted plant,
peduncles, are large, blush-coloured, with growing in salt lakes, and resembling
obovate emarginate sepaline divisions, the Zannicliellia—except that that genus has
two upper petaline divisions narrow spa- male and hermaphrodite flowers whereas, ;
thulate, yellow, striped with red below, and
in Alihenia, the flowers are dioecious; the
tipped with crimson. A. psittacinaha.s the male flowers being solitary, and below the
flowers a little hooded, rich crimson at the
female. [W. C]
base, and at the tips green, spotted with
purple. Another fine ornamental species ALTINGIACELE. (Liqitidambars, Balsa-
is A. Simsiana, which has orange-scarlet maccce, Balsamifluce.) A
solitary genus,
flowers. The greater number of the spe- Liquidambar, represents this natural order,
cies are natives either of Chili or of the of which three species only are known —
Andes of Peru, a few being distributed all trees of some magnitude —
producing a
in other parts of South America. The fragrant resin called storax, or resembling
A. pallida furnishes in Chili a kind of that substance. They are nearly related
arrowroot, which is prepared from its suc- to plane-trees and willows, from which
culent roots. [T. M.] they differ in having seed vessels with two
distinct cells, instead of one; and seeds
ALTERNATE. Placed on opposite sides with broad membranous wings. See Liqui-
of an axis on a different level, as in alter- dambar and Storax.
nate leaves. Placed between other bodies
of the same or different whorls, as in an ALUM ROOT. The root of Geranium
umbellifer, where the stamens are alter- mocHlatum; also applied to some species
nate with, that is between, the petals. of Heuchera.
ALTERNATIVE. A term applied to ALTJTNE. (Fr.) Artemisia Absinthium,
aestivation,when of the pieces of a flower, ALVEOLATE. Socketed, honey-combed
being in two rows, the inner is so covered when a flat surface is excavated into con-
by the outer that each exterior piece over- spicuous cavities, as in the receptacles of
laps half two of the interior row. many Composites.
ALTHAEA. The Marsh-Mallow is, as the ALVIER, ALVIES. (Fr.) Pinus Cembra.
name implies, one of the Malvacece, and is
distinguished by its flowers having an outer ALTSSUM. The generic name of several
calyx of from six to nine pieces, and an herbaceous annual plants with yellow
inner one, partly divided above into Ave flowers, belonging to the cruciferous
pieces. In other respects Althaea much re- tribe, and generally employed in deco-
sembles Malva. A. officinalis, the common rating rock-work, or the open border.
Marsh Mallow, grows in marshes near the A. saxatile, a native of Transylvania, &c,
sea in this country, and also in Central and popularly known as Gold-dust— in French,
Southern Europe. The rootstock is peren- Corbeille d'Or — has somewhat woody,
nial; the flowering stems are erect, diffuse stems, lanceolate, hoary leaves,
branched, three or four feet high, covered and numerous small flowers of a brilliant
with a soft velvety down, as also are the yellow colour, growing in dense clusters.
stalked, egg-shaped, cordate leaves, which These appear early in May, when flowers
axe slightly notched at the margin, the : are scarce, and are consequently much
lower ones five-lobed, the upper onesthree- prized. This species, like the rest of the
lobed. The flowers are of a pale rose colour, family, thrives best in dry, somewhat
on short stalks, which spring from the ;
j
vated, under the name of Madwort. [C. A. J.]
*7 &\)£ CreasurD of 23fltann. [amae
ALYSSUM, SWEET. Glyce (or Edniga) AMANITA. A sub-genus of Agaricus,
maritima. distinguished by its gills producing white
spores, and the whole plant being covered
ALYXLA A
germs of Apocynacece, con- at first by a distinct universal wrapper, or
taining sixteen species: natives of Austral- volva. It contains some of the most ex-
asia,Madagascar, and tropical Asia. They cellent and poisonous of Agarics— amongst
consist of evergreen trees or shrubs, with the former being the Oronge and A.
ternate, quaternate, or sometimes oppo- vaginatus; and among the latter the Fly
and shortly-petiolate leaves.
site, entire, Agaric and A. virosas. Some of the species
The flowers are fragrant (.some species have a distinct ring upon the stem while ;
smelling like jasmine), axillary or ter- others are wholly deficient in this orna-
minal and solitary, or in cymes. The ment. Tho Fly Agaric {A. muscarius),
calyx is five-partite the corolla ishypocra-
;
with its vermilion pileum studded with
teriform, its long tube is swollen above white or yellow warts, and its stately stem,
the middle ; the Ave included stamens, on is the ornament of beech woods in most
short filaments, and with lanceolate an- parts of the kingdom, and seldom fails to
thers, are inserted on the dilated portion excite admiration, especially when illumi-
of the tube; there are two ovaries, with a nated by a strong gleam of light. Several
single included style. While this genus species —
and especially those of Sikkim,
has all the habit and the structure of the where they abound —are amongst the
flowers of the true Apocynacece, it differs largest of the fleshy Fungi. [M. J. B.]
from the other genera of the order in
having baccate, or sub-drupaceous fruits, AMANSIA. A lovely genus of rose-
in the shape of its seed, in its ruminated spored Algce, mostly inhabiting the south-
albumen, and in its erect embryo in : ern hemisphere, with a pinnate frond and
these two last particulars it agrees with generally involute tips. The frond is
Anonacece. The dark green foliage and ribbed the membrane formed of oblong
;
fragrant flowers make the members of six-sided cells, of equal length, arranged in
this genus an ornament in the conserva- transverse lines the tetraspores are in
;
tory, where they flower freely in the marginal or superficial podshaped pro-
autumn. [W. C] cesses —generally in two rows; and the
pyriform spaces form a little fascicle at
AMADOU. A soft leathery substance, the base of the sub-globose capsules, which
derived from Polyporus fomentarius and are perforated at the tip. Some species
some other Polypori, and used for tinder, have almost exactly the habit of Junger-
moxa, and other economical or medical mannio?. [M. J. B.]
purposes. It is prepared by cutting off
carefully the cuticle and pores of the fun-
AMARACUS. (Fr.) Origanum Dictamnus.
gus, dividing it into convenient slices, AMARANTH, GLOBE. Gomphrena
beating them out, and steeping them in a globosa.
solution of saltpetre. Occasionally, it is
used to make coarse clothing, and then AMARANTHACEiE. (Amaranthi Poly- ;
the latter process is omitted. The best cnemece.) Under this name are included
Amadou is prepared in Germany, from about 500 species of weeds, or, occasion-
Polyporus fomentarius, but P. igniarius ally, showy annual plants (very seldom
and other species afford an inferior undershrubs),with inconspicuous apetalous
quality. The softer and more silky the flowers, in almost all cases of a scarious
substance of the fungus, the better the texture, and most commonly with a white
material. The fungus is generally collected colour — although now and then pink, or
from trunks of trees in the forests, where orange, or intensely crimson. They are
it is tolerably abundant but attempts have
;
very nearly the same as chenopods, a still
also been made at cultivating it by collect- more weedy order. They occupy dry,
ing timber in proper situations, and water- stony, barren stations, or thickets upon
ing it at proper intervals. The species the borders of woods, or even salt
occurs pretty generally in this country', marshes are much more frequent within
;
but is not sufficiently frequent to make its the tropics than beyond them and are ;
gieuse,having long pendulous compound inserted at the base of the segments the ;
erect flower spikes and purplish foliage capsule obovate. They are handsome
the A. speciosus, or larger Prince's Feather, bulbous plants, with an autumnal flower-
resembling the last, but differing by its scape appearing before the leaves, which
more vigorous growth, and the A. tricolor, are hiemal. The scape supports a many-
from China, are interesting species, more flowered umbel of large stalked flowers,
remarkable for the vivid colours of their the anthers of which are incumbent, at-
foliage than for their flowers, which are in- tached in the middle. The typical species
significant. The last-named is much more is A. Belladonna,M-hich is separated by some
tender than the other species and, in the
; as a distinct genus. This plant is a native
open air in this country, it is only in warm of the Cape of Good Hope, and is of vigor-
summers that its leaves assume the glow- ous habit, producing flower-scapes one and
ing tints to which the plant owes its a half foot high, and large, showy, funnel-
specific name. In the gardens of the shaped flowers of a pale delicate rose
Southern United States, these hues are so beautifully pencilled with red, in the
richly developed as to have procured for month of September, the flowers being
it the popular appellation of Joseph's succeeded by the leaves, which are ligu-
Coat. The plant known as Globe Amaranth late or strap-shaped. A. Josephine, and
belongs to another genus —
Gomphrena. A. grandiflora, sometimes placed in Bruns-
The name of this genus is often written vigia, are referred hither by Herbert.
Amarantus. '
root. Between 300 and 400 species are tea prepared in Japan from the leaves of
known. Eydrangea Tliunbergii.
49 Cf)£ €n?a£urg at 3Sotait|?. [ambr
AMATJROPELTA. A name given by and conical, and the villous fruit is
Kunze to a "West Indian Fern, supposed to crowned by a pappus of five broad, blunt,
have some affinity with the davallioid transparent, colourless scales. [W. T.]
group, sometimes called Saccoloma. It is
now referred to Lastrea. [T. MJ AMBORA. A genus of Monimiacece, con-
of trees from Madagascar and
sisting
AMBATCHA. Arum abyssinicum. Mauritius, with entire evergreen leaves,
and monoecious flowers,
AMBER TREE. A common name for cemes, though sometimesgenerally in ra-
solitary, rising
Anthospermum. from the trunk or lower parts of the
AMBERBOA. A genus of composites, branches. The male flowers are scattered
several of the plants composing which among the more numerous females.
have long been cultivated under the more The stamens are numerous, with short
familiar name of C'entaurea, from which filaments and bilocular anthers. There
genus the present one differs only in a few are many one-celled ovaries, each contain-
obscure and minute characters of the fruit ing a single ovule. The fruit consists of
and pappus. The two best-known species many one-seeded drupes, enclosed in the
are the A. odorata, or Yellow Sweet Sultan, enlarged calyx, which gives it a baccate
and the A. moschata or Purple Sultan. appearance. The bark and leaves exhale
Both are branching annuals, growing a an aromatic odour. [W.CJ
foot or more high, with oblong pinnatifld
foliage, and large terminal showy flower-
AM
BORN. (Fr.) Cytisus Laburnum.
heads. Those of the first are character- AMBOYNA WOOD. The beautifully
ised by having the outer florets much mottled wood of Pterospermum indicium.
longer than those of the centre, and the
fruit is crowned with a short pappus of AMBRETTE JATJNE. (Fr.) Amberboa
hairs. In the case of the latter species, odorata. —
MUSQUE'E. Hibiscus Abel-
A. moschata, the pappus is altogether moschus.
wanting, and the florets of the circumfer-
ence are scarcely longer than the central
AMBRINA. A genus of plants belong-
ing to the natural order Chenopodiacece.
ones. The odour of this species is hardly
It comprises annual or perennial plants,
suggestive of musk, as its name would im-
with alternate, nearly sessile, cleft or
ply, but is rather honey-like, differing but
sinuous leaves, covered, like the whole of
little from that of the Yellow Sultan, ex-
the plants, wijh resinous spots. The
cept in its greater intensity. [W. TJ flowers are clustered in heads, which are
AMBLYOCARPUM. The generic name placed in the axils of the leaves, or in
of a Persian weed of no beauty, belonging leafless or leafy terminal spikes. The
to the composite family, and closely re- genus is allied to Chenopodium, from which
lated to Carpesium, but differing in the itdiffers in its obovate fruit, not depressed
strap-shaped and female ray florets being in the centre, and by the seeds being
in a single row, as well as in the achenes placed vertically in the seed vessel, not
—which are five, angular, and without pap- horizontally. From the genus Blitum it
pus — being beakless. The plant is called differs in the calyx, becoming of a pen-
A. inuloides from its resemblance to our tagonal shape when it invests the fruit.
fleabane (Inula Pulicaria). Its lance- All the species have an aromatic odourj
shaped leaves are, however, longer and and possess tonic and stimulant pro-
smooth, not downy. The yellow flower perties. A. pinnatiflda is cultivated for
heads are single at the ends of the twigs, the sake of its elegant and aromatic foli-
and nearly half an men across. [A. A. BJ age. A. ambrosioides, or Mexican Tea, ori-
ginally a native of North America, but
AMBLYOLEPI8. A Texian genus of long naturalised in the south of Europe is
composites, of which a single species, A used medicinally in the
form of an infu-
setigera, is in cultivation, and possesses sion, having antispasmodic
some interest from the pleasing fragrance carminative properties. A.vermifuge and
anthrhahdica
of its flowers, which they retain for many is common in the
Southern States of
years when dried. This fragrance, which America, where it is employed
as a ver-
the seeds of the plant possess in a high mifuge.
[M. T. MJ
degree, is doubtless due to the presence
of coumarin, the chemical principle to AMBROISE. A name given in Jersey
which the well-known tonka bean, and to Teucrium Scorodonia.
the common vernal grass, Anthoxanthum AMBROISINE. (Fr.) Chenopodium am-
odoratum, also owe their agreeable scent. brosioides.
The species in question is a dwarf, erect,
branching annual, with entire, ovate, AMBROSIA. A genus of the composite
lance-shaped, stem-clasping leaves, two family (Compositce), chiefly annual coarse-
to three inches long, the branches being habited weeds, with opposite, or alternate
terminated by a single flower-head one lobed, or dissected leaves and the flower-
and a half inch in diameter, with a ray of heads in racemes or in bundles in the
broadly wedge-shaped florets, and a disk axils of the leaves. The sterile and fer-
of tubular ones, both being of a uniform tile flowers occupy different heads on the
orange-yellow colour. The involucre con- same plant. The sterile involucres, some-
i about ten ovate, lance-shaped, what top-shaped, composed of seven to
spreading bracts, the receptacle is naked twelve scales, united into a cup, and con-
J
A.MBR] Etje Creatfurj) of 2o0taity. 50
taining five to twenty staminate flowers. ! the Crees both in a fresh and dried state-
The fertile ones top-shaped, closed, pointed, |
They form a pleasant addition to pem-
and usually with four to eight horns or mican, and make puddings very little in-
tubercules near the top in one row, and ferior to plum-pudding.' [C. A. J.]
containing a single flower composed of
a pistil only. The species, of which there
AMELLINGUE. (Pr.) A kind of Olive.
are about twelve, are pretty widely dif- AMELLON. (Fr.) A kind of Olive.
fused, being found in India, tropical Africa, AMELLUS. A genus of the composite
South Europe, and in North and South family (Govipositai) containing twelve spe-
Ainerica,growing in fields and waste places. cies, all of them natives of South Africa.
,
A. artemisifolia is very plentiful on the They are herbs or shrubs, their lower
plains of the Saskatchawan and Red River ;
leaves opposite, the upper alternate, ob-
while A. tenuifolia is said to cover thou- long, entire or toothed, and hairy or ca-
sands of miles of the Pampas, south of nescent. Flower-stalks terminal, bearing a
Buenos Ayres, giving them a black ap- solitary head of flowers ; the florets of the
pearance like that of the Scotch moors. disc yellow, those of the ray blue. A.
A. trifida is called the Great Rag-weed in Lychnitis is cultivated in gardens. The
America, and A. artemisifolia the Roman flowers of it, and most of the species, are
Wormwood indeed, all the species bear a a good deal like those of the Michaelmas
;
great resemblance to the Wormwood (Ar- daisy (Aster), to which genus this is
temisia). A. maritima, found in Italy and allied, differing chiefly in the opposite
the Levant, is said to be tonic and resolu- lower leaves, and in having the bristles of
tive all its parts give out a sweet odour the pappus in a single series.
;
[A.A.B.]
and have an aromatic taste, a little bitter,
but agreeable. [A. A. B.] AMENTACE^E. Under this name were
once comprehended all apetalous unisexual
AMBROSINIA. A genus of Aroidece, con- plants, whose flowers grow in catkins, or
tains a few species, natives of Sicily and amenta. Modern botanists find it more
Sardinia. They are small land plants, with convenient to distribute them through
tuberous, stoloniferous rhizomes, entire several different orders, the chief of which
leaves, and a small spathe, inclosing a are Salicaceo?, Corylacew, Betulacece, Casu-
couple of scentless flowers, of which the arinacece, Altingiacece, Myricacece, which
uppermost has many monadelphous sta-
see. A forest of these amentaceous plants
mens perfectly destitute of a calyx, and as they grow in the island of Java, is shown
a single unilocular ovary.' They are re-
in Plate IX.
ferred by Endlicher to Aroidem, but Lindley
considers that the paucity of flowers in AMENTUM. A catkin. A deciduous
the spadix affords sufficient ground for spike of unisexual apetalous flowers, such
establishing another order, which he calls as appears in the spring on the hazel and
Pistiacece, and which includes Lemna, Pis- willow.
and some other allied genera. [W. C]
tia,
AMESIUM. A name once proposed to
the Savoy name of the be given to Asplenium septentrionale and
AMELANCHIER, some allied species. [T. M.]
medlar, is given to a family of small trees,
natives of Europe and North America, AMETHYSTEA. An insignificant Si-
allied both to Mespilus and Cotoneaster. In berian genus of labiates, belonging to the
British gardens they are cultivated for Ajuga or bugle division of the order, and
their flowers, which are white, abundant, distinguished by the very short upper lip
showy, and produced early in the season ; of its corolla, and the abortion of its upper
for their fruit, which ripens in June and ; pair of stamens. The only species, A.
for the deep red or rich yellow hue which cairulea,was formerly cultivated, but is
their foliage assumes in autumn. The com- now seldom met with, so many more de-
mon Amelanchier, A. vulgaris, has long serving plants being available. It is a
been cultivated in England, where it some- hardy annual, growing a foot or more
times attains the height of fifteen or high, with erect, square, branched steins ;
twenty feet. It bears abundance of flowers, opposite, three-parted leaves ; the seg-
and its fruit, though not highly palatable, ments oblong lance-shaped and short ;
is eatable. This is a native of Southern terminal leafy racemes of very small pale-
Europe, where it grows in rocky moun- blue flowers, the corollas of which are
tainous woods. Of the American species, scarcely longer than the calyx. As an or-
A. Botryapium, the Grape-Pear, bears spar- namental plant, it is entirely worthless,
ingly small fruit of a purplish colour and but it possesses the merit of being slightly
of an agreeable sweet taste, which ripens fragrant. [W. TJ
in June, before that of any other tree.
A. ovalis, considered by some to be mere-
AMHERSTIA. A genus of the pea
ly a variety of the preceding, abounds,
family (Leguminosw), named in honour of
according to Dr. Richardson, in the sandy the Countess Amherst. A. nobilis is the
plains of the Saskatchawan.
' Its wood is only species. It grows near Martaban, in
prized by the Crees for making arrows the Malayan peninsula, and attains a
and pipe-stems, and is thence termed by height of about forty feet. When in
flower, it is said to be one of the most
the Canadian voyageurs Bois de flSche. Its
'
berries about the size of a pea, are the superb objects imaginable, unrivalled in
finest fruit in the country, and are used by
India or in any other part of the world.'
;;
bright vermilion colour, diversified with size of the outer petals of the umbel. As
three yellow spots, and disposed in gigantic the name denotes (.from the Greek ammo.?,
ovate* pendulous hunches.' The tree is sand), they affect sandy ground, but wall
cultivated in some of the larger English thrive if sown in the common soil of the
gardens but, requiring so much space, is
; garden border. Common Bishop-weed, A.
seldom met with in collections. The Bur- majus, is a native of the south and middle
mese name of the plant is Thoca, and of Europe, Egypt, and the Levant, where
handfuls of the flowers are offered before it attains the height of three or four feet.
the images of Buddha. [A. A. B.] Tooth-pick Bishop-weed, A. Yisnaga, is so
called on account of the use made in Spain
AMLASTEIUM. The name of a genus of the rays or stalks of the main umbel.
of Isorth American plants, belonging to These, after flowering, shrink, and become
the same family —
Melanthacece —
as the so hard that they form convenient tooth-
Colchicum and Yeratrum. The species have picks. "When they have fulfilled this pur-
a widely-spreading petal-like perianth, pose, they are chewed, and are supposed to
without glands six stamens attached be-
;
be of service in cleaning and fastening the
neath the ovary, with their anthers burst- gums: however this may be, the leaves
ing outwardly; a capsule of three cells, have a pleasant aromatic flavour in the
which separate one from the other when -
mouth. [C. A. J.]
ripe. One species, A. musccetoxicum, con-
tains a narcotic poison which is injurious AMMOBIUM. The A. alatum, the only
known
J
microscopical observer. There are but two leaves are lance-shaped, with a long nar-
species known, one of them found in the j
row foot-stalk, those of the stem and
vicinity of Loxa, and the other in the Cor- j
branches very small, and prolonged down-
dilleras of Mexico, at an elevation of 5,000 !
wards in a narrow, wing-like form. The
to 8,000 feet. They are both straggling flower heads, which are of the dry everlast-
shrubs, having alternate pinnate leaves, ing character so common to plants of the
with few leaflets. Their flower stalks are i Australian continent, are nearly an inch
axillary or terminal, having at their base I
across, with a disk of tubular florets a re- ;
roundish in form. The pods are com- I have membranous margins, and a four-
pressed, and jointed. All the parts of the j
angled, elongated fruit, furnished at the
plant are covered with pellucid, glandular apex with four teeth, the two larger of
dots, somewhat like those of St. John's
which are terminated by a bristle. The
wort. A. zygomeris, the Mexican species, is
plant remains some time in flower, and is
sometimes to be found in gardens, and is not without a certain degree of interest;
well worth cultivation, especially as it
though, as an ornamental plant, it is almost
flowers late in autumn, or during the
superseded by the more recent species of
II click ry sum, RJwdanthe, and Acroclinhnn,
early part of winter. It is generally treated
as a greenhouse plant but, in the South
;
from the same continent. [W. T.]
of England, if planted out of doors in the
spring, it generally flowers well in the AMMOCHARIS. A genus of Amarylli-
autumn. The flowers are large, and of a dacece, in which the tube of the six-parted
pale yellow colour— about the size of an perianth enlarged, the sepa-
is cylindrical,
line divisions not imbricating thereon
everlasting pea. [A. A. B.]
the filaments of the stamens are adjusted
AMIDOXXIER. <Tr.) Triticum dlcoccum. almost equally at the base of the limb
sometimes called T. the anthers are short, affixed in the mid-
AMMAXXIA. A genus of inconspicuous dle and the capsule is turbinate, threes
;
herbs, of the order Lythracece, growing in celled. The leaves are vernal, and not
wet places in the warmer regions of the sheathing. The genus is intermediate be-
globe ; mostly glabrous annuals, with tween Crinum and Buphane, differing from
square stems, opposite entire leaves, and the first in its anthers, its filaments inserted
small axillary, nearly sessile flowers, just within instead of without the tube,
its shorter limb and wider-mouthed tube,
often without petals. Several specieshave
and its leaves not sheathing; and from the
been introduced, but are more curious
than beautiful. A. vesicatcrria has acrid last, by the wider mouth of the tube of
leaves, which, when bruised, are used by the perianth, the insertion of the filaments
the native practitioners of India to raise within the tube, and the more numerous
blisters. [J. T. S.]
ovules. The two species, sometimes re-
ferred to Brunsvigia, are South African.
AMMI. A small genus of umbelliferous A. falcata has ligulate glaucous leaves, and
ammo] Ct)E CreaSurg at 2Satang. 52
filament is prolonged beyond the two- ligneous tuber. The leaves are alternate,
celled anther, so as to form a more or on long petioles, and digitato-partite. The
less
lobed crest the capsule is three-celled, large flowers are in terminal racemes, and
;
and opens, when ripe, by three pieces, so consist of five oblong persistent sepals,
as to liberate the numerous small seeds. and five caducous obovate petals. The
These plants are natives of India, the stamens are indefinite and arranged in
islands of the Indian Archipelago, etc. two bundles, the one having very much
Their seeds are aromatic and stimulant, longer and stouter filaments than the
other. The ovary is ovate and trilocular,
and form, with other seeds of similar
plants,what are known as Cardamoms, with many ovules attached to a central
of
which there are many kinds. placenta. M. Planchon has joined this
Attare, Malaguetta Pepper.or Grains of
genus with Cochlospermum to form a small
Paradise, are the seeds of one, perhaps
order Cochlospermece, which he places near
two, species of this genus, A. Grana Para-
Malvacea and Zygophyllacece but his rea-
;
and hence its name Amorpha, 'deformed.' which have five large elliptical leaflets,
All The plants of the genus are deciduous turn red before they fall in autumn, when
shrubs, natives of North America. The the plant presents a very beautiful ap-
leaves are pinnate with a terminal leaflet, pearance. The flowers are small and yel-
covered with pellucid dots; and the flowers, lowish-green, in a many-flowered panicle.
of a blue-violet colour, are disposed in long The tendrils are curious, adhering to sup-
spiked clusters, grouped at the tops of the porting bodies by small sucker-like expan-
branches. All the species are ornamental. sions which are formed at the apex of each
The foliage is graceful and the flowers, of their divisions.
; [J. T. S.J
though individually small, are attractive
from their numbers and colour, which is AMPELOPTERIS. A name proposed by
violet spangled with the golden anthers. now referred
Kunze for a few Indian ferns
As they only attain the height of a few to Goniopteris. [T. MJ
feet, they are well adapted for small shrub- AMPHEREPHIS. A Brazilian genus of
beries, or the front of large ones, and composites, of which A. intermedia is oc-
thrive well in common garden soil. A. casionally found in cultivation. It is a
fruticosa, thecommonest species in Euro- branched spreading annual, growing a foot
pean gardens, was introduced to Britain or more high, with ovate, serrated foliage,
in 1724 by Mark Catesby, who states and terminal flower heads, an inch across,
that the inhabitants of Carolina at one composed wholly of tubular florets of a
time made a coarse sort of indigo from purple colour, and surrounded by a double
the young shoots. Hence it is sometimes series of leafy bracts or scales. It pos-
called Bastard Indigo. [C. A. J.] sesses few, if any, claims to general notice.
AMORPHOPHALLTTS. Aname given to [W. T.]
a genus of plants of the araceous family, AMPHIBLESTRA. A genus of polypo-
and used to indicate the exceedingly curi- diaceous ferns belonging to Pteridece, and
ous appearance of the plants, which are pe- distinguished in this group by having the
rennial, with tuberous rootstocks flattened veins of the fronds compoundly reticu-
on the upper surface. The leaves and spa- lated, with free included veinlets, or little
dices are solitary, invested below with im- veins within the meshes or areoles. It is
bricated scales. The spathe is spreading a coarse-looking fern of South America,
so as to fully expose the thick fleshy spadix, with much the aspect of Aspidium trifo-
which is diluted and fungus-like at the Uatum, but having the pteroid linear mar-
upper extremity. The male flowers are ginal indusiate fructification. [T. MJ
placed above the females their anthers
;
are sessile and open by pores the ovary ; AMPHIBOLIS. A genus of Zosteracece,
has either two, three, or four cells, with formed to include a plant found in the
erect ovules. These plants were formerly Pacific Ocean and on the -coast of New
included in the genus Arum, from which Holland and considered by Endlicherand
;
they are distinguished by their spreading Kunth to belong to Cymodocea. The only
not convolute spathes by their anthers species, A. zosterifolia, has branched annu-
;
opening by pores, not by longitudinal slits lated stems, and approximate alternate,
by the numerous cells to*he ovary and by linear, truncate, and bidentate leaves,
:
the solitary erect ovule, those of Arum with short truncated stipules. [J. T. S.]
being horizontal. They are natives of India
and other parts of tropical Asia, where AMPHICOME. A genus of the bignonia
they are cultivated for the sake of the family (Bignoniacec). Two species are
abundance of starch which is found in known, and both of them natives of the
the rootstock. The presence of this starch, temperate regions of North "Western India.
and especially the mode of preparation, They are perennial herbs, with alternate, un-
deprives the roots of their otherwise acrid equally pinnate leaves, and toothed leaflets.
caustic properties. Dr. "Wight says of A. The flowers are pink, tubular, and ar-
campanulatum, that when in flower the ranged in axillary or terminal racemes.
fetor it exhales is most overpowering, and The fruits are about the length and thick-
so perfectly resembles that of carrion, as ness of a crowquill, and their seeds are
to 'induce flies to cover the club of the provided with a tuft of hairs at each end,
spadix with their eggs.' [M. T. M.] this circumstance giving rise to the name
of the genus— amphi, on both sides, and
AMORPHOUS. Having no definite koma, a head of hairs. They are both in
form. cultivation. A. Emodi is a remarkably
AMOURETTE. (Fr.) Briza media ; also handsome plant, and well deserves a place
Saxifraga unibrosa. in choice collections it is about one foot
;
dium.
cies is A. capensis, found both at the Cape
and in Java, a tree-fern growing twelve to AMSINCKIA. A genus of the borage
fourteen feet high, and of which, accord- family, numbering seven species, found in
ing to Dr. Harvey, there is a noble forest Oregon, California, Mexico, and Chili.
in the woods on the east side of Table They are annual erect herbs, of little
Mountain. The fronds of this are three beauty all their parts more or less
;
times pinnate, and unarmed. [T. M.] clothed with rusty hairs. The stems, six
inches to one and a half feet high, are
AMPHIDESMIUM. A genus of cyathe- furnished with alternate and entire linear,
aceous ferns, closely related to AlsnphUa. lance-shaped, or ovate leaves, one to five
They are distinguished — having oblique- inches long, and terminate in one or more
ringed spore-cases and naked sori with one-sided racemes of yellow funnel-shaped
elevated receptacles— by producing two or flowers, with a flat border of five rounded
three sori in different positions on the lobes. In the largest flowered species (A.
same vein, the veins in Alsophila bear-
j
not especially at the apex, like ferns and the corolla has the same number of long
mosses, to which he has applied the name linear lobes its narrow funnel-shaped tube
;
front sepals. There are two stamens, one mation, such as occurs in the peach and
on either side of the petal. The ovary is plum themselves.
three-celled, with few ovules. [W. C] AMYGDALUS. The name applied to
AMPHISARCA. A many-seeded many- the genus to which the Almond, the Peach,
celled superior indehi scent fruit, woody and the Nectarine belong. It is placed
on the outside, pulpy within. by botanists in the drupaceous subdivision
of the rose family, and is especially known
AMPHISTEMON, a genus of Dioscore- by the stone of the fruit, which encloses
acece, formed by Grisebach by the sub- the kernel or seed, being coarsely fur-
division of Dioscorea into many new rowed or wrinkled, and by the leaves being
genera. The section to which this name folded in halves, not rolled round when
has been given, is separated from the young.
others by having six short fertile stamens, The Almond-tree (A. communis) appears
which are inserted on the apex of the to have been originally a native of Barbary
calyx tube. It contains eleven species and Morocco but by long cultivation it
;
of tropical, chiefly Brazilian, herbaceous has become distributed over almost the
plants. [W. C] whole of the warmer temperate zones of
;
two principal are the Sweet and the Bitter enumerated among the best fruits of
Almond. The Bitter Almond has larger Canaan which were sent into Egypt as a
flowers than the sweet variety, and they present for Joseph, upwards of 3,500 years
are of a white colour. The styles are not ago. The fruit of the Almond is of an ovate,
longer than the stamens, and the seeds are somewhat curved, tapering form. It con-
bitter. The seeds of the Sweet Almond are sists of a husk, which dries up and splits
much esteemed at the dessert table, in at maturity, exposing the stone, within
spite of their indigestibility. The bitter which is the kernel, the only edible portion.
almonds, though occasionally used for There is a variety with bitter kernels, from
flavouring purposes, should be employed which, like the sweet, oil can be extracted,
in small quantities, as they contain a poi- but which are otherwise unfit for use,
sonous principle which is similar in its as they contain prussic acid in notable
effects to prussic acid. The essential oil of quantity. There are several varieties of
almonds, which is much used as a flavour- the sweet-kernelled some with hard, and
;
ing ingredient by cooks and confectioners, others with comparatively tender, shells
is a most virulent poison : it contains or stones. The most esteemed is the large
prussic acid, and should therefore be em- thin-shelled, or Jordan Almond.
ployed with great care and in a diluted The Peach (A. persica) differs essentially
form, as in what is called in shops Essence from the Almond in the nature of the cover-
of Almonds. It is curious that this oil does ing of the stone, which, instead of a dry
not exist naturally in the almond, but is husk, is fleshy, succulent, and delicious,
formed by the chemical agency of water on when the fruit is ripened under favourable
some of its constituents. circumstances. The species comprises the
A. persica is the botanical name given Peach and Nectarine, the skin of the former
to the Peach, which is sometimes included being downy, and that of the latter quite
in a separate genus (Persica), but it only smooth. They were supposed to be natives
differs from the almond in having a fleshy, of Persia, and, on their introduction into
not leathery, drupe. Instances have been the South of Europe, were called the
cited of almonds having fleshy drupes, and Mains persica, or Persian apple. Professor
thus assuming the character of the Peach. De Candolle is, however, of opinion that
Three principal varieties of the Peach China is the native country of the Peach.
exist— clingstones, melters or freestones, His reasons are, that if it had originally
and nectarines. The latter only differ existed in Persia or Armenia, the know-
from the peach in having smooth, not ledge and culture of so delicious a fruit
downy fruits but both peaches and nec-
; would have spread sooner into Asia Minor
tarines are occasionally met with on the and Greece. The expedition of Alexander
same bough. The leaves of the Peach and is probably what made it known to Theo-
Nectarine contain a small quantity of phrastus, b.c. 322, who speaks of it as a
prussic acid, and have the taste and odour Persian fruit. It has no name in Sanscrit
of bitter almonds. The fruits, taken in nevertheless, the people speaking that
moderation, are as wholesome as they are language came into India from the north-
delicious but the kernels and blossoms
; west, the country generally assigned to
contain prussic acid. The Peach is very the species. Admitting this to be its coun-
extensively cultivated in America, but try, how can it be explained that neither
little attention is paid to the culture the : the early Greeks, nor the Hebrews, nor the
fruits are used in the manufacture of peach people who speak Sanscrit,— and who have
brandy, and for feeding hogs [M. T. M.]
! all sprung from the upper region of the
The common Almond-tree grows to the Euphrates, or from parts communicating
height of about twenty feet. The leaves with it,— had grown the Peach-tree ? On
closely resemble those of the Peach (A. the contrary, it is very possible that the
persica), but the flowers are larger than stones of a fruit tree cultivated from all
those of that species. Its fruits, which antiquity in China, may have been car-
are the Almonds of commerce, are well ried across the mountains from the centre
known. They seldom attain maturity in of Asia into Cashmere, or Bokhara and
this country, in which, however, the tree is Persia for the Chinese had discovered this
;
frequently to be seen, on account of its road at a very remote period. This im-
showy blossoms, which appear in great portation must have been made between
abundance very early in spring, when the the time of the Sanscrit emigration and
season is not unusually cold they often
; the intercourse of the Persians with the
appear in February, and, in the mild Greeks. The cultivation of the Peach-tree,
winter of 1834, a standard almond-tree in once established at this point, would easily
amyl] €i)£ ftreatfurg at Matzny. 56
extend on one side towards the west, and sizeand round form, with succulent melt-
on the other, by Cabul, towards the North ing flesh, of tolerably good quality, better,
of India. In support of the supposition of indeed, than some seedlings of the Peach
a Chinese origin, it may be added that the itself.
Peach-tree was introduced from China into The varieties of Peaches and Nectarines
Cochin-China, and that the Japanese call it are very numerous, and would be difficult
by the Chinese name, Too. In the Japanese to distinguish, were it not for a classifica-
encyclopedia it is stated to be a tree tion formed from certain, characters af-
from western countries, which applies to forded by the fruit, leaves, and flowers.
China with regard to Japan, or rather to In some varieties the fruit has firm flesh,
the interior of 'China relatively to its adhering to the stone such are termed
;
monly-received opinion that the Peach ties have of late y^ars been introduced
originated in Persia for the full investi-
: from Syria. The following are some of the
gation of the subject, we must refer the best varieties of Peaches Noblesse, Royal
:
reader to his Geographie Botanique, accord- George, Acton Scot, Grosse Mignonne,
ing to which excellent authority the con- Bellegarde, Late Admirable, andWalburton
clusion is that China is the native country Admirable. Of Nectarines, the yiolette
of this esteemed fruit. That it is there Hative, Pitmaston Orange, Downton, El-
cultivated extensively, and to great per- ruge, Imperatrice, and Balgowan are
fection, is certain. The Flat Peach of amongst the most esteemed sorts. [R.T.]
China was introduced into this country
more than thirty years ago. It is figured AMYLACEOUS GRANULES. Grains of
in the Transactions of the Horticultural starch.
Society (iv. 512, t. 19) and, more recently,
;
AMYLIDE2E. Cells in algals, secreting
a very large variety was brought from starch.
Shangbae by Mr. Fortune, which has the
usual form exhibited by those cultivated AMYLUM. Starch that ;organised
in Europe. granular matter erf plants which iodine
In the South of France, and in other stains violet or blue.
Continental countries possessing a similar
climate, Peach-trees ripen their fruit very-
AMYLOID. A
substance analogous to
starch, but becoming yellow in water
well as standards in the open air; but at
after having been coloured blue by iodine.
Paris they require a wall and, with this
;
tained in Orchis. The Anacamptis (or flowers are borne in panicles. The stem
Orchis) pyra.mid.alis is not uncommon in
furnishes a milky juice, which, as it dries,
central and southern Europe, extending
becomes black and hard, and is used as a
eastward to the Caucasus. varnish. A gum is also secreted by this
ANACARDIACE^E (Terebintacece, Cas- plant, having qualities like those of gum
;
gum, and is used in S. America by book- hence it has in many instances destroyed
hinders, who wash their books with it, to the beauty of ornamental pieces of water,
keep away moths and ants. The thickened impaired navigation in not a few inland
receptacle has an agreeable acid flavour, canals, and interferes with the working
with some degree of astringency the fruit
; of water-mills, by choking the outlets of
at its extremity is kidney-shaped, of an reservoirs, especially towards the close of
ash colour the shell of the fruit consists
; summer, when its debris are often brought
of three layers, the outer and inner of down by the current in large quantities.
which are hard and dry, but the interme- Great efforts have been made to eradicate
diate layer contains a quantity of black, it in various places, but with imperfect
extremely acrid, caustic oil, which gives success. It is greedily eaten by swans and
rise to severe excoriation of the lips and some other water-birds but even this ser-
;
tongue in those who attempt to crack the vice is not without its disadvantages,
nut with their teeth. This oil is sometimes since portions of the stem, torn off but
applied to the floors of houses in India, to not consumed by these seeming allies, are
protect them from the attacks of white carried away by the current, and trans-
ants. The acrid matter is destroyed by planted elsewhere. In some places it is said
heat, hence the kernels are roasted before to have almost disappeared, from having
being eaten, and then become wholesome exhausted of its specific nutriment the
and agreeable. The process of roasting soil in which it was rooted but whether
;
has to be carefully conducted, the acridity the ground will not, after a certain lapse
of the fnmes being so great as to pro- of time, recover its productiveness, and
duce severe inflammation in the face of bear afresh crop of Anachar is Alsinastrum,
persons approaching too near. [M. T. M.] remains to be seen. [C. A. J.]
consequently we have none upon our own but not in form. Corresponding with a
coast. Some'species of Cladophora, of which thing in many points, but differing in
we possess so many, give a good idea of more, or in points of more importance.
the nature of the filaments. [M. J. B.] Thus, the flowers of Potentilla and Ranun-
culus are analogous.
ANSCTOCHILTJS. A genus of terres- ANAMIRTA. A genus of plants in-
trial orchids,nearly allied to Goodyera and
habiting Malabar, Ceylon, and the Eastern
JEtheria, with creeping slender-jointed
Isles of India, and belonging to the Menis-
rhizomes, one or two radical leaves, and
permacece. The flowers are unisexual and
spikes of white or yellow flowers. Some
of the species have the leaves traversed
dioecious —
that is, the male blossoms are
on different plants from the female
by beautiful silver or golden veins, on a borne
blossoms. The sepals are six in number
rich green or purplish ground hence they
petals; the stamens are
;
ception of Centunculus, an obscure weed, shell, divided into two pieces this en-
;
no other genus of the order presents this closes the whitish seed, which is very oily,
feature. Every- one is familiar with the of a crescent-like shape, and much smaller
common red Pimpernel (A. arvensis). The than the fruit, so that it never entirely fills
A. indica, with blue flowers, scarcely differs up the cavity.
from it, except in colour and the larger Cocculus indicus is imported from the
size of its blossoms. Of much greater East Indies, and is used for adulterating
interest are the Italian Pimpernel (A. porter, though, very properly, a heavy
Monelli), with still larger flowers and of penalty is inflicted upon brewers detected
stronger habit, and the A.fruticosa, a Bar- in so doing, and upon druggists who sup-
bary species, with handsome light red ply brewers, as it contains an acrid irritant
tinted corollas, which, unlike those of the poison, called picrotoxin. It is used to
other species, remain expanded even in poison fish, and to increase the intoxicat-
the absence of sunshine. It is probable ing properties of porter, being employed in
that most of the varieties now cultivated the shape of a black extract. Its effects
in gardens, among which may be men- are to produce giddiness, convulsions, and
tioned A. PhiWpsii, with deep blue, and insensibility. It has been occasionally
A. Parksii, with red flowers, are either used externally to destroy vermin, and in
hybrids or mere seminal variations of some skin diseases. [M. T. M.]
these two species. [W. T.]
ANANASSA. A genus of tropical Bro-
ANAGYRIS. A genus of the pea- meliacece, having rigid foliage, with sharp
flower tribe, of the leguminous family. spines along the edge, distinguished among
One species only is known, a large the inferior-fruited genera of the order,
bush, with trifoliolate leaves, entire ellip- chiefly by its berries being consolidated
tical leaflets, and axillary racemes of with the bracts into a compound or syncar-
yellow flowers, much like those of the pous fruit, which is edible.
laburnum. The pod is narrow, com- The Pine Apple, A. sativa, is generally
pressed, and curved backwards; and from believed to have derived its name from
this circumstance the genus is named — I the great resemblance which the fruit
ANAN Ef)£ Crca£urj? of aSataug. 60
bears in its form to the cone of some spe- After a great many trials he at last hit
cies of the pine or fir tribe. It is universally upon a plan by which he obtained a suffi-
acknowledged to be one of the most deli- cient degree of heat to produce fruit
cious fruits in existence. Three hundred equally good, though not so large, as that
years ago it was described by Jean de Lery, produced in the West Indies. According
a Huguenot priest, as being of such excel- to the best authorities, the first plants
lence that the gods might luxuriate upon introduced into England were brought
it, and that it should only be gathered by from Holland by the Earl of Portland in
the hand of a Venus. It is stated to be a 1690. Twenty years afterwards we find
native of Brazil, and having been carried Pines successfully cultivated by Sir Ma-
from thence to the West, and afterwards thew Decker, in his garden at Richmond ;
to the 'East Indies, cannot be regarded and to this gentleman the honour has
as indigenous to the tropical parts of Asia, usually been ascribed of having first
Africa, and South America. It first became fruited the Pine Apple in Britain, about
known to Europeans in Peru, where it is the year 1712. From that time to the
called Nanus, and under this name it was present every possible means that art and
described in 1555 by Andre Thevet, a monk, ingenuity could devise for the culture of
who says it was often preserved in sugar. this fine fruit have been adopted, and in
The plant is biennial, not unlike an Aloe, no other instance, perhaps, has the care
but the leaves are much thinner, and of a and skill of the gardener been attended
hard fibrous texture, with numerous short with more signal success, Pine Apples
sharp spines on the edges. The fruit is having been produced in this country far
produced on a short stem which rises from surpassing in size and flavour the very
the centre of the plant, and bears a scaly best of those matured in a tropical climate.
conical spike, surmounted by a number of The difficulties which formerly attended
small spiny leaves called the crown. This the cultivation of the Pine Apple have dis-
conical body, after flowering, gradually appeared since the mode of heating hot-
enlarges and eventually becomes the rich houses with hot water was introduced, and
and succulent Pine Apple we so highly handsome fruit weighing from six to twelve
prize. Besides being the first of dessert pounds, are by no means uncommon ; but
fruits, it is made into marmalades and va- the heaviest on record, we believe, was
rious confectioneries, and is used to flavour grown in 1826 by Dixon, gardener to John
rum. The earliest account of Pine Apples Edwards, Esq., Rheola, Neath, Glamor-
bein.ff seen in England, is that of a present ganshire, and weighed fourteen pounds
of some having been received by the twelve ounces! The most remarkable
Protector Cromwell. We next find them experiment, however, that has been made
noticed by the celebrated Evelyn, from in pine growing was one by Barnes,
whose Diary we subjoin the following gardener to Lady Rolle, at Bicton, in
extract :— August 9, 1661. I first saw the
' Devonshire, who, in September 1845, cut
famous Queen Pine brought from Barba- some excellent fruit of four and five pounds
dos and presented to His Majesty' (Charles weight from plants that had been exposed
II.); again under date of July 19, 1688, in the open air during the whole of the sum-
he observes, I was at a banquet which the
' mer. Pine Apples are no longer a novelty,
King gave to the French Ambassador. large quantities being annually imported
Standing by His Majesty at dinner in the and sold at a cheap rate in the principal
presence, there was of that rare fruit towns throughout the kingdom. Like
called the King Pine, growing in Barba- most of our cultivated fruits, they vary in
dos, in the West Indies. The fruit of quality and appearance no less than fifty-
;
them I had never seen. His Majesty two sorts being described in the Trans-
cutting it up was pleased to give me a actions of the Horticultural Society (2 ser.
piece from his own plate to taste of but
; i. 1). The greater number have been intro-
in my opinion it falls far short of those ra- duced from abroad but several have ori-
;
vishing varieties of deliciousness ascribed ginated from seed in England. That which
to it.' It has been conjectured that from is now so commonly imported from the
the crowns of these Pines, Mr. Rose, the Bahamas is a sort called the Providence,
royal gardener, succeeded in raising plants, one of the least valuable of the race.
and that one of the latter might have pro- [W.B.B.]
duced the fruit he is represented, in a well- ANANDR^E. A name sometimes given
known picture, as presenting on his knee to Cryptogams on the supposition that
to King Charles II. as the first Pine Apple
thev have no male organs. See Asexual
grown in England. It is just possible that Plants. [M. J. B.]
such might have been the case, but, unless
in the picture above alluded to (of which ANANDRIA. A genus of the composite
a copy is in the possession of the Horticul- family, and of the tribe Mutisiacece, in
tural Society), we have no evidence to show which the florets are two-lipped. A. Belli-
that the Pine Apple was then cultivated in diastrum is a stemless herb of Siberia and
the royal gardens, or at any other place in Japan, having rosettes of stalked lyrate
this country, until many years afterwards. toothed leaves, covered with white down
For its introduction into Europe we are underneath, and arising from their midst a
indebted to M. Le Cour, a Dutch merchant, flower scape bearing a single head about
who about the middle of the seventeenth half an inch across, containing numerous
century made an attempt to cultivate it in white or purple florets. When the plant is
his ga'rden at Driehock, near Leyden. in flower the leaves are seldom more than
;
species of its genus. [A. A. B.] growing in the arid wastes of the extra-
European Mediterranean region, from
ANAPATTSIA. A genus of polypodia- Syria to Algeria. The stem is short,
ceous ferns belonging to the Acrostichece, branched in a corymbose manner at the
among which they are distinguished by top the leaves obovate, with stellate
;
having a portion of their fronds wholly hairs, the lower ones entire, the upper
fertile, and the veins of their fronds com- remotely toothed the flowers are small
;
poundly reticulated, with free divaricate and white, forming spikes along the
veinlets in the areoles. The species are branches ;the fruit is a short pouch,
mostly found in the West Indies and with two ear-like projections at the top,
South America, and form coarse-growing and divided by a transverse partition
herbaceous plants with compound fronds, within into two cells, in each of which
a portion of which are entirely sterile, and there is a seed. This plant is interesting
the remainder somewhat contracted and on account of its hygroscopic properties :
covered with the fructification. A. vesper- when the plant is in flower, the branches
tilio, a Javanese species, has coriaceous lu- spread rigidly, but when the seed ripens,
nately bilobed sterile fronds, and linear- the leaves wither and drop, and the
lanceolate fertile ones. [T. M.] whole plant becomes dry, each branch
curls inwards, until the plant presents
ANARRHINUM. Agenus of biennial, the appearance of a little ball of wicker-
or perennial herbaceous plants, natives of work at the top of the unbranched part of
Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and the stem. In this state it is soon loosened
Syria, belonging to Scrophulariacece, and from the soil, and carried about by the
containing seven species. The radical I wind, and often blown into the sea when
:
very different affection, and entirely inde- panicle; ten stamens in one row, five
pendent of the attacks of insects. [M. J; B.] shorter than the others, all slightly ad-
herent one to the other at their base the ;
name of this genus of violetworts, Vio- ovule at its base, and ripens into a sort of
lacece. The species are shrubs, with un- nut, crowned by the persistent calyx. The
divided leaves, and small white flowers in genus is by Planchon referred to a new
axillary tufts. The calyx consists of five
|
most one large, and prolonged into a spur ; vegetation of Nepenthes, the leaves of
filaments very short anthers fixed toge-
;
Lopltira, the stamens and stigmata of
ther, membranous at the top, two of them certain malpighiaceous plants, the adhe-
prolonged by means of their connectives rent calyx of Dipterocarpus, the adherent
into the spur of the petals. Fruit large, ovary of Symplocos, the hook-like branches
capsular, membranous, and bladder-like. of Hugonia, and a peculiar fleshy fungus-
Of A. salutaris, a creeping bush, with a like embryo, with a cylindrical rather long
nauseous taste, and a smell of cabbage, radicle, and a disc-shaped cotyledonary
the root is used as a purgative by the Bra- mass.' [M. T. MJ
zilians, and as a remedy in skin diseases.
A. pyrifolia is an ornamental stove-creeper, ANCOLIE. (Pr.) Aquilegia.
with white flowers. [M. T. MJ ANDER. In names formed from the
Greek=the male sex or stamen. Monan-
ANCHUSA. A genus of Boraginacece, c?er=having one stamen.
consisting of rough or hispid plants, most
of which are natives of Southern Europe ANDERSONIA. A genus of squarrose-
and the Eag;,resembling Lithospermum and leaved shrubs, belonging to the natural
Alkanna, but with the nuts which form order Epacridacece, containing several
the fruit hollowed out at the base, and the species, remarkable for the great beauty of
corolla, which is from funnel-shaped to their flowers and the singular structure of
salver-shaped, closed by five scales at the their leaves. They are natives of New
throat flowers purple, blue or yellowish,
; Holland. The flowers are terminal, and
in scorpioid racemes, which are generally solitary or in spikes. The calyx is co-
bracteated, and in pairs. Three species loured, five-partite, with two or more
The corolla is subcampanulate,
J
stamens, slightly united below by their opposite to and inserted in the petals
filaments, and surrounding an abortive
there are two styles. The fruit from the
ovary. The fertile flowers have a like abortion of one of the carpels, is simple,
calyx and corolla, rather larger glands, spherical, and subdrupaceous, with a crust-
and an ovary surmounted by a three- aceous covering. [W. C]
branched style, each of the branches
forked. The fruits are trilobed capsules, ANDROGYNOUS. A term applied to
of the size of peas, with three cells, and such kinds of inflorescence as consist of
two seeds in each cell. [A. A. B.] both male and female flowers.
AXDRE.EA. A
genus of mosses named ANDROMEDA. A genus of Ericacece,
after Andrea, a Hanoverian Doctor. It consisting of shrubs and trees having
is remarkable for having a capsule which
various habits, and a wide geographical
splits into four or sometimes six valves,
range; but found chiefly in boreal districts,
which, however, do not expand as in or at considerable heights on mountains
Junnermaitnice, but adhere at the apex
in North America, Europe, and Asia. The
to which the columella is attached. The
genus has a calyx of five nearly or partly
capsule is always sessile, even to matu- distinct sepals, valvate in the early bud,
rity, but is at length supported by the
but very soon separate or open. The
elongated base or pseudopodium. In con- corolla is ovate or campanulate, five-
sequence of this arrangement, the calyptra toothed, and deciduous. The stamens are
does not burst so soon as in most other ten in number, with the anthers fixed near
mosses, as it is ruptured by the swelling of
the middle; the cells generally opening
the capsule and not by the elongation of
by a terminal pore. The ovary is five-
the peduncle. The species are Alpine or
celled, with many ovules in each cell. The
sub-Alpine,occurring on quartzose or grani-
style is simple. The fruit is a dry cap-
tic,never on calcareous rocks, and are found
sule, superior, globular, five-celled and
in cold or temperate regions of either hemi-
five-valved, and loculicidal, the dissepi-
spnere,or at considerable heights in wanner
ments being from the middle of the valves.
countries, asin the Himalayas. Four species
in which the leaves have a central nerve,
The genus is by some modern botanists
limited to the single British species, A.
occur in this country, while in the others jiniifolia but it is usually extended to
;
the leaves are nerveless. [M. J. BJ include a very large number of species.
AXDRE.EACE^E. A natural order, or, ac- So extended, it is divided into the follow-
cording to some, a distinct tribe of mosses. ing sub-genera:— 1. Andromeda proper, bo-
They do not, however, differ essentially, real herb-like plants, with calyx five-cleft,
being distinguished mainly by the longi- corolla sub-globose, filaments bearded,
tudinal splitting of the valves at maturity. anthers having a slender ascending awn,
It consists of but two genera, Andrecea just and seed smooth. 2. Cassiope, Arctic and
described, and Acroschisma, an Antarctic Alpine under-shrubs, with calyx five-part-
genus, distinguished by the cylindrical ed, without bracts, corolla campanulate,
capsule splitting into four or eight valves anthers fixed by the apex, and having a long
;
recurved awn, stigma truncate, and seeds under the genus of Andropogon,
this species
smooth and wingless. 3. Cassandra, boreal nor give any synonym of it. [D. M.]
shrubs, with calyx five-parted, and having
two bracts, corolla tubular, anthers with- ANDROSACE. Mountain plants, with
out awns, and seeds flattened and wingless. flowers much resembling the primrose,
from which they differ principally in hav-
4. Zenobia, North American shrubs, with
calyx five-toothed, corolla campanulate, ing the mouth of the corolla contracted.
deeply five-parted, anthers two-awned, and They are found on the mountains of Eu-
rope, from Siberia to the Pyrenees, and
seeds angular. 5. Leucotho'e, North Ame-
rican shrubs, with calyx five-parted, corolla are well adapted for growing on rockwork,
thouech not easy of culture. The leaves,
tubular, five-toothed, anthers naked, or
with one or two awns, and stigmas broadly which vary in shape in the different spe-
cies, are tufted, and grow close to the
capitate. 6. Pieris, Nepal trees or shrubs,
with calyx five-parted, corolla tubular or ground the flowers are either white or
:
have been observed in the United States in the genus is not generally adopted. [T. M.]
A. mariana and other species. The shoots
of A. ovalifolia poison goats in Nepal. Dr. ANDROSTEMMA. A genus of Hamo-
liorsfield states that a very volatile heating doracem, nearly allied to Conostylis, con-
oil, with a peculiar odour, used by the taining a single species, from Swan River
Javanese in rheumatic affections, is ob- Colony, New Holland. It is a rushy plant,
tained from one of the species. [W. C] of no beauty, although its flowers are an
inch and a half long, for they are green,
ANDROPHORB. The tube formed by and buried among the leaves. [W. C]
monadelphous filaments, as in mallow.
ANDROUS, in the composition of
ANDROPOGON. An extensive genus of names derived from the Greek, refers to
grasses, typical of the tribe Andropogonece, the stamens thus, mon-androus signifies
;
neatly into screens or mats, and suspended and no involucre. It is principally distin-
before the doors or windows, so that the guished from Commelyna by the latter cir-
breeze, in passing through them, is cooled cumstance. There are several species,
and regains a portion of its healthy elas- natives of New Holland and India. [T. M.]
ticity, while a slight but very agreeable ANEMIA, often erroneously written
fragrance is diffused around.' Mrs. Calcott Aneimia. A genus of schizasaceous ferns,
in the Scripture Herbal, considers A. Cala- belonging to the section Schizceew, in
mus aromaticus to be the Sweet Cane of which it is distinguished by having the
Isaiah, the Sweet Calamus of Exodus, fructifications paniculate on distinct
the Calamus of the Canticles and of fronds, or on lateral branches of the fronds,
Ezekiel. Dr. Royle also considered the and the veins free. The separate branches
plant of that name described by Dios- of fructification produce the appearance of
corides to be the Sweet Cane and 'rich a flowering plant, with a spicate inflores-
aromatic reed from a far country' of cence. There are numerous species of
Scripture. Steudel does not enumerate South America and the West Indies, some
6fi Clje CrcaStirD flf Matmy. [anem
of -which are of a very ornamental charac- [ stamens into narrow petals this is often
;
ceous ferns, distinguished from Anemia has white flowers, sometimes tinged with
only,, by the reticulated venation of its purple on the outside. A. ranunculoides, a
fronds. It is consequently included in common European plant, naturalised in a
that genus by those who do not admit the few stations in Britain, has bright yellow
generic importance of the venation in flowers, otherwise like the wood Anemone.
ferns. The principal species, A. PhylUtidis, A. apennina, a native of Southern Europe,
occurs in various forms in the West In- also naturalised in a few British localities,
diesand South America, and is a fine her- has the flowers bright blue on the inside
baceous species, with pinnate sterile of the sepals, which are narrow, and more
branches, and tall, compactly-pauicled fer- numerous than in the other two the root-
;
tile ones. [T. M.] stalk is also shorter and thicker. The last
A two are often cultivated in gardens, as well
ANEMIOPSIS. genus of the small
as the more showy Japan Anemone, A.ja-
family Saururece, peciiliar to California and
ponica, which has ternate leaves, branched
New Mexico, and represented by a single flowering stems, and large purplish-red
species, A. californica, a semi-aquatic pe-
flowers. The Star Anemone, A. hortensis,
rennial herb, with stalked and nearly
or stellata, has ternate leaves, with the
smooth root-leaves, like those of the sor-
segments not finely divided, unbranched
rel, Rumex Acetosa, but of a much thicker
flower stalks, and star-like flowers, smaller
texture. The flower scape, nearly a foot in
than those of the Japan Anemone and very
length, and exceeding the root leaves,
variable in colour; and the Poppy Anemone,
bears near its middle a leafy bract (which
A. co?-ow«r«o,which, like the last, is a native
often produces in its axil a young plant),
of the Mediterranean region, has ternate
and terminates in a compact cone of small leaves, with the divisions cut into fine seg-
green flowers, surrounded by an involucre ments, unbranched flower-stalks, and large
of six oblong petal-like leaves of a white
flowers, with broad sepals, very variable
colour, spotted with red, so that the whole — scarlet, purple, blue, whitish,
in colour
head has some resemblance to an ane- striped, or with an eye of a different hue
mone flower. The flowers are destitute of from the rest of the flower. The last two,
calyx and corolla, have six to eight sta- and especially the Poppy Anemone, are
mens seated on the top of an ovary, which florists' flowers. [J. T. S.]
is one-celled, with three bundles of ovules
hangincrfrom the topof the cell, and crown- ANEMONE, B.UE. Tiialictrum anemo-
ed with three short styles. The plant is in noides.
cultivation in this country. [A. A. BJ
ANEMONOPSIS. A genus of Ranuncu-
ANEMONE. A large genus of Ranuncu- lacece, containing a single species, A. ma-
lacece, generally distributed in temperate crophylla, a native of Japan. It is allied to
regions —
most numerous in alpine situa- Helleborus, having three to five follicles to
tions in the warmer districts. They have form the fruit. The flower, however, re-
tuberous or thickened root-stalks and root- sembles in aspect that of an Anemone,
leaves, often ternately divided or cleft. whence the name. The calyx has nine
The stem, or rather scape, is leafless, and sepals ; the corolla ten petals and the
;
often unbranched, with an involucre below leaves are three or four times ternately
the flower, formed by a whorl of three divided, resembling an Aetata. [J. T. SJ
(rarely two) bracts when the scape is un-
;
to the umbel, by the absence of the limb was it a singular remedy against poison,
the plague, all kinds of infection, and ma-
J
in the East. It is supposed to be the plant tion to the landscape, and may be made
which is called Anise in the New Testament very useful fn the garden by cutting the
narrative. [M. T. M.] j
hollow stalks into convenient lengths and
! placing them about in the shrubs as traps
ANETIA. A genus of Homalmece, con- ; for earwigs. Candied Angelica is made
taining a single species, from tropical from the stalks of an allied plant, Archan-
Africa. It is a shrub with alternate short ly gelica. The appearance of a tall species of
petiolate leaves, and small cinereous flowers j
this genus growing in Kamtchatka is
in branched spikes. It is nearly allied to shown in plate 16. [C. A. J.]
Homalium, but differs from it in having a ANGELICA. The garden name for Arch-
double series of stamens and glands, angelica officinalis.
fifteen of each, that is three times the
number of the calyx segments, and in ANGELICA TREE. Aralia spinosa.
having five diverging styles. [W. C]
ANGELICO. Ligusticum actmifolium.
ANETIUM. A genus of polyp'odia- ANGELIQUE. (Fr.) Archangelica offici-
ceous ferns, sometimes referred to the
Acrostichece, but more closely allied to nalis. — DE BOHEME. Trochiscanthes
;
namous included stamens, and a two- colour, are arranged in a corymbose man-
celled many-ovuled ovary. The species, ner, and have their calyx divided into five
which are rather numerous, inhabit South or six segments, a circumstance that serves
America, and form erect or procumbent to distinguish them from the members of
with opposite leaves alternate on the
herbs-, the genus Eucalyptus their petals are
;
upper part of the stems, and solitary one- free, the ; the fruit is
stamens are distinct
flowered axillary or racemose peduncles. dry, dehiscent, many-celled, containing
A. salicaricefolia is a pretty perennial several seeds, which are not winged. Some
species, with tallish stems, lance-shaped of the species furnish a dark-coloured as-
leaves, and a long racemose inflorescence tringent gum. [M. T. MJ
consisting of light purple flowers. A.
angustifolia is another species of similar
ANGR^ECUM. The tropics of Africa, and
its islands, some parts of the West Indies,
character, but dwarfer it has smooth, nar-
;
row, lance-shaped leaves, and dense, termi- and the Cape Colony, yield this remark-
able genus of orchids, one of whose spe-
nal, erect racemes of deep violet-coloured
cies produces the largest flowers known in
fiowers. The species have no particular the order —
the sepals and petals and pro-
use, but are ornamental. [T. M.]
digious spur extending to the length of
ANGIOPTERIDE.E. A section of the more than a foot in A. sesquipedale, a
marattineous division of marattiaceous native of Madagascar. But although
ferns, in which the spore cases are free, others approach this, yet the species are
and set close together, face to face, in two for the greater part small flowered, and
opposite contiguous lines. [T. MJ little better than weeds. A
whole section
of them consists of leafless plants, clinging
ANGIOPTERIS. A noble genus of ma- to the branches of trees by their flat bands,
rattiaceous ferns, representing the group
representing roots, as in Aerides tceniale,
Angiopteridece. The genus is eastern, The finest species, after Madagascar, are
being common in India, Ceylon, and the
islands of the Eastern Archipelago. There
from the West of Africa, where they as-
are probably but few species, though they
sume some extraordinary forms. None are
have been very much extended by De found except in the hottest latitudes.
Vriese, the author of a monograph of the ANGUILLAEJA. A genus of Melan-
family. The differences observed perhaps thacece,containing a few species from New
rather indicate varieties than species. The Holland. They have the leaves and roots,
plants form a large round massive rhizome and the general habit of Melanthium, with
or rootstock, covered with the great scale- the structure of Omitlioglossum. [W. O]
like bases of the fronds, and from this
solid mass rise up the stout stipites, sup-
ANGTJLOA. A
genus of very remark-
porting the very large bipinnated fronds, able terrestrial orchids, inhabiting the
the pinnules of which are articulated on forests of tropical America. They have
the rachides. The genus is known by its broad, ribbed leaves, and short leafy
spore-cases being destitute of any elastic scapes, bearing a single large fleshy flower,
or jointed ring, and by having oblong either white, yellow, or spotted with crim-
distinct dorsal sori longitudinally bivalved, son, on a pale yellow ground. One of them
the spore-cases being separate though grows in the Equator, at the height of
crowded into two opposite linear series. 7,000 feet above the sea. Six or seven
The original species, A. evecta, was found species are cultivated in this country.
in the Society Isles. A. angustifolia, a ANGURIA. Under this name are in-
Philippine Island plant, is described as cluded certain plants belonging to the
having a cylindrical caudex, three feet gourd family, Cucurbitacece. They are
high the other species, so far as they are
; natives of South America, and have lateral
known, have the caudex of a depressed tendrils, male and female flowers distinct,
globular form. These plants form noble but on the same plant the male fiowers
:
objects when cultivated in our hot-houses, provided with two distinct, not united
but require much space. [T. M.] stamens and the fruit a gourd. Some of
;
style and simple stigma ; and a three-celled ANISE. Pimpinella Anisum. — , STAR.
ovary, containing numerous ovules. The Illicitim anisatum.
species, which are not very numerous, are ANISEED TREE. A common name of
herbs of the Australian continent, pro- Ulicium.
ducing linear-ensiform leaves, slightly
sheathing at the base, and a tall flower- ANISOCALTX. A genus of Scrophu-
scape, supporting a branching subcorym- lariacece, containing a single species,
bose head, or short raceme of large and found on the margins of streams in the
often showy flowers. The outer surface of island of Hong Kong. The calyx is un-
the perianth, and the upper part of the equally five-partite; the is de- corolla
flowering stem, are clothed with a peculiar ciduous, and nearly equally five-partite.
short dense pile of bi-anching coloured There are four didynamous stamens,
hairs, which are very curious objects when scarcely longer than the corolla, with ob-
slightly magnified. Several of the species long purple and bilocular anthers; the
have found their way to our greenhouses, style has a simple capitate stigma. [W. C]
where they form desirable plants, on ac-
count of their distinct and peculiar, and ANISOCHiETA. A genus of the com-
not unornamental aspect when in flower. posite family (Compositai). There is but
The flowers last a considerable time. One one species, which a native of Caffre-
is
land. It is a sub-climbing shrub, with
of the best-known species is A. Manglcxii,
a perennial tufted^growing plant, with alternate, ovate, coarsely-toothed leaves,
glaucous green leaves, a foot to eighteen and terminal panicles of flower-heads. The
inches long, and an erect branched stem, genus is nearly related to the Ageratum
clothed with a short thick crimson felt of of our gardens, but differs in habit, as
the branched hairs above alluded to. The well as in the scales of the pappus and
flowers are arranged on the branches in in the form of the achenes. It is a plant
short terminal spiked racemes, and are of no beauty. [A. A. B.]
two to three inches long, curved, clothed ANTSOCHILUS. A genus of Labiatcc,
with velvety hairs, which, for the greater consisting of annual or perennial her-
part of the length of the tube, are of a baceous plants, natives of Asia, chiefly of
bright green colour, and on the peduncles, India, and containing nine species. The
as well as the swollen base of the perianth verticillasters are in ovate-oblong, or cy-
enveloping the ovary, are rich crimson. lindrical terminal spikes, compact and im-
Another species well known in gardens, bricate the floral leaves are bract-like.
;
cherriimis, in which the infloresence is four-fid, the lower lip is longer, entire, and
branched and loaded with flowers, the concave. There are four- stamens, and a
colour of the short velvety hairs on the bifid style. [W. O]
flowers is bright yellow, while those on the
stems are scarlet, curiously branched, on a ANISODUS. A
genus of plants belong-
yellow ground. A. tyrianthinus, again, has ing to the Solatium family, or by Miers re-
the paniculated branches and copious ferred to Atropacece. Its name is derived
flowers clothed with dense tomentum of from its calyx, which is irregularly five-
the richest Tynan purple while in A.
;
toothed, a circumstance which distin-
fuliginosus, which has been called a flower guishes it from Eyoscyamus, or the hen-
of mourning, the upper parts of the stem, bane genus. A. luridus, a Nepalese plant,
and the lower parts of the flower, are is common in cultivation it has a tap- ;
downy, as if covered with black velvet. shaped root, alternate leaves, which are
These species are all from the Swan River stalked, oval, somewhat woolly on their
district. [T. M,] under surface the greenish-yellow, bell-
;
being much larger than the rest, and the secund stamens inserted in the throat of
stamens only six. [J. T. S.] the perianth, and having short filaments ;
abortive ovaries, with the styles as mere petals in two rows the stamens numerous
;
points on their inner margins. In the with linear, two-celled anthers, surmounted
female flowers the ovaries are conical, and by an oval crest numerous ovaries placed
;
terminate in long stout recurved styles, on a rounded receptacle and partly united
capitate at the extremity. The furrowed together, becoming completely fused when
a
The fruit grown in the Indian Archipelago scarlet flowers, are natives of Asia Minor.
is said to possess a finer flavour than that A. uniflorus, a N. American species, is called
grown in the West Indies. The leaves of one-flowered Cancer root. [A. A. B.]
this plant have a heavy disagreeable odour, ANOSMIA. A genus of Umbelliferce,
and the seeds, according to Royle, contain containing a single speoies from Candia—
an acrid principle, fatal to insects, on which biennial, erect, herbaceous plant, with a
account the natives of India use them fusiform root, obtusely-trifid leaves, and
powdered and mixed with the flour of white hermaphrodite flowers. It is nearly
gram (Cicer arietinum)fov washing the hair. related to Smyrnium, from which, how-
The Cherimoyer of Peru is the fruit of ever, it is separated by the want of invo-
A. Cherimclia, which is nearly allied to lucres and involucels. [W. C]
the preceding. The fruit is somewhat ANOTTA, or ARNOTTO. Bixa orellana.
heart-shaped and scaly on the exterior, and
is counted by the Creoles as being the ANREDERA. A genus of Basellacece,
most delicious fruit in the world, a verdict containing a single species, a native of the
which Europeans do not confirm. The West Indies and Peru. It is a climbing
common Custard Apple, or Bullock's Heart, herbaceous plant, with alternate petiolate
is an eatable fruit produced by A. reti- leaves, and pedicellate flowers, arranged in
culata, a native of the West Indies, but many-flowered simple axillary spikes. The
cultivated in the East Indies also. Its calyx, consists of five membranaceous se-
yellowish pulp is not so much relished as pals. The five stamens rise from the base
that of the other kinds. In addition to of the sepals. The ovary is unilocular, and
their fruits, the plants of this genus are uniovulate, with a short style, and three
remarkable for their fragrant leaves and long slender stigmas. [W. CJ
;
swollen into joints, like necklaces, and the style, with an obtuse subcapitate stigma;
fruit arises from swollen portions of the and a three-celled ovary, containing nume-
threads, a miniature plant being sometimes rous ovules. The species consist of herbs
produced within the swellings or speran- having fleshy fasciculate roots, radical
gia, without distinct spores. Since many filiform or linear lanceolate leaves, some-
of the species are succeeded by a Capno- times fleshy, often hairy, and flower scapes
diurn, it is possible that the greater part bearing racemes or panicles of white
are only imperfect or transitional forms of flowers. They are found indigenous in
that genus. Antennariw are far more the middle and south of Europe, in New
common in warm than in cold climates, Holland, and in South Africa. The species
and are the pest of orange groves and are ranged in three groups, viz. :— 1. Anthe-
coffee plantations. They seem frequently ricum proper, in which the perianth is
ANTH ®\)t CrsaSurp of Matmw. 72
spreading, and the stamens smooth. 2. Bul- stamens, and as such petaloid stamens are
bine, in which the perianth is spreading generally devoid of anthers, the fertility
and the stamens are all, or each alternate of the plant may in consequence be af-
one, bearded. 3. Czackia, in which the fected. [M. J. B.]
perianth is campanulately connivent, and
the stamens smooth. A.Liliastrmn, which ANTHISTIRIA. A genus of grasses of
belongs to the last group, is a pretty plant the tribe Andropogonece. The flowers are
with broadish grassy leaves, and a scape polygamous, the hermaphrodite being ses-
one and a-half foot high, bearing several sile, or very shortly stipitate, whilst the
largish white sweet-scented flowers, marked male flowers are pedicellate. The species
on each segment with a green dot. This are all foreign, and many of them only
is called St. Bruno's Lily. [T. M.] grow spontaneously in tropical countries.
One of the most interesting is the Kan-
ANTHERIDIA (Antherids). A term ap- garoo grass of Australia, A. australis, which
plied to the male organs in cryptogams, supplies a considerable portion of food to
which, though analogous to anthers in the cattle in some parts of that country,
phsenogams, cannot be considered as pre- and is consequently, valuable to the colo-
cisely the same organs, or, in strict botani-
nists. A. arundinacea grows from six to
cal language, their homologues. They are of
twelve feet high, in the East Indies, ac-
very various character and variously seated cording to Roxburgh. [D. M.]
in the different sections. While amongst ANTHOCARPOUS. Composed of flowers
the higher cryptogams, in ferns and some and fruit blended into a solid mass, as in
other allied sections, they consist of little the pine apple.
sacs, seated on the threads or membrane
immediately derived from the spores, pro- ANTHOCERCIS. A genus of plants
ducing bodies altogether analogous with and belonging to the
allied to Salpiglossis
the spermatozoa of animals in Selaginella,
;
same natural family, Scrophulariacece. The
Pilularia, &c, they appear under the guise plants are shrubs, natives of the extra-
of a second smaller spore, which after a tropical parts of New Holland. Some of
time produces the spermatozoids and in ;
them are cultivated in greenhouses. The
mosses they appear on the plant itself, once calyx is five-parted, equal; the corolla
only, or more frequently, according as it bell-shaped, its tube contracted at the
is annual or perennial. In Characece the an-
base, its limb five-parted there are four
;
theridia are of a very complicated structure, perfect stamens, and a rudiment of the
as described under that head. fifth. [M. T. MJ
In the lower cryptogams there is no less ANTHOCERIDEiE, ANTHOCEROS. A
difference in the character of the anthe- small natural order and genus of liver-
ridia. Amongst the rose-spored and dark- worts, distinguished by the capsule, which
spored Algce there are several distinct is threaded by a linear columella, bursting
types amongst the green-spored we have
; longitudinally on one or both sides, and
sometimes free bodies, analogous to the by the fronds being without the pores
small spores of Selaginella. The sperma- which are so conspicuous in Marchantia-
tozoids are not, however, spiral, as in the cece. It consists of about three genera
higher cryptogams, though still endowed only, which occur in different parts of the
with active motion by means of delicate world, one of which, Carpobolus,is remark-
appendages. Amongst funguses and lichens able for the absence of the spiral vessels
we have again a totally different type, the or elaters in the capsule, that are so
spermatozoids, or spermatia as they are characteristic of the tribe. Two species,
called, not having active motion or ex- Anthoceros Icevis and A. punctatus occur in
ternal motile appendages. Amongst the this country on the ground, principally in
lower kinds it is possible that they may be the eastern counties. None of the species
merely representative, without any active bear anything like the true leaves of the
functions, and in some cases, probably, higher Jungermannice. [M. J. B.]
they exist merely as a sort of conidia.
The whole subject is, however, at the ANTHOCHORTUS. A genus containing
present obscure, as far as Fungi and lichens a single species of Restiacece, a native of
are concerned. Organs which are some- the Cape of Good Hope. It is a little-
times called antheridia, are occasionally known herbaceous plant with filiform
so denominated without any sufficient leafless stems. The flowers are dioecious,
grounds, as for example the prominent I
The male has a six-parted infundibuliform,
cells on the gills of the hotbed toadstools, and purple-coloured calyx, and three sta-
Coprini. [M. J.B.] mens the female is unknown. [W. C]
;
each containing a sinarle ovule. There are to depend upon the process of fertilisation,
as many oblong incurved styles as there for even in cases where the flowers natu-
are cells in the ovary. [W. C] [
rally fade very rapidly, their duration may
be prolonged by preventing the access of
ANTHODIFM. The head of flowers, or j
pollen to the style. [M. J. B.]
capitulum of composites.
ANTHOXANTHINE. The yellow colour-
ANTHOGONITJM gracile. A terrestrial !
ANTHOLYZA. A small genus of showy bearing an awn on its back part. This
Iridaceo?, having a tubulose perianth, of grass is rather remarkable botanically, by
which the limb is six-parted, unequal, the having flowers diandrous, i. e. with two
upper segment being much the longest, stamens to each, three being the normal
straight, spoon-shaped, the two lateral ones number in grasses; hence, in accordance
spreading and ascending, and the three with the Linuaean system, it is included in
lower ones very small ;there are three a different class from most of the other
stamens, and three stigmata, and a three- grasses. It forms a large proportion of
celled ovary, containing numerous ovules. many meadows and pastures, but is not
They are herbs with bulb-tubers or corms, considered a first-class species, having a
and are allied to Gladiolus. A. splendens, less quantity of saccharine matter and
one of the pretty species sometimes seen more mucilage than some other kinds in
in gardens, has the corms about as large its composition. The peculiar odour which
as a hazel nut, a stem two to three feet high, well-saved new hay gives out, is supposed
bearing at the base, long linear or linear- to be principally emitted from this grass,
ensiform strongly-nerved leaves, and ter- hence the English name. [D. M.]
minated by a many-flowered spike of | The fragrant resinous principle which
distichous flowers, the tubular portion of occurs in this grass, and is called cou-
which is slender at the base, and triangu- marin, is a widely-diffused natural per-
larly gibbous about the middle the limb fume, being found, according to Professor
being bright scarlet. The flowers appear to Johnstone, in the Tonka Bean (Diptcrix
be long tubular, with a pair of expanded odorata), the Faham Tea-plant of the Mau-
wings. A. Cunonia, another well-known ritius (Angrwcum fragrans), the common
species, has the flowers scarlet, yellow Sweet Woodruff (Asperula odorata), the
towards the base of the tube, and arranged Sweet-scented Vernal Grass (Anthoxa nth um
in a secund manner, instead of being odoratum), the common Melilot (Melilotus
distichous on the spike. There are a few officinalis), and the blue, or Swiss Melilot
other species, all South African. [T. M.] |
(Melilotus ccerulea). ' It is the same odour,'
he continues, 'therefore, which gives
AXTHOPTERUS. Under this name are
'
]
ANTHRISCUS. A genus of umbellifer-
want of proper moisture, but more fre- ous plants, with thin, finely-divided leaves,
1
quently from late frosts or cold winds. and small, inconspicuous white flowers,
The disease amongst grapes known by arranged in umbels. Two species only are
the name of coulure,' is of this descrip-
'
j
—
cultivated the Chervil, A. Cerefolium, for
tion. This, however, arises frequently flavouring salads, &c, and the Parsnip
from poverty of sap, and may be prevented I Chervil, A. bulbosus, for its roots as a veget-
anth] Cfjs &r?agurg of SSotang. 74
The leaves are used as a remedy against ANTJAR. The poisonous Antiaris toxi-
snake bites, and in syphilitic affections. caria ; also called Antschar.
The wood, when immersed in water, he- ANTROPHYUM. A genus of polypodia-
comes black and as heavy as iron. All the ceous ferns, belonging to the Hemionitidece,
parts of the plant have a bitter taste. The
distinguished by having the veins of the
berries of A. diandrum are eaten in India
fronds uniform and reticulated, and the
by the natives, as well as those of A. pube- which is linear, and usually
fructification,
scens, also a native of India and its bruised
;
immersed in a shallow groove, also more or
leaves are used in native practice, and ap-
less, but only partially, reticulated. It is a
plied in the form of a poultice to ulcers
group of very distinct aspect, though in
and tumours. [A. A. B.]
technical characters coming close to Hemi-
ANTIGRAMMA. A genus of polypodia- onitis, in which latter, however, the lines
ceous ferns of the Aspleniece section, of spore-cases are more completely joined
belonging to that series in which the sori together into a network, and superficial on
are connivent in pairs, with the indusia the frond. There are several species, all
opening face to face (scolopendrioid). In simple fronded, found in various parts of
that series it is known by having the the tropics of both hemispheres. [T. MJ
veins of its fronds reticulated, and its sori
parallel and oblique. The genus comprises
ANTCHIA. A
genus of knotworts, Ule-
cebracece, near to Paronychia, but differing
a couple of Brazilian species, having
in the absence of petals as well as of awns
simple fronds. [T. M.]
to the calyx leaves. There are two known
ANTIRRH.EA. A genus of cinchona- species, both North American weeds of
ceous plants inhabiting Mauritius and no beauty. The Forked Chickweed, A. dicho-
Bourbon, consisting of shrubs with leaves toma, is a slender herb four to ten inches
arranged in whorls of three. The flowers high, with capillary, many-times-forked
are borne on forked peduncles, and have a branehlets, bearing minute flowers in the
calyx which is short, bell-shaped, and four- forks, and opposite oblong leaves rather
toothed and a tubular corolla, with four
;
more than half an inch in length, accom-
sessile anthers attached to its interior. The panied with stipules like those of buck-
fruit is succulent, externally, and contains wheats (Polygonum). [A. A. B.]
a kernel with two one-seeded cells. The
name of these plants is expressive of their AOTUS. A genus of Australian and
valuable properties in arresting hemor- Tasmanian shrubs, belonging to the pea-
rhages, and as astringents. [M. T. M.] flowered section of the leguminose fa-
mily, containing ten species. They are
ANTIRRHINUM. A
genus of Scrophu- slender plants, with heath-like leaves, ar-
lariacem, containing fourteen species, na- ranged in whorls round the stem, three in
tives chiefly of the Mediterranean region, a whorl. The flowers are small, bright
though some are found in California. yellow, with short stalks, and the calyx is
They are annual or perennial, rarely shrub- destitute of the two small bracts which are
by herbaceous plants, with the lower leaves found on those of the allied genera: this
often opposite, and the upper ones alter- gives rise to the name of the genus
nate. The flowers are commonly showy, Aotus, signifying without ears. A. gracih
and solitary in the axils of the upper lima, a native of West Australia, is a fa-
leaves, or forming terminal racemes. The vourite greenhouse plant. It is a slender
calyx is five-partite. The corolla has a shrub, with copious yellow flowers, which
broad tube, saccate and slightly protruding are so thickly set on the stems as to hide
below the calyx on the lower side, but not the leaves from view. One or two other
spurred as in Linaria, The throat is species are in cultivation, but many very
closed by a large, projecting, bearded pa- pretty species have yet to be introduced.
late, which gives to the flower a resem- The pods of most of the species are not
blance to the face of an animal or a mask, larger than a grain of barley, and contain
whence the name, meaning 'snout-like.' each two seeds. [A. A. B.]
The capsule is two-celled, oblique, and
opening by two or three pores at the top. APACTIS. A Japanese tree, very im-
The seeds are truncate. perfectly described by Thunberg, and not
The genus has been divided into three since recognised.
sections, l. Orontium, annual plants with
penninerved entire leaves and compressed
APALANCHE VERT. (Fr.) Prino3 ver-
ticillatus.
seeds. 2. Autlrrhlnastrum, perennial plants
with penninerved entire leaves and obo-
j
I
;
Brachycome, from which the rounded and
ing, along with a structure similar to that striate, instead of flattened, achenes at
! of Bletia, stems covered by thin mem- once distinguish them. They are much-
i
branous scales. branched annual plants, six inches to a
foot high, having linear or spathulate,
I APEIBA. A genus of the lime-tree
toothed or entire, more or less hoary
family, Tiliacece,containing twelve spe-
leaves, and slender twigs, terminating in
!
ties. They are trees or shrubs with alter- a single stalked flower-head about half an
nate, stalked, entire or serrate leaves,which
inch across, the rays pink or white, the
:
with short thread-like leaves and naked attaining the condition of woody bushes. !
stems, a few inches high, at the top of Many are important as producing articles
which are short two-ranked spikes of of food ;many are poisons most are ;
j
'
glumaceous flowers, the lower glumes fre- merely unimportant weeds a few, like; ;
a little point.
!
which is generally scarcely, and often APIOS. An elegant climbing plant be-
not at all observable five separate petals
; longing to the natural order Leguminosa,
five intervening epigynous stamens ; and having pinnate leaves, with a terminal leaf-
two styles proceeding from what is not very let, and lateral clusters of brownish-purple
correctly termed a double epigynous disk. sweet-scented flowers. It is a native of
Hemlock, carrot, parsley, and parsnip are North America, from Pennsylvania to Caro-
familiar examples. Although the order lina,on the mountains,inhedges,and among
; ;
bushes. In this country it grows freely in states that in his time there was not a
common garden soil, and is easily increased salad or sauce presented at table without
by tubers. It requires to be supported like it. The ancients supposed that its grateful
peas. The tubers, though small, are nume- smell absorbed the inebriating fumes of
rous, farinaceous, and eatable. [C. A. J.] wine, and by that means prevented intoxi-
cation ; but however this may be, we
API08PERMUM. A genus of Pistiacece, believe nothing is more effectual than
containing a single species, a native of the
the eating a leaf or two of Parsley to take
marshes of Cuba. The genus has been off the smell and prevent the after-taste of
separated from Pistia, with which it agrees,
any dish that has been strongly flavoured
except that its spadix is continued beyond with onions. In Cornwall it is much
the whorl of stamens, and its seeds are esteemed and largely used in parsley pies,
smooth. [W. C]
which are peculiar to that part of England.
APIUM. A genus of umbelliferous plants If dried and preserved in bottles from
consisting of but few species, one of which which the air is excluded, it will retain its
is the well-known Celery, A. graveoiens; flavour for a long time, and be found
and the other the common Parsley, A. Petro- extremely useful for seasoning omelets
selinum, which occupies a spot in almost and similar dishes. The curled-leaved
j
every garden. Parsley is always preferred for use as
I The Celery, in its wild state, is found being more ornamental than the common
I in marshy places and ditches near the sea sort, of which it is nothing more than a
]
coast in various parts of England. It is a variety obtained and continued by careful
|
biennial ; and as grown in its native ditches cultivation.
the whole plant has a strong taste and Hamburgh Parsley, A. Petroselinum var.
smell, and is acrid and dangerous to eat. fusiformis, is a variety of the preceding,
Such, however, are the wonderful changes and may be used for the same purposes
effected by cultivation, that this rank, but it is chiefly grown for the sake of its
coarse, and more than suspicious plant has long spindle-shaped roots, which are
i
by degrees been transformed into the dressed and served at table as a separate
sweet/crisp, wholesome, and most agree- dish like those of the parsnip. [W. B. B.]
able of our cultivated vegetables. In
APLECTRUM. A genus of melasto-
;
! blanched and used raw as a salad, or and terminal panicles, with four petals
i
dressed as a dinner vegetable. They are and eight stamens; fruit, a sub-globose
,
also sometimes made into an agreeable berry. [J. T. S.]
conserve. There are two kinds of Celery
:
tions, and some of them not unlike bur- Hancornias and Carissas produce an eat-
docks, but the scales of their involucres able, and, as travellers say, a pleasant
are not hooked, as in that genus. The hairs fruit. See Tanghinia, Tabeenjemon-
of the pappus being in a single series, tana, Hancornia, &c. The commoner
give rise to the name of the genus. A. gossy- forms in cultivation are those of Alla-
pina is found in Kumaon, at an elevation of manda, Parsonsia, Vinca, and Tuberncemon-
from 16,000 to 18,000 feet. The plant, alto- tana. About 600 species are known, dis-
gether not higher than two or four inches, tributed through about 100 genera.
has its leaves densely clothed with long
cottony hairs, which form an admirable APOCYNUM. A genus of Apocynacew,
covering to protect it from the cold to containing four species of perennial herbs,
which it is exposed. A. Lappa, the root of with upright branching stems, opposite,
which is the Oostus of the ancients, is mucronate-pointed leaves, a tough fibrous
found on the mountain slopes of the Cash- bark, and small, pale, and terminal or
mere Valley, at an altitude of 8,000 to 9,000 axillary flowers on short pedicels. The
feet. It is a gregarious herb, six to seven calyx is five-parted, and the corolla cam-
feet high, with an annual stem and peren- panulate, five-cleft, bearing five triangular
nial root, which is thick and aromatic. The scales in the throat opposite the lobes.
leaves lyrate-pinnatifld, and about two feet Thefive stamens, inserted on the very base
long. The flower-heads two to three, ses- of the corolla, have the filaments flat and
sile, and the florets of a purple colour. Dr. shorter than the arrow-shaped anthers,
Falconer (from whose account the follow- which converge around the ovoid ob-
ing is abridged) described the plant under scurely two-lobed stigma, and slightly ad-
the name of Aucklandia Costus. In Cash- here to it by their inner face. The fruit
mere the plant is called Koot, in Bengal consists of two long, slender and coria-
Putchuk, and the Arabic name is Koost. ceous follicles, containing numerous ovoid
It isgathered largely, the greater portion seeds, comose, with a long tuft of silky
being laden on bullocks, sent through the down at the apex. From the fibrous bark
Punjab to Bombay, and there shipped for of A. cannabinum (commonly called Indian
the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and China. Hemp), and hy per icifolium, the Indians
A portion of it finds its way to Calcutta, prepare a substitute for hemp, of which
through Hindostan. The roots are dug up they make twine, bags, fishing-nets, and
inSeptember and October, cut into pieces, lines, as well as linen for their own use. The
two to six inches long, and exported with- members of the genus afford by incision a
out further preparation. The quantity milky juice, which, when sufficiently
collected amounts to about 200,000 lbs. per dried, exhibits the properties of India-
annum the cost of collecting and trans-
;
rubber.
port to a mercantile depot in Cashmere is A. androswmifolium, the Fly Trap of
said to be 2,s.4d. per cwt., but -when it reaches North America, is cultivated as an object
Canton it is sold for 47s. 5d. per cwt. The of curiosity in this country. Thefive scales
root is used by the Chinese as an aphro- in the throat of the corolla of this plant se-
disiac, and for burning as incense in their crete a sweet liquid, which attracts flies
temples. In Cashmere the root is only em- and other insects to settle on them the ;
ployed for protecting bales of shawls from scales are endowed with a peculiar irrita-
the attacks of moths and the stems of the
;
bility, the cause of which has not been
plants are suspended from the necks of accurately determined, but which causes
children, to avert the evil eye. [A. A. B.] them to bend inwards towards the centre
of the flower, when touched, and to retain
APOCARPOUS. Having the carpels, or the unlucky flies as prisoners. Numbers
at least their styles, disunited. of dead flies may be seen in the several
APOCYN GOBE-MOUCHE. Fr. Apo- flowers of this plant: the movement of
cynum androsmmifolium. the scales probably serves to scatter the
pollen on the stigma. These plants are
APOCYNACE^E. (Contortce, Vincece, Apo- more or less poisonous and acrid, and
crines, Dogbanes.) A natural order of corol- produce emetic and diaphoretic effects.
lifloral exogens.with a superior ovary, free They are widely distributed over the tem-
epipetalous stamens, a pulley-shaped (troch- perate parts of both hemispheres, and a
lear) stigma, and unequal-sided lobes of few are in cultivation, but possess no great
the corolla, on which last account Linnaeus beauty. [M. T. M.]
called them com orted, or twisted-flowered
plants, the corolla having some resen APODANTHES. One of the genera of
blance to a Catharine-wheel firework in B.afnesiacece, characterised by unisexual
motion. Most of the species inhabit tro- flowers, a four-cleft calyx, which is pro-
pical countries the northern forms are
; vided with two bracts, petals inserted
on the ovary. The male flowers are not indehiscent beaked carpels, containing
known :the female flowers have a half- about four seeds each, and readily tearing
superior ovary which, when mature, he- at the sides.' This species is common at
comes a fleshy fruit with a four-cornered the Cape of Good Hope, where it bears the
cavity, containing several seeds with a name of Water Uintjies. The flowering tops
hard-pitted covering. The plants are na- are, according to Mr. Bunbury, sometimes
tives of Guiana. [M. T. M.] used in the colony both as a pickle and as
a substitute for asparagus. Martyn states
APODTTES. A
genus of Olacacece, con- that the bulbs are eaten roasted. There
'
'
taining a single species from Port Natal, are one or two other species from South
South Africa. It is a tree or shrub, with Africa. The Indian A. monostachys is now
alternate, exstipulate, petiolate, and en- referred to Spathium. [T.M.]
tire leaves. The flowers are in loosely-
hranched terminal racemes. The calyx is APOO. (Fr.) Urtica.
small, five-toothed, and persistent. The
corolla consists of five oblong linear petals, APOPHYSIS. A
name given to a swell-
rising from the receptacle. The stamens ing, often hollow, or of extremely loose
are five in number, alternating with the texture, at the base of the capsules in
petals, and, by thin dilated filaments,uuiting several mosses. It is developed extremely
the petals together through two-thirds of in the natural order Splachnei, where it
their length. The ovary is free and unilo- often exceeds in size the true capsule. It
cular, with two ovules. The style is ex- attains its maximum in Splachnum luteam
centric, and kneed at the base the stigma
;
and rubrum, where it is a most conspicuous
isminute. The fruit is a drupe, one-celled, object,hanging down like an umbrella or the
and one-seeded by abortion, of a pecu- vesicle of Ascophora. In (Edipodium almost
liarkidney shape, with a fleshy protu- the whole of the stem consists of apo-
berance from the hollow side. [W. C] physis, which is confluent at once with it
and the capsule. [M. J. B.]
APOXOGETOX. A genus of aquatic
plants belonging to the Juncaginacece, APOROCACTUS. A genus of Cactacece,
and remarkable for producing its flowers in distinguished from Cereus by the elongated
conjugate or binate spikes at the ends of narrow tube of the perianth, and its
the flower scapes. The flowers consist of obliquely gaping, somewhat two-lipped
several (six to eighteen) stamens with limb, and also by the graduated insertion of
subulate filaments, and are destitute of the fewer stamens, all of which are ex-
both calyx and corolla, the conspicuous se-rted, and the upper ones longer than the
part of the inflorescence being a double rest. It includes a few species known in
row of large white bracts, at the base of gardens under the name of Cereus. A.
which the minute apetalous flowers are Baumanni, sometimes called Cereus Tivee-
seated. A. distachyon, a very handsome, diei, is a handsome, cylindraceous, erect-
deliriously fragrant water-plant, a great stemmed succulent plant from Buenos
favourite in gardens, has been well figured Ayres, having a many-angled stem, and
and described from vigorous, well-deve- numerous rich orange-crimson, slender-
loped specimens in Paxton's Floicer Garden tubed flowers, curving at the base so as
(ii. t. 43) by Dr. Lindley, who writes :
—
In '
to be inserted obliquely, and also curving
appearance it resembles a pondweed (Pota- in an opposite direction at the mouth,
mogeton nutans), except that it is of a clear which is slightly spreading. A. fiagelli-
green colour without any tinge of brown. formis, the Cereus flagelliformis or Creeping
Its bulb or conn is described as being as Cereus of gardens, is a well-known plant,
large as a hen's egg. The leaves float with long, slender, pendent stems, pro-
on the surface of the water, are oblong, ducing a profusion of narrow rose-coloured
about eieoteen inches long when full flowers, ' so beautiful, and produced in such
grown, fiat, and have three distinct veins great plenty, that this may be placed in
running parallel with the main rib. When the first class of exotic plants' in point of
young their sides are rolled inwards. The ornament. It is a native of Peru. [T.M.]
flowers are placed on a forked inflorescence,
originally included within a taper-pointed
APORUM. A division of the great
genus DendroMum, distinguished by having
calyptrate spathe (cap), which is forced off
fleshy equitant leaves. The flowers are
as they advance in size. When fully formed
small, and have no beauty.
each fork of the inflorescence is very pale ;
short curved style, a simple minute stigma, narrow equal pieces. The anthers two or
and six erect anatropal ovules. After
j
soon resemble tufts of leaves, among ture of orchids wholly disappears. Another
which lie in abundance large membranous
I
group, bordering on the limits of the vast JEW'S. The fruit of Solanum esculentum.
orchidaceous order, from which it differs —, MAMMEE. The fruit of Mavnnca
mainly in its stamens not being gynan- americana. — MANDRAKE.
, The fruit
drous, but distinct from each other and of Mandragora officinalis. — , MAY. Po-
from the style. It stands near the genus dophyllum peltatum. —
MONKEY. A ,
Gypripedium, some of the reputed species West Indian name for Clusia jlava. —
of which, now called Selenipediuin, have a OAK. A spongy excrescence, formed on
three-celled ovary. The flowers of all the the branches of the oak-tree. of PERU. — ,
known species are small and inconspic- The fruit of Nicandra physaloides. of — ,
uous, while the leaves are strongly marked SODOM. The fruit of Solanum sodomeum.
by stout parallel larger veins, as in Cur- — OTAHEITE. The fruit of Spondias
,
APOSTAXIS. Unusual discharge of the the peach, when first introduced into Eu-
This may arise merely
juices of plants. rope. —
PINE. Ananassa sativa. —
,
rated top of the leaves. If, however, it is fruit of Chrysopliyllum Cainito. — THORN.
,
elaborated sap which flows out, either Datura Stramonium. — WILD, BALSAM.
from injury or weakness of the tissues, Echinocystis lobata.
the effect may be injurious. And this is APPLE BERRY. A colonial name for
exactly the case in what is called gum- Billardiera.
ming a condition which may be induced
;
Anona. —
DEVIL'S. The fruit of Mau-
, AQUILARIA. The Eagle-wood, or Ajjal-
dragora officinalis. —
EGG. The fruit of lochum of the antients, is produced from
,
Solanum esculentum. , —
ELEPHANT. certain species of this genus hence the :
83 Elje Crcasitirp of Botany ARAC
name. The genus gives its name to the leaves twice or thrice-ternate. A. vulgaris,
j
order Aquilariacew, and is characterized the Common Columbine, is apparently na-
by a top-shaped leathery calyx, downy ex- tive in Britain. It has the flowers usually
ternally, whose limb is divided into five purplish blue, but in cultivation they vary
small oblong, reflexed segments from much, being dark purple, dull reddish, or
;
the throat of the calyx project ten woolly white. A. alpina has much larger flowers
scales, which adhere to the whole length and shorter spurs, and stamens hardly ex-
1 1 of the interior of the calyx tube, and alter- ceeding the petals. A. canadensis has
nate with the ten stamens, the filaments of scarlet and yellow flowers, with very long
which also adhere for nearly their whole slender straight spurs, and very long sta-
length to the calyx tube, and are attached mens. The species are quite hardy in the
to the back of the anthers below their open border. [J. T. S.]
middle. The ovary is two-celled, each cell
:
a spur. The flowers are drooping, unless ful washing to remove the acrid juices.
A. parviflwa, which Ledebour describes Thus, the common spotted Arum was eaten
;
with the flowers perfectly erect, be an with us in time of scarcity, and yields a kind
exception. The five-spurred petals with in- of arrowroot, and the Colocasias are grown
'
curved heads have been compared to five everywhere in hot countries as common
doves, the sepals representing the wings, field crops. See all these names. Among
|
and to this the English name Columbine the peculiarities of the order is to extend
I
refers. The leaves are ternate. the root- the end of the spadix into a soft, cellular,
;
gives a good description and figure of I cut off all fragrance ceases. The plant
A. hypogcea. The principal characters of the has had several names, as Epidendrumflos
genus are the immensely long tube of the aeris, Aerides arachnites, Renanthefd ara-
calyx, whose limb is two-lipped ; the corolla chnites, and Arachnls moschifera. It is
papilionaceous and yellow; and eight sta- \
called in Java, Katong ging. Undoubtedly
mens united into one parcel. The ovary ;
it is one of the most remarkable plants of
is very small, and placed at the bottom its remarkable order, and it is not a little
of the very long calyx tube ; it contains surprising that it should never have been
two ovules, and is terminated by a very introduced into Europe.
long style, thickened at its extremity, and
covered with hairs at the place where it J
ARACHNITIS is a name given to the
comes in contact with the stamens. After ;
spider Ophrys.
the fall of the flower, the ovary, which is
very small, is gradually raised upon a stalk |
ARACHNOID. Resembling cobweb in
which in time attains a length of two to appearance seeming to be covered with
;
three inches, and in its growth curves cobweb, in consequence of the entangle-
downwards, so that at length the small ment of long white hairs.
ovary at its extremity is thrust into the
ground. When this happens, the ovary
ARACHNOTHRIX. A genus of plants
closely related to Bondeletia, from which it
begins to enlarge, and ripens into a pale
differs in having the corolla four-pai-ted,
yellowish wrinkled slightly curved pod,
with its tube and throat smooth. The
often contracted in the middle, and con-
anthers are placed towards the top of the
taining two seeds. Should the ovary by
tube of the corolla on very short filaments.
some accident not be enabled to thrust its
pods into the ground, it withers and does
The plants are covered with a more or less
cobweb-like clothing of hairs, hence the
not attain perfection. The plant was name. It belongs to the natural order
originally a native of the West Indies and
Cinchonacece. [M. T. M.]
West Africa, but is now cultivated in
warm climates, preferring a light sandy ARADS. An English name for the
soil. The seeds which are of the size of Arum family.
Aracece or
a pea are eaten as food, but are chiefly
valuable for the quantity of oil they pro- ARALIA. This genus is the type of the
duce when pressed. The oil is used as a order Araliacece, and consists of trees,
substitute for that of olives, to which it shrubs, and herbs of rather striking cha-
is equal in quality. The plant might with racter, found in North America, and in
much advantage be extensively cultivated New Zealand, Japan, and the East. The
in Australia and others of our colonies for flowers are inconspicuous, collected in um-
the sake of its excellent oil, while the bels, the umbels not unfrequently ranged
herbage would form valuable forage for in large compound panicles. The calyx
cattle, who eat it greedily. The pods are has a very short superior limb, which
known in this country as Ground Nuts. is entire or five-toothed the corolla con-
;
The peculiarity of thrusting the fruit into sists of five petals inserted on the margin
the soil to effect its maturation there, is of the epigynous disk the stamens are
;
not confined to this genus, but exists also five in number, alternating with the petals
in the allied genus Voandzeia, a native of and the ovary is inferior, five to ten-lobed,
Surinam, where its seeds are eaten, like with a solitary pendulous ovule in each
those of the Arachis, as peas by the cell, and becomes a berry-like drupe. The
negroes. [M. T. M.] foliage is very various in character, but
generally of an ornamental aspect some- ;
^.^'3?
" mLU see
:
hy the Crees, under the name of Rabbit- ARATICU DO MATO. A Brazilian name
Anona sylvatica.
I
for
root, as a remedy against syphilis, and
also as an application to recent wounds, ARAUCARIA. A genus of Conifer cr,
i
A. spinosa, one of the prickly species, is a consisting of lofty evergreen trees, with
j
small, simple-stemmed tree, eight to twelve verticillate spreading branches, covered
feet high, the stems and leafstalks both with stiff, flattened, pointed leaves, usually
prickly, the leaves doubly and triply imbricate, but more or less spreading.
pinnated with ovate serrate leaflets, The spikes of male flowers are cylindrical
and the panicle much branched, downy, and terminal; each anther divided into
bearing numerous umbels of flowers. This from six to twenty cells. The ripe cones
is known in America under the name of in the females are large, globular, terminal,
Angelica tree, and the berries are used in densely imbricated with numerous woody
an infusion of wine or spirits for relieving/ scales, sometimes winged, each bearing a
rheumatic pains and violent colic. TheW single adnate seed, and 'many of them
tincture has also been found to relieve usually barren.
\
There are five or six
toothache. The Rice Paper plant of China species known, all from the southern
i
has been referred to this genus by Sir TV. J. hemisphere. A. imbricata is the species
Hooker, under the name of A. papyrifera. commonly planted in this country, and
This plant grows in the deep swampy the only one which will tear our climate
forests of the island of Formosa, and appa- without protection. It is a native of the
rently there only, forming a small tree, mountains of Southern Chili, where it
branching in the upper part, the younger forms vast forests, attaining a great height,
portions of the stem, together with the and supplying a hard and durable timber.
leaves and inflorescence, covered with co- The seeds are also edible when fresh. The
pious stellate down. The full-grown leaves leaves are very spreading, vertically flat-
are sometimes a foot long, cordate, Ave to tened, broadly lanceolate, very stiff, with
seven-lobed, of a soft and flaccid texture. long pungent points, and attain a couple
The panicles of flowers come from the j
f inches in length. The cones, sessile afe
extremities of the stem and branches, the extremities of the branches, are of
rising above them, and then becoming the size of a child's head. A. brasiliensis
pendulous, one to three feet long, bearing forms large forests in south tropical
the numerous capitate umbels of small Brazil. It much resembles the Chilian
greenish flowers. The stems are filled species, but is rather more elegant in
with pith of very fine texture, and white growth and of a better colour. It is
as snow, which when cut forms the article occasionally planted in Southern Europe,
known as rice paper. Large quantities of where it succeeds better than the A. imbri-
the stems are taken in native crafts from cata, but is too tender for this country.
'
Formosa to Chinchew, where they are cut A. excelsa, the Norfolk Island pine, attains
into thin sheets for the manufacture of the height of 200 feet. The leaves are
artificial flowers/ A lengthened account of much shorter than in the two preceding
this interesting plant will be found in species, and but slightly flattened, and the
Hooker's Journal of Botany. [T. M.] scales of the cone are broadly winged with
a hooked point. It will not bear the open
ARALIACEJ2 (Araliads, Ivyworts) form air in our climate, but forms a conspicuous
a small natural order closely approaching object in lofty conservatories. It has been
umbellifers, from which they in reality considered by some botanists as forming,
differ in little, except their fruit always with two Australian species, a distinct
consisting of more carpels than two, and genus under the name of Eutassa or
having no double epigynous disk. They Eutacta.
are also more generally arborescent, many
of them being trees or large shrubs, and
ARBOL BE CORAL. Mexican name A
very few herbs. Several are conspicuous for Picramnia Corallodendron.
DEL — !
west coast of America, and Japan. Aralia ARBOR JTJD^E. A common name for
polaris even occurs in Lord Auckland's Cercis or Judas tree. VITiE. The common —
Islands, in 50J° south latitude. They have name for Thuja.
aromatic qualities, usually slight, but
occasionally intense. One of them forms
ARBOUSIER. (Fr.) Arbutus.
a soft white spongy pith, which when cut ARBRE Av CHAPELET. (Fr.) Melia
into thin plates and flattened becomes the Azedarach. — A v FRANCES. Cliionanthus
so-called Rice Paper plant of the Chinese. virginica. —
AN LA CIB.E. Myrica ceri-
fer a — A PERRUQUE.
v
Rhus Cut hi it*. only species grown for culinary ormedicinal
— .
A x
SU1F. Stillingia sebifera. — AU purposes. Angelica is a hardy biennial, from
POIVRE. Vitex Agnus-castus. — AUX three to six feet high, found in England in
ANE'MONES. Calycanthus florid us. —AUX moist situations, but believed to be origi-
PRAISES. Arbutus Unedo. — AUX QUA- nally a native of the northern parts of
RANTE E'CUS. Salisburia adiautifulia. Europe. It has been in cultivation since
— D'ARGENT. Leucadendron argenteum. 1568. The leaf stalks were formerly blanch-
— DE CASTOR. Magnolia glauca. DE — ed and eaten like Celery. They have,
JUDE'E. Cercis Siliquastrum. — DE however, long ceased to be so, and are
NEIGE. Chionanthus virginica. — DE now in request for the use of confectioners,
SOIE. Acacia Julibrissin. DE STE. — who make an excellent sweetmeat with
LUCIE. Cerasus Mahaleb. DE VIE. — the tender stems, stalks, and ribs of the
Cupressus thuioides, Thuja occidentnlis, leaves, candied with sugar. The seeds and
and Thuja orientalis. DU VOYAGEUR. — leaves are powerfully aromatic, and are
Ravenala madagascariensis, sometimes used in country places for their supposed
called Urania speciosa. SAINT. Melia — medicinal properties. [W. B. B.]
Azedarach.
ARCHEGONE. A term applied to the
ARBUTUS. A genus of Ericaceae., con- long-necked cellular sacs which occur in
sisting of and shrubs, natives of
trees the higher or acrogenous cryptogams, and
Southern Europe, the Canary Islands, which are analogous to the pistils of
North America and Chili. Twenty-five phfenogams. They contain at the base of
species have been described. They have their cavity a sac which is analogous to
alternate, entire, or toothed evergreen the embryo sac of pha?nogams, and which is
leaves. The pedicellate and bracteate flowers impregnated by the agency of spermato-
are in terminal paniculate racemes; the zoids. Within this latter sac, either the
corolla is white or reddish ; the calyx young plant as in ferns, or the capsule as
inferior, and consisting of five small sepals. in mosses, is formed by means of cellular
The deciduous corolla is globosely or division. [M. J. B.]
ovately campanulate, with a small con-
tracted five-cleft and reflexed border.
ARCHILL, or ORCHIL. A colouring
It encloses the ten stamens, which have
matter obtained from various species of
lichens, especially Roccella tinctoria.
flattened filaments, and anthers com-
pressed at the sides, opening by two ARCTIUM. One of the familiar plants,
terminal pores, and attached below the which, without culture or management,
apex, where two reflexed awns are pro- flourishes in nearly all climates and every
duced. The ovary has five cells, with many kind of soil. To the agriculturist it is
ovules in each. There is a single style best known as a troublesome weed, always
with an obtuse stigma. The fruit is a ready to make its appearance in neglected
globular indehisceut berry, rough with ground, growing rapidly, and with its
granular tubercles, and containing five large spreading leaves checking all other
many-seeded cells. The berries are edible vegetation to the artist it affords a bold
;
though not agreeable. A. Unedo is called and striking foreground for his landscapes ;
the Strawberry tree from its fruit resem- and to the school boy its heads of flowers,
bling a strawberry at a distance. When under the name of burs, offer an ever wel-
eaten in quantities this fruit is said to be come supply of means for playing practical
narcotic. A wine is made from it in jokes. The Burdock is of no utility to man,
Corsica, but it has the same property as as no domesticated animals, except, it is
the fruit. In Spain both a sugar and a |
said, the ass, will eat its leaves though it
;
spirit are obtained from it. The bark and is a question whether it might not be sown
leaves of the same plant are used as with advantage as a cover for pheasants in
astringents in some parts of Greece they
;
places where there is a difficulty in raising
are employed for tanning leather. This underwood. It was formerly commended
species grows abundantly on the rocks at for its medicinal virtues, and was prescribed
Killarney. It is cultivated as an orna- for rheumatic affections. Some writers
mental shrub, and as it ripens its fruit the too speak of its excellence as a culinary
second year, it is peculiarly beautiful in vegetable. The stems, they say, should
October and November, being covered at be gathered young, stripped of their rind,
the same time with blossoms and ripe and treated as asparagus. When burnt
fruit. [W. C] ;
the ashes afford a large quantity of alkaline
ARBUTUS, TRAILING. An American '
salt. There is but one British species of
name of Epigcea repens. Burdock, of which modern botanists reckon
two varieties, A. bardana, with a cottony
ARCEUTHOS. (Gr.) Juniperus oxyce- I
substance investing the heads; and A.
drus and Juniperus phcenicea. Lappa, which is destitute of this appen-
ARCHANGEL. A common name for
dage. By some continental authorities,
La mi urn and Galeobdolon ; also applied to Lappa is made the name of the genus, and
Archangelica the two plants are described as distinct
officinalis.
species, L. tomentosa and L. major. A
third
ARCHANGELICA. A genus of umbelli- species, L. minor, grows on the continent
ferous plants, whose stems and leaves have of Europe, but does not occur in Britain.
a very powerful and agreeable aromatic The name Lappa is derived from the
smell. The Angelica, A. officinalis, is the 1 Celtic llap, a hand, from its prehensile pro-
; ;
and rather small bracteate flowers, two or varying froin oval and entire to lyrately
three together, in very short terminal pinnatifld, in the latter case with a large
racemes. It is very nearly related to terminal lobe and large terminal flower-
;
Arbutus, differing from it in having a heads, with a brownish disk and orange-
glabrous berry with five stones, and each coloured ray, expanded only in fine weather
stone being one-seeded. The genus has during the middle of the day. Many of
been recently very much limited. Ten the species are greenhouse perennials,
species have been separated and placed which would succeed in the open ground
under the generic title of Comarostaplnjlis, in summer in warm situations, and some
having as their distinctive characteristic a of them would be desirable additions to
drupaceous fruit, with a single hard five our gardens. Of this section, probably
to nine-celled stone, and a single seed in the only attainable species is the A.grandi-
each cell. Five more species have been flora,with handsome deep orange-coloured
removed to a new genus Laplinidostapliylis, capitules, four inches in diameter, and
which is characterised by having the silvery-grey pinnatifld foliage, blooming
ovary placed on a ten-angled, hypogynous freely during the whole summer, in a
disk, and containing six to ten cells. The sunny situation and dry soil. [W. T.]
restricted genus Arctostaphylos, containing
only the two species found in Britain, has ARCTURIA. A section of the genus
Drosera, of which the Tasmanian D. Arc-
the ovary without true dissepiments. The
turi is the type. This has three undivided
three genera have all alike a five -partite,
styles with thickened stigmas ; the stem is
persistent, and hypogynous calyx, a five-
short, and not bulbous, with narrow leaves
lobed reflexed corolla, inserted on the
The two species passing insensibly into the leaf- stalk
calyx, and ten stamens.
scape with a single white flower. [J. T. S.]
are natives of the northern regions of
both the old and the new world. The ARCTURUS. A genus of Scroplmlaria-
whole plant of A. uva-ursi is astringent cece, established by Bentham, but subse-
it has been used for tanning leather. The quently abolished by him ; the name being
berries form a favourite food of grouse and retained to characterise a group of the
other game. The plant is a valuable medi- genus Celsia, in which the anthers are
cal astringent, used to check an excessive
attached by their middle. [W. G]
secretion of mucus, as in urinary and
bronchial affections, and even in calculus. ARDISIA. This is a large genus of the
The ArctostopJuilos alpina, or Black Bear- family Myrsinacece, containing upwards
berry, is the badge of the clan Ross. [W. C] of 100 species. They are evergreen shrubs
or small trees, with alternate, rarely oppo-
ARCTOTHECA. A genus of the com- site, leaves covered with transparent dots.
posite family, consisting of two species, Their flowers are white or rose coloured,
both perennial herbs, peculiar to Southern and arranged in panicles, the branches of
Africa, and found in sandy spots near the which are often of an intense rose colour,
sea. A. repens, which has been cultivated thereby adding greatly to the beauty of
in this country, is a branching plant, six the plant. The flower-stalks are often
inches to a foot high, with pinnatifld disposed in little timbellets on the branches
leaves, about six inches long, covered of the panicle. They are found in India,
underneath, as are also the stems, with a the islands of the Indian Ocean, and
white tomentum.and bearing solitary yel- America. The bark of A. colorata is
low flower heads, nearly three-quarters of known in Ceylon as Dan, and is used in
an inch across, borne on long naked stalks. native practice in bowel complaints, fevers,
The ray florets are strapshaped and neuter, and externally for healing ulcers. It is
those of the disc perfect ; involucral scales tonic and astringent. A. solanacea, a na-
! ;
tive of India, is to be met with in some Dicksoni, is found wild, and furnishes a
gardens the juice of its berries is of a
; substitute for the true betel nut to the
beautiful red colour, which, when put on poorer classes.
paper, changes to a durable brown. A. is the Cabbage Palm which
A. oleracea
crenata,& native of China and Penang, is is found in abundance in the West Indies.
a beautiful dwarf bush often cultivated in It derives its name from the bud which
greenhouses. The leaves are glossy green, terminates its lofty stem. This bud
and in the winter season, if well managed, consists of a great number of leaves
the plant is covered with a mass of scarlet densely packed, so that the inner ones are
berries, much like those of the holly. A. of a white colour, and delicate flavour, and
primulifolia, a native of Hong Kong, is serve as a vegetable. The noble trees are
only about six inches high, and has thin destroyed for the sake of this luxury and ;
leaves like those of the common primrose. it is related that in the cavity formed by
A number of species are in cultivation in the removal of the ' cabbage a kind of '
English gardens. [A. A. B.] beetle deposits its eggs, from which mag-
gots are produced which are an article
ARDISIADS. An English name for the of diet much relished by the negroes of
order Myrsinacece. Guiana [M. T. M.]
AREC. (Fr.1 Areca oleracea. AREGMA. A
remarkable genus of para-
ARECA. The generic name applied to sitic Fungi, which abound on several
certain species of palms, characterised by species of Rosaceoe. Their first appearance
having a lofty stem, pinnated leaves is that of some yellow Credo, in which
whose stalks are rolled up into a cylinder condition the fruit is not distinguishable
at their base, a double spathe enclosing from that of the genus just mentioned,
the flowers, which are borne upon, a but, after a time, cylindrical dark multi-
branched spadix, and are unisexual. The septate bodies are produced on long bul-
male flowers have a six-parted perianth ;
bous stalks, forming a sort of sporeshaped
the female flower contains six rudimentary j
prothallus, the articulations of which ger-
stamens, and a superior one-seeded ovary minate, and produce at length the true
which ripens into' a drupe-like fruit with a spores. Nothing is more common than the
fibrous rind. Aregmaof the Rose and Bramble (A. Rosas
A. Catechu is a handsome tree, cultivated & A. rubi), which afford interesting objects
in all the warmer parts of Asia for the for the microscope, and food for much re-
sake of its fruits, which are of the size of flection, from their peculiar mode of re-
a hen's egg, of a reddish yellow colour, and production. [M. J. B.]
with a thick fibrous rind, within which is AREMONIA. A name altered from
the seed. This is known under the name
Agrimonia, and now applied to an ever-
of areca nut, pinang, and betel nut, and is
green herb belonging to the natural order
about the size of a nutmeg, but conical [
their favourite areca nuts, whole ship and the petals not cleft into two segments.
loads of which are annually exported from The species are extensively distributed
j
Sumatra, Malacca, Siam, and Cochin China. three occur wild in Britain A. serpylli- :
rather than otherwise. In this country with the petals not exceeding the calyx.
the charcoal of the nuts is used as tooth Some authors consider we have two spe-
powder, for which it is well adapted by its cies included under this name, and sepa-
hardness. A sort of Catechu is furnished rate from the common form, A. leptoclaclos,
by boiling down the seeds of this palm to which is a much more slender plant, with
j
duce of Acacia Catechu. The flowers of calyx, and the leaves fringed with hair.
the tree are very fragrant, and used on A. norvegica, also a perennial, from the
>
festive occasions in Borneo, where they are Orkney and Shetland Islands, is closely
considered a necessary ingredient in me- allied to the last, but the leaves are not
dicines, and charms employed for healing fringed. A. trinervia is sometimes placed in
the sick. In Malabar another species, A the genus Mochringia, as the seeds have an
'
CALDERA
;
appendage : it, however, accords ill with Tasmanian Brexiacece, with alternate
the other species of that genus. [J. T. S.] stalked ovate undivided leaves, silky and
silvery on the under side. The flowers are
ARE OL ATE. Divided off into distinct very small, in terminal many-flowered
spaces usually more or less angular. The corymbose or paniculate cymes. A curious
skin of a plant is areolate. cup from which the stamens rise, is cut
I ARETHPSA bulbosa is a small swamp into comb-like teeth. [J. T. S.]
plant, belonging to the order of orchids, ARGOUSIER. (Fr.) Hippopliiie. — DU
,
with a one-leaved scape, terminated by a CANADA. Shepherdia canadensis.
i single very handsome rosy-purple sweet-
scented flower. It is found exclusively in ARGTLIA. A genus of Bignoniacece,
!
Xorth America, and is the only species of containing eight species, from Chili, of
|
its genus. Other supposed species belong perennial herbs, with fleshy roots, an
j
to Pogonia. angled stem, petiolate palmate and alter-
nate leaves, and white or purplish axillary
ARGALOP. (Ft.) Paliurus aculeatus. flowers. The genus has a five-partite
ARGAJvTA. A genus of plants belong- calyx ; a tubular corolla, with a flve-lobed
I ing to the family of Sapotacece. The limb ; four didynainous stamens and a ;
'
numerous; stigmas 4-7, radiating, ses- is often clad with silvery hairs. [A. A. B.]
I
sile, or elevated on a very short style ARGTRORCHIS. An obscure terrestrial
j
capsules obovate, opening at the top by a orchid from Java, with pinkish flowers.
'
ARIOPSIS. A curious genus of plants Europe and North America, and the Aris-
belonging to the Aracece, and similar to tolochia Clematitis,which has become as
the genus Arum in appearance, hence the itwere naturalized in England. The wood
name. The species were formerly included of these plants, when they have any,
in the genus Remusatia, and consist of small consists of parallel plates, held loosely
Indian herbs with inconspicuous stems, glo- together by soft medullary processes. The
bular rhizomes, and glaucous heart-shaped ovary is inferior, with many ovules, and
peltate leaves, on long stalks. The spathe is for the most part consists of six cells, the
nodding, boat-shaped, adherent to the number three being, as in Endogens,
lower part of the spadix, on the upper characteristic of the floral apparatus of
part of which the male flowers are placed the order. In medicine these plants are
in little depressions; each little cavity slightly aromatic stimulating tonics, use-
contains six globular anthers, bursting by ful in the latter stages of low fever;
one pore. The female flowers at the lower the taste is bitter and acrid; the odour
portion of the spadix, consist of obliquely strong and disagreeable. They are also
ovate ovaries with three to five stigmas. said to be sudorific, emmenagogue, purga-
The fruit is like a berry, but somewhat tive, and diuretic. The principal genera are
dry, angular, one-celled, with four to five Aristolochia and Asarum, which see.
placentas, and several seeds placed in two
rows along each placenta. A. peltata is ARISTOLOCHIA. A remarkable genus
sometimes met with in cultivation as an of plants belonging to the family Aristolo-
object of curiosity. [M. T. M.] chiacere, and characterized by the posses-
sion of a calyx of some other colour than
ARIS.EM A. The plants of this genus green, of an irregularly tubular form, in-
of the Arum family have tuber-like root- flated at its lower portion, and adherent at
stocks, from which proceed peltate, pedate, its base to the ovary. The stamens are six
palmate, or more rarely undivided leaves. in number, and adhere to the solitary
The spathe is rolled round the spadix at style ; the fruit is a six-celled capsule
the base, the spadix has unisexual flowers with numerous seeds. The wood of these
below, itsjipper part covered with rudi- plants differs much in appearance from
mentary flowers the anthers are provided
; that of Exogenous trees or shrubs in
with distinct filaments; the ovaries are general, as it consists of radiating plates
numerous, and contain 2-6 ovules, and of wood, surrounding a pith and encircled
are terminated by very short styles. The by the bark, not disposed in rings.
tuberous rootstocks of two species are The plants of this genus are for the
used by the natives of Sikkim Himalaya, most part shrubs, generally climbing round
as food; they are beaten into a pulp with the branches of trees. They are abundant
water, and allowed to ferment, a process in tropical South America, while a few
which destroys their acridity. The Dra- species are distributed throughout North
gon-root, or Indian turnip of America, is America, Europe, and India. One species
the tuber of A. atrorubens, which fur- A. indica, is common to India and to New
nishes a kind of starch. [M. T. M.] Holland. The flowers of some of the
kinds are remarkable for the oddity of
ARISARUM. A genus of plants of the their form, and for their large size. Hum-
Arum family, closely allied to Ariscema. boldt mentions one, A. cordata, as growing
The lower part of the spadix has uni- on the shady banks of the Magdalena, and
sexual flowers, but no rudimentary ones, having blossoms measuring four feet in
and is naked at the top the ovaries are
;
circumference, and which the Indian chil-
few in number, and have a distinct style. dren sportively draw on their heads as
The plants are herbaceous, with a tuberous caps. A. Clematitis, the common Birth-
or branching and creeping rootstock, wort, is found in this country, but gene-
heart-shaped or spear-shaped leaves, on rally in the neighbourhood of old ruins, as
long stalks, and livid purple spathes. They if it had at some time been cultivated in
are natives of Southern Europe and the the gardens attached to such buildings ;
Mediterranean region. [M. T. M.] probably for medical purposes, as an aid
ARISTA. The awn or beard in parturition. It is a low growing shrub,
of corn, or
any such like process. with slender erect greenish furrowed
stems, stalked heart-shaped leaves, in the
ARISTATE. Furnished with an arista. axils of which the yellowish trumpet-
shaped flowers are produced in clusters.
ARlSTOhOCHIACEM(Aristolochice,Asa- Others of the species had formerly a
rinece, Pistolochince, Birthivorts). In the similar reputation, such as A. rotunda and
tropical parts of both hemispheres, and A. langa.
occasionally beyond those limits, occurs A. Serpentaria is the Virginian Snake-
a race of plants with singularly inflated root, furnishing the dimg known as serpen-
irregular flowers, consisting of a calyx tary, which is esteemed in the southern
only, of a dull dingy colour, varying from states of America as a cure for the bite of
yellow to shades of chocolate, purple, or the rattlesnake or of a mad dog. Its
brown, and often emitting an offensive effects, when given in large doses, are a
odour. A hot summer appears to be one feeling of sickness, purging, and subse-
condition of their existence, with a few quently increased fulness of the pulse
exceptions, the most striking of which are hence it is still occasionally used as a
I
Asarums, little stemless plants, wild in stimulant in fevers.
; :
The roots of other species are used in snakes, stupefies them, and kills them if
the United States for the same purposes, |
they do come, and cures them if bitten by
as A. hastaia auAA.tomentosa and several
;
'
creeping plant, of the leaves of which it or ternate stalked leaves, which vary much
i
; partook with greediness —that plant was in size and form. The flowers are small
i
the Guaco. He secured the reptile, and and white, arranged in axillary fascicles
brought away the plant the leaves of which or in racemes the berries roundish, vary-
;
it had eaten. The snake, although bitten ing in colour from pink to black, and in size
by one of a most deadly species, quite re- from that of a small pea to a cherry. The
covered. Another report, as probable as the wood of A. Macqui, a native of Chili, is
other, is that snakes have been observed used for making musical instruments, its
carefully to avoid localities where the plant tough barkformirg the strings. Theberries
grows. Many persons are so firmly per- are acid but eatable, and a wine is made
suaded that the snake will not approach from them by the Chilians which is given
the Guaco, that when travelling in the in malignant fever. It was employed by
'
bush, they carry a small piece of the root Dombey in Chili during the plague of 1782,
of the plant in their pocket. So then, this with boasted success.' Two species are
wonderful plant prevents the access of found in N. Zealand the berries of A
:
—
racemosa, the Mako-Mako of the natives, the apex, and the stigmas often forming
are eaten. The genus is named in honour four lobes. The species are small and very
of the Greek philosopher. [A. A. BJ hispid or bristly, with pale yellow or pur-
plish-blue flowers. [J. T. S.]
ARJOONA. A genus of Olacacea, con-
taining three species of under-shrubs or ARNICA. The name applied to a genus
herbaceous plants, with alternate rigid of the composite family, distinguished by
and acute leaves, and flowers in spikes at the following characteristics —Involucre
:
the end of the branches. The calyx consists bell-shaped, of two rows of bracts ; outer-
of a cylindrical flve-lobed tube. The sta- most florets strap-shaped, containing pis-
mens, five in number, have slender fila- tils only with rudimentary stamens cen- ;
ments and oblong anthers. The inferior tral ones tubular, five-toothed, containing
ovary is fleshy and contains three ovules. both stamens and pistils ; the tube of
There is a thread-like style, and three short the corolla hairy; style with long arms
linear stigmas. The fruit, included in the covered with downy hairs ; fruit cylindri-
persistent bracts and bracteoles, is one- cal, tapering at each end, ribbed, hairy,
seeded. The species are natives of South and surmounted by a pappus, consisting of
America. [W. C] close rigid rough hairs arranged in one
row.
ARMARINTHE. (Fr.) Cachrys. A. montana, the Mountain Tobacco, is a
ARMATURE, ARMS. Any kind of de- native of Central Europe. Its roots and
fence consisting of spines, prickles, &c. leaves possess powerfully acrid proper-
ties, but in small doses it is employed as
ARMENIACA. The Apricot, Prumcs a stimulant in low fevers and other condi-
Armeniaca.
tions of debility, also in paralytic affec-
ARMENIACTJS. A native of Armenia ; tions externally it is much used as a
;
but more generally used to signify apricot- tincture applied to bruises, wounds, and !
cylindrical sheath or tube, enclosing the Java plant, which is now placed in the
upper part of the scape. The flowers are
;
genus Weinmannia.
rose-coloured, purple or white. Two species
are included in the British Flora, but one ARNOSERIS. Nipplewort. An insignifi- I
of them, A plantaginea, which has the cant native annual weed belonging to the
tribe Cichoracew, of compound flowers. It
j
wards the end, is only found in Jersey. grows from six to eight inches high, with
The other, A. vulgaris, is the common Sea-
j
and many of the mountains of the British wards so as to assume a club-shaped form.
Islands the leaves are narrow and parallel-
:
The flowers are small and yellow. By
sided. This plant is often cultivated in Smith, Hooker, and others, it is placed in
gardens, where it is sometimes used to the genus Lapsana, from which it was
supply the place of box-edging, for which separated by Gartner on account of the
its compact tufted growth makes it very fruit being crowned with a pappus of
suitable. [J. T. S.] many short entire broad scales in Lap- ;
three feet high. One or two species exist several fleshy lobes of the size of a carrot,
in gardens, where they are valued for their which when boiled are firm and have a
elegant manner of growth. A. alpinum is flavour intermediate between a chesnut
the hardiest, inhabiting Mount Totanica- and a parsnip. Trials have been made to
pan, at the elevation of 10,000 feet above cultivate the plant in this country, but
the sea level, where it rides on the branches the climate has not been found suited
of the Mexican alder, in a region where for it. It might be tried in some of our
oaks refuse to grow. colonies with advantage. [M. T. M.]
ARRABIDJEA. A genus of Bignoni- The name Arracacha is also given to one
acere, composed of about twenty South of the tuber-bearing species of Oxalis, 0.
American, chiefly Brazilian species, all of crenata. [T. M.]
which are climbing shrubs, having, when
young, pinnate or trifoliate, when old bi- ARRETE-B03UF. (Fr.) Ononis procur-
foliate leaves, generally furnished with rens.
tendrils. The genus may be readily dis-
tinguished from all other Bignoniacece by ARRHENATHERTTM. A genus of grasses
having by far the smallest flowers in the of the tribe Avenacece, distinguished chiefly
order, the corollas being, in some in- by having two florets within the glumes,
stances, only three to four lines long also the lower of which is abortive. The only
;
by its stamens, four of which are fertile, British species is the tall Oat-grass, A.
whilst the fifth is sterile and of equal avenaceum, which in many instances forms
i length with the rest. The calyx is cup- a very considerable portion of good mea-
shaped the corolla hypocrateriform the
; ;
dows and pastures. Although a large
fruit a dehiscent, smooth, flattened cap- growing species, and one which cattle ap-
sule, linear in shape, and having a septum pear to like, it is found, on being chemi-
cally analyzed, to be low in nutritive pro-
placed parallel with the valves of the latter.
perties compared with some other kinds,
The flowers, though small, are arranged in
i
large terminal panicles, and render the consequently, it is mostly cultivated as a
Arrabidaas ornamental objects. The leaves portion in mixtures of grasses, and never
of several have a deep rose or purplish alone as a crop. For this purpose it is use-
ful in assisting the weaker stemmed kinds
\
America from Indian corn, Zea Mays. A ing four scales inside the tube, and having
kind of Arrow-root, called Tous les mois, a four-cleft somewhat two-lipped limb, the
which comes from the West Indies, is sup- upper segment of which is broader four ;
posed to be the produce of Canna edulis, didynamous stamens inserted in the tube
C. Achiras, and probably of other species. of the corolla, the hinder ones shorter a ;
That of the Sandwich Islands comes from simple style with a bilammellate stigma
Tacca oceanica. Though the name Arrow- and a two-celled ovary containing many
root is that applied to the produce of ovules. The species are glabrous herbs of
various plants, it is more particularly as- India and the East, and have opposite
sociated with that of the Maranta. The leaves, with terminal racemes of flowers.
word is a corruption of the name Ara- A. fimbriatum is an ornamental species,
root. [T. M.] sometimes seen in gardens. [T. MJ
leathery, and their flowers solitary, stalked the rough leaves of the plant having the
at the ends of the branches, and sometimes power of staunching blood. The under sur-
as large as those of a camellia. A. clusioidcs, face of the leaf is rough, traversed by a
a Brazilian species, is said to be a small network of projecting veins, and covered
tree, from the branches of which a viscid with hairs hence its effect in stopping
;
packed stamens ovaries indefinite in num- and provided with an involucre of over-
;
lapping bracts the florets are as long as
;
ber, each containing at the base two erect
ovules. The plants constituting this genus
the involucre, yellow or greenish, either
all tubular and five-toothed, or the central
are shrubs or climbing plants, natives of
India and the Indian Archipelago chiefly, ones tubular, five-toothed and barren, and
but one is found in the western part of the outer ones filiform or three-toothed,
tropical Africa. A. odoratisslma is culti-
female and fertile; the florets are placed
vated as an ornamental shrub, and for the
on a receptacle without scales, and the
fruits are obovate and not provided with
sake of its fragrant flowers, throughout
the East, and also in hot-houses in this a pappus. The genus is widely distributed
country. The leaves of certain kinds are over the temperate and warmer temperate
regions of the globe, and most of them are
highly esteemed in Java, against cholera,
remarkable for their strong odour and
their value being probably dependent on
bitter taste. Three or four species grow
the warm aromatic principle pervading
Avild in this country. In certain of the
them. [M. T. M.]
Western states of North America, as Utah,
ARTANEMA. A genus of Scrophulariacea?, Texas, New Mexico, &c, are large tracts
synonymous with Achimenes of Vahl. It almost entirely destitute of other vegeta-
is characterised by a five-parted subequal tion than that afforded by certain kinds of
calyx a funnel or bell-shaped corolla, bear- Artemisia, which cover vast plains, and
;
:
said to have their flesh rendered of a hitter or two stamens two styles and an ovate
; ;
taste in consequence. The Artemisias also one-celled and one-seeded ovary. The
abound in the arid soil of the Tartarian species are found in the salt marshes of
Steppes, and in other similar situations. all parts of the world. A. fruticosum is
! The Common Wormwood, A. Absinth ium, abundant on the British coasts. [W. C]
is found wild in some parts of Britain and
cultivated in cottage-gardens. It possesses ARTHROLEPIS. The name given to a
aromatic bitter and tonic properties, and genus of the composite family (Compo-
was formerly much employed as a vermi- site). There is but one species known, a
fuge. The active properties of the plant, perennial herb, native of Syria, a foot high,
and probably those of the other kinds used with alternate linear pinnatisect leaves,
for like purposes, depend on a volatile oil, a the segments very small and closely over-
peculiar bitter principle called absinthine, lapping each other. The flower-heads are
and an acid called absinthic acid. What is single at the ends of the branches the ray
;
called salt of wormwood is an impure car- florets yellow. All the parts of the plant
bonate of potash, obtained from the ashes are covered with a white mealy pube-
of wormwood. scence. It is nearly related to the Chamo-
A large number of the species possess miles (Anthemis) and the Millfoils (Achil-
similar properties to those found in the lea) ;differing from the first in its winged
common wormwood, and are hence used achenes, from the second in its single
for the same purposes in various parts of flower-heads, and from both in the jointed
the world. The flower stalks and heads of scales of the involucre. The name of the
several species of Artemisia are sold by genus is derived from this latter circum-
herbalists under the name of Wormseed stance. [A. A. B.]
they are chiefly imported from the Levant,
and are the produce of plants growing in ARTHROLOBIUM. An unimportant
Syria.Persia, and Barbary. Others imported genus of leguminous plants distinguished
from India are employed as vermifuges. from the equally unpretending Ornithopus,
A. Moxa is said by Dr. Lindley to be the by the heads of flowers being destitute of
plant used by the Chinese and Japanese in a floral leaf, or bract, at the base. There
the formation of their Moxa, a small pellet are two European species, one of which,
of combustible material, placed on the skin A. ebracteatum, grows in the Channel Isles
and burnt there so as to produce a sore. and in Scilly. It is a small plant with pros-
It is used for the same puiposes, and on trate stems, pinnate leaves, and minute
the same principle as a blister, but it is cream-coloured flowers veined with crim-
exceedingly painful and now very rarely son, growing in heads of four or five, and
employed. Some of the species of Arte- succeeded by as many-jointed and curved
misia growing in Switzerland are used in pods, which together bear a singular re-
the manufacture of the bitter aromatic semblance to a bird's foot. [C. A. J.]
Extrait d' Absinthe.
The Southernwood of gardens, A. Abro- ARTHROPHYLLUM. A genus of the
tanum, sometimes called by country people Bignonia family, containing five species,
Old Man, is a shrub with finely divided all of them shrubs or small trees, found in
greyish greenleaves, which have a fragrant Madagascar and the islands of Eastern
aromatic odour, said to be disagreeable to tropical Africa. Their leaves are com-
bees and other insects. The plant is a pound, opposite, or alternate, and very
native of the South of Europe. peculiar in structure; indeed, in four of
The Tarragon, A. Dracunculus, differs the species no true leaves may be said to
from the majority of its fellows in that its be developed, but their petioles, or leaf-
leaves are undivided they are narrow and
;. stalks are winged and leaf-like, with two
lance-shaped, of a bright green colour, and to four joints, the segments between the
possess a peculiar aromatic taste, without joints being wedge-shaped, and the ter-
the characteristic bitterness of the genus. minal one acute. In A. Thoiu irsianum
The plant is a native of Siberia. [M. T. M.] leaflets are produced from the joints of the
petiole. Their flowers are generally large
ABTHANITA. (Ft.) Cyclamen europosum. and tubular, disposed in racemes or co-
ARTHROBOTRYS. A name proposed rymbs from the ultimate f orkings of the
branches. A. madagascariense is cultivated
for a small group of Indian ferns,now in England. Its flowers are pink in colour,
referred to Lastrea. [T. MJ large and tubular, the limb of the corolla
ARTHROCXEMU.M. A genus of Che;io five-lobed, with crisped margins. The
pod.iacece,separated from Salicornia to re- name Arthrophyllwm signifies jointed leaf.
ceive fruticosa and a few other species,
.S'. It has been changed by some authors to
which differ from the restricted Salicornia Phyllarthron because the name Arthro-
in having the flowers hidden in the articu- phyllum is given also to a genus of the
lations of the branches, and not concealed Aralia family. [A. A. B.]
,
ARTOCARPUS. This name, signifying make use also of the timber of the tree,
Bread-fruit, is applied to the genus of trees which is soft, and is said to attain a ma-
furnishing the well-known fruit of that hogany colour by exposure. The bark of
name. It gives the name to the order the young tree is also fabricated into a
Artocarpacece, and is distinguished by hav- coarse cloth. In the South Sea Islands, the
ing its male or stamen-bearing flowers bread-fruit constitutes the principal article
borne on long club-shaped spikes, and the of diet, which is prepared by baking it in
pistil-hearing ones in round heads. The an oven heated by hot stones. The plant
male flowers have a tubular calyx of two is now cultivated in the West Indies, but
sepals containing a single stamen the ; does not equal the plaintain as an article
female flowers have a simple ovary, con- of food. The history of its introduction
taining a single ovule, and surmounted by into these islands is associated with the
a style with two stigmas curved down- well-known incidents of the mutiny of the
;
crew of the ' Bountv,' which had been sent Isle of Wight a much larger plant
out under the command of Lieut. Bligh to than the common^. maculatum,the leaves,
procure bread-fruit trees, at the earnest with white veins, have the lobes at the
request of Captain Cook, and the natural- base spreading more widely than in
ists who accompanied him in his voyages. that species, and the spathe is rolled
The first attempt was frustrated by the backwards at the point as the flowers
mutiny of the crew after the plants had ripen.
been procured, and all promised well. A The root of A. montanum is used in
second attempt, four years subsequently, India to poison tigers. The roots of A.
proved successful. lyratiim furnish an article of diet to the
The Jack, A. intecjrifolia, is a native of natives of the Circar mountains. They
the Indian Archipelago it produces a fruit
; require, however, to be carefully boiled
like that of the above-named kind, but the several times, and dressed in a particular
leaves are not at all lobed or divided. It is manner, to divest them of a somewhat dis-
cultivated in Southern India and all the agreeable taste.
warm parts of Asia. The fruit is a favourite All the species of Arum, and those of
article of food among the natives, as also allied genera, such as Ariscema, Colocasia,
are the roasted seeds. The timber is much Caladium, Amorplwphallus and others, pos-
used for making furniture it is at first of
; sess a similar combination of extremely
a pale colour, but subsequently becomes acrid properties, with the presence of
r dark, approaching to a mahogany tint. a large quantity of farina, which can be
Bird-lime is manufactured from the juice. separated from the poisonous ingredient
A. hirsvia, 'a native of Malabar, possesses by heat or water, or by merely drying in
similar qualities. A. incisa is shown in some instances.
Plates 2a and 7e. [M. T. M.] A. Dracunculus is commonly cultivated
in gardens for the sake of its large pedate
ARUM. A genus of plants of the family leaves, its spotted stem, and purple spadix.
Aracece, known by having a large spathe, The smell is fetid, and apt to produce
whose edges are rolled over one another headache. The Arums have been made
at the base. The flowers are unisexual, and use of in experimenting upon vegetable
placed on a fleshy spike or spadix, which heat, as by reason of the investing spathe,
s club-shaped and destitute of flowers at |
the heat generated by the flowers does not
the summit, but at the lower portion :
so easily escape as in other plants, and
bears male flowers or stamens, oonsistins its degree can the more readily be ascer-
merely of anthers, opening by lateral slits, tained. Moreover, it appears that these
unprovided with filaments, and not in- plants really do generate more heat than
|
vested by a perianth. Between the male other flowers for instance, a difference of
;
flowers and the female are a number of more than 50° is recorded between the
abortive flowers having the appearance temperature of the air and that of the
of threads or hairs. Quite at the base of flowers of A. cordifolium. [M. T. M.]
the spadix the female flowers are placed
these consist merely of ovaries, containing ARUM, ARROW. Peltandra virginica
two to six ovules, andripening into a berry- —, WATER. Calla palustris.
like fruit.
The common Arum of the hedges (A. ma-
ARUM D'ETHIOPIE. (Fr.) Bichardia
(Ethiopica.
j
culatum),or, as it is commonly called,
Lords and Ladies, or Wake Robin, isan ex- ARUXDIXA. Reed-like terrestrial or-
tremely acrid poisonous plant, but by dry- chids, with slender stems and narrow
;
ing, or the agency of heat, the acrid matter r ftbed leaves. The flowers are large, thin,
is destroyed. It has a whitish rootstock richly coloured with rose or purple, but
from which proceed ovate arrow-shaped Yery fugitive. Three or four species are
green leaves^frequently marked with dark known all inhabitants of tropical Asia,
: .
blotches and placed on long stalks the The genus is nearly allied to Bletia.
;
yellowish colour. When the fruits are belonging to the tribe Bambusidce. The
!
ripe, they are of a brilliant red colour, and species are either of a shrubby or arbores-
!
very conspicuous, at not only the tops of cent nature, with strong jointed stems,
j
the spadix, but also the investing spathe resembling those of the bamboo cane.
wither, and fall off as the fruit attains to t 1*^-"
They '
j
n «h, from
<>i-o mostly
are ™
+v, Q wc,™^,-
ivr,™ the mvt c of
warmer parts rvF
maturity. From the tubers of this plant, the globe, and in some instances attain a
in the Isle of Portland, a starch called great size, where they grow spontaneously.
Portland Arrowroot was formerly exten- A. falcata is one of the hardiest kinds,
sively prepared by pounding the tubers being able to bear the cold of ordinary win-
with water, and then straining. On allow- ters in Britain, especially in the southern
ing the strained liquid to stand the starch counties of England and Ireland. In the
was deposited. Care was necessary from county of Cork, several brakes were planted
the extremely acrid nature of the plant, of this plant about the year 1848, and in
Indeed, Mr. A. Irvine, in his Illustrated ten years after the canes bad reached a
Handbook of British Plants, records that height of from sixteen to twenty feet,
many hours' boiling did not suffice to dissi- being about afoot in circumference at the
I
pate the acrid matter. base. The joints on the stems are nearly
A. iiaZicztr/! has been found togrowinthe of equal growths, and owing to their re-
'
AKUN €tyz fea^ury at ^otaug. 98
and on the slopes of the great Himalayan six-parted perianth six stamens, three
;
range of mountains, they are used in many shorter than the remainder anthers heart- ;
instances by the inhabitants in the way of shaped, becoming shield-shaped, and burst-
thatch to cover their dwellings, for which ing vertically; and fruit consisting of three
purpose it is valuable, resisting, as it does, lance-shaped pointed follicles, of thin
the effects of weather a long time, owing papery consistence, and containing a num-
to the large amount of silica contained in ber of winged seeds. The seeds, called
the joints and on the cuticle of the Cebadilla seeds, were formerly used to de-
stems. stroy vermin, but are now employed in the
Another important species is A. Srtwm- preparation of veratria, an alkaline sub-
hnn;ikii, a native of Guiana, where the stance, of a powerfully irritant poisonous
straight canes attain a height of sixteen nature, occasionally made use of in neu-
feet and upwards, with a diameter of one ralgia and rheumatic affections. It has
to one and a half foot at their base. It is been given internally, but from its doubt-
this plant, which chiefly furnishes the ful action and dangerous nature, it is now
tubes to the native Indians, from which rarely if ever employed. [M. T. •
.] M
they blow their poisoned arrows, which
after being clipped in the deadly woorali ASARABACCA. The common name for
poison, act with such fatal effect on the Asarum.
victims they are aimed at. [D. M.]
ASARTJM. A genus of the order Aris-
ARTJNDO. A genus of grasses typical tnlochiacece, known by its bell-shaped
of the tribe Arundinece. This genus, as three-cleft perianth, twelve stamens in-
now defined by Steudel and other authors, serted at the base of the style, and with
excludes the British species, which were the connective of the anthers prolonged
formerly included in it they will be found
: into an awl-shaped process. The fruit is a
in the genera Psamma and Phragmites. six-celled capsule, surmounted by the per-
A. Bonax is one of the most important sistent limb of the calyx. The species of
kinds, and may be seen occasionally cul- this genus are dispersed over Europe, and
tivated in British gardens, for the orna- the temperate parts of Asia, and North
mental effect it produces when growing in America.
groups. The stems attain a height of A. europceum is the Asarabacca of herba-
eight to ten feet in this country but in
; lists it is said to be found wild in West-
;
Spain and other parts of the south of moreland and other places in the north of
Europe they grow much taller. The leaves England. It is a low growing plant, with
are broad, of a fine glaucous green colour, a creeping rootstock, from which proceed
and in one variety they are beautifully a number of roots, and also two rounded
striped in different colours, similar to kidney-shaped stalked leaves; between
those of the common ribbon-grass of them is placed the dull brownish flower.
gardens (Ph.ala.ris arundinacea variegata). The roots and leaves are acrid and some-
The reeds are sometimes used in making what aromatic, they contain a volatile oil,
bagpipes and some other musical instru- a bitter matter, and a substance like cam-
ments. Mrs. Callcott, in the Scripture Her- phor. Asarabacca was formerly used as a
bal, considers it probable that A. Bonax is purgative and emetic, and also to promote
one of the plants alluded to in Scripture as sneezing, but it is now rarely used, having
the Reed, especially when the original word been supplanted by safer and more certain
is ' kaneh: The canes being long, straight, remedies. A canadense is sometimes met
.
and light, make admirable fishing-rods, and with in gardens it greatly resembles the
;
belonging to the colchicum family, Melan- stem, which is the ascending axis. Rising
thaceee. The single species of this genus, upwards with a curve, from the horizontal
A. officinalis, furnishes the Cebadilla seeds to a vertical position, as many stems.
from which the alkaline poison veratrine Simply rising upwards.
:
ASCI. The name of the fruit-bearing they ultimately find their way by a spon-
! cells in the important division of Fungi, taneous emission, and reach the surface of
! called Ascomycetes. These may be thread- the stigma without being projected upon
j
shaped, cylindrical like little sausages, cla- it, conducted by some inherent vital power.
vate, or subglobose. In the latter case they For a full account of this extraordinary
;
are mostly few in number, aud are occa- fact, see Lindley's Introduction to Botany,
;
sionally reduced to one in each cyst or 4th edition.
perithecium, as in Splicerotheca, to which
genus belongs the felted mildew of Rose- ASCLEPIAS. From this genus the order
Asclepiadacece takes its name. Its charac-
leaves and the Hop mildew. [M. J. B.]
The term Asci is also applied to spore- ters are as follow : —
The corolla consists of
five petals, bent downwards towards the
cases, consisting of a long or roundish cell
stalk; within the petals are five curious
containing spores. These are characteristic
boat-shaped processes or cups, forming
of lichens.
what is called the coronet, and from each of
ASCIDIT7M. A pitcher ; various modifi- these cups a curved horn-like body pro-
cations of leaves containing, or capable of jects within these are five stamens, whose
;
holding fluid, such as are found in Sarra- filaments are united into a pentangular
cenia, Nepenthes, Cephalotus, or even Utri- tube bearing five anthers, which adhere to
cularia. the five-angled stigma ; the pollen is also
ASCLEPIADACE^E. {Asclepiadew, Ascle- remarkable in being aggregated into two
separate parcels, suspended on two threads
piads, Apocynece in part.) Among monopeta-
lous exogens with a superior ovary, the
from a sort of gland, but this is a peculiarity
not confined to the plants of this genus
very lar^re natural order which -bears this
the fruit consists of a pair of follicles,
I name is known by its pollen being col- which opening, disclose a number of seeds
:
'
ture of the stamina! apparatus :
stamens in the latter order being distinct, showy flowers. All of them are more or
less poisonous. A. curassavica is employed
the pollen powdery, the stigma not par-
|
;
the whole of the sexual apparatus is con-
a very different plant see Cephaelis. A.
soiidated into a single body, the centre of
;
liar glands.
|
fragrant, and the young shoots are eaten as
Fully 1000 species are known, for the asparagus in Canada, where a sort of sugar
I
most part inhabiting the tropics of the is also prepared from the flowers, while the
I
Old and New Worlds. Two genera only are silk-like down of the seeds is employed to
]
found in northern latitudes, one of which, stuff pillows. Some of the species furnish
]
Asclepias, has many species, and is con- excellent fibre, which is woven into mus-
!
fined apparently to North America; the lins, and in certain parts of India is made
j
other, Cynanclium, is remarkable for ex- into paper. Some one of the species of Ascle-
'
tending from 59 D north latitude to 32° south pias\s thought to be the Soma plant so often
latitude. A. Stapelia is found in Sicily. They
alluded to as an object of prayer and praise
i vary extremely in appearance many being by the antient natives of India, in the
:
ticular condition a large proportion of these indefinite, from nine to a hundred, with
fungi produce also naked spores on distinct slender filaments, and ovoid two-celled
plants, and occasionally naked spores and
anthers the ovary ovoid, one-celled and
;
ASH-WEED. An
'
!
are well known as a diuretic it is un-
;
cens. '
who suffer from symptoms of gravel, it
;
are cloarged up, the proper degree of aera- and sometimes decidedly pinnate, with the
tion cannot take place, and since the same
!
tion, caused probably by the depressing in- and while some are delicately membrana-
fluences under which the plants are .grown ; ceous in texture, others are of a stouter
sometimes three-leaved, which seems to herbaceous character, and some are thick
have been the form originall described and leathery. A. Adiantum nigrum, the
; ;,
j
;
ASTELIA. A genus
of sedge-like Jun- they are valuable garden plants, because
caceo?, from the Islands of the Southern there are few things but themselves which
Ocean, with polygamous-dioecious flowers, . flower so late in the year. The Seaside
having a perianth of glumaceous texture, I
Aster, A. Tripolium, is the only British
as in the rush ovary three-celled or one-
;
'
species. It is a pretty plant, six inches to
celled by the incompleteness of the par- |
two feet high, with linear or lance-shaped
titions fruit berry -like stem very short
; ;
smooth and fleshy leaves, and stems ter-
leaves broadly-linear, hairy, very silky at I
minating in corymbs of purple-rayed
the base. A. alpina has leaves three-quar- flower-heads, rather more than half an
ters of an inch broad, and an extremely inch across. It occurs pretty generally
short flatteued scape, crowned by a dense over all the British as well as European
panicle of rather large chesnut-coloured coasts. The Alpine Aster, A. alpinus, is
flowers. The leaves of this species, which the type of a small group which inhabit
grows on the sand-hills of the coast of Tas- Alpine regions alone. It is found on the
mania, are edible, and are said to have a mountains of Central Europe, Asia, and N.
nutty flavour. [J. T. S] America, growing from three inches to a
foot high, the stem furnished with lance-
ASTEMON. A genus of labiates, found shaped or linear leaves, one to two inches
in Bolivia ; it is related to Colebrookia, from long, and terminating in a blue-rayed
which differs in having a non-plumose
it flower-head, one to two inches across.
calyx, and a five-lobed, not four-lobed, co- : The remainder are mostly branching plants,
rolla. The calyx
is tubulose-campanulate, 1
green and smoothish above, whitish and from the Sikkim Himalaya and the Italian
tomentose beneath and the flowers small,
; Star wort, A. Amellus, from S. Europe.
white, in a terminal panicle, which is still [A. A. B.]
more densely clothed than the stems and
leaves with white tomentum. [T. M.] ASTER, CAPE. Agathcea amelloides. —
,
shrubs from 1 to 3 feet high, 366 shrubs serted at the base of the corolla, and have
filiform filaments, and oblong anthers.
j
Asia, 1,042 in Europe, and 3,590 in Amer- rose family, with a single species, A. stel-
ica the Cape of Good Hope possessed 1,540,
:
latum, found in S. Europe and Asia Minor,
Mexico 725, Brazil 722, United States and chiefly on the sea coast. It is" a little erect
j
Canada 678, the Levant 610, the Continent or decumbent annual, one to three inches ,
of India 681, north and middle Europe 447, high, with opposite linear leaves, one-sixth
Europe in the Mediterranean 595, Australia of an inch in length, bearing in their
294. But these numbers greatly require axils single stalked minute flowers, whose
rectification. The uses of the order, real greenish-white corollas are nearly hidden
or imaginary, are very numerous and con- by the calyx. The minute corollas and few-
flicting. Some are tonic and aromatic like seeded capsules are the chief distinguish-
wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium, and ing marks between this genus and Lysi-
others); or vermifuges like those other machia, in which the plant was placed by
! Artemisias known in foreign pharmacy as Linnaeus with the name Lysimachia li-
Semen-contra, or Semencine. A few are numrstellatum, alluding to its flax-like
powerful rubefacients, as pellitory of leaves and starry flowers. [A. A. BJ
Spain (Anacyclus Pyrethrum), and various
kinds of Spilanthes which excite salivation. ASTEROSTEMMA. A genus of Ascle- I
Arnica montana is powerfully narcotic and piadece, having the following distinguish-
acrid. Similar evil qualities belong to ing characters the coronet of the stamens
:
Cnpis lacera, a most venomous species, five-lobed, fleshy, short, coloured, and cup-
said to be no infrequent cause of fatal shaped, its lobes crescent-like, or three-
consequences to those who, in the South toothed, opposite to the anthers, which
of Europe, incautiously use it as salad. latter are terminated by a membranous
Nor are Hieracium virosum and H. sabau- crest ; the pollen masses are erect. A. ;
resin is obtained from some allies of the spreading purplish spathe. The male j
plants 'belonging to the -papilionaceous taining some ten or twelve species. They
subdivision of the leguminous family. are perennial herbs, with black, aromatic
They have woody roots unequally pinnate
; roots, palmilobed, petiolate, radical leaves,
leaves flowers in axillary clusters a tubu-
; ; and few generally sessile stem leaves. The
lar or bell-shaped calyx, with five teeth a ; umbels have a leaf-like involucre, and few
corolla with the standard larger than the umbellules consisting of many white or
wings, and a blunt keel stamens in two
; rose-coloured, often polygamous flowers,
parcels a curved fruit or legume, divided
; surrounded by a conspicuous involucel,
into two cavities by the projection inwards consisting of many membranaceous, whit-
of the hinder wall of the fruit. They have ish or slightly-coloured leaves. The tube
compound leaves, and frequently spiny j
of the calyx is tuberculated, and the limb
branches. There is a large number of has Ave foliaceous lobes. The petals are
species distributed all over Europe, Cen-
j
glottis has purplish flowers and erect pods, are axillary, long, pendulous or erect,
rather longer than the calyx and A. alpi-
;
bearing on their apex an umbel of large
nus, which is only found in the Clova moun- sessile flowers, enclosed in a leafy invo-
tains, has pendulous pods, which are three lucre. A. Wallichii has large leaves and
times the length of the calyx. bright red flowers, nearly as large as those
of some rhododendrons the leaves are
;
with, coffee; the plant is cultivated for terminal panicles; petals five or six; sta-
those seeds in certain parts of Germany mens ten or twelve fruit a three or four-
;
ASTROPHEA. A section of the genus ovary. The trees and shrubs of this genus
Passijlora, characterised by the absence of are natives of the East Indies. The wood
cirrhi and involucre, toy its ten partite of A. monophylla, a native of Coromandel,
calyx and five stamens. The species are furnishes a heavy closely grained yellow
South American trees. [W. C] wood, suitable for cabinet work. [M. T. M.]
warmer and temperate parts of Asia and unequal. Steudel describes four species,
Africa. They are herbaceous, or shrub- none of which are A. HorsfiMii,
British.
like, -with slender branches; axillary or a native of Java, has the peculiar property
terminal clusters of flowers, which are of emitting, when bruised, a similar odour
blue or yellowish, and handsome, with a to that given out by the English sweet-
regularly five-parted calyx, a somewhat scented vernal grass, which is supposed to
funnel-shaped corolla, with a limb divided result from the presence of a portion of
into five nearly equal segments stamens
; benzoic acid (?) in their tissues. [D. M.]
four, united in pairs at their base ; an-
thers two-celled cells parallel, thickened ATCHAR or ACHIAR. A condiment
;
contain six stamens, inserted at the base with linear segments; and corymbs of
of the segments of the limb, and having clustered flower-heads on long foot-stalks,
broad filaments concave above the style
;
the florets being all tubular. Though of
is short, thick, three-furrowed, with a somewhat rambling habit, the small
capitate three-lobed stigma; the ovary amount of care it requires, and the last-
is sub-three-celled, containing numerous ing character of its blossoms, render it
ovules, and becomes a semi-three-celled deserving of some attention. The cut
many-seeded berry. There are few more flowers preserve their freshness for a long
remarkable-lookins- plants than A. cristata, period. The genius derives its name from
sometimes met with in gardens under the the Greek '
Atioivxtria,, signifying immor-
incorrect name of Tacca integrifolia. It tality, in allusion to the unfading nature
has a short conical underground caudex, or of its flowers. [W. T.]
rhizome, and produces from this caudex
three or four large oblong acuminate
ATHERANDRA. A genus of Asclepia-
dacece,containing two species, from the
purplish-green stalked leaves. The scape
Moluccas climbing shrubs, with slender
:
is about as long as the leaves, erect, stout,
branches, ovate and opposite leaves, and
angled, dark purple, terminated by a large few flowered axillary cymes. The calyx
four-leaved involucre, of which the two consists of five lanceolate sepals, and the
outer leaflets are dark purple, opposite, corolla of as many linear-lanceolate lobes.
sessile, and spreading and the two inner
;
!
len. [W. C]
! with a turbinate six-angled tube, and a
six-parted limb suddenly reflexed. the seg- ATHEROSPERMACE.E. (Plume Nut-
ments arranged in an outer smaller, and an megs.) A small natural order of trees from
inner larger series, the rim of the mouth Australia and Chili, deriving their English
forming a crenated rina-. This plant is a name from their aromatic nuts, being fur-
native of the islands of the Malayan Arcbi- nished with a permanent style, clothed
,
pelaso, and one or two other species are with long hairs. Only three genera are
Indian besides which, Sir W. J. Hooker
;
known Atherosperma, Laurelia, and Dory-
:
mentions one a native of Demerara. Though phora, which see. Their flowers are insig-
remarkably curious in structure, these nificant. They are placed by Lindley in the
plants are of no known utility. [T. M] menispermal alliance of diclinous exogens.
ATALANTIA. A genus of aurantia- ATHEROSPERMA. genus of Moni-A
ceous plants, known by their undivided miacece, containing a single species from
leaves,few stamens, united below into a New Holland. It is an aromatic tree with
tube, and one orule in each cell of the four-cornered branches, opposite leaves,
and pedicellate axillary solitary flowers, ' One species, A. alpina, is not uncommon
with two deciduous bracteoles. Theflowei's in gardens. [J. T. S.]
are monoecious. The male flower is campa- ATRAPHAXIS. A genus of Asiatic and
nulate, with a very short tube, and eight
Cape of Good Hope Polygonacece, forming
lobes; and the ten to twelve fertile sta- low shrubs with rigid much-branched
mens are mixed with scale-shaped barren I
united it. It agrees with that genus in six styles two ; fruit a small lens-shaped
;
the peculiarities of having free veins, and nut, included between the two large ovate
simple distinct indusia but the sori are lu-
;
deltoid calyx segments. A few species are
nate or more or less horse-shoe-formed (hip- cultivated as greenhouse plants, but their
pocrepif orm), this distinguishing character scrubby stems and small flowers present
being most strongly developed in the sori few attractions. A. spinosa is a dwarf
which are placed more immediately in the hardy shrub. [J. T. S.]
neighbourhood of the principal veins.
The species, several in number, found in
ATRIPLEX. Orache. A genus of Cheno-
pocliacece,with the foliage covered with a
various parts of the world, are mostly de- granular mealiness. The" Oraches are
ciduous in habit; and one of them, A.Fi- chiefly distinguished by the two bracts or
lir fcemina, the Lady Fern, is plentiful in
small leaves, enclosing the fruit, and en-
Great Britain, where it assumes a great larging after flowering they are frequently
;
perennial or annual herbs, from three Iqta, Stalked Orache, which has the fruits
inches to one and a half foot high, with always on a pedicel or footstalk. [J. B.]
toothed or pinnatifld leaves, their mar- The Garden Orache, or Mountain Spinach
gins often spiny. The flower-heads are ter- (A. hortensis), is a tall erect growing hardy
minal, solitary, or three to four together, annual plant, a native of Tartary, intro-
having a double involucre, the scales of the duced in 1548. It is not much cultivated in
external one pinnatifld and leafy, with spi- this country, but in France, under the name
nous teeth, standing apart from the inner of Arroche, it is grown to some extent for
involucre, and forming, as it were, a fence the sake of its large and somewhat succu-
round the flower head. The scales of the lent leaves, which are either used alone as
inner involucre are ovate or lanceolate, spinach, or mixed with sorrel, for the pur-
I
terminating in a spinous point. The florets pose of correcting its acidity. The quality
J
are generally of a pink colour. One species of the spinach yielded by Orache is far
1
is found in North China, and all the others inferior to that of the common spinach
I
are natives of the Mediterranean region, (Spinaeia oleracea), or even of the New
abounding in Algeria, and growing chiefly Zealand spinach {Tetragonia expansa) but ;
in arid desert places. [A. A. B.] its leaves being produced abundantly dur-
ing summer, it is occasionally found useful
ATRAGENE. A genus of somewhat for culinary purposes. There are several
woody-stemmed Ranunculaeeo', of climbing
i
ATROPA. A
genus of plants of the |
adults, can be taken with impunity by
natural order Solanacece or byMiers made
; ; children, and also that the action of Bel-
the type of a new family called Atropacece. ladonna and of Opium are so mutually
The genus is known hy its five-parted antagonistic that the one maybe employed
calyx its bell-shaped corolla formed of Ave
:
as an antidote to the other. Valuable as j
flowering steins bear few flowers. A. del- three nearly equal wings. There are four
toidea, anativeof tlieeasternMediterranean species known, viz.— A. Dregei, A. Caffra, A.
xiitfntticosa, found at the Cape, and A. na-
region, is a pretty early-flowering plant,
tit'lensis at Port Natal. The genus is named
often introduced on rockwork. [J. T. S.]
after Dr. August of Berlin. [J. H. B.J
ACCKLANDIA. A name given to an AUGUSTINIA major (or Bactris ma-
Indian composite plant, which proves to jor of Jacquin) is the only known repre-
be identical with Aplotaxis, which see. sentative of a genus of palms inhabiting
ATJCUBA. A genus of evergreen shrubs, Venezuela and New Grenada, and bearing
referred to the order Cornacece, and dis-
an edible fruit of a pleasant acid flavour.
It grows from twelve to twenty feet high,
tinguished by their dioecious flowers, of
which the males have a small four-toothed and its cane-like trunks, several of which
spring from the same root, form thick
calyx, a four-petaled corolla, and four short
bushes, quite impenetrable on account of
stamens alternating with the petals and ;
the spines with which the plant is clad.
the females have, instead of the stamens, an
inferior one-celled ovary, surrounded by a
The leaves are pinnate. The inflorescence,
fleshy epigynous disk, the style short thick
enclosedin a double spathe, is axillary the ;
and the ovary containing a single ovule. dark violet-coloured smooth drupe, about
The fruit is a one-seeded berry. The Ait- the size of a pigeon's egg. [B. S.J
our common garden form conspicuously mericarp has five longitudinal winged
blotched with pale yellow, the green- ridges, with intervening vittate furrows :
leaved type having been only lately intro- the commissure is plain. [W. C.J
duced. The flowers are inconspicuous.
Several variegated varieties are known. In AULATA. A genus of Scrophulariacece,
another species, of more recent discovery, containing eight species, natives of the
A. himalaica, the leaves are wholly green. Cape of Good Hope. They are parasitic
[T. M.J
herbaceous plants, having the habit of
Orobanche, with imbricate scale-like leaves,
AUDOTJINIA. A genus of Bruniacm, and gaudy flowers. The calyx is campanu-
containing a single species, from the Cape late and five-cleft, with two bracteoles. The
Ill Efjc Crea^urp of 230tang. [aven
tube of the corolla clavate at the base,
is AURICULATE. Having a pair of small
and inflated upwards the limb is spread-
; round lobes or ears, as is the case with
ing and live-cleft. There are four included many leaves.
didynanious stamens, inserted in the base
'
of the tube. The anthers have two cells, AUROJSTE FEMELLE. (Fr.) Santolina
the one being perfect, ovate-acuminate, the
other abortive, longer and subulate. The
Cliamcccyparissus. — MALE. Artemisia
Abrotanum.
ovary is two-celled, and contains mahy
A
i
nite number of bypogynous stamens, and Oat Grass leaves downy, with soft
:
a fruit more or less pulpy. Less than 100 hairs; a common meadow-grass in lime-
species are known. The various genera are stone pastures, which should be included
almost exclusively found in the East In- in the seeds for such situations. A. pra-
dies, whence they have in some cases tensis, Narrow-leaved Oat Grass; leaves
spread over the rest of the tropics. Men- hard and rigid a denizen of moors and
;
tion is made of a wild orange of Brazil, poor clays. Its specific name is inappro-
which has a mawkish sweet taste, but must priate as its favourite habitat is seldom
have been introduced. The Sklmmias are worthy of the name of meadow. A. alpina,
remarkable among so tender a race for the Great Alpine Oat Grass; a larger and
hardiness of their constitution. coarser form than the preceding, of which
it is probably a mountain variety. A. fla-
AURICULA. Primula, Auricula, a fa- vescens, Yellow Oat Grass flowers small ;
vourite garden flower.
yellow: an upland pasture grass of con-
AURICULARIXT. An order of hymen- siderable merit.
omycetous Fungi, distinguished by the Agrarian species A. strigosa, Bristle-
:
hymenium being destitute of gills, pores, pointed Oat; seeds much like those of
prickles, or other decided prominences. In Corn Oats, the awned inner pales with two
a few species of one genus only there are long bristly points occasionally met with
;
a few obscure folds or papilla?. The nobler in corn-fields, where it has probably
j
species have the hymenium inferior, as in been introduced with foreign seed. A.
the mushrooms, &c. : but as the order con- fatua, "Wild Oat awn much bent, the
;
i
tains a great mass of a low condition of lower half twisted, the inner pales covered
organisation, very" many of the species are with stiff hairs. These peculiarities give
permanently glued to the substance from the seed so much the apppearance of a fly,
which they spring. But even amongst that the rustics often make use of it in
these there is a tendency to become free trout fishing, and as the twisted awn un-
at the margin, and to reflect it so as to coils when it comes in contact with the
take the hymenium away from the light. water, the fish is deceived by its apparent
Several of the species are amongst the most struggling this property of the awn has
;
common of fungi. The yellow Stereum hir- likewise caused it to be used as a hygro-
sutism grows on almost every oak log, and meter it is a common weed in clay soils.
;
the purple Stereum purpureum on every The two latter species have lately at-
fallen poplar. The dark Indigo-blue Corti- tracted considerable attention from their
ciura caruleum, so common on damp rotten connection with agriculture. Dr. Lindley,
rails, is said to be occasionally phosphor- in an article in Morton's Cyclopcedia of
escent. The order is distinguished from the Agriculture, suggested that the cultivated
TremelUni by the expanded horizontal hy- Oat Ms a domesticated variety of some wild
menium, which is, besides, more definite, species, and may be not improbably re-
and formed after the same type as that of ferred to Avena strigosa ;' but perhaps,
the higher orders of the family, whereas in after all, the A. strigosa may be but a
the TremelUni the fructifying cells or spi- variety of A. fatua, from the cultivation of
rophores are of unequal length. There is, which it has been shown that Cereal or
moreover, in the higher Auriculari.ni a crop Oats may be grown, in illustration of
distinct pileus, while in the Tremellini, with. which we here give a short account of our
the exception of Hirniola and Exidin, own experiments.
where there is often a distinct barren In 1852 we sowed a plot of the seeds of
outer coat, as in Peziza, the wT hole surface, A. fatua, collected in 1851 they grew well,
:
even in the highest species, bears fruit. but were scarcely different from the wild
~So plant of the order is known to have plant, except in a tendency to an increased
any economical use. [M. J. B.] plumpness of grain. The produce of this
;
crop was preserved throughout the winter, terminal bunches. Their roots stand out
and sown in a different part of the garden in of the mud in which they grow, overarch-
the spring of 1853 we repeated the process
; ing each other in erect-angled masses, and
with successive, crops in 1854 and 1855, in sending up Asparagus-like shoots from
each of which we noted an increase of ten- their underground parts. A. tomentosa is
dencies in the following direction 1. a : in great reputation in Rio for tanning.
gradual decrease in the quantity of hairs The native washermen of India (dhobies)
on the pales 2. a more tumid grain, in
; make a preparation from the ashes of the
which the pales were less coarse and the wood, which they use in washing or clean-
awns not so strong and rigid 3. a gradual
; ing cotton cloths. '
The green fruits
increased development of kernel or flour. boiled with butter form poultices, used in
The produce again sown in 1856 had so far native practice. In N. S. Wales the wood
advanced, that we collected poor, but still is valued for stone-masons' mallets, on ac-
decided samples of what are known as count of its toughness. A. nitida is called
the Potato and Tartarian forms of Oat. Courida in British Guiana. The wood is
These we have gone on improving until, used for the foundations of buildings and
in 1860, we had a quarter of an acre each underground work, on account of its power
of good white Tartarian and Potato Oats, of resisting damp exposed to the atmo-
;
as a farm crop, which had heen derived sphere it soon perishes. The bark is used
from the wild example. This is the more for tanning in the W. Indies. [A. A. B.]
interesting, because farmers have always
stated, especially on the poor lias clays of AVIGNON BERRTES. The yellow dye-
Gloucester and "Worcester, that they could berries of the Buckthorn, Rhamnus in/ec-
not grow oats without leaving behind a torius.
quantity of wild or weed oat and our sub-
;
AVOCATIER. (Fr.) Persea gratissima.
sequent inquiries have convinced us that
shed oats in some situations do really de- AVOINE. (Fr.) Avena sativa. A^ —
generate into wild ones, and the first stage CHAPELET. Avena bulbosa. DE HON- —
in the process of degeneration will be ob- GRIE. Avena orientalis.
served in an accession of hairs at the base
of the grain, which good cereal oats never
AWL TREE. The Indian Mulberry,
possess.
Morinda citrifolia.
We may then view the different forms of AWL-WORT. The common name for
crop Oats, as induced varieties from the A. Subularia.
fatua. In cultivation, it would appear that
the best and plumpest oats are grown in AWN. The beard of corn, or any such
North Britain here they make a good slender process.
;
meal, which is much used as human food, AXIL, AXILLA. The angle formed be-
Oatmeal, parraitch being indeed an ar- tween the axis and any organ that grows
'
'
ticle of diet far more nourishing than the from it the base of a lateral ascending
;
potato, which is the more usual food of organ, on the upper side.
the southern. [J. B.]
AXILE, AXIAL. Of or belonging to the
AVENS. The common name for Geum. axis.
very acid, but pleasant when made into of a second rank secondary to some prin-
;
syrup, candied, or pickled. The leaves are cipal axis. , — APPENDAGES OF THE.
slightly sensitive. A. BilimM, the Blimb- All the leafy or thin expansions that grow
ing, has many pairs of leaflets, and the upon a stem, such as leaves, and the parts
flowers produced from the trunk. A. Ca- of a ftowT er.
rambola, the Caramba,, has only from two AYAPANA. The sudorific Eupatorium
to five pairs of leaflets, and the flowers pro- Ayapana, which is said to be a valuable
duced from the branches. [J. T. S.] remedy for the bites of poisonous snakes.
AVET. (Fr.) Abies pectinata. AYART. (Fr.) Acer opulifulium.
AVICENNIA. A
genus of the vervain AYDENDRON. A genus of tropical
family, Yerbenacece. The plants com- American trees of the laurel family, Lau-
prised in this genus are called White Man- racece. They have a funnel-shaped, six-
groves, and, like the true Mangroves, are parted perianth, containing twelve stamens
found in the tidal estuaries of most tro- in four rows the nine outer stamens have
;
pical countries. They are small trees, with anthers, the three innermost are sterile
opposite evergreen leaves, which are ob- of the fertile stamens the three innermost
long, entire, and covered beneath with a ;
have glands on each side at the base, and
white pubescence. Their flowers are incon- their anthers open outwardly the remain- ;
which afterwards falls off, leaving only a i from large scaly-imbricated terminal buds,
portion surrounding the base of the fruit. The calyx is five-parted, often minute.
Cujumary beans are the seeds of A. Cu- j
The corolla is funnel-shaped, with five
jumary, and are esteemed in Brazil as ;
spreading lobes. The stamens are five in
tonics and stimulants in cases of weak I number, with long exserted filaments, and
disestion. [M. T. M.J short ovate anthers, opening by terminal
i pores. The ovary is five-celled, with many
ATER AYER. The esculent fruit of '
cea, consisting of two species of Australian " and Asia. They are largely cultivated as
annuals, with much-branched stems, op-
ornamental shrubs, on account of the
posite or verticillate leaves, small scarious abundance of their flowers, and the fra-
stipules, and terminal corymbose cymes of grant smell of most of the species. Some
rose-coloured or purple flowers on long possess dangerous narcotic qualities. Pal-
stalks. [J. T. SJ las was of opinion that A. pontica was the
plant from whose flowers the bees of
AZADIRACHTA. A genus of the order
Pontus collected the honey that produced
Meliacea, represented by an Indian tree
with unequally pinnated leaves.whose leaf- the extraordinary symptoms of poisoning,
lets are oblique. The young shoots are described as having attacked the Greek
soldiers, in the famous retreat of the Ten
smooth, not covered with down as in the
allied genus Melia. The flowers are small,
Thousand. Xenophon says that after eating
it, the men fell stupified in all directions,
white, borne in axillary panicles they
;
differ from those of Melia in having a so that the camp looked like a battle-field
three-celled ovary, and a three-lobed stig- covered with corpses. The natives are
ma, and also in the fruit, which is purple aware of the deleterious qualities of the
when ripe, of the size of a small olive, one- plant. Cattle and sheep which browse on
celled, one-seeded. its leaves are poisoned. [W. C]
The bark of A. indica is used in India as AZARERO. (Fr.) Cerasus lusitanica.
a tonic, the root as a vermifuge, and the
leaves as an application to glandular AZARA. A genus of Chilian shrubs,
swellings, bruises and rheumatism. They belonging to the Flacourtia family, having
have also been employed successfully in, twin or solitary alternate leaves, generally
some forms of skin disease. From the ^toothed and varying in form from egg-
fruit an acrid oil is obtained for burning shaped to almost linear. Their flowers are
in lamps, and for dyeing cotton cloths. A
smal i an d ve i]ow, destitute "of petals, and
stimulant gum exudes from the bark. The arranged in axillary bundles. A few of
seeds are used as a poison for insects, and the species are in cultivation in English
mixed with water as a hairwash. A kind of gardens, and can be grown outside with
toddy is said to be prepared _from_ the the protection of a wall in the southern
young trees. [M. T. M.J counties. A. Gilliesii is the most handsome
of the genus. Its leaves are ever-
AZALEA. A genus of Ericaceae, estab- species
green and somewhat like those of the
lished by Linnaius, and including many
holly, bearing in their axils roundish fas-
plants which have since been separated
yellow flowers. About a dozen
and arranged under different genera. So cicles of
species are known. The leaves of many
conflicting are the opinions of botanists
as to the set that should retain the original
have a bitter taste. [A. A. B.J
Linnaean name, that it seems in danger of AZAROLE. The fruit of Crataegus Azar-
being lost altogether. Some seek to retain olus.
it for A. p-rocumbens, as the only plant to
which it is truly applicable, and propose AZEDARACH. Melia Azedarach.
the name Anthodendron for the showy AZEROLIER (Fr.) Crataegus Azarolus.
shrubs so well known in our gardens as
Azaleas whereas others, because of the
; AZOLLA. A
very curious genus belong-
almost universal application of the name ing to the marsileaceous division of the
to these plants, and to prevent unnecessary' pseudo-ferns. Its habit is that of a floating
coufusionin the synonymy, have given the pinnately-branched Jungermannia, with
name Loiseleuria to the small genus con- two or four-ranked imbricating leaves ;
taining the single species, A. procumbens, but its fructification is totally different,
and retained the original name for the and is nearer to that of Salvinia than of
vy American shrubs. This course being any other genus, and with which it forms
j
ists, as well as by many in Britain and the views of authors. Indeed, its pecu-
.
America, it seems better to consider the liarities are such that it has been some-
i
antheridia and the number of spores, term only applied to the parts of a flower or
accord with the geographical distribution fruit.
of the species, which may accordingly be
separated into two genera but this is at
;
BACCATE SEEDS. Seeds with a pulpy
present more than doubtful. [M. J. B.] skin.
ing found in California, and appearing Fungi, of rather doubtful affinity, but sup-
posed to belong to the division coniomy-
again in Chili, without being found any m cetes,aud to be allied toCoryneum. The plant
intervening place. [A. A. BJ
consists almost entirely of oblong septate
BACHE. A South American name for hyaline spores, which radiate from a little
JIauritia flexuosa, an economical species of dot-like receptacle. The spores in our
palm. most conspicuous native species, B.flavum,
which occurs in this country, although
BACHELOR'S BUTTONS. A garden but rarely, on dead elm stumps, are of a
name for the double-flowered variety of
pale yellow. We have a species from Vene-
the buttercup, Ranunculus acris.
zuela, with enormous spores, one-sixtieth of
BACILLARIA. A
genus of diatomace- an inch long, which afford an interesting
ous Alga? consisting of a single species, microscopic objectunder a low magnifying
which occurs on our coasts, known by its power; in this the spores, when seen en
linear rectangular articulations, which are masse, are of a pale fawn colour. [M. J. BJ
at first joined by the longer sides into a
straight tabular series, and then slip over
BACTRIS. A genus of slender palms,
natives of the West Indies, Brazil, and
each other so as to make oblique series.
other tropical countries on the eastern
The articulations or frustrates, individu- side of South America; generally growing
ally, are not so beautiful in respect of
in low marshy places, or inundated tracts
structure as many others of the arroup ; the of land, upon the banks of rivers, and on
chief point of interest consisting in the the sea coast. There are about forty spe-
curious manner in which the articulations cies, but very few of them attain anything
or frustules incessantly slip backward and like the majestic proportions of the gen-
forward over each other, with a more or erality of palms, the majority having thin
less isochronal motion, yet so as always to reed-like stems, not much exceeding the
adhere to each other. The whole mass is height of a man. A few, however, grow
thus in motion, though the several groups to a height of forty or even fifty feet, with
cf frustules, of which it is composed, may trunks averaging about four inches in
be moving in opposite directions. An ob- diameter. Almost all of them are armed
stacle, says Mr. Smith, is not evaded but with sharp black or brown spines, several
pushed aside : or, if sufficient to avert the having their stems encircled with bands
onward course, the latter is detained for a of them, placed at short intervals all the
time equal to that which it would have oc- way up, whilst others have them only at
cupied in its forward progress, and then their summits and, as they usually grow
;
retires from the impediment as if it had ac- together in large masses, and throw up
complished its full course. The motion is numerous suckers from their creeping
about one two-hundredth of an inch per roots, they offer a really formidable and
second. [M. J. B.] often impassable barrier both to man and
BACILLE. beast. Their flower-spikes are produced
(Fr.) Crithmum mariti-
either from the apex of the trunk or from
mum.
the bases of the leaves, and while young
BACILLI. The separable moving nar- are enclosed in a double sheathing spathe,
row plates, of which the genus Diatoma is which, in nearly all the species, is densely
composed. covered with short black spines. The male
BACILLUS. The little bulbs found on and female flowers are borne upon the
the inflorescence of some plants; a term same spike, and are yellow, green, or rose-
rarely employed. coloured; the males have a three-parted
thin calyx, and three fleshy petals, and
BACKHOUSIA. One or two showy-
contain from six to twelve stamens the ;
honour of Mr. James Backhouse, who has apex, and they contain a triangular ovary,
travelled much in Australia and South with three sessile stigmas. Their fruits
;
Africa, and otherwise contributed to ad- are generally small, seldom exceeding a
j
ranee botanical science. The principal pigeon's egg in size, and frequently not
'
characters of the genus are the tube of larger than a pea, mostly of a bluish black
:
the calyx covered with dense hairs, the colour, having a thin coating of white
;
five segments of the limb large, whitish, fibrous pulp surrounding a hard black
and petal-like the petals themselves stone, which has three small holes at the
; !
small and comparatively inconspicuous; top, and contains a single seed. Their
the stamens very numerous, and lonper leaves do not fall away from the trunk like
than the calyx or the corolla the ovary those of many other palms, but remain
; i
;
attached long after they have withered, colour. The fruits are small scarlet or black
hanging down and concealing the trunk berries, containing few seeds. They are
they are nearly always pinnate, and from nearly related to Ardisia, and differ chiefly
two to eight feet long in a few species,
; from that genus in their short round-
however, the leaves are nearly entire, or headed stigma, and few seeds. Their
merely divided into two broad sharp- distribution is unusual, one being found in
pointed lobes. the Philippine Isles, a considerable number
B. Maraja, the Marajah Palm of Brazil, in Mauritius, Bourbon, and Madagascar,
grows upon the banks of the Amazon and but the greatest number in the West
other rivers. It is the largest species of the Indies, Peru, and Brazil. [A. A. B.]
genus, its trunk attaining a height of fifty
feet. It is thickly armed with spines, and BiEA. A small genus of Gesneracece
has a succulent rather acid but agreeably consisting of herbaceous plants, with short
tasted fruit, from which a vinous beverage stems or entirely stemless, and crowded
is prepared. B. minor has a stem about leaves. The calyx is five-partite and per-
twelve or fifteen feet high, and seldom more sistent the corolla is eampanulate, the
;
than an inch in diameter. It is common in tube scarcely as long as the calyx, while
Jamaica and some parts of tropical South the subbilabiate limb is five-partite with
America, growing in open places in the roundish lobes. There are two fertile
vicinity of woods. Its stems are used for stamens with very short filaments, and
walking-sticks, and are said to be some- large cordate-ovate anthers. The lanceo-
times imported into this country under late ovary is one-celled, with two parietal
the name of Tobago canes. [A. SJ placentas. The capsule is elongated and
pod-shaped, and the two valves, after de-
BADAMIE. An Indian name lor oil of hiscence, are spirally twisted to the right.
almonds. The oblong seeds are numerous and very
BADDERLOCKS. Alaria esculenta. small. This genus differs from Strepto-
carpus chiefly in the length of the corolla
BA'DEK. A fermented liquor prepared tube. [W. C]
in Java from rice.
B^ECKEA. The name of a genus of
BADGER'S-BAJSTE. Aconitwm melocto- plants belonging to the Myrtaeece. The
num. flowers are sessile or stalked the limb of
;
leaves and solitary terminal bright yellow better understood, and has been fully de-
i flowers, an iuch across. Botanieally, the scribed,especially by Dr.J.D.Hooker. He has
genus is distinguished by an involucre shown them to be most nearly connected
of about ten leaflets, arranged in two series, with Haloragece, and to have no real affinity
a conical naked receptacle, and an elong- with Rafflesiacece, Orobanchacea; or airy
ated fruit without pappus. It differs from other root parasites, which assume some-
Callichroa, not only in its general habit, times a similar colour and consistence.
but also by its smaller flower-heads, and The flowers are, in nearly all the species,
the oblong-pointed form of the ray flo- unisexual, of very simple structure, and
rets, the florets of the latter being wedge- produced, in considerable numbers, in com-
shaped. [W. T.] pact terminal heads or cones; the small
perianth, usually simple and inferior in the
BAGASSA. An imperfectly-known genus females, more or less three-cleft or six-cleft
of Artocarpacece, comprising one or more in the males, is in some species wholly
species of trees, with opposite leaves, de- wanting the stamens, usually few, are
;
ciduous stipules, and orange-shaped fruit, very variable in number and form ; the
! consisting of egg-shaped, pointed achenes, ovary has one or two styles, and always a
clustered around a thick central recep- single cavity with one pendulous ovule.
tacle. This fruit is eaten in Guiana, where The Balanophwacece are natives of hot
the tree is a native. [M. T. II.] climates, in various parts of both the New
BAGFENAFDIER. (Fr.) Colutea arbor-
and the Old Woi'ld, one species only, the
escens. — D'ETHIOPIE. Sutherlandia fru-
CynomoriumcuccineumorFiingusmcUtiusis
of old authors, being found as far north
as the southern shores of the Mediterra-
BAJREE. PeniciUaria spicata, a bread- nean. They have been distributed into
corn cultivated in India. fourteen genera. The most remarkable
for the size or beauty of the species, or
BALANITES. The name given to a for the use made of them, are Sarcophyte,
I thorny shrub or small tree, with a very Lophophytum, Ombrophytum, Langsdorffla,
forbidding aspect, growing almost always and Cynomorium.
in dry barren places. Its leaves grow in
pairs (binate), the leaflets ova), or oblong, BAL A1STOPHORA. Singular leafless par-
, stalked, and pubescent when young. The asitical plants,giving their name to the
flowers are small, greenish, white and fra- order Balanophoracece. These plants are
grant, arranged in short axillary racemes. found on the roots of oaks, maples, vines,
!
The fruit is oval, about one and* a half and other trees in tropical countries, espe-
I
inch long, and when ripe of a greyish cially in mountainous districts. One spe-
i
colour. The plant is a native of many cies is found in Australia. Some of the
parts of India, Egypt, Senegambia, and the Himalayan species cause the formation of
W. coast of Africa. The leaves in the large knots on the roots of oaks and maples,
which are much sought after by the natives
I
with Amyris, while a few think it should which, in the rind, run solitary chan-
nels, or 'vitta?,' filled with volatile oil,
constitute a separate order. [A. A. B.]
while in the commissure are two such
BALANOPHORACE.E. (Cynomoriurns.') channels albumen furrowed. [M. T. .]
; M
A small natural order, consisting of about
thirty species, of singular-looking succu- BALANTIUM. A name proposed for a
lent leafless plants, usually highly coloured, genus of Ferns, now considered synony-
of various shades of yellow or red all :
mous with Dicksonia. It is represented by
parasites on root's, and rising from an inch the Dicksonia Culcita of Madeira. [T. M.]
or two to about a foot above ground. Their
colour and consistence, the absence of all
BALAFSTA. The fruit of the pome-
granate.
leaves, excepting in some species, imbri- j
cated scales of the colour of the rest of the BALAUSTION. A Greek word for the
plant, and the greatly reduced structure of : pomegranate, but applied by Sir "W.
the flowers, had induced some botanists to Hooker to another genus of Myrtacece. B.
; ,; :
leaves, dotted with resinous fragrant cysts. The common name for Melittis. — FIELD. ,
The flowers are abundant, placed towards Galamintha Nepeta. — HORSE. An Amer-
,
the end of the branches, in shape and ican name for Collinsonia. — MOLDA- ,
ulus candicans. —
of GILEAD (AMERI-
than the calyx, and of a deep scarlet or CAN). A resin obtained from Idea carana.
crimson colour. The stamens are very — of MECCA. The same as Balm of Gilead,
numerous inserted in one row at the throat a resinous product of Balsamodendron.
of the calyx; anthers inserted on the awl-
shaped filaments hy their backs, the
BALOGHIA. The name given to a tree*
of the spurgewort family (Euphorbiacea;),
lobes parallel, splitting by a long cleft.
which attains the height of twenty to
Ovary small, top-shaped, with three com- thirty feet, and has opposite entire ohlong
partments, each containing about six
leaves, which are stalked, and have at their
ovules, placed one over the other in a
base two membranaceous stipuleswhich fall
double line; style thread-shaped stigma
;
early. The flowers are numerous, and
rather dilated. A native of South-western
are disposed in terminal cymes, the males
Australia. [M. T. MJ having a calyx of five divisions, five petals
BALD-MONEY, or BAWD-MONEY. Meum longer than the calyx, and a large numher
athamanticum. of stamens, their stalks united at the base,
while the calyx and corolla of the female
BA.LFOURIA. A genus of the natural flowers are as in the male, and their ovary
family Apocynaceoz, consisting of shrubs is three-celled, each cell containing one
with opposite narrow sickle-shaped leaves. ovule. B. lucida is the only species known,
The flowers are arranged in cymes at the and it is found in Norfolk Island, where it
end of the hranches, or from their side, is called Blood Wood, as also in the colony
and have a five-parted calyx, a funnel- of Queensland, in N. Holland. The woqd
shaped corolla, with its limb divided into is close-grained, impregnated with a resi-
five straight equilateral lobes, having also nous substance, and burns readily in a
at its throat a small coronet or tube with a green state. A blood-red sap oozes from
wavy margin. The five stamens are inserted the trunk when cut, and is obtained in the
on the throat of the corolla, from which following manner in Norfolk Island: 'A
they protrude. The anthers are arrow- knife, similar to a farrier's, is used, hut
shaped, provided with a sharp point or stronger, fixed upon a handle four to five
mucro, and adherent to the angular stigma feet long, which enables the workman to
style thread-sha.ped ovaries with two
; reach high up the trunk of the tree. A
compartments. They are natives of tropi- perpendicular incision is made through
cal Australia, and have not yet been intro- the bark, an inch wide at the surface, hut
duced into cultivation. [M. T. MJ tapering to a point near the wood, and from
eight to ten feet long, forming the main
BALISIER. (Fr.) Canna indica. channel through which the sap flows to the
BALLOTA. A family of herbaceous hase of the tree, where a vessel is placed for
its reception branch channels are cut on
;
plants belonging to the labiate order,
among which they are distinguished by each side of the main one, leading obliquely
into it, six or eight inches apart, and ex-
the strongly ten-ribbed salver-shaped calyx.
They are natives of the temperate regions tending nearly two-thirds round the trunk.
of the Eastern hemisphere, and are remark-
The sap generally flows from these channels
able for nothing hut their strong offensive for about twelve hours, when it is collected.
odour, on account of Avhich they are for The quantity produced by each tree varies
the most part rejected hy cattle; hence the sometimes about a pint, but on an average
name from the Greek ballo, to reject. B. about a gill.' The sap forms an indelible
paint, and was formerly used in the island
nigra, Black Stinking Horehound, a com-
mon wayside perennial, has stout-branched for marking bags, blankets, and other
articles. [A. A. B.]
stems, egg-shaped wrinkled leaves, and
whorls of numerous dull purple flowers. BALSAM. A name given to various
The whole plant is as offensive in odour as it gum-resinous or oleo-resinous vegetable
isunattraetiveinappeai-ance, and suffers lit- substances. —
BAYEE. A product of Bal-
,
It is mostly found growing near towns and A product of Abies balsamea. CARPA- — ,
villages, and has accompanied our colonists THIAN. A product of Pinus Cembra. —,
to many remote countries. In Gotland, COPALM. A product of Liquidambar
according to Don, it is an universal remedy 1
styraciflua. —
GARDEN. Impatiens Bal-
,
, ;
samina, sometimes called Balsamina hor- ever, more usually and correctly referred
tensis. — HUNGARIAN. An oleo-resinous to Impatiens. [T. M.]
,
I
are roundish, oblong, and toothed, and
BALSAM SEED. A garden name for :
were formerly put into ale and negus,
Myrospermum. j
hence its old English name of Alecost
I
whilst that of Costmary indicates that it
BALSAM TREE. A common name for !
is the Costus or aromatic plant of the
Clusia, and Balsamodendron. j
Virgin. Although common in every cot-
tage garden, it is almost entirely discarded
BALSAM WEED. An American name
!
produce Balm of Gilead, or Balm of Mecca, perennial herbs, with chiefly radical leaves,
sometimes called Opobalsamum, a gum which are heart-shaped with long stalks,
resiu obtained by incision into the bark, or pinnatifid. Their stems are simple,
and considered by the antients as a panacea usually bearing a solitaryflower-head,which
for almost all the ills that flesh is heir to. is about two inches in diameter, having
B. Eataf, one of the plants supposed to the appearance of a small sunflower. All
yield Myrrh, has a red resinous wood, the florets are yellow in colour, and the
which is a common article of sale in greater part of the species are covered with
Egypt. B. africanum, a species found in a whitish pubescence. They are found on
Abyssinia and "Western Africa, yields a the west side of the Rocky Mountains, in
resin known as African Bdellium, and the Oregon and California. The thick roots of
Indian drug of the same name is the pro- B. Hookeri, which is found on gravelly
duce of another species of this genus, B. banks of the Columbia river, yield a copi-
Roxburghii, or of the closely allied one ous pellucid resin, which has a powerful
Amy,-is. Bdellium is like myrrh in its pro- turpentine-like odour, while those of B.
perties, but is not considered so good it is
;
incana and helimithemoides are eaten by
moister than myrrh, not brittle, and has the Indians in Oregon. They are cooked
not so agreeable an odour. It is rarely on hot stones, and have a sweet and rather
used in this country. agreeable taste. The name is given from
B. Mulcul yields a resin known in Scinde the occurrence of a balsamic resin in the
under the name of Googul, and in Persia roots of some of the species. [A. A. B.]
as Mukul. The late Dr. Stocks has shown
that this is identical with the Bdellium of BAMBOO. The common name of Bam-
Dioscorides and of the Scriptures. The busa. Bamboo-canes are the stems of dif-
tree producing it is abundant in Scinde, ferent kinds of Bambusa. —
SACRED, of
,
in rocky ground, and the resin is collected the Chinese Nandina domestica.
:
B. pubescens, according to Dr. Stocks, produces much thicker and larger canes
furnishes Bayee Balsam, which is brittle, in every way than those of B. vulgaris or
but tasteless and inodorous. The bark B. arundinacea. A fine plant of the large
sort is growing in the Botanic Garden at
of this tree peels off in thin layers like
Berlin.
that of the Birch. As is so frequently The variety of purposes to which the
the case, there is considerable doubt as to
the plants producing these several gum- Bamboo is applied is almost endless. The
resins, thoughit is agreed on all hands
Chinese use it, in one way or other, for
that the plants, whatever their species
nearly every thing they require. The sails
of their ships, as well as their masts and
may belong to this genus; nay, it is
be,
not unlikely that more than one species rigging, consist chiefly of Bamboo, manu-
may furnish the same kind of resin. B. factured in different ways. Almost every
article of furniture in their houses, in-
zeylanicum is cultivated in this country as
an ornamental stove plant. cluding mats, screens, chairs, tables, bed-
[M. T. M.]
steads, and bedding, are made of the same
BALSAMORRHIZA. A genus of the material. < See Library of Entertaining Know-
composite family (Composite?). Seven spe- ledge.) A similar extensive use of the hol-
cies are enumerated, all of them dwarf low reed is made in Japan, and also in
121 Qftz Erra£urg af 3t3otanD. [bank
Java. Sumatra, and other eastern countries. I flowers have a five-parted calyx, also pro-
Although the Bamboo grows spontane- !
vided with glands at its base externally ;
ously, and more profusely in nearly all the petals are furnished with long stalks or
the "immense districts included in the claws there are ten' stamens, frequently
;
southern portion of the Chinese empire, somewhat coherent at the base three ;
the people do not rely on the beneficence styles, often leaf-like at their extremi-
of nature, but cultivate the gigantic reed j
ties ;and three carpels, each containing
-with much care. They have treatises and one seed, and terminating in a simple
whole volumes solely on this subject, lay- membranous wing. The seed-leaves or
ing down rules derived from experience, cotyledons are thick and unequal. The
and showing the proper soils, the best plants are natives of Brazil and the West
kinds of water, and the seasons for planting Indies several are in cultivation for the
;
and transplanting the useful production. sake of their pretty yellow flowers, and,
(Ibid.) A view of the Bamboo vegetation of in some instances, fine foliage. [M. T. M.]
Java, is given in Plate 4. [D. M.]
BANKSIA. A genus of Proteacece, estab-
BANANA, or WISE-MEN'S BANANA. lished by the younger Linna;us, and named
Musa sapientum. in honour of Sir Joseph Banks. It is dis-
BANANIER. (Ft.) Musa. tinguished by having four-parted apetalous
flowers, the anthers of which, four in num-
B ANNETTE. (Fr.) Dolichos melanoph- ber, are subsessile and attached one to the
thalmus. concave apex of each sepal the style is ;
BANARA (including Ascra, Bosca, Kuhlia, filiform or subulate, with a clavate or cy-
and Pineda). A genus of Samydacece, lindrical stigma. The seed-vessel, which
is termed a follicle, is large and woody,
confined to the tropical parts of America,
and consisting of about fifteen species, all and contains large winged seeds which are
of which are either small trees or shrubs, generally black. The genus is peculiar to
with ovate leaves, and paniculate, racemose Australia and Tasmania. In the former
or fasciculate flowers. The calyx is four to colony it is very generally distributed
five cleft the petals from four to five in
;
throughout the extratropical portion, while
number; the stamens disposed in several only two intertropical species have been
rows, inserted in a perigynous disk, and discovered, viz :— B. compar at Keppel Bay,
indefinite. Uses unknown. [B. SJ on the east coast, and B. dentata at Arn-
heim's Land, on the north coast, and at
BANDAKAI. The fruits of Abelmosclms Endeavour River, on the north-east coast.
esculentus. There are upwards of fifty species known,
of which only a few become trees. Mr. C.
BANDED. ~
Marked with cross-bars of Frazer mentions having seen a specimen
colour. of B. grandis which he considered to be
BAND-SHAPED. Narrow and very long. fifty feet in height, and with a stem two
BANDALA. The strong outer fibre of and a half feet in diameter. The other ar-
Musa textilis, from which Manilla white borescent species are B. littoralis, B. cylin-
rope is made. drostachya, B. australis, B. prionotes, B.
Menziesii and B. ilicifolia. The remainder
BANDOLIER fruit. The berries of are more generally shrubs of from fifteen
Zanonia indica. to twenty feet in height, though in some
BANEBERRY. The common name of instances, as B. nutans, B. pidchella and
Actcea spicata. B. sphcerocarpa, of much humbler growth.
The foliage is remarkable for its harsh
BANG. A
narcotic preparation from the rigid coriaceous character, and the leaves
leaves of the Hemp, Cannabis sativa. are generally dark green on the upper sur-
BANGIA. A genus of Alga;, which de- face, and clothed with a white or rufous
serves notice as connecting the filamen- down beneath, their margins being either
tous with the membranous series, the deeply serrated or only spinous, rarely
entire. Their form is singularly variable,
|
resembling very young examples of the thus in B. Meisneri they are small, reflexed
common Porphyra, which produces the and sharp pointed in B. spinulosa and B.
;
laver of our oil shops. Like Porphyra its ericifolia they are linear, three to four
place is doubtful, as it has almost equal inches in length, and about an eighth of an
claims to be ranked amongst the green and inch in breadth. B. latifolia is distinguished
rose-spored genera. Both, however, are by having lanceolate leaves, nearly a foot
usually placed amongst Clilorosperms. B.
j
jetty piles, &c, and is a pretty microscopic Solandri has broad ovate leaves, deeply
object. We do not consider such species sinuated. B. speciosa and B. Victoria have
as B. velvtina belonging to the same sec- long linear leaves (fourteen inches) covered
tion. See Elva and Prasiola. [M. J. B.] I
with whitish down beneath. B. dryan-
droides and B.Brovmii have very elegant
BANISTERIA. A name applied to a foliage, the latter bearing very much the
genus of the natural family Malpighiacece, appearance of a species of Mimosa. B.
consisting of trees or shrubs, frequently coccinea is remarkable for its large head of
climbing, with simple stalked leaves, often deep red flowers. One species, B. integri-
provided with glands on the stalks. The [ folia, is named the Honeysuckle by the
;
: ;
cies of which are described in botanical blue or white flowers. [C. A. J.]
works, all of them natives of the coast of BARANETZ, or BAROMETZ. Cibotium
western tropical Africa. They are either Barometz, called the Scythian Lamb. Bar an
trees or shrubs, with unequally pinnate
is Russian for Lamb.
leaves. Their flowers are produced in
clusters, upon short stalks at the bases of BARB A JO VIS. Anthyllis Barba Jovis.
the leaves, each flower having two small
bracts underneath its calyx they have a
;
BARBACENIA. A genus of monocoty-
sheathing calyx which splits along the ledonous plants, related to Vellozia, and
underside, and is either entire or five- referred with some doubt to the order
Hcemodoracece. It consists of perennial
toothed their corolla is papilionaceous
;
and they have ten free stamens, all fertile. herbs, with simple or dichotomously-
The fruit is a narrow flattened straight or branched stems, which sometimes attain
sickle-shaped pod, of a leathery texture, two or three feet, or sometimes more, in
and having its edges slightly thickened height, and are furnished at the ends with
spirally disposed firm spreading narrow
it contains numerous seeds, and splits open
when ripe.
acute-keeled leaves, from amongst which
B. nitida, which produces the Camwood issue one-flowered scapes, which areusually
or Barwood of commerce, is a tree grow- clothed with glandular and resiniferous
ing to the height of forty or fifty feet. hairs, especially towards the top. The
It has shining green leaves, composed of
flowers are large and generally showy, and
two pairs of leaflets, with an odd one, and consist of a funnel-shaped perianth, resi-
its yellow flowers bear some resemblance
nosely-hairy on the outside, the base of
to those of the common laburnum of our the tube confluent with the ovary, and the
gardens. About 300 or 400 tons of the wood limb spreading, of six equal segments
of this tree are annually imported from there are six included stamens, having
Sierra Leone, being collected from various piano-compressed filaments, which are
parts of the coast between that place and three-toothed at the apex, the middle tooth
Angola. In 1858 the imports were 464 tons, being the smaller and bearing the anther.
valued at 13,833Z. It usually comes in The ovary is three-celled, containing nu-
trimmed logs, about four feet in length merous ovules affixed in the central angles
and a foot in diameter, but sometimes, of the cells, and becomes a cylindraceo-
though rarely, in the form of balls or cakes, three-cornered capsule. The style is tri-
made of the roughly powdered wood. It is quetrous, three-parted, and the stigma is
of a deep red colour, and yields a brilliant capitate, three-cornered. There are upwards
but not permanent dye ; with a mordaunt of a dozen species, all South American, and
of sulphate of iron it produces the red nearly all found in Brazil, where they occur
colour of the English Bandana handker- in hot dry mountain regions, lying between
chiefs, and dyers generally employ it for
14° and 20° S.lat. B. Alexandrine:-, found in
much the same purposes as the better the southern parts of British Guiana by
known Brazil-wood. The native women on Sir R. Schomburgh, is stated to grow from
the West coast of Africa use the pounded ten to twelve feet high. B. purpurea, one
wood for painting their bodies amulets
;
of the most familiar species, is frequently
are also made of it, and it is used in their met with in hothouses, and affords a very
Fetish ceremonies. [A. S.] good illustration of the family. This has
a short dichotomous striated stem, bearing
BAPTISIA. American herbaceous plants numerous linear acuminate rigid leaves,
belonging to the order Leguminosw, among sheathing at the base, and minutely spiny-
which they are distinguished by their two- toothed at the margin. The flower-stalks are
lipped calyx, by their petals, which are equal longer than the leaves, one-flowered the ;
in length, their deciduous stamens, and flowers erect, rich violaceous purple, with
swollen pod, which is supported by a stalk, lanceolate segments, the three inner of
and many-seeded. All the species are her- which are broader and more erect than the
123 €i)c 5Trcas'ttrg at Wateny, [bark
1
outer three, which are narrower and spread- ! habiting Jamaica, with a rough bark, alter-
ing. It is a plant of ornamental character. I nate pinnate leaves, and the flowers in
'
which itsleavesbear a distant resemblance, a disc surrounding the ovary.the limb being
is a weed frequently seen in gardens and
divided into five red-coloured petals sta-
|
waste grounds, where the soil is damp. In mens numerous, in several rows, inserted
;
nate glossy leaves, of a dark green hue, sterile the anthers are without appen-
sending up in May an erect leafy stalk, ;
upper leaves and its very narrow pods. with thick bristles. These curious plants
are natives of the East Indies, and are
This, though common enough in the West
especially remarkable for the calyx con-
of England, is considered a relic of culti-
sisting of distinct sepals detached from
:
Amyridaceee. Its describer speaks of the crispa Loxa Crown, C. Condaminea Wiry
; ;
Cusco, Ariza, C. pubescens R,ed Cusco, St. ; BARKERIA. A small genus of beautiful
Ann's, C. scrobiculata Huanuco, Grey, G. ;
orchids, from Mexico and Central America,
micrantha,, glandulifera, nitida ; Original differing in little from Epidendrum except
Loja, C. uritusinga; Negrilla, C. hetero- in the column being bordered by a broad
phylla Red, C. conglomerata
;
Genuine ;
membranous wing. About half-a-dozen
Red, C. succirubra Spurious Red, C. ??ia£r-
;
species are known, of which B. spectabilis,
nifolia. The principal sorts are sometimes called in Guatemala Flor de Isabal, is the
classed thus : —GREY
BARKS Crown or : finest. It is one of the votive offerings of
Loxa, C. Gondaminea, scrobiculata, macro- the Catholics in that country.
calyx; Lima, Huanuco, Silver, C. micran-
tha, lanceolate, glandulifera, and prob- BARKLYA syringifolia, the only species
ably purpurea. RED BARKS : C. nitida. of a genus belonging to the section of .
YELLOW BARKS : C. Galisaya, micran- the pea family bearing regular flowers, is a
tha, Gondaminea, lancifolia. RUSTY large tree, with alternate simple coriaceous
BARKS: C. hirsuta, -micrantha, ovali folia, leaves, which have long stalks, and are in
and probably purpurea. WHITE BARKS :
form like those of the lilac {Syringa),
C. ovata, pubescens, cordifolia. For a com- but have seven radiating nerves. The
plete account of the medicinal cinchona flowers are golden yellow, very numerous,
barks, see Mr. Howard's splendid volume, and disposed in axillary or terminal ra-
entitled The Nueva Quinologia of Pavon. cemes. The pods are stalked, about half
The following Barks are also employed an inch long, thin, and containing few
officinally or economically , ALCOR- : — seeds. The tree has been lately introduced
into English gardens. It is a native of
NOCO or ALCORNOQUE. The astringent Eastern Australia, near the Brisbane river.
bark of several species of Byrsonima or, ;
according to some authorities, of Bowdi- The genus bears the name of Sir Henry
chia virgilioides. —
ANGOSTURA. The ,
Barkly, governor of the colony of Victoria.
[A. A. B.]
febrifugal bark of Galipea Cusparia or G.
officinalis. —
BABUL. The astringent bark
,
BARLERIA. A large genus of herbs or
of Acacia arabica. —, BASTARD CAB- shrubs, natives of the tropical regions of
BAGE. The bark of Andira inermis same :
both the Old and New Worlds, and belong-
as Worm Bark. —
BASTARD JESUIT'S.
,
ing to that division of the Acanthacece in
The bark of Iva frutescens. BONACE. — ,
which the corolla lobes are imbricate ortwo-
The bark of Daphne tinifolia. — , CANELL A.
lipped in the bud, and not contorted, and
The stimulant aromatic bark of Canella
the seeds are inserted onhooked retinacula.
alba. —, CARIBBEAN. The astringent
The flowers of this genus are axillary, or
bark of Exostemma caribceum. CASCA- —
in terminal spikes or heads, and have
,
—
ELEUTHERA. The aromatic
and parallel. The two-celled ovary has two
wan. ,
with
bark of Croton Cascarilla. FALSE AN- — ,
ovules in each cell the style is entire
;
, PANOCOCCO. The sudorific bark of its base two spiny stipules. The flower-
Sivartziatomentosa. QUERCITRON. The — , heads are terminal and elongated. The
yellow dye bark of Quercus tinctoria. — florets and often the involucre are purple or
QUILLAI. The bark of Quillaia saponaria, pale pink in colour. The pappus is feathery,
used as a substitute for soap. ,STRINGY, — and the achenes are clothed with silky hairs.
of Tasmania. Eucalyptus robusta. — B. rosea has delicately flesh-coloured florets,
SWEET WOOD. The same as Cascarilla which are covered with silky hairs, and is
Bark. —
NINE. , An American name for a favourite plant in the tropical houses of
Spirwa opulifolia. — WHITE WOOD.
, The English gardens, being a very free bloomer.
same as Canella Bark, —.WINTER'S. The The species, nine in number, are natives
tonic aromatic bark of Drymis Winteri. of tropicals. America, The genus is named
— WORM. The bark of Andira inermis,
, in honour of Michael Barnadez, a Spanish
formerly used as an anthelmintic. 1
bined with other remedies, is applied ex- apices of the branches calyx with five
:
ternally in diseases of the skin. The genus long segments; petals five, small and scale-
like; stamens ten; ovary free, with one
style ; ovules two. [J. T. S.]
ton, the English antiquary. [A. A. B.] nuals, in size and brilliancy of blossoms it
is inferior to none. There are several other
BARROWIA. A genus of Asclepiadacece, species peculiar to the Western and North
containing a single species, from the Cape Western States, of which the most remark-
of Good Hope. It is a slender branched able is the B. ornata, with very large white
and climbing plant, with oblong-lanceolate flowers, figured many years since in the
leaves, and three or more white flowers on Botanical Magazine, under the name of
interpetiOlar peduncles. The calyx is flve- B. decapetala, from dried specimens, but
parted, with lanceolate erect sepals. The apparently unknown in England in the
funnel-shaped corolla is slightly swoUen at living state. By some botanists the genus
the base, and the limb is cleft into Ave Biirionia is not considered distinct from
lanceolate spreading divisions. The gynos- [W. TJ
'
Mentzelia.
tegium is included, and has the sinuous
staminal corona attached to its base. The BARTRAMIA. A genus of mosses,
ovoid pollen masses are attached to a small included in the order Bryacece.
corpuscle by slender processes, and have a
projecting pellucid apex. The stigma is
BARTSIA. Unpretending annuals, be-
five-sided, with a slightly projecting cen-
longing to Scrophulanads, and distin-
[W. C] guished from Bhinanthus (Yellow Rattle)
tral cone.
by having the upper lip of the corolla
BARTBRIA. A tropical African shrub, arched, and not laterally compressed. B.
with alternate glabrous entire or crenate Odontites is a common weed by waysides
leaves, and rather large sessile axillary and in corn-fields, growing from six to
flowers, forming a genus of Passifloracece-, eight inches high, with an erect branched
allied to Smeathmannia, but differing stem, bearing many one-sided clusters of
chiefly in the stigmas being consolidated inconspicuous dull purple flowers; the
into one large terminal capitate mass, foliage is scanty, and the whole plant
exceeding the ovary in diameter, and in roughish, and tinged more or less with
the fruit, which is said to be an indehiscent purple. A less common species is B.
berry the size of a pigeon's egg. viscosa, which grows in marshes and damp
pastures to the height of six to twelve
BARTHOLINA. Thisone of a singular
is inches, and bears numerous bright green
race of terrestrial orchids, peculiar to the leaves, which are narrow, cut at the edges,
Cape Colony, with solitary shaggy leaves, and taper to a point it is very common in
:
small white flowers, and a great lip cut many parts of Devon and Cornwall, where
j
into narrow strips, resembling the teeth of it sometimes grows two feet high. The
a comb. They have been grown in this flowers are solitary, imbedded among the
leaves, and much larger than in the last.
I
BAR WOOD. An African dye wood, cell, having one or more points at its apex,
produced by Baphia nitida. each bearing a spore.
BARYA. Agenus of begoniads, esta- BASIDIOSPORES. The spores which
blished by Klotzsch, and consisting of her- stand upon the basidia.
baceous plants, found on the mountains of
Peru. The staminate flowers have four, BASIFIXUS. Attached by the base.
and the pistillate fire sepals anthers ;
BASIL, BUSH. Ocymum minimum.
elliptical and short filaments united
; ; —, SWEET, or BASILICUM. Ocymum
style persistent, with elongated branches, Basilicum, an aromatic pot-herb. — ,WILD.
surrounded by an interrupted papillose Calamintha Clinopodium.
band, making five spiral turns placentas ;
called outer calyx consists merely of the are extended downwards below their true
two bracts, which are here adnate to the origin.
!
perianth, instead of being free, or at some BASSIA. A genus of the natural order
1
I
leaves, and small inconspicuous flowers. nated by a tapering style, and containing
;
|
not always) only two-cleft. There are '
Basella, Boussingaultia, and Anredera. and pressed is squeezed out a fatty sub-
BASELLA. A genus of climbing plants, stance of the consistence of hog's lard and
belonging to the order or tribe Basellacece. of a white colour. It is used to adulterate
The simple ovary becomes converted into ghee, and is considered serviceable in rheu-
\
<
a membranous fruit, which is adherent to matism, and as an application to the hair.
the inner part of the persistent calyx, and It makes good soap, and is adapted for
burning. It is soluble in warm alcohol, and
I
•
albumen, and an embryo, coiled up spi- does not become rancid when kept, but is
'
whose seeds produce the Galam butter, flowers resemble those of the common
mentioned by Mungo Park in his travels, Convolvulus, of a pale purple colour, and
is a species of this genus, B. Parkii, or of arranged in threes or fours on a stalk.
the closely allied one, Lucuma. The seeds This plant has been so long cultivated and
are boiled in water to extract the butter naturalised in various tropical countries,
from them. This fatty substance is of a that its precise origin is somewhat obscure,
white colour.and agreeable taste, and keeps but probably it is indigenous to both hemi-
well, hence it is an important article of spheres. The first mention of it is said to
commerce in Sierra Leone. Some of the be by an author named Pigafetta, who
species of this interesting genus are in went to Brazil in 1519, and found it in use
cultivation. [M. T. M.] among the Indians as an article of food.
It was soon afterwards introduced into
BASSIN D'OR. (Fr.) Ranunculus repens. Spain, where it is still cultivated. The
'
BASSINET. (Fr.) Ranunculus repens. roots were known in England before the
introduction of the common potato, with
BASSORA GUM. A partially soluble
gum of uncertain origin, supposed to be which they were frequently
by early writers. They were
confounded
the produce of a Cactus or Mesembryan- imported in
considerable quantities from Spain and
themum. the Canary Islands, and, when steeped in
BASS-WOOD. The American Lime or wine, or made into SAveetmeats, were sup-
Linden, Tilia americana. posed to have the effect of restoring
decaying vigour. At the present day
BAST A strong woody fibre, much used
sweet potatoes are largely cultivated in
for brooms, brushes, &c, obtained from
the leaf-stalks of Attalea funifera, and of
many tropical and sub-tropical countries;
such for instance as India, China, Japan,
Leopoldinia Piassaba. Also, the inner bark
the Malayan Archipelago, &c, in the east
of the lime tree, of which the Russian mats
— and in the west, very generally throughout
used in gardens, are made. CUBA. The ,
tropical America, also in Texas, Alabama,
fibrous inner bark of Paritium elatum,
Carolina, and other Southern States of
much used for tying up cigars, and in America, extending even as far north as
gardens for tying plants, as also is the
bast of the lime tree.
New York, where, however, they are not
found to be a profitable crop they are also
:
! are either white or rose-coloured, and very the stigmas being only two but it is four-
;
showy. It is a native of Mexico, growing celled, with one ovule in each cell, in con-
j
commonly in the vicinity of the town of sequence of the dorsal rib of each carpel
I Xalapa, whence the specific name Jalapa being inflexed so as to form a partition,
is derived. It was formerly supposed to the partition passing between the two
produce the jalap of the Pharmacopoeia, : ovules, making the two-celled ovary four-
celled, with one ovule in each cell. The
I
from another plant of the same natural : ovule is erect from the base of the cell.
! order; the roots of B. Jalapa, however, |
The seed contains no albumen, and the
:
possess purgative properties, and are pro- i
embryo has an inferior radicle. The po-
bably sometimes substituted for true jalap. I
sition of the Batidece in the natural system
is a question of much interest with bota-
j
stems and large hand-shaped leaves ; and nists, who have assigned it widely different
j
its flowers are very handsome and of a stations. There is no doubt, however,
fine purple colour. It is a native of that it has some relation with the Callitri-
I
India, Java, New Holland, Mauritius, "West chacece, and in common with that order
Africa, Guiana, Brazil, &c. ; and is the shows some resemblance to the Caryophyl-
The writer has also suggested a
|
!
species commonly cultivated for food in lacece.
"Western tropical Africa. From the seeds very near affinity with the Yerbenacece,
of a species of this genus is obtained what which have the same kind of four-celled
is called Natal Cotton, a textile material ovary. (Trans. Linn. Soc. xxii. 411). The
resembling true Cotton. [A. S.] plant is sometimes used in making "West
Indian pickles, and its ashes yield large
BATEMANNIA Colleyi is an inconspicu- quantities of barilla. [B. C]
ous orchid with dull brownish-purple
flowers, from Demerara. It differs in BATODENDRON. A name applied to a
little from Maxillaria, excepting having genus of Yacciniacece, more commonly
an anther-bed with a membranous border. considered as a section of the genus Yac-
Some other plants bearing this name ciniv.m. It is known by its flowers being
belong to the genus Galeottia. borne on long thread-like stalks, in leafy or
leafless clusters ; the corolla five-lobed,
BATHMLTM. A name given by Link spreading, bell-shaped filaments hairy
;
to a group of large-growing ferns now anthers provided with two long awns bent
included in Aspidium and Sagenia. [T.M.] backwards fruit berry-like, almost taste-
;
having ("according to Torrey) four cells ! up of a central articulated axis coated with
with one erect ovule in each, differs ma- i close-packed descending threads, covered
terially from that of Chenopodiacece. The with whorls of neckiace-like branchlets at
|
flowers are in unisexual cylindrical spikes. regular intervals. In both, the fruit con-
The males, under imbricated
solitary, : sists of chains of spores, which are ex-
bracts, have a two-lobed calyx and four ternal in the latter, internal in one genus,
stamens, alternating with as many minute at least, of the former. Batrachospermum
scale-like petals, or rather staminodia. 1
belongs to the second group. Its species
:
which are highly gelatinous, vary from stalked ovary, which ultimately becomes a
black to nearly violet, but are never of many-seeded two-valved pod.
a deep rose as in the analogous rose-spored B. tomentosa is a native of Ceylon, where
Alga. B.moniliforme isa common inhabitant it forms a small tree, growing about fifteen
of our rivulets, where it is found attached feet high, and having pale yellow flowers
to stones or roots, and never fails to obtain spotted with crimson, which has given
admiration when closely examined. Most rise to the superstitious idea that they are
of the species grow in fresh water. The sprinkled with the blood of St. Thomas,
genera of the first group will be noticed hence the tree is called St. Thomas' tree.
under Lemanea. [M. J. B.] Its leaves are composed of two oval, blunt-
topped leaflets joined together for more
BATSCHIA. A genus of Menispermacccc, than half their length, and hairy on the
allied to Abuta a,ndAnelasma,~\n\t differing under side. The dried buds or flowers,
from both in its three to five-nerved leaves, and also the leaves, are employed by the
which are almost glabrous. The genus is native Indian doctors as a remedy against
imperfectly known. Mr. Bentham is of dysentery.
opinion that it should be merged with B. Vahlii is the Maloo climber of India,
Abuta. The plants included in it are aplant whose gigantic shrubby stems often
natives of Darien. The name has been attain a length of 300 feet, and climb over
applied to certain boragmaceous plantsnow the tops of the highest trees of the forest,
included under Lithospermum and also to
; twisting so tightly round their stems that
a genus of Leguminosce, now referred to they not unfrequently strangle and cause
Humboldtia. [M. T. M.] death, the steins ultimately decaying and
leaving a sheath of climbers standing in
BAUDRIER DE NEPTUNE. (Fr.) La- their place. The young shoots and leaves
minaria saccharina.
are covered with a rust-coloured scurf, and
BAUERACE.E. The genus Bauera, be- are furnished with tendrils. The leaves
longing to the Hydrangea Iamily(or tribe of are very large, often more than a foot in
Saxifragacece), has by some botanists been diameter, composed of two oval-shaped
thought to possess distinctive characters lobes joined together for about half their
sufficient to establish it as a separate family length, and heart-shaped at the base. The
under the name of Baueracew, which has flowers are snowy-white, and arranged in
not, however, been generally adopted. racemes. The exceedingly tough fibrous
bark of this species is employed in India
BAUERA. A genus of Hydrangeacece, for making ropes, which, from their great
consisting of small shrubs found in Aus- strength, are used in the construction of
tralia.They have opposite sessile trifoliate the suspension bridges across the river
leaves, with oblong undivided leaflets, Jumna. The bark of another Indian spe-
and no stipules and the flowers are hand-
; cies is used for making the slow-matches
some nodding, rose-coloured or purple, j
used with native guns.
solitary on rather long
axillary, stalks, I B. variegata is a small tree of about twenty
rarely terminal and clustered calyx with
: feet in height, a native of India, China,
six to ten segments, adhering to base of and the Molucca Islands, and now natu-
ovary; corolla of six to ten petals stamens;
ralised in some of the West India Islands.
numerous styles two.
; [J. T. S.] It has two broadly egg-shaped leaflets
joined for about one-third their length
BAUHINIA. This genusof legumi- |
BEAN. The common name for Fata, BE AUCARNE A. A name lately given to
— , The Buckbean, Menyanthes tri-
BOG. a genus of Agave-like liliaceous plants,
foliata. — CUJUMARY. The tonic seed till recently known in gardens under that
,
pogcea. —
WATER. An English name
,
leaves, straighter and more erect and B.
for the family of Nelumbiacece. , WILD. — gracilis (P. gracilis), which has very
An American name for Apios. straight sharp erect leaves, slightly chan-
BEAN CAPER. The common name for nelled in front. [T. M.] .
Zygophyllum.
BEAUFORTIA. A
genus of Myrtacece,
BEAN TREE, Swedish. Pyrus intermedia. consisting of shrubs with opposite sessile
. — , of Australia. Castanospermum australe The showy flowers have a calyx
beau] QH)t ^rcagurg of SSotang. 132
with a top-shaped tube, and a limb divided ceolate or linear leaves, which are glossy
into five acute segments a corolla of five
; above and covered underneath with a white
petals stamens united into four or five
; tomentum, as are the branches and flower-
parcels placed opposite the petals, the an- heads. The latter are axillaryand solitary,
thers attached by their base style thread-
; or few together, and have no strap-shaped
shaped. The fruit is a capsule. These florets. B. salicina, the Dogwood of Tas-
handsome flowering shrubs are natives of mania, has beautifully marked wood, suit-
New Holland, and some of them are in able for cabinet-work, and is sometimes to
cultivation in greenhouses. [M.T.M.] be met with in English gardens. The genus
is named in honour of the late Duke of
BEAUMONTIA. Under this name are Bedford, a great patron of horticulture
included some very handsome flowering and botany. [A. A. B.]
shrubs of climbing habit belonging to the
order Apocynacea?.. The leaves are opposite. BEDSTRAW. The common name for
The flowers are white, large, borne in termi- Galium. It is also applied to Desmodium
nal or axillary corymbs, and have a calyx of Aparines.
five broad spreading coloured sepals, and a
distended bell-shaped corolla, with a short BEEBEERU. The Guianian name of
limb divided into five erect nearly equi- Nect.andra Rodicei.
lateral divisions. The stamens are placed BEE-DE-CIGOGNE. (Fr.) Frodium cico-
on the top of the tube of the corolla, and nium. —, DE GRUE. Geranium Rober-
alternate with the five lobes of the hypogy- tianum.
nous disc anthers arrow-shaped, adhering
;
to the thick oblong two-cleft stigma. BEECH. The English name of Fagus
Ovary two-celled. Fruit a follicle, with sylvatica. — of Australia. Tectona aus-
,
many hairy seeds. These plants, especially tralis. — , New South Wales. Monotoca
of
B. grandiflora, are remarkable for their elliptica. — BLUE or "WATER. Carpi-
,
East Indies, and are cultivated as stove used in Jamaica for Exostema caribceum.
plants in this country. [M.T.M.]
An American name
BEECH-DROPS.
BEAVER TREE. Magnolia glauca. for Epiphcg us. — FALSE. An American ,
topus.
and smooth two-celled anthers dehiscing
BEDAGOSA. A Brazilian name for the by oblique pores at the apex. The ovary
seeds of Cassia occidentalis, which are has six or seven cells, each containing
used as a substitute for coffee. many ovules the style filiform, often long
;
BEDFORDIA. A
genus of the composite the mountains of South America, often at
family, which scarcely differs from Senecio. the very extreme of vegetation. The
Two species are known, both Tasmanian genus is neariy related to Rhododendron
shrubs or small trees, with alternate lan- from which it differs in its petals being all
;: ;
cording to Klotzsch, forty-two genera and humble growth, eight to ten inches in
about one hundred and ninety species: height, having crowded short^stalked
Illustrative genera:—Bary a, Begonia, Biplo- wedge-shaped leaves, obsoletely three
cV'-iiium, EicoMia, Mezieria, Gireoudia, and nerved with a three-toothed apex. [R. H.]
Pritzelia. [J. H. B.]
BELLERIC. The astringent fruit of
I
BEGONIA. The genus whence the Terminalia Bellerica.
natural order Beg'oniacece derives its name.
It consists of herbaceous plants found in
BELL-FLOWER. The common name for
the East and "West Indies, Brazil and other Campanula; also applied to Canarina Cam-
parts of South America, and in Mexico. panula.
The staminate flowers have four and the BELLEVALIA. A
genus of Liliacew,
pistillate five sepals. Anthers oblong, with containing a few bulbous plants found in
an obtuse connective elongated at the the Mediterranean region and in temperate
apex ; filaments short and not united. Asia. They have the habit of some of the
Style persistent, its branches surrounded by larger species of grape hyacinth (Muscari),
a continuous papillose band, which makes but are distinct by having their perianth
two spiral turns. Placentas stalked and divided half way down into six folded
bilamellar, split lengthwise. There are lobes, expanding to form a prismatic bell.
forty-seven known species. The genus is From the true hyacinths they differ by the
named after Michel Begon, a Frenchman, perianth having an angular and not a cir-
who promoted the study of botany. The cular section. The few leaves are radical,
plants receive the name of Elephant's-ear broadly linear the flowers small, whitish
;
from the form of their leaves. The stalks or violet tinged with green. [J. T. SJ
of some of the species are used in the
same way as rhubarb. [J. H. BJ
BELLIDIASTRUM. A genus of the
composite family, containing but one spe-
BEHEN. Silene Behen, Cucubalis Behen, cies, B. Michelii, which is found in the Alps
now SUene inflata, and Serratula Behen. of Central and Southern Europe. The plant
BEHEN BLANC. without close examination might be readily
(Ft.) Silene inflata.
— ROUGE. Centranthus ruber. taken for a common daisy (Bellis), but can
be easily distinguished from that genus
BEJARIA A synonyme of Be/aria, a by the presence of a copious pappus of
genus of ericaceous plants related to Rho- rough hairs, the daisy having no pappus
dodendron. at all. [A. A. BJ
— : ; ;
'
And at the last mere this began anon Grewia is from four to eight-celled, each
A lady for to sing right womanly cell containing but one seed. Only one
A bargaret in praising the Daisie, species, B. grewkefolia, is known. This is
For (as methought) among her notis found in Mexico and Cuba. It is a small
swete, tree, having the younger branches thickly
She said, "Si douce est la Margarete!"' clothed with dense starry hairs. Its leaves
;
are alternate, stalked, elliptical in form, small. The genus bears the name of Ben-
and acute, 'the upper surface nearly comi, the last king of Teneriffe. [A. A. B.]
smooth, and the lower covered with BENGAL ROOT. An old name for the
white starry pubescence, me flowers are :
; ;
space between the edge of the frond and ing together and forming a large berry
the costa, so as to form a line on each resembling the fruit of Arbutus, and
side, and covered by a recurved mem- red when ripe. The leaves are opposite,
brane, attached to the edge of the frond ; and bear no inconsiderable resemblance to
but the proposed species have only an ex- those of the Cornelian cherry. B. frag //era
ternal resemblance, even in these par- was introduced to English gardens about
ticulars. The name Belvisia is also a the year 1833, and is now to be found
synonyme of Napoleona. [T. M.] in some good collections; but being a
native of northern India, it is rather
BENCAO DE DECS. The Brazilian name tender, and frequently hurt during severe
for the 'esculent flowers of Abutilon escu-
winters, unless protected, especially in the
lentum.
midland and southern counties. [D. M.]
BENCOMIA. The species of this genus, BENTS. A common country name for
which belongs to that section of the rose
the dried stalks or culms of various grasses
family called Sanguisorbece, are both found
occurring in pastures, especially those of
in Teneriffe. They are low perennial Agrostis and Cynosurus.
shrubs, with unequally pinnated leaves
and pectinately toothed stipules. Their BENZOIN. A genus of Lauracece, in-
flowers are male and female, on different habiting the damp shady woods of North
plants, and arranged in long catkin-like America, and found also in Nepal. It has
bracted spikes. The tube of the calyx, dioecious involucrated flowers; the males
when mature, has the appearance of a with a calyx of six equal permanent seg-
berry, and encloses two to four achenes. ments, and nine stamens in three rows,
The genus is nearly allied to that of the and females smaller than the males, with
garden burnet (Poteriumi, but differs from fifteen to eighteen sterile stamens, amongst
it in having dioecious flowers, as well as in which smaller spathulate bodies are dis-
the long spikes. B. caudata was intro- persed. The ovary is one-celled with a
duced to English gardens in 1779, but is single ovule, and the style short with a
seldom to be met with. The flowers are two-lobed stigma. There are in the male
greenish, tinged with purple, and very flowers two or three rows of glands, six to
BENZ] (£f)e Crea^urf) of 98 a tang. 136
nine in number, with a uniform compressed smaller secondary leaves in their axils
head, alternating with the rows of stamens. The flowers consist of a six to nine-leaved
The fruit is succulent, seated on the perma- deciduous calyx of coloured sepals, disposed
nent six-cleft calyx. B. odoriferum, which in two to three series : six hypogynous
furnishes an aromatic stimulant tonic bark, clawed petals opposite the interior row of
is a bush of eight to ten feet high, with ob- sepals, and having two glands inside at the
long or elliptic wedge-shaped leaves, and base six stamens opposite the petals, and
;
small yellow flowers on naked umbels ap- opening by valves; and a one-celled ovary
pearing before the leaves. The berries are containing two to eight erect ovules, and
said to have been used in the United States surmounted by a peltate s.tigma on a very
during the American war, as a substitute short style. This grows into a one-celled
for allspice; and they yield an aromatic ovary containing from one to eight seeds.
stimulant oil. [T. M.] The pinnate-leaved species are sometimes
separated under the name of Mahonia ;
BENZOIN. The gum-resinous or balsamic these have the glands at the base of the
exudation of the Benjamin tree, Styrax petals frequently obsolete. [T. M.]
Benzoin. A milky juice resembling benzoin
is also obtained from Terminalia Benzoin. The common Berberry, or Barberry, jB.
— FALSE. A name given in Bourbon to
, vulgaris, forms a deciduous shrub, attain-
Terminalia maiiritiana, which furnishes a ing the height of eight or ten feet. It is
resinous gum resembling benzoin. found wild in Britain as well as most other
parts of Europe, and is also commonly met
BE'QUETTE. (Fr.) Delphinium Ajacis.
with in a wild state in North America, and
BERAR. Caladium costatum, which is particularly in New England but it is;
said to supply an edible root to the natives. very doubtful whether the plant is really
indigenous to that continent or was carried
BERBERIDACE^E. (_Berberids.) A natural there by the early settlers, and disseminated
order of Exogenous plants, belonging to through the agency of birds. The distin-
the Thalainifloral sub-class of De Candolle. guished botanists Torrey and Gray affirm
Lindley includes the order in his Berberal that it was introduced and this opinion Is
;
Alliance along with vineworts and fume- strengthened by the fact of the species not
worts. The plants of this family are being found in Iceland and Labrador, nor
shrubs or herbaceous perennials, with in the eastern parts of Siberia. The
alternate compound leaves, which are often Berberry forms a compact bush, composed
spiny. Sepals three, four, or six in a double of numerous very spiny shoots springing
row petals equal to sepals in number, or
;
from the base, which are covered with a
twice as many stamens equal in number
;
whitish bark, the wood itself being of a
to petals and opposite to them anthers
:
fine yellow. The leaves are small, obovate,
having two lobes, each opening by a valve, toothed, and ciliated on the margin, and of
which rolls up from the bottom to the top. a pleasant green the flowers are yellow,
;
They are common in thenorthern provinces a permanent variety, for stoneless ber-
of India. None occur in Africa, Australa- berries are only found on old plants and ;
sia, or the South Sea Islands. They possess it has been proved that young suckers
acid, bitter, and astringent qualities. The taken from them and planted in fresh soil,
fruit of some is used as a preserve, and fruit with perfect seeds. The fruit is too
sometimes eaten in a fresh or dried state. acid for use in its natural state; but it
Oxalic acid occurs in some of the species. makes excellent refreshing preserves, for
The stem and bark of several barberries which Rouen is particularly celebrated.
are used in dyeing yellow. The astringent candied and when green is
It is likewise ;
Berry, a Madras botanist. [A. A. B.] and the seeds (which are what we call
Brazil nuts) taken out and packed in
BERTEROA. A genus of European and baskets for transportation to Para in the
temperate Asian cruciferous plants, allied native canoes. Brazil nuts form a con-
to Farsetia, of which it ought to be con- siderable article of export from the port of
sidered as a section, as it merely differs Para (whence they are sometimes called
from it by having the sepals bulging at
the base, the petals bifid, and the valves of
the pouch convex, without a nerve in ;
is one of the most majestic in the South Ave, white rose-coloured or purplish sta- :
American forests, attaining a height of mens ten; ovary free, three-celled; capsule
100 or 150 feet, with a smooth cylindrical three-winged. B. metadata is a pretty
189 0)e Crea£un) of 23ritan». [beta
! BERTYA. A
genus of the Spurgewort
1
I
genus called Lambertia. [A. A. BJ two-celled. The one-celled ovary is free,
surrounded at its base by a fleshy ring
A
BERET Ender this name is included a without glands, and has two two-lobed
parietal placenta?, towhich are attached
i small section of the Linnasan genus Sunn.
:
B. angustifolia, particularly known as the I numerous anatropal ovules the style is
;
harrow-leaved ^Vater-parsnip, is a native simple and bifid the fruit is a berry filled
;
beet in preference to lettuce, and blanched perianth or floral envelope. In the alder,
them by laying a tile over the plant, as however, there is a four-leaved perianth.
some gardeners do at the present day to The stamens are opposite the scales. The
blanch endive. ovary is two-celled,with a single pendulous
The large white, or Swiss Chard Beet, ovule in each cell stigmas two. The fruit
;
Beta Cicla var., is a very distinct variety, is dry, does not open, is one-celled and one-
remarkable for the thick midribs and seeded. The plants are found in the woods
stalks of its large upright leaves. It is the of Europe, Northern Asia, the Himalayas,
Poiree a Carole of the French, with whom and North America ; they also inhabit the
it is a favourite vegetable, when stewed mountains of Peru and Columbia, and the
and served up in the same manner as sea Antarctic regions. They are usually timber
kale, or asparagus but unless it is pro-
; trees, with deciduous leaves. Their bark
perly dressed, it has a peculiar earthy is used as an astringent for gargles, and
taste, and on this account it is not gene- for dyeing and tanning; it also possesses
rally relished in this country. tonic qualities, and is occasionaUy em-
The Sea Beet, Beta maritima, a peren- ployed as a substitute for paper, and for
nial, which grows wild on the sea coast in making boats. Betula alba is the common
various parts of Britain, is occasionally |
birch. Its sap contains sugar, and, by fer-
used as spinach or greens in situations mentation, yields a kind of wine. The em-
where it is plentiful. [W. B. B.] pyreumatic oil of the birch has been
The Sea Beet is chiefly remarkable for recommended in various affections it is ;
wild plant, we find some specimens in I water, and has been used for the piles of
;
bridges. The Rialto of Venice is built on ration of Russian leather, to which it not
alder piles, and so are many houses in only imparts a fragrant odour, but renders
Amsterdam. Sabots are made of the wood. it durable, preventing it from becoming
There are two genera, Betula and Alnus, mouldy, and repelling insects. The variety
and upwards of sixty species. [J. H. B.] known as B. pendula differs from the com-
mon species only |in having the branches
BETULA. The Birch. Trees or shrubs pendulous, smoother, and more slender.
inhabiting high latitudes in the northern
1
Of forest trees, the Lady of the "Woods '— incisions are made quite through the bark
several feet from each other. Two vertical
is remarkable for its lightness, grace, and incisions are then made on opposite sides of
elegance, nor less so for its hardiness the tree after which a wooden wedge is
;
described above. —
French Bouleau, Ger-
man. Birke.
feet. On some ofthe highlands of Scotland Plate 14, which is a view in Kamt-
it is found at the height of 3,500 feet. In schatka, represents a birch forest as seen in
Greenland it is the only tree, but dimin- the distance. [C. A. J.]
ishes in size according to the decreased
temperature to which it is exposed. It is a BEURRE'. A general name applied to a
tree of rapid growth, especially when class of dessert pears, which have their
young; and as it is little affected by flesh of what is called a buttery texture, as
exposure, it forms an excellent nurse for indeed the name itself indicates.
other trees. The soil which it prefers is
turf over sand, and in such situations it
BEURREE. (Ft.) Hesperis matronalis.
attains maturity in about fifty years but it
; BEURRE DE SPERGULE. (Fr.) Sper-
seldom exceeds fifty feet in height, with a gula arvensis.
trunk from twelve to eighteen inches in
diameter. The bark possesses the singular
BEYCHE SEED or NUT. A Siamese
property of being more durable than the
name for Strchynos nux-vomica.
wood which it encircles. Of this the BEYRICHIA. A genus of Scrophulari-
peasants of Sweden and Lapland take acea, containing a few species of herba-
advantage, and, shaping it like tiles, cover ceous plants from Brazil and Guiana. They
their houses with it. The wood is white have opposite ovate leaves, and axillary
shaded with red, and, if grown in a very flowers, on very short pedicels, either lax or
cold climate, it lasts a long while. The in dense leafy spikes. The calyx is five-
hi Glanders of Scotland employ it for all parted, the upper segment being ovate, and
purposes for which wood is available : the four lower ones narrow. The upper lip
the branches are used as fuel in the distil- of the corolla is emarginate, the lower is
lation of whisky ; the spray for thatching slightly trilobed, the palate is prominent.
and for smoking hams and herring3 the ; There are four stamens, two of which are
barkfor tanning leather and the leavesfor
; frequently sterile. The capsule dehisces
bedding. In Russia, an oil is extracted septicidally or loculicidally, and contains
from the bark, which is used in the prepa- numerous small seeds. The genus is di-
bhab] €3)e &vtK£\xxy at Matxn&. 142
vided into two sectionsAchetaria, having
: BICORNIS, BICORNTJTE. Having two
two sterile stamens and septicidal dehis- horn-like processes.
cence of the capsule and Dizygostemon
;
with the four stamens fertile, and dehiscing BICORONA. A genus of Apocynacece
loculicidally. In habit the species of this remarkable, as the name implies, for
genus have very much the appearance having in the throat of the salver-shaped
of Acanthacece. [W. C] corolla, a double row of scales, each row
consisting of ten, and the upper series
BHABBTTR or BHABHTJR. An Indian being placed in pairs, before each lobe of
name for the silky leaves of Eriophorum the limb of the corolla, the lower row alter-
cannabinum, used for making cordage. nate with them. The five filaments are very
short; the stigma is two-parted; and the
BHADLEE. Panicum pilosum, a Dread- fruit is like a berry. The only species is
corn cultivated in India. a shrub with erect branches, thick leaves,
BHANG. An intoxicating drug obtained and flowers in axillary and terminal cymes,
in the East from the Hemp, Cannabis and is a native of New Caledonia. [M. T. M.]
sativa.
BICRTTRAL. Having two legs or narrow
BHEL. The Indian name of the fruit of elongations, as the lip of the man-orchis.
JEgle Marmelos. BICTJIBA. Ifyristica Bicuiba.
BI. In compound words=twice. BIDENS. A somewhat extensive genus
BIACTJMINATUS. Having two diverg- of herbaceous compound flowers, growing
ing points. both in the old and new world, well marked
by the pericarp having, instead of a. pap-
BIARTICULATUS. Two-jointed. pus, from two to flAr e rigid awns which
BIARUM. One of the numerous new are rough with minute deflexed points.
genera of Aracece proposed by Schott on The British species of Bur-marigold, B.
comparatively slight grounds. This genus cernua and B. tripartita, are not unfrequent
differs from Arum in its spathe being on the borders of ponds and streams.
tubular at the base, with the limb spread- They grow from one to two feet high, and
ing. The female flowers, moreover, have may be distinguished while in flower by
a distinct style, and the fruit contains only their button-like dingy-yellow flowers,
one ovule. The plants, which are much which are surrounded at the base by an
like the species of Arum, are natives of the involucre of long bracts. The former has
south of Europe. [M. T. M.] its flowers drooping ; the latter has tri-
partite leaves. Neither of them is remark-
BIAURITE. Having two little ears. able except for the tenacity with which the
See also Auriculate. fruits cohere by their serrated awns to any
penetrable substance to which they may
BIBACIER. (Fr.) Eriobotryajaponica.
happen to attach themselves. The foreign
BIBIRI. The Greenheart Tree, or Bee- species possess little interest. French
beeree of Guiana, Nectandra Rodiwi. Bident : German Ziveyzahn. [C- A. J J
BIC ALLOSE. Having two callosities, as BIDENTATE. Having two teeth.
the lip of many orchids.
BIDIGITATO-PINNATE. Same as Bicon-
BICARINATE. Having two elevated jugato-pinnate.
ribs or keels on the under side, as in the
pales of many grasses.
BIDUOFS, Lasting two days only.
ing nearly to the heath family (Ericacecc) minal racemes, with five sepals and five
taken in its most extended sense. It has petals the stamens with filaments dilated
;
been lately revived by Klotzsch and others at the base, between which and opposite to
for the designation of a class to consist of the petals are placed five round glands;
Vaccinia cea-, Ericaceae, Epacridacece, and ovaries five, distinct at the base and at the
the smaller families or tribes included in summit, but cohering in the middle, the
or closely allied to them. five thread-shaped styles proceeding from
: ; ;;
the inner side of the ovaries near their base, BIGARREAUTIER. (Fr.) Cerasus avium.
and uniting at the top into a single cup- BIGEMINATE. Same as Biconjugate.
shaped flve-lobed stigma fruits membra-
;
nous, one-seeded. The species are natives BIGEMIXOUS. In. two pairs; as the
of Persia, and the Altai and Himalayan many
placenta? of plants.
mountains. [M. T. M.]
BIGENERS. Mule plants obtained by
BEEXERIA A genus of terrestrial crossing species of different genera. This
orchids, proposed by the younger Reiehen- kind of hybridism has been said to be
bach, but hardly distinct from Clilorma. i impossible Kolreuter in particular adduced
:
form its flowers and fruit, and then dying modern experiments seem to show the
growing one year, and flowering, fruiting possibility of such a union.
and dying the next. BIGLFMIS. Consisting of two of the
j
flowers or fruit twice in the same season. Lindley, which includes also figworts, acan-
thads, and gesnerworts. The order contains
BIFIDTJS, Split half way down into two trees or twining or climbing shrubby
parts: plants, with usually opposite compound
BIFOLIOLATE. Having two leaflets leaves, and showy often trumpet-shaped
only to a leaf. flowers. Calyx divided or entire, sometimes
in the form of a spathe corolla usually
BIFOLLICULFS. A double follicle. ;
BIFREXARIA A
name given to those and having broad leafy cotyledons. The
Maxillaria-like plants which have two plants are found in the tropical regions of
froena or caudicles to their pollen masses both hemispheres, but predominate in the
instead of four. The species are all from the eastern. They extend in America from
tropics of America. Pennsylvania in the north, to Chili in the
south. They do not occur wild in Europe.
BIFROXS. Growing on both surfaces of The plants produce abundance of showy
a leaf. Also appearing equally like two finely-coloured flowers. Some yield dyes
different things. A term
seldom used. others supply timber. Among them are
BIFURCATE. Twice-forked having two ;
medicinal agents used in chest affections,
pairs of diverging horn-like arms. and for worms. There are 46 genera
and 452 species described. Illustrative
BIG. The common Bere or four-rowed genera Bignonia, Calosanthes, Catalpa,
:
angular stems. Its leaflets are in pairs or a tube below, generally yellow, occasionally
threes upon a single stalk, of an elliptical blue or purple stamens five style thread-
; ;
form, and rather hairy upon the under like, stigmas lobed berry elliptical or cylin-
;
small branches which support themselves shaped; stigmas linear convolute; fruit
berry-like. The flowers are generallyT very
by means of their tendrils. Its leaves
consist of eight leaflets arranged in pairs elegant, bluish-red or yellow, borne on
(conjugate), each pair having a tendril light panicles the leaves are harsh and
;
betwixt them, and possessing a separate rigid. These plants are found growing on
stalk branching from the central leaf-stalk trees in tropical America, and being capable
the leaflets are oval. The funnel-shaped of living without contact with the earth,
flowers are arranged in loose drooping pani- they are hung on balconies, &c, in South
cles, and are of a violet colour they pro-
;
American gardens, where they are much
duce a long flattened pod-like fruit, con- prized for the beauty and fragrance of
their flowers. Many species are cultivated
taining numerous winged seeds. A
red
for ornament in our stoves. A yellow dye
pigment called Chica on the Orinoco, and
is extracted from the root of B. tinctoria in
Carajuru on the Rio Negro, is obtained by
Brazil. [M. T. M.]
macerating the leaves of this plant in
water, and is greatly used by the natives BILOBTJS. Divided into two lobes.
for painting their bodies, so much so that
BILSTED. An American name for Liqui-
M. Humbolt, in speaking of the natives of dambar Styraciftua.
the Orinoco, says :— To form a just idea of
'
BIXATO-PINNATE. The same as Bipin- BIRCH. The common name for Betula
nate. — WEST INDIAN. Bursera gummifera.
, .
BINTFLORUS. Bearing flowers in pairs from the viscid berries of the Mistletoe,
a term seldom used. Viscum album.
BINODAL. Consisting of two nodes or
articulations, and no more.
BIRD-PLANT, MEXICAN. Heterotoma
lobelioides.
BIOTA. A generic name proposed
for
BIRD'S-BILL. Trigonella ornithorhyn-
the Thuja orientalis pendula, which
and T.
chus.
differ from the T. occidentalis and other
American species in not having wings to BIRD'S-EYE. Adonis autumnalis. —
the seeds. The genus is not, however, AMERICAN. Primula pusilla.
I
generally adopted.
BIRD'S-FOOT. The common name for
BIOTIA. Formerly considered as a dis- Ornithopus, sometimes called Bird's-foot
tinct genus from that of the Michaelmas Vetch; also applied to Euphorbia Orni-
daisy (Aster), hut now united with it. thopus. #
The species are perennial herbs, one to
three feet high, their root leaves large, on BIRD'S-HEAD. The common name for
long stalks, and heart-shaped in form; Ornithoceplialus.
those of the stem, ovate or oblong and BIRD'S-NEST. Neottia Nidus-avis ; also
narrowed towards the base into a winged applied to Thamnopteris ovAsplenium Nidus.
footstalk; their flower-heads arranged in
terminal corymbs, and very like those of
— , YELLOW. Monotropa Hypopitys.
the asters. The species are found in BIRD'S-NEST PEZIZA. The common
Canada, and the United States, and one name for the species of Cyathus and
occurs in Manchuria. [A. A. B.] Nidularia.
BIPALEOLATE. Consisting of two BIRD'S-TONGUE. The common name
small scales or palese, as in grasses. for Omithoglossum ; also applied to Senecio
paludosus.
BIPARTITE. Divided nearly to the
base into two parts. BIRIMOSE. Opening by two slits, as
most anthers.
BIPEXTAPHYLLOUS. Having from
two to five leaflets. BIRTHROOT. An American name for
BIPES. Same as Bicruris.
Trillium erectum.
broken up into tufts of exquisitelybeautiful rather small, yellow ; pouch flattened, with
fringes. Two species occur in Chili, and the partition narrow and the valves orbi-
one in the Argentine States, near Buenos cular, flattened and winged, breaking away
Ayres. from the axis when the seeds are ripe;
seeds one in each valve, and contained in it
BIPLICATE. Having two folds or when they fall off. B. laevigata is a common
plaits. subalpine plant of central Europe, &c, very
BIPOROSE. Opening variable in appearance, and remarkable
by two round
holes. for its curiously-shaped seed-vessels, which
are notched both at the base and apex.
BIRADIATE. Consisting of two or Some of the species have them notched only
more rays as in certain umbels. at the base. [J. T. S.]
;
ings on the stalk, and likewise with the These trees, inhabiting Norfolk Island and
five petals; numerous long free sta- the East Indies, resemble the species of
mens, and a long style terminating in a Ptelea, but are known by their simple
two-lobed stigma. Their fruit has a dry stigma and wingless fruit. B. pinnata is
prickly husk, which splits into two pieces, occasionally cultivated. [M. T. M.]
each bearing numerous seeds attached in a
perpendicular row on their inside.
BLACK DRINK. A decoction of Ilex
vomitorid used by the Creek Indians.
B. Orellana is a small tree growing about
twenty or thirty feet high, having broad BLACK JACK. An American name for
heart-shaped pointed leaves, and bunches Quercus nigra.
of rose-coloured flowers. Its fruit is
heart-shaped, rather more than an inch
BLACK NONESUCH. Medicago lupulina.
long, of a reddish-brown colour, and BLACKTHORN. Primus spinosa.
;; ,
'.
num.
the base others shorter and more distant,
;
BLADDER-POD. The common name for appearing on the flower stem, which is
Physolobium. simple with a many-flowered raceme at the
BLADDER-SEED. The common name top. The flowers are solitary on recurved
for Physospermum. pedicels, and have a tube-funnel-shaped
j
bladder as the fruit of the Bladder Senna, a filiform style and obtuse stigma. Several
;
rose-coloured, the bell-shaped calyx with comprehending the radicle and plumule,
four or six broad scales at the base; with the iutervening portion. Also the
petals six; stamens twelve to sixteen, thallus of a lichen.
anther? cohering, opening by a pair of BLASTIDIA. Secondary cells generated
pores at the apex, shortly spurred at the in the interior of another cell.
base; ovary half-inferior, six-celled style}
thread-like fruit a six-celled berry with nu-
;
;
BLASTUS. The plumule.
merous seeds. B. quinquenervia of Guiana BLASTHEMANTHTJS. A tree found near
has an edible yellow fruit. [J. T. S.] the Amazon river, has been considered by
1
; ;
Planchon to belong to a new genus of Och- without coming in contact with each
nacece, to which he gives the above name. other but in the fertile fronds they are
;
Its botanical characters are interesting; the combined within the margin, and generally
chief are a double calyx, each of five over- near the base by the receptacle which runs
:
in one row, exterior to the ten stamens view Blechnidium, which is distinguished
anthers prolonged into a leaf-like process, from Blechnum only by the reticulation
opening by two pores, the stamens after of its veins, its nearest ally is Lomaria,
flowering turned to one side of the which indeed presents sometimes so little
flower ; ovary placed on a very short difference that the same plants are in some
stalk, three to five-celled, and many-seeded. cases indifferently referred to either genus
The alternate oblong leaves have cartila- by different authors, or even by the same
ginous stipules inserted on to the branch author in different publications. The
above the insertion of the leaf. [M. T. M.] proper distinction between the two con-
sists in the fructification of Lomaria being
BLAZE', or BLANZE. (Pr.) A species marginal, and that of Blechnum within the
of Triticum. margin, and this irrespective of the con-
BLAZING STAR. A North American traction of the fronds, which latter feature
name for Liatris squarrcsa, and Chamce- has sometimes been taken as the mark of
lirium luteum. Lomaria.
The species of Blechnum range under two
—
BLE'. (Pr.) Triticum vulgare. divisions, in one of which, represented by
BARBU. Triticum turgidum. — D' the Indian B. orientale, the sori is placed
ABONDANCE. Triticum compositum. — very near the costa, and in the other, repre-
DE BARBARIE. Polygonum Fagopyrum. sented by our native B. Spicant, it becomes
— DE MIRACLE. Triticum composition. sub-marginal from the contraction of the
— DE TURQUIE. Zea Mays. — DE fronds. The former group is the more
VACHE. Melampyrum arvense. — NOIR. typical. B. orientale is a tall growing and
Polygonum Fagopyrum. — , TURC. Triti- very handsome fern found throughout
cum compositum. India and the East. It has a short caudex,
BLEABERRT. The Bilberry, Vaccinium which is clothed with long narrow glossy
Myrtillus; sometimes also applied to the scales. The fronds, which are often three
Bog Whortleberry, Vaccinium uliginosum. feet long or more, are pinnated, the pinna?
sometimes a foot long, elongately linear,
BLECHNIDITJM. A genus of polypodi- tapering to a narrow point. B. 'Spicant is a
aceous ferns, closely related to Blechnum, humbler plant, producing horizontal pecti-
from which it differs only in the veins nately pinnatifid sterile fronds, and erect
being reticulated instead of free. The fertile ones, with narrower or contracted
only species, B. melanopus, is a native of segments. The genus contains a consider-
India, and is a moderate-sized pinnatifid able number of species, which are abundant
fern, with falcate segments, having a in tropical countries, a large proportion of
general resemblance to the common garden them being found in the northern parts of
Blechnum occidentale. As its trivial name South America, in the West Indian Islands,
indicates, the stipes or stalk of the frond in India, and in the various islands of the
is black. [T M.] Eastern sea. A few species occur in Austra-
lasia, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in
BLECHNOPSIS. A nime proposed by
Chili ; and our native, B. Spicant, is found
Presl for certain species separated from
Blechnum, namely, B. orientale, cartilagi- throughout Europe, in Madeira and the
adjacent islands, in the Caucasian regions,
neum, brasiliensc, &c. It is not adopted by
other pteridologists. [T. M.]
and in Kamtschatka. [T. M.]
from the margin, but sometimes becoming the four included didynamous stamens are
at the same time sub-marginal by the con- inserted in the middle of the tube ;the
traction of the fronds. These sori are anthers consist of two oval parallel cells
covered by linear indusia, which are at- the ovary is two-celled, with four ir more
tached along that side of the receptacle ovules in each cell; the style is simple,
which is nearest the margin of the frond, and the stigma bifid. The ovate capsule
and open along the inward side, or that is two-celled, with eight or more roundish
which is nearest to the midrib. The veins, seeds. [W. C]
as seen in the sterile fronds, where they
are uninterrupted by the developement of BLEEKERIA. This name has been ap-
the fructification, are free, that is, they plied to a tree, native of New Holland, and
branch out from the costa, and become the island of Ceram, in honour of Dr.
forked as they extend towards the margin, Bleeker, a distinguished student of the
149 Ci)£ Crotfurg of SSntang, [blig
natural history of India, especially of the bracteas, which, like the calyx-teeth, are
fishes of that country. The genus is one fringed with hairs. To this fringe the
•
of the apocynaceous family, characterised generic name, derived from the Greek,
I by a calyx without glands, a salver-shaped signifying eyelash, refers. [A. A. BJ
;
corolla with a slightly distended tube, and BLETIA. A large genus of terrestrial
no scales at its throat. Filaments adherent orchids chiefly from tropical America,
! to the tube of the corolla for some where they inhabit swampy places. They
i
distance, hairy; anthers linear, slender, have narrow grass-like leaves, and purple
! -with the connective prolonged for a short or whitish flowers in long terminal ra-
distance beyond the lobes. Ovaries two, cemes, in almost all cases handsome enough
small, roundish, each containing two to claim the notice of gardeners. Very
i
ovules, placed one over the other; style few species occur in the Old World, among
short; stigma almost globular below, taper- which is B. hyacinthina, cultivated in
: ing above and hairy, slightly two-lobed at China for the sake of its fragrance. In
j
the point. Fruit of two fleshy purple their manner of growth they are much
drupes, or one by abortion, with a hard like Cymbidiums.
! woody inner shell [M. T. M.]
BLETTIXG. That kind of change in
I
BLE^TSOSPORA. B.Drummondi isthe tissue which results in the formation of a
! name given to a little West Australian ! brown colour, without putrefaction, as in
I
plant which belongs to the cudweed sec- i the fruit of the medlar. The term Eyposa-
|
tion of the composite family. It is seldom |
thria is applied to this change.
taller than three inches, and is altogether
BLEWITS. The popular name in some
i
! leaves are alternate, and linear in form. parts of England for Agar icus personatus, a
species which is frequent in rich meadows
, The flower heads, of a brown colour, are
in autumn, and is known by its pale bistre-
!
which the lower bracts are sterile and BLIGHIA. A genus of Sapindacece,
1
closely imbricated, while the two terminal named in honour of Captain William
i
bracteoles contain a single flower. The I Bligh, of H.M.S. Bounty, who, in the year
! calyx is four-parted, of which the upper and i
1787, was appointed to convey the bread-
I lower divisions are broadest, and the lower i
bidentate. The corolla is one-lipped, its an- ! West Indies. It consists of only one
terior portion being trifid, and the pos- I
species, B. sapida, which produces the Akee
terior tridenticulate. The four stamens are |
fruit. This plant is a native of Guinea;
sub-didynamous, the anthers on the longer j
but it has been introduced into and is now
pair of filaments one-celled, while the common in the West Indies and South
shorter filaments bear two-celled anthers. \ America. It forms a small tree about
The two-celled ovary has two ovules in each thirty feet in height, having compound
cell; but the carpellary fruit contains leaves consisting of three or four pairs of
sometimes only two seeds, from the abor- broadly lance-shaped downy leaflets. Its
tion of two of the ovules. [W. G] flowers are produced in racemes from the
axils of the leaves. They have a calyx
BLEPHAROCHLAMYS. A name sy- consisting of five pieces five white petals
nonymous with Mystropetalo* (which ;
BLEPHILIA. Agenus of the mint short style bearing three stigmas. The
family, Labiates,peculiar to the United fruit is fleshy, and of a red colour tinged
States, and nearly related to horse-mints with yellow, about three inches long by
QIorrMrda), but the calyx tube has thirteen two in width, and of a three-sided form ;
instead of fifteen nerves, and is naked in i when ripe it splits open down the middle
the throat, while the throat of the corollas, 1
taste resembling that of a chestnut. A small gardens; B. capitatum which has an ascend-
quantity of semi-solid fatty oil is obtain- ing branched stem, triangular sinuate
able from the seeds by pressure. [A. S.] foliage, and terminal clusters of flowers
and fruit and B. virgatum, which has long
;
BLIGHT. This word is used by cultiva- rod-like shoots, and rather smaller foliage
tors with great latitude, and is extended than that of the preceding species, with
to those diseases of corn, and other objects axillary flowers and berries. The fruit of
of field and garden cultivation which both species, though insipid, is said to have
depend upon the presence of parasitic been formerly employed in cookery. The
fungi. It is best, however, as far as cereals leaves have a spinach-like flavour, and may
are concerned, to confine it to that diseased be used as a substitute for it. [TV. T.]
condition of corn in which the plant dies
prematurely without bringing any fruit to BLOODFLOTVER. The common name
perfection. This often depends upon some for Hcemanthus.
kind of fungous spawn attacking the roots, BLOODRAIN. Many of the tales of the
and we believe arises in many cases from un- descent of showers of blood from the
decomposed remains of the last year's crop, clouds which are so common in old
which encourage the growth of fungi, the chronicles, depend upon the multitudinous
threads of which spread to the living production of infusorial insects or some of
roots, and gradually impair their vigour, the lower Algm. To this category belongs
and ultimately cause death. The notion the phenomenon known under the name of
chat the gloomy turbid state of the atmo- Red Snow. One peculiar form, which is
sphere or the haze, so common in sultry apparently virulent only in very hot sea-
weather, which depends upon differences sous, is caused by the rapid production of
of temperature between the earth and the little blood-red spots on cooked vegetables
air, is caused by the presence of some or decaying fungi, so that provisions which
blighting substance which attacks plants, were dressed only the previous day are
giving rise to noxious insects and fungi, covered with a bright scarlet coat, which
is founded on popular error.; [M. J. BJ
sometimes penetrates deeply into their sub-
stance. This depends upon the growth of
BLIMBING. The Bilimbl tree, Averrhba
a little plant which has been referred to the
Bilimbi.
Algo2, under the name of Palmella prodi-
BLINKS. Montiafontana. giosa, but which seems rather to be one of
those conditions of moulds which under
BLITB. (Fr.) Amaranthus Blitum. — various colours are so common on paste
SAUVAGE. Chenopodium polyspermism. and other culinary articles, to which they
BLITB. Amaranthus Blitum. — , SEA. seem to bear the same relation as yeast
A common name for Suceda. — STRAW- ,
globules do to Penicillium and other Fungi.
The spots consist of myriads of ex-
BERRY. The common name for Blitum.
tremely minute granules, and though they
BLITUM. A singular genus of cheno- are propagated with great ease, at present
pods, remarkable for the succulent fruit- no one has been able to follow xvp their
like character assumed by the calyx of evolutions. In damp weather fresh meat
several species after flowering. The is covered with little colourless gelatinous
flowers themselves are inconspicuous, and or creamy spots, which are clearly of the
quite elementary in their structure, con- same nature. One curious point about the
sisting of a three-cleft calyx, one stamen, fungous Bloodrain is, that when cultivated
and an ovary containing a single vertical on rice paste, little spots spring up on the
seed, and crowned by two styles all these
; surface of the paste, apart from the main
organs being, however, so small as to be patch, which look just like blood spirted
scarcely discernible without the aid of from an artery, and therefore increase the
a lens. After the fertilization of the ovary illusion. The colour of the Bloodrain is
is effected, the calyx gradually increases in so beautiful that attempts have been made
size, and at length becomes fleshy and to use it as a dye, and with some success
filled with a red-coloured juice, swelling and could the plant be reproduced with
around the membranous capsule, but not any constancy, there seems little doubt
^entirely concealing it. The flowers being that the colour would stand. On the same
produced in clusters, the resulting com- paste with the Bloodrain we have seen
pound fruit is sufficiently conspicuous, and white, blue, and yellow spots, which were
from its supposed resemblance to a small not distinguishable in structure and cha-
strawberry, has arisen the popular name of racter. TVe refer forfurther information to
Strawberry Blite, applied to two plants of Dr. H. O. Stephen's article in Taylor's
this genus. The fruit of the strawberry Annals of Natural History, which is sug-
differs, however, essentially in its character gestive if not conclusive. [M. J. B.]
from that of the Blites, consisting as it BLOODROOT. Sanguinaria canadensis,
does of a fleshy succulent receptacle, the and Geum canadense.
calyx irself undergoing no transformation.
The structure of the fruit in Blitum more BLOODROOTS. A name applied by
closely resembles that of the common Lindley^to the haemodoraceous order.
mulberry, Morns nigra, in which the ma-
tured ovary is completely enclosed in a suc- BLOODTVOOD, of Jamaica. Gordonia
culent berry-like calyx. Two species of Hivmatoxylon. —, of Norfolk Island.
Blitum, both European, are cultivated in Baloghia lucida. —. of Queensland. Eu- |
,:
; ;
ca&yptus paniculate — , of Victoria. Eu- sessile, cordate at the base, and toothed.
calyptus corymbosa. and, as well as the stems, clothed with
villous hairs; in others they are large
BLOOD-TREE. Croton gossypifolium pinnatifid and smooth, somewhat like those
of a sow-thistle while in a third group
BLOODWORT. Sanguinaria canadensis
;
pound compressed spikes; spikelets with corolla none; stamens eight to twenty-
two to eight flowers, which are all her- four style bifid capsule not jointed, but
; ;
taloid inner ones, but in the female flower thread-like column or stalk, which projects
these are at the top of a long tube, ad- from a short cup-shaped disc. The species
hering to the inferior ovary at the base, are natives of the East Indies. [M. T. MJ
stamens three to eight; berry one-celled,
as in Vallisneria. [J. T. S.] BOERHAAVIA. This genus of Nycta-
ginacece commemorates a famous Dutch
BOATLIP. The common name for physician and naturalist, a cotemporary
Scaphy glottis. and patron of Linnseus. The plants are
BOAT-SHAPED. Having the figure of a herbs, widely distributed over the tropical
boat in miniature, with its keel. and warmer regions of the globe. The
flowers have no involucre their perianth
BOBUA. A genus which was for a long
;
high, throwing up numerous straight closely resembles the preceding both in its
shoots, which are about as thick as the botanical characters and general appear-
little finger and. covered with short soft ance. It is, however, rather taller, growing
hairs. Its leaves grow upon long hairy as high as six or eight feet, and its leaves
footstalks, and are broadly heart-shaped, are of a different form, being broadly
about six inches long by four broad, ter- lance-shaped, and terminating in a sharp
minating in a long slender point, and point but they have serrated edges, and
;
— v
LARDOIRE Evonyrmis europceus.
— BOUTON. Cephalanthus occidental is.
— CUIR. —
Birca palustris. DARC.
Madura — DE CHINE. Mur-
aurantiaca.
raya — DE CHYPRE. C'ordia
exotica.
Gerascanthus. — DE COCHON. Htdiciaia
balsamifera. — DE COLOPHANE. Bursera
paniculata. — D'HUILE. Ervthroxylon
hypericifolium. — DE LOSTEAU. Antir-
hcea verticillata. — DE LETTRES. Bro-
BShmeria nivea. simum Aubletii. — DE MAI. Cratagus
Oxyacantha. — DE P ALEXANDRE. The
having their edges cut like a saw. They Rosewood of the cabinet-makers, obtained
are of a deep green colour on the upper from some Brazilian species oiTrioptolomea.
side, but covered on the under side with a
— DE PERDRIX. Heisteria coccinea. —
dense coating of white down, which gives DE SAINTE LTTCIE. Primus Mahaleb.
them an appearance, like that of frosted — DE ROSE. Licaria guianensis. —
silver. The beautiful fabric known 'in GENTIL or JOLI. Daphne Mezereum. —
England as Grass-cloth, and rivalling ROUGE. Guarea grandifolia. — TAN.
the best French cambric in softness and Byrsonima spicata.
fineness of texture, is manufactured from
the fibre obtained from the inner bark of
BOISDUVALIA. A small genus of
North American onagrads, separated by
this shrub, which is a native of China and
Spach from (Enothera, from which it differs
Sumatra, and has long been cultivated in
chiefly in the four stamens, which are
those countries and also in India, where it
opposite the petals, being shorter than the
has recently been recognised as identical
alternate ones, and in the rosy or pinkish
with the Bheea of Assam. The Chinese
colour of the corolla the flowers of the
;
bestow an immense amount of care and
true Oenotheras being eitherwhite or yellow.
labour upon its cultivation and the prepa-
ration of its fibre
Only two species are known, B. densi-
; they obtain three
flora and B. concinna, both of annual dura-
crops of the stems annually, the second
being considered the best. To obtain the tion. The former is an erect woolly
slitrhtly-branched plant, with linear -lanceo-
fibre the bark is stripped off in two long
late pointed toothed leaves, and is remark-
pieces and carefully scraped with a knife,
able for having the axillary buds of the
so as to get rid of all useless matter, after
which it is softened and separated into fine main stem, which usually produce but a
filaments, either by steeping it in hot
single flower, developed into a short
water or holding it over steam. The fibre branch bearing a small corymb of flowers ;
bark of young quickly grown stems yield- flowers in terminal leafy spikes. [W. T.]
ing the beautifully fine delicate fibre from BOISSIELLE. (Fr.) Bossicea Scolopendra.
which the best fabrics are manufactured,
while the outer portion affords a coarse BOJERIA. A
genus of one species
fibre only fit for making ropes, canvass, (B. speciosa) belonging to the composite
&c. Experiments made with the view of family, and found in Madagascar. It is a
testing the strength of this fibre have shrub about ten feet high, the stems
proved it to possess nearly double the tena- towards the apex covered with dense
city of Russian hemp. rusty hairs. The leaves are alternate,
B. Puya, which is a native of Nepal, very entire, ovate or lanceolate in form, and
clasping the stem by their hase, nearly determination. Some of them are highly
smooth above, and densely tomentose be- poisonous, while B. edidis is considered by
neath. The flower-heads are single from most people an excellent article of food.
the apex of the branches, and about one It is not much used in this country, but in
inch in diameter, having numerous purple Hungary it is preferred to the mushroom,
tubular florets, all of them containing which is regarded generally with suspicion.
both stamens and pistil. The genus bears The most poisonous species are easily re-
the name of M. Bojer, Professor of Botany cognised by the red orifice of the tubes ;but
in the Mauritius. [A. A. B.] with the exception just mentioned there
are not more than one or two acceptable
BOLBITIS. A name proposed for certain species. One of the most curious points
acrostichaceous ferns, now referred to about these fungi is, that in several
Pcecilopteris. [T. M.] species the flesh from white or yellow
turns instantaneously to blue when di-
BOLBOPHTLLTJM. A very extensive vided. It is believed that this arises from
genus of orchids of small stature growing
the action of ozone on the juice. B. edidis
on trees or overrunning the ground
has sometimes been cultivated artificially
among mosses. Their leaves are usually
in its native woods. [M. J, B.]
solitai-y on fleshy pseudo-bulbs and their
;
family. It has opposite short-stalked with Menodora (which see). [A. A. B.]
ovate leaves, which are entire and rough
on the surface. The flowers in little BOLTONIA. A genus of three species,
axillary racemes, the males and females on
belonging to the composite family, and
peculiar to North America, where they
different plants. The centre of the male
flower is occupied by a great many stamens,
extend from Canada southwards to the
and that of the female by from two to nine Southern states. They are smooth much-
ovaries, which when ripe are succulent
branched perennial herbs, with lanceolate
pale green sessile leaves, and an abundance
drupes, about the size of haws, and very
of flower-heads with white or purplish rays,
aromatic, as are all the parts of the plant.
The bark is serviceable to tanners, and the very much like Michaelmas daisies (Aster),
to which genus they might at a first glance
wood is preferred before any other in the
country for making charcoal; while the be referred but they differ in the pappus
;
aspect of the species is similar. B. edulis, smooth trunk covered with a very tough
a "West Indian species, produces tubers fibrous bark, which the Brazilians use for
which are eaten in St. Domingo like those making ropes. The leaves are variable
of the Jerusalem artichoke are in this in shape those on the lower part of the
;
Exogens belonging to Lindley's malral and covered on the under side with star-
alliance, and usually considered as a sub like hairs. The large flowers are clothed
order of Steeculiaceje. [J. H. B.] with white silky down. [A. SJ
BOMBAX. Derived from the Greek BOMBYCINE. Silky, feeling like silk
word bombyx, signifying raw silk, and this term is not applied to hairiness of
applied to a genus of large soft-wooded any sort.
trees belonging to the order of sterculiads BONAVERIA. A
genus of the pea-
(Sterculiacece), the fruits of which contain flower family (Leguminosce), consisting of
, a beautiful silky substance attached to a single species, B. securigera, formerly
I
their seeds, and to which the name of Silk- placed in the genus Coronilla, with which
cotton has been appropriately given. There
1
j
The plant grows in South Europe, and is a
I dian tree, commonly called B. Ceiba or God- smooth pea-green herb afoot or more high,
tree, is the same as Eriodendron anfractu- with unequally pinnate leaves five or six
osum. Their flowers are produced either inches long, made up of many pairs of
singly or in clusters upon the trunk or wedge-shaped leaflets the yellow flowers
;
old'branches, and are generally large and are borne in an umbellate manner at the
of a white or greenish colour they have
:
end of along naked stalk, the umbels being
a short calyx shaped like the cup of an about half an inch across. It is often
acorn, and a corolla of five pieces joined seen in collections of herbaceous plants,
together at the bottom their stamens are
;
and is frequently called Securigera Coro-
arranged in five or more bundles, which nilla. [A. A. BJ
are connected together at the base into a
short cylindrical tube, the filaments being BONA-NOX. Ipomaea Bona-nox; Argy-
divided into two branches near the top, reia or Rivea Bona-nox Smilax Bona-nox.
;
with opposite leaves, and flowers in the having somewhat the appearance of an
axils or in terminal racemes. The calyx ox-eye. [A. A. B.]
has five distinct narrow sepals the upper ; BOOREE. An Indian name for the
lip of the corolla is erect and two-lobed, inflammable pollen of a species of
the lower is larger, spreading and three- Typha.
lobed. The two upper stamens alone are
fertile, the lower pair, inserted at the base BOOR-TREE or BOUNTRT. A
Scotch
of the lower lip of the corolla, are repre- name for the Elder, Sambucus nigra.
sented by the linear obtuse filaments. The BOOTIA. A
genus of the natural order
style is filiform with a dilated generally Hydrocharidacece, found in the margin of
two-lobed stigma. The linear capsule is the river Irrawadi in Ava. The leaves are
longer than the calyx. [W.C.] all radical, some of them submersed, elon-
BONNETTA. A genus of the tea family gate linear lanceolate, others cordate, float-
(TtrnstriimiacecE), composed of a few Bra- ing, with long petioles and a scape rising
zilian and Peruvian shrubs or small trees, out of the water ; flowers dioecious from
with sessile spathulate entire leaves, a tubular inflated spathe, which is toothed
having prominent parallel veins ; they are at the apex, and includes many stalked
generally crowded at the ends of the male flowers or a single sessile female one.
branches, which are marked with promi- Perianth with three outer oblong calyx-
nent scars where they have fallen. The like divisions, and three inner oboAr ate
flowers are numerous and panicled, or petaloid ones. As usual in the order, these
single, and as large as those of Camellia segments are in the female flower at the
;
generally white in colour, and composed of top of a tube adhering to the ovary at the
a five-leaved calyx, five petals, a large base. Stamens twelve; ovary with nine
number of stamens, a three-parted style, parietal placentas. [J. T. S.]
and a one-celled ovary, which becomes BOQUILA. B. trifoliata, the only known
when ripe a three-celled capsule containing species, is a small dioecious trailing shrub
157 €ty Creafttrg of %Qtmx& [bora
zabala, to which it is allied. [A. A. B.] of young trees is almost worthless, that of
centenarians is very valuable on accnunt
BORA. A common Indian pulse, Doli- of its hardness, weight, and durability. .
chos Cajan, or Cajanus Mcolor. The leaves of the Palmyra are from eight
BORAGE. Borago officinalis. to ten feet long, including the stalk, and
of a nearly circular form, consisting of
BORAGETTORTS. A name applied by seventy or eighty ribs, radiating from a
Lindley to the boraginaceous family. centre and plaited like a half-open paper
fan in old trees they form a large round
:
rifolice.) Anatural order of Corollifloral leaves are employed by the natives for a
dicotyledons or Exogens belonging to variety of ttseful purposes; houses are
Lindley's echial alliance Herbs or shruba thatched with them matting for floors and
;
with round stems, alternate rough leaves, ceilings is platted from strips of them,
and spirally-coiled inflorescence; calyx also bags and baskets of all kinds, hats
four to five divided, persistent; corolla and caps, umbrellas and fans, and a host of
generally regular and five-cleft stamens ;
minor articles ; they likewise, in common
five, inserted in the corolla, and alternate
with its divisions ovary four-lobed with a
:
lapping each other, from amongst which successive mornings beats the lower part
the flowers only partially emerge the fe- ; of the spike with a short baton, and on
male spikes seldom branched, and their the four following mornings, in addition
scales not so closely packed as those of to the beating, he cuts a thin slice off the
the male. end; on the eighth day the sap or toddy
B. flabelliformis is the Palmyra Palm. The begins to flow, and is collected in an
boeb] (£f)C ®xtR£\ir$ of 28otang. 158
or after being dried in the sun, or else they approximate or fused together carpels ;
are made into a very nutritious kind of four to two-valved, combined within into a
meal. four-celled capsule seeds few in each cell,
;
B. cethiopum is a native of the central flattened. The species are shrubs, natives
part of tropical Africa, occurring from the of New Holland, with opposite pinnate
Niger on the west to Nubia on the east. leaves and pretty pinkish or whitish
It "forms a large tree resembling, the Pal- flowers. Many of them are in cultivation
myra in general appearance, but having a as elegant greenhouse shrubs. [M. T. M.]
curious bulging out or swelling in its
stem at about the middle of its height. BORYA. The same as Forestiera.
Its leaves and fruits are used by the BOSCIA. Louis Bosc was a French
Africans for the same purposes as those of professor of agriculture and in his honour
;
the Palmyra by the Asiatics, and its young this genus of Cappariclacece was named.
seedlings are likewise used for food but;
The plants have four sepals disunited or
the custom of extracting toddy does not joined together at the base only; petals
appear to be known in Africa. [A. S.]
none stamens twelve to twenty berry glo-
; ;
upper petal or vexillum is hairy; these cleft, membranous, with two bracts; sta-
two characters distinguishing the genus mens five ovary one-celled drupe sub-
; ;
from its allies. B. crenata has roundish globose, fleshy ; embryo with foliaceous
leaves which embrace the stem by their cotyledons. [J. T. S.]
base, and terminal racemes of pretty yel-
low blossoms. jB. parviflora has many-
BOSSED. Circular and flat, with a promi-
nent centre, like the Highland target as in
nerved sharp-pointed leaves like those of :
cultivated in gardens under the name of forms, and the flowers are axillary and soli-
Kale. tary, always yellow, the base of the vexil-
BORKHAUSIA. A family of compound lum or the keel generally blotched or veined
flowers allied to the hawkweeds and dan- with purple. The genus
differs from its
delion. Several species are described as and compressed
allies in its alternate leaves
inhabiting Southern Europe, all of which pods, the margins of which are thickened
are annuals. Two are natives of Great but not winged. It is named in honour of
Britain, but are of rare occurrence. The M. Bossieu Larmartiniere, a French bota-
group to which they belong are very nist, who accompanied La Peyrouse in his
159 Klyz £reas'urg at ^otaiig. [bote
voyage round the world Many of the B01*HRENCHYMA. The pitted, or dot-
species are highly ornamental, and no ted, or so-called porous- tissue of plants.
greenhouse collection of any pretensions
is to toe found -without some of them. BOTROPHIS. A genus of Banunculacece,
Among the leafless species in cultivation synonymous with Macrotis, containing a
are B. scolopendra and the sword-branched North American herb allied to Cinvcif u'aa,
B. ensata : tooth these, however, when in a from which it differs by having only one
seedling condition, have true leaves. carpel (very rarely two), which becomes a
Amongst the leafy species the choicest are solitary follicle in fruit. This distin-
the slender-stemmed B. tenuicaulis, with guishes it from the toerry-toearing Actaia.
ovate acute leaves and very numerous The leaves are twice or three times ter-
yellow flowers streaked with purple B. ;
nate, with large oval leaflets irregularly
lanceolata ; and B. disticha, a Swan river cut; the stem is about from three to
species, with ovate acute leaves arranged eight feet high, with long racemes of
in a two-ranked manner. [A. A. B.] white flowers, of which the central one is
by far the longest sepals petaloid, white,
:
BOSTRTCHIA. A
genus of rose-spored soon dropping off petals, or rather abor-
;
Algce "belonging to the natural order Bhodo- tive stamens, very small with long claws ;
melacete, and remarkatole at the same time stamens numerous, white, and very con-
for the curled tips of the fronds, and their spicuous ;seeds seven or eight in the
amphibious habit like that of Lichina. follicle. The flowers are very fetid, and
B. amphibia occurs on our coasts as high the large knotted root-stocks, which have
as the Wash, extending from thence to a nauseous astringent and bitter taste, are
Spain; it grows attached to the base of considered in the United States to be a
marine phfenogamous plants, which are remedy for the bite of the rattlesnake. The
covered only at high water. Several only species rejoices in several names both
species, grow in the United States in generic and specific. [J. T. S.]
similar situations or on the margins of BOTRTCHIUM. A
genus of ophioglos-
tidal rivers, and others are found nearer saceous ferns, distinguished by having the
the equator and in the Southern hemi- fructifications in a compound or rachif orm
sphere. They do not agree in the structure panicle, forming a separate branch of the
of the frond, tout their habit and general frond. The spore-cases in this group have
character are so alike that it is better no jointed band or ring surrounding them,
not to separate them. [M. J. B.] as in the generality of ferns, but are
fleshy, coriaceous, ind burst vertically in
B03WELLIA. A genus of the family two equal hemispherical valves. The
Amyridaeece, consisting of trees with com-
fronds spring from a short erect fleshy
pound leaves and white flowers in clusters,
;
rhizome, and are variously pinnatifid, pin-
each with a small five-toothed persistent
nate, or ternately decompound, the sterile
calyx, and five petals spreading widely, in-
serted, as are also the ten stamens, beneath
and fertile branches toeing always separate,
and the spore-cases ranged in two rows on
a cup-shaped fleshy disc, which is larger
the ultimate divisions of the latter. The
than the calyx ; the filaments of the
genus, which consists of about a dozen
stamens are persistent, but the anthers fall
species, is found in all parts of the world
off. Ovary sessile, with a long style, ter-
excepting Africa, and extends from the
minated by a three-lobed stigma. The
tropical to the arctic regions, and over both
fruit is triangular, three-celled, and bursts
the eastern and western hemispheres.
toy the separation of the three component
leaves one from the other the seeds are
The common British species, B. Lunaria,
;
j
much probability to be the product of a BOTRYDIUM. A
genus of green-spored
!
|
species of Boswellia, probably B. papyrir Algce toelonging to the division Siphonei,
/era, a tree so named on account of 'its in which it is remarkable for the predomi-
bark, which peels off in thin white layers, nance of the large capsule over the vege-
capable of being used for packing purposes. tative part, which consists only of a few
The two first-mentioned species are in threads, that like roots penetrate the
cultivation in our stoves. fM. T. M.] soil, the capsules being the only part exter-
nally visible. B. granulatum occurs in
; ;
little vesicular strata on the sides of ponds, the malady most commonly commences in
but not very commonly. [M. J. BJ the large intestine, as if from the germina-
tion of swallowed spores. The prevention
BOTRTOGRAMMA. A synonyme of of the disease consists in the most perfect
Llavea. cleanliness, and every precaution which
BOTRYOPSIS. A genus of Menisperma- may destroy the spores or prevent their
access. [M. J. B.]
cece, briefly described by Mr. Miers, in the
Annals of Natural History. The male BOTULIPORM. Sausage-shaped.
flowers have six petals ; the female flowers
six ovaries, with an embryo without albu- BOUCAGB. (Pr.) Pimpinella; also
men, and curved so as to resemble a horse- GSnanthe pimpinelloides.
shoe ; cotyledons large, thick, curved BOUCHEA. A genus of Verbenacece,
radicle superior. The plants are natives of containing fourteen species of herbs or
the Organ mountains of Brazil. [M. T.M.] undershrubs, natives of America, Africa,
BOTRYOPTERIS. A synonyme of Hel- and Asia. They have sub-sessile flowers in
a spicate raceme, which is either terminal
minthostachys.
or in the forking of two branches. The
BOTRYOSICTOS. A name apparently calyx is elongate tubular, with five ribs
implying a resemblance in the plant to produced into small teeth, and five alter-
which it is applied, to a grape vine and a nate furrows, and truncate between the
gourd. The genus belongs to the natural teeth. The corolla is funnel-shaped. The
order Passifloracece. The flowers are dioe- four included didynamous stamens are
cious. The male flowers are very small, in inserted in the throat of the corolla. The
clusters concealed by an involucre the ; ovary is two-celled, with a single anatropal
perianth is bell-shaped, six-cleft, in two ovule in each cell the style is as long as
;
rows, the three outer hairy, shorter than the stamens. The capsule is surrounded
the inner, which are petal-like. Within by the persistent calyx; it is dicoccous
this are three scales adherent at the base and has numerous seeds. [W. C]
to the inner divisions, and similar to them,
but shorter and divided into two teeth or BOUGAINVILLAEA. A genus of the
lobes at the apex. Stamens three, inserted natural order Nyctaginacece, characterised
near the throat of the perianth filaments
;
by the flowers being almost concealed by
short, bearing the anthers, which are two- large membranous or leafy bracts, which
celled, introrse ; ovary abortive; stiarma grow in triplets, and form magnificent
three-toothed. The female flowers and fruit masses of paniculate inflorescence. The
are not known. The plant is a climber, perianth is tubular with a short limb the ;
and a native of Abyssinia. [M. T. M.] stamens are seven or eight in number
the style lateral ; the stigma thickened.
BOTRYOTHALLUS. A name applied to B. spectabilis is a climbing shrub or small
one or two acrostichaceous ferns in- tree, with alternate leaves and small
cluded in Polybotrya and Soromanes. spines; the bracts are large and of rich
rose colour hence the pendent inflores-
BOTRYPDS. A synonyme of Botry-
;
swamped. Amongst those best known is glabra, which is of more slender habit,
the parasite which plays so important a with smaller leaves, both these and the
part in the virulous potato murrain un- stems being nearly smooth, and bearing its
der the name of B. infestans; as, however, showy bracts, which are of a lighter rose
there are strong reasons for separating and rather smaller than in B. speciosa, in
this and a host of allied plants, we must more open panicles. [T. M.]
refer for their consideration to the article
Peronospora. The disease in silkworms BOUGUERIA. A genus of Plantaginacecc,
called muscardine is produced by a mould containing a single species, a native of
called B. Bassiana, but this also in all Peru. It is a small perennial fleshy-
probability will ere long find its place in rooted herb, growing in tufts, and having
some other genus, perhaps in Botryospo- white linear leaves, and axillary peduncles,
ritnn, A few of the spores rubbed upon bearing compact heads, which blacken in
the skin of the caterpillar, or inserted drying. The flowers are polygamous, both
carefully with a lancet, are sufficient to sexes occurring on the same head. This
inoculate the animal. The spores soon genus occupies a position between Plantago
germinate.and their threads prey upon the and Littorella. [W. C]
fatty tissue, till the caterpillar becomes
mummified and resembles certain pastilles, BOUTLLARD. (Fr.) Betula alba.
from whence the name of the disease has BOUILLON-BLANC; (Fr.) Verbascum
been borrowed. In the silkworm houses thapsiforme.
;;
BOURREAU DES ARBRES. (Fr.) Ce- dry the larger, B. nigrescens, by the far
;
— DU LIN.
lastrus scandens. Cuscuta firmer and darker inner coat. Both are
eatable when young, but our own expe-
epilinum.
rience is not in favour of their use, as
BOURSETTE. (Fr.) Talerianella oli- they are apt to have an unpleasant taste,
toria. if they have reached their full growth.
BOUTOX D'ARGEXT. (Fr.) Ranunculus and the corollas bright blue with a slight
•platanifolius, with double flowers; also purple tinge. Another Brazilian species,
—
!
into two lamellae projecting beyond the BOWMAN'S ROOT. Isnardm alterni-
tube of the corolla; capsule membranous; folia also applied in America to GUlenia ;
and loose terminal corymbs of cineraria- their oval pollen masses united through-
like blossoms, each nearly an inch across. out the whole length of their inner surface
The colour of the ray florets varies from by a flat membrane. The stigma is five-
violet blue to white, the disk or centre sided. The hairy follicles are widely sepa-
being in all cases of a purplish brown. rated, oblong and obtuse. [W. C]
B. glabra, of more recent introduction,
has solitary flower-heads or long foot- :
BRACHYPODITJM. A genus of grasses,
stalks, about as large as those of iberidi- belonging to the tribe Hordeacece, or barley
folia, with a white ray of numerous linear grasses. The genus is chiefly distinguished
florets, tinged with violet beneath, and a from Triticum by the glumes being unequal,
yellow disk its foliage is pinnatifld, with
:
linear segments variously cut, the upper- not consider of sufficient importance as
most ones being nearly entire, and all a generic distinction; hence the species
rather fleshy, and ciliated. The only other are referred either to Triticum or Festuca.
species in cultivation is B. diversifolia, j
—
Two are natives of Britain the False
with yellow flower-heads, rather smaller Brome Grass, B. sylvaticum, and the Heath
than in either of the preceding species, False Brome Grass, B. pinnatum. The
and foliage variously cut and lobed, as the former is a very common kind, which
specific name implies. The genus is cha- generally grows in shady woods, or on dry
racterised by a slightly conical, pitted, hedge banks but the latter is rare, and
;
of the flower indicate this structural af- the petals unequal, longer than the calyx
j
in form, with a glossy upper surface, and according to Dr. Horsfield, is used medi-
covered with silvery adpressed pubescence cinally in Java. Major Drury in his work
underneath. The flowers are in axillary on the useful plants of India, says that the
clusters, large, and rich scarlet. [A. A. B.] natives of the western coasts of India use
the leaves and roots of B. Wallichii rubbed
BRACHYSORUS. A name proposed for up with lime juice, as a cure for snake
a fern which proves to be Aspkniu/ti siilva- bites the whole plant mixed with oil in
;
and capped by a pellucid margin, at the ish, with a calyx of three sepals over-
hase of which the two masses are attached lapping at the margins; six stamens,
to a slender corpuscle by two short pro- connate in a sort of cup around the base of
cesses. The two follicles are long and the ovary. [M. T. M.]
slender with numerous comose seeds.
The roots are edible, those of some species BRAHMIN'S BEADS. An Indian name
heincr much esteemed as a preserve by the for the corrugated seeds of Elceocarpus,
Dutch inhabitants of S. Africa. [W. C] which are used by the Brahmins, and also
made into necklaces, &c.
BRACKEN or BRAKE. A common
English name of Pteris aquilina. BRAINEA. A
genus of polypodiaceous
ferns, now included in the group Hemioni-
BRACTE.E or BRACTS. The leaves tidece,in which it is distinguished by its
placed immediately below a calyx, if they Xirimary veins anastomosing in an arcuate
are at all altered from their usual form. manner, so as to form a series of areoles
BRACTE ATE. Having bracts. next the costa, while the venules, which ai*e
parallel and oblique, are quite distinct to
BRACTEOL.E,BRACTEOLES or BRACT- their apices. It has naked or non-indu-
LETS. Bracts of a second order, usually siate sori continuous along the course of
smaller and more changed than the true the transverse curved veins which unite
bracts also any small bracts.
;
to form the costal areoles, and often
BRADBTJRIA. The name given to a extended more or less along the parallel
Texan herb which belongs to the compo- oblique free venules, becoming at length
site family. It is an annual plant with irregularly confluent.
slender straight stems about three feet B. insignis is the only species known.
high, and altogether sparingly covered This is a native of Hong Kong, and forms
with hairs, which gives rise to the specific a very handsome dwarf tree fern with a
name Mrtella. The leaves are numerous, stem of three to four feet in height. The
linear, very narrow, and about an inch long; fronds are three feet long or more, pinnate,
the flowerheads solitary at the ends of the the pinnas sometimes becoming pinnati-
branches, and the florets yellow. The fld; they are rigid and subcoriaceous' in
genus bears the name of Mr. J. Bradbury, texture, and serrated along the margin. It
who travelled in America in 1809, and is a very elegant and interesting plant.
published some interesting notes on the The genus has some points of resemblance
botany of the Missouri country. [A A. B.] to Sadleria, a genus of Lomariece, but
differs in having naked instead of indu-
BRAGANTIA. A genus of Arlstolo- siate sori, and in some other particulars.
chiaeece, consisting of undershrubs with "We had formerly regarded it as presenting
decumbent wavy branches, thick leaves a connecting link between the Menisciece
with prominent nerves, a regular flower and the Lomariece, through the Woodwar-
with a thread-shaped calyx-tube adherent diece, and had placed it in the former group
to the ovary, and a bell-shaped three-cleft in consequence of its short transverse
limb stamens six or nine, inserted on a
; naked sori: but now that more perfect
shallow disc, surrounding the upper part specimens in the fresh state have been
of the ovary, and adherent to the base of examined, we are quite ready to adopt the
the four connate styles capsule pod-like,
; suggestion of Sir W. J. Hooker, that it
quadrangular, four-celled, four-valved, may be referred to the Remionitidece, the
many-seeded. These plants are also re- sori not proving to be short and lunate, but
markable for the structure of their wood, continuous along the arcuate veins. It is,
which differs considerably from the ordi- however; even here, somewhat anomalous,
nary wood of Exopens. They are natives the fructifications being merely branched
of the tropical parts of Asia, and possess and not truly reticulated. We
have here,'
'
in some decree the properties of the Aris- Sir W. J. Hooker observes, ' a very remark-
tolochias. B. tomentosa is very bitter, and, able, and, if I may so say, a new form
,
terised by having the upper lip of the quose beaked pods, this genus is made to
corolla deeply bifid. [W. C] include the mustards (Sinapis), an alloca-
|
consists of tropical plants (.chiefly Ameri- Cabbage B. campestris, Wild Navew, in-
;
can) allied to the globe amaranth of the cluding B. Rapa, the Turnip; B. Napus,
gardens. Brandesia is distinguished from Rape or Coleseed. Of these, the first is in
the other sections by not having the calyx all probability the initiative. It occurs
distinctly jointed to the extremely short wild on rocks and cliffs by the sea shore ;
pedicel, and its segments being nearly and we have now in cultivation some
equal. The flowers are each accompanied curious examples, derived from seed
by three bracts, and are in long-stalked gathered from the rocky coast of Llan-
globular or ovoid heads the stamens are
;
dudno, North Wales, which already give
united into a tube by the adherence of the indications of sports in several directions.
filaments. B. porrigens has the heads of Some have the short petioles and the close
flowers deep purple, resembling those of hearting condition of cabbages, of which
Sanguisorba officinalis, but dry like those form we have both green and red varieties,
of the everlasting flowers.
'
' [J. T. S.]
the tendency being much increased by re-
BRANDY BOTTLES. A local English peated transplantation. Others, with longer
name for the flowers of Nupliar lutea. petioles and lyrate leaves, seem to take on
that looser method of growth which con-
BRANK. Fagopyrum esculentum. stitutes the ' Greens and Kale of the
'
BRASAYOLA. In the tropics of Ame- garden whilst some present that peculiar
;
rica, and in no other part of the world, glaucous hue which belongs more particu-
occur many species of orchids with slender larly to rape. We should not, therefore,
fleshy stems, solitary succulent usually be surprised if experiment should ulti-
pugioniform leaves, and large greenish mately establish the position that the B.
flowers, with narrow acuminate or long- oleracea is the only true species of the
tailed petals, and a similar entire some- three above enumerated, and that the B.
times very broad lip. They have also a campestris and B. Napus are but agrarian
I
column with a pair of great falcate ears on forms derived from the cultivated varieties
each side of the front, and eight pollen of this. This opinion is countenanced by
masses. To these the name of Brasavola the fact that nowhere are the two latter
has been given. A few species have been truly wild, but both track cultivation
added, in which the appendages or ears of throughout Europe, Asia, and America,
the column are small and toothed. The The protean forms induced from the B.
most remarkable are B. glauca, with glau- oleracea are well known, such as many
cous flat fleshy leaves, and very' large —
varieties— which are yearly increasing of
flowers, from Mexico and B. Bigbyana,
; Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, and
which differs in little, except having the Kohl-rabi; whilst the no less numerous
margin of the lip broken up into long hair- varieties of the common Turnip are all re-
like fringes. ferred to B. campestris, with which, in-
deed, Bentham classes B, Napus.
BRASSICACE.E. The Cabbage family, a As regards the Swedish Turnip, we are
natural order of Thalarnifloral Exogens, to in the position to state that the seeding of
which the name of Ceucifek^: (which see) rape and common turnips in mixed rows
is usually given.
has resulted in the production of a small
BRASSIA. An extensive genus of tropi- percentage of malformed Swedes, which,
cal American orchids, very nearly related however, improved very much by careful
to Oncidium, from which they are easily cultivation and our field observations
;
known in most cases by the lateral sepals have enabled us to detect in degenerate
;
poses. Instead of these being taken, the different from any of our cultivated varie-
flower-buds and fleshy flower-stalks form ties of Turnip, its root being long and
themselves in a close firm cluster or head, spindle-shaped, somewhat resembling a
varying from four to eight inches or more carrot. Its culture in this country dates
in diameter, and become one of the greatest from 1790 hut it was well known in 1671,
;
name of C. brasiliensis, the timber of which be delicious but probably the seeds, from
;
style which is divided nearly half its terminal panicles, with small linear bracts.
r
i length, and has a capitate stigma on each The calyx is five-parted, with unequal
:
division. The capsule is two-celled and con- linear segments, the upper being the
j
tains four seeds. [W. C] longer. The ringent corolla has the
lip falcate and overarching with a
BREXIA. A genus of small trees belong- upper I
of the
dagascar, and have alternate petiolate I
I leaved B. Incisifolia is the only known panicles, the spikelets of which contain
species, and is a shrub three to five feet from five to twelve imbricated flowers and ;
high with alternate stalked simple lobed in the two glumes being nearly equal, and
leaves, and with the flower-stalks axil- like the pales membranous, with scarious
j
lary and single, some of the flowers, which margins. The Quaking Grasses are all
i
are small, bearing stamens only, others handsome plants, so much so, that B.
i with both stamens and pistil. The fruit maxima and B. minor are frequently culti-
i
is a three-celled bladdery capsule, each of
vated in gardens as ornamental annuals.
the cells prolonged into a wing on the Steudel describes thirty species, which are
|
back, and containing a single seed. The mostly natives of South America Brazil, :
• name of Mr. Bridges, a most extensive plants, B. media and B. minor: the former a
: collector of Chilian plants. The same name very common species, on light limestone
has been also given to a group of Phyto soils, &c, the latter confined to a few
;
Ulospermum.
I
!
ing herbs with ovate-cordate leaves on I BROCCOLI. A cultivated variety of
i long petioles, and large purple flowers in the Cabbage, Brassica oleracea, in which the
;
young inflorescence is condensed into a The stigmas are three — short, fleshy, and
depressed fleshy edible head. erect. The fruit is succulent. The fruit
BRODLEA. A small genus of Liliacece, of B. Pinguin yields in the West Indies a
consisting of bulbous plants from Western
cooling juice, much used in fevers, etc.
Many of them supply valuablefibre for tex-
North America, with linear leaves and tile purposes, and which might also be
naked scapes terminated by an umbel of employed in the- manufacture of paper,
rather large blue flowers. The base of the Several species are cultivated in stoves for
umbel is surrounded by an involucre of their ornamental flowers. [M. T. M.]
small scarious bracts perianth funnel
;
channelled often scurfy and spiny leaves, containing from three to many flowers,
and showy flowers. Outer perianth (calyx) the spikelets lanceolate and compressed
three-parted, persistent; inner (corolla) of ovules two, the lower with a long awn at-
three withering petals ; stamens six, in- tached nearly at the tip styles below the
;
sativa, the Pine-apple or Ananas, is one of which have been introduced, and are now
the most important plants of the order. enumerated in British floras. They are
Its fruit is composed of the pistils and not considered first-class agricultural gras-
bracts of several flowers united into a ses, though the Soft Brome Grass, B. mollis,
succulent mass and crowned by a series of constitutes a large portion frequently of
green leaves. It is par excellence the fruit good meadows, hut being of annual dura-
of the Eastern islands. The fibres of the tion only, it is not so common on good
plant are used in manufacture. Bromelia permanent pastures. B. erectus is a strong
Ping it in is a remedy for worms in the growing perennial species, which is rather
West Indies. Some of the Bromeliads abundant in some districts, and scarce in
grow attached to the branches of trees, others.The Tall Brome Grass, B. asper, is
and are called Air-plants. One of these is one of the most beautiful of grasses, al-
Tillandsia usneoides, the Tree-beard of though a coarse kind, of little agricultural
South America, which consists of a mass importance. [D. MJ
of black fibres. These are employed for
stuffing cushions, under the name of
BRONGNIARTIA. A genus of the pea-
Spanish Moss, Black Moss, or Long Moss. flowered tribe of the leguminous family,
There are twenty-eight known genera and numbering eight species, all of them na-
tives of Mexico or Texas. They are shrubs,
I
BROMELIA. The natural order Brome- The flower-stalks are twin, in the axils of
liacea; takes its name from this genus, the upper leaves, and the flowers flesh-
which consists of plants with short stems, coloured, or violet, the keeled petal yellow.
and densely-packed rigid leaves, generally The pods are stalked, thin, and in form like
lance-shaped, with spiny margins, and the blade of a table knife, but pointed, and
channelled on the upper surface. The calyx contain six to eight seeds. None of the
is three-parted, much shorter than the species are in cultivation. The genus is
corolla, which consists of three petals, named in honour of Adolphe Brongniart,
convolute, erect or spreading at the top. j
a famous French botanist. [A. A. BJ
171 £f)c €rea£ur» at 230tani?. [bkos
BROXTESIS. A name given to express smooth shining deep-green elliptical
the injury done to plants by lightning. lance-shaped leaves, its pale-yellow heads
This is generally clear enough from the of flowers are succeeded by round yellow
outward effects, the branches being broken, fruits, about an inch in diameter, and con-
and the trunk shivered. The injury, how- taining a single seed, called Bread-nut in
ever, may be more insidious, and, though Jamaica. These so-called nuts are eatable,
no external damage may appear, or none and are said to form an agreeable and
which immediately excites attention, the nourishing article of food when boiled or
:
connection of the component parts of the roasted, they taste like hazel-nuts. The
trunk may be dissolved more or less com- young branches and shoots, also, are an
pletely, by the sudden generation of gas, excellent fodder for horses and cattle;
or the expansion of the sap, from the and the wood, which bears some resem-
intense heat of the lightning. The whole blance to mahogany, is used by West In-
vegetative power of a tree may also be at dian cabinet-makers.
once arrested. But many of the cases of B. Aubletii, a native of British Guiana
sudden death which are commonly attri- and Trinidad, also forms a large tree, often
buted to lightning are the results of the sixty or seventy feet high, and two or
spawn of some fungus attacking the roots, three feet thick. The leaves are of an
vegetation being kept up by a slight thread oblong form, with their top end broader
of sound tissue, as in the condition called than the bottom and they are covered
;
are generally congregated into a globular it quickly forms a yellow cheesy scum
head, but are sometimes borne on separate upon its sui-face, and, after a few days'
trees they have neither calyx nor corolla,
: exposure to the atmosphere, turns sour and
the males consisting of single stamens, putrifies. It contains upwards of thirty
separated from each other by shield-like per cent, of a resinous substance, called
scales, and the females of a solitary style, galactin by chemists. [A. S.]
terminating in two stigmas. The fruit is a
small one-seeded berry. BROSS2EA. An imperfectly known
B. AUcastrum, the Bread-nut tree of genus of Vaccinia cece, comprising a "West
Jamaica, has a tall straight trunk, and Indian shrub, bearing solitary axillary or a
;
few termina flowers, whose stalks hare knife, after which the bark is boiled in a
two bracts, a conoid corolla, Ave included ley of wood-ashes until its fibres are
stamens. The capsule has five many-seeded thoroughly separated, when it is reduced
compartments, and is covered by the en- to a pulp by beating with wooden batons ;
Lcelia and Cattleya. log of wood and beaten out with a baton
conveniently sized pieces, and boiled until corolla salver-shaped with a border di-
the bark separates readily from the wood, vided into five parts, all of a roundish
when it is peeled off and dried for future outline and slightly notched at the tip,
use. To convert this bark into paper, they one piece broader than the others end of ;
proceed in the following manner: — The the style or appendage of the seed-vessel
dried bark is first moistened by soaking four-lobed. The genus was named by
for a few hours in water all superfluous
; Linna;us in honour of John Browallius,
matter is then removed by scraping witha bishop of Abo, who strenuously supported
173 Cfje Creagurg of 23ntattg. [BRUG
the system of that great botanist. The power of 250 linear. It is frequently
planes of this genus are natives of tropical observed in the minute anatomy of vege-
America, usually of erect habit, smooth, tables, especially when the tissues are
or hairy and viscid ; the leaves alternate, diseased. [M. J. B.]
stalked, ovate in outline; the flowers
violet or blue, more rarely white. Their
BROWNLOWIA. A genus of the lime-
tree family. B. elata, a native of Chittagong
handsome flowers and easy cultivation in Burmah, is the only known species, and
render them favourite objects of culture. attains a great size, full grown trees being
B. data, an upright-growing species, and about fifteen feet in circumference at four
B. demissa, of more spreading habit, have
feet from the ground the branches are
been long in cultivation the latter is a
;
;
twelve pairs of entire leaflets. The flowers sexual or sometimes hermaphrodite; parts
are rose-coloured or crimson, and disposed of the flower in fours stamens attached to
;
to point out a more beautiful genus of China, &c, and some of them possess
stove-plants than this, and few tropical bitter properties similar to quassia, a drug
plant-houses of any pretensions are with- furnished by a tree of the same natural
out some of them. B. grandiceps has long order. Some of the species are cultivated
pinnate leaves with about twelve pairs of as stove shrubs. [M. T. M
.]
The leaves' droop during the day so as fruit hairy. Native of Bengal. [M. T. M.]
almost to hide the flowers from view but
;
they have been seen to rise up in the BRUGMANSIA. The name of a genus
evening and remain erect all the night; of Solanacece, or of one which was for-
the flowers are thus exposed to the falling merly included in that order, but which
|
dew, but the leaves drooping again during has been separated by Miers, under the
the day, protect the flowers from the name Atropacece. The species were for-
heat of the sun. This species is a native merly comprised under the genus Datura,
of Venezuela, where it is called Rosa del as there is a close resemblance in the
Monte or Palo de Cruz, and was introduced flowers but these plants are shrubs, and
;
to England in 1823. Altogether there are their fruit is smooth, not spiny, and con-
six species in cultivation, some of them tains but two cells. B. suaveolens is a well-
with bright scarlet flowers, as in B. coc- known ornament of our greenhouses, with
cin<y. which was the first known in our its large fragrant tubular white blossoms,
gardens. The genus is named in honour which are sometimes produced in great
of Patrick Brown, who wrote a history of profusion it is perhaps better known under
;
cleft and internally scaly or hairy. These 1 flowers in terminal heads, with an inferior
plants are nearly allied to the curious and or half-inferior one to tln-ee-celled ovary,
gigantic Rafflesias. [M. T. M.] having one to two pendulous ovules in each
cell a five-cleft calyx five petals alternat-
; ;
1
BRUGUEIRA. One of the genera of the ing with the calyx-lobes five stamens
;
mangrove family (Rhizophoracece), and alternating with the petals; and a simple
known by having a top-shaped calyx ad- or two and three-cleft style. The fruit is
herent to the ovary below, and having dry and indeliiscent, or separates into inde-
a persistent five to thirteen-lobed limb ; liiscent cocci. There are about sixty
five to thirteen oblong petals, cleft into two species known, distributed into fifteen
segments, leathery, woolly at the margin, genera, including Grubbia and Ophira, of
1
and so folded that each petal conceals two which some botanists form a distinct
stamens, whose filaments are not of equal family, still more nearly allied to Hama-
length, but all shorter than the petals op- melidece in habit as well as in character.
posite which they are placed in pairs their ;
The Bruniaceaz will indeed probably here-
anthers are linear, or arrow-shaped. The after be entirely included in Hamamelidece,
ovary has two to four compartments, each notwithstanding their want of stipules,
. containing two ovules stigma two or four-
;
which is now supposed to be the only
j
toothed on the end of a style, which is constant differential character.
about the length of the stamens. The fruit
BRUNTA. A genus of epigynous exoge-
I
fallen from the branch, as in the true man- distinguished chiefly by having the flowers
groves. The trees are natives of the East aggregate in little heads calyx superior,
;
Indies, where the bark is used as an astrin- five-parted filaments of the stamens in-
;
gent, for tanning purposes, and for dyeing serted into the claws of the petals stigmas ;
Sandwich Islands. [M. T. M.] stalks are dilated at the base, and half-
clasping, a hairy line completing the circle
T
BRTJ]S FELSIA. A name given to a round the stem peduncles axillary and
;
Otto Brunfels of Metz, who lived about small with several flowers from the axil of
the middle of the sixteenth century, and each, the whole so arranged that the flowers
contributed to the revival of botanical are racemose on the peduncles; perianth
science. The genus is known by the herbaceous, very small, bell-shaped, five-
possession of a five-cleft calyx a corolla
; parted stamens eight or ten ; styles three
;
with a long tube, very slightly dilated at nut three angled. [J. T. S.]
the top, and a flat limb, five-cleft with
rounded lobes, bilabiate in aestivation
BEI XONIA,
T
BRUNONIACEiE. The
four fertile stamens with anthers which
genus Brunonia consists of two Austra-
;
|
of the latter family whilst others have
;
and have handsome fragrant flowers of
thought that the completely free ovary
a blue or white colour. Some of the species
and exalbuniinous seeds, combined with
are in cultivation. [M. T. M.]
the inflorescence, are sufficient to mark it
BRUXIACE.E. A small family not sepa- as a distinct family under the name of
rated by any positive character from Ha- I Brvnoniacece.
mamelidece, although very different in |
The Brimonias grow up with tufts of
habit. They are mostly much-branched i entire spathulate radical JeaA r es, and naked
heath-like shrubs from South Africa or j
scapes terminated by the compact head of
Madagascar. The leaves are usually small, small blue flowers, which are surrounded
crowded and entire, without stipules. The I by bracts. The five-cleft calyx has three
175 K\)t Crcadurn af Botany. [brya
bracts at tlie base the corolla is five-parted,
; ways more or less streaked or furrowed,
the two upper segments separate from the especially when dry. Our more common
•
|
others; the five stamens are hypogynous, species, as Bartramia pomiformis, are sub-
with the anthers slightly cohering the ; alpine, or occurs in bogs. Sometimes the
ovary is free, one-celled and one-ovuled, term Bryacece is applied to the whole of
with a simple style and the fruit is a mem-
: the true mosses, as in Linclley's Vegetable
branous utricle enclosed in the hardened Kingdom, [M. J. B.]
tube of the calyx. [J. T. SJ
BRYA. A genus
i
of leguminous plants
BRUXSYIGIA. A
genus of Amarylli- (Fabacece-.Papilionacece) consisting of three
dacece, distinguished by broad recumbent species, small trees or large shrubs, na-
:
having the leaves blistered, and the stems polish, and is used in Jamaica for making
covered by little close heads or hearts.
BRUYETRE. (Fr.) Calluna vulgaris.
— DU CAP. Phylica ericoides.
known in commerce
as Green Ebony, and
genera are remarkable for their nearly which is much used by
turners and dyers,
spherical capsules, which are almost all is probably obtained from this tree.
j The
:
The male flowers are in clusters, bell- BRYONY. The common name for Bryo-
shaped, greenish-yellow, and veined; the nia. , —
BLACK. Tamus communis. —,
female blossoms are smaller, disposed in a RED. Bryonia dioica.
corymb or umbel, and have a globular
ovary which ripens into a scarlet berry, BRYOPHYLLTJM. A name expressive
containing several flattened seeds. The of the peculiarity that the leaves have,
male and female flowers are sometimes on under certain circumstances, of producing
different plant?, hence the name dioica, but small buds on their margins. The genus
this is not always the case. The plant has to which the name applies, belongs to the
a fetid odor, and possesses acrid, emetic, house -leek family {Crassulacece), and is
and purgative properties, and from its known by its bell-shaped distended calyx,
elegant appearance, especially in autumn which is four-cleft the tube of the
;
when it adorns the hedges with its bril- corolla somewhat quadrangular, the lobes
liantly coloured fruit, accidents are likely of its limb, ovate or somewhat triangular
to occur to children and others incauti- a number of .eland-like compressed scales
ously tasting the fruit. The root is used as at the base of the carpels and carpels on
;
an application to bruises, and occasionally very short stalks. The leaves are unequally
as a purgative but it is unsafe from its pinnate and fleshy. B. calycinum, when in
;
i
uncertain and sometimes violent action, flower, has loose panicles of drooping
;
whence the French call it Devil's-turnip. greenish-purple blossoms, which are very
Its acridity is due to a chemical substance elegant. It is of particular interest from
called bryonin. The writer of this notice the formation of small buds at the notches
was once called on to ascertain what vege- on the margin of its leaves; sometimes
table substance had been administered to these buds are produced naturally, but the
a farmer, his family, and his cattle, by a plant may be made to form them by peg-
:
177 Cl)c Crea^urn of Matany. [bttdd
ging a detached leaf close down to the soil, flowers in terminal spikes. The calyx is
when the buds will root into the ground, tubular with five short teeth the corolla ;
and form new plants. The species is a native tube is straight and slender, and the limb
of the Moluccas, Madagascar, the Mauri- has five nearly equal spreading lobes, the
tius, <Src, and grows in dry situations in two upper ones inside in the bud. The
the clefts of the rocks. In the Mauritius two pairs of stamens are included in the
it is used as a fomentation or poultice in
'
founded on a single species from Algeria, with long filaments style simple, subu- ;
;
takes its name : (bous) ox.B. Buceras, the
which has an obsolete calyx, and obovate j
Olive-bark, or Black Olive of Jamaica,
entire petals, with the points bent inwards. '
on its outer surface four ridges, the central purposes. [J. T. S.]
ones filiform, the lateral ones passing into
the flattened margins of the fruit. In the BUCKBEAN. Menyanthes trifoliata.
channels between the ridges, in the interior An American name
of the fruit, are canals containing volatile
I
BUCK-EYE. for
the species of Pavia and JEsculus, especially
oil, while on the inner face o£ the two
^27. ohiotensis.
halves are two such canals. The species
are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and BUCKLANDIA. The name of a genus
have yellowish flowers. B. Galbanum se- belonging to the order of witch hazels,
cretes a resinous juice somewhat like gal- having stamens and pistils in the same
banum. [M.T.M.] flower, or in different flowers on the same
plant or some plants have stamens only,
;
BUCAIL. (Fr.) Fagopyrum esculentum. while others have only pistils. The calyx is
BUCCJE. The lateral sepals or wings of almost bell-shaped, adherent below to the
the flower of an aconite ; seldom used. seed vessel the anthers are supported on
;
jee oil; the fruits also supply a black BUCKWHEAT. Fagopyrum esculentum.
varnish. The unripe fruits of B. lancifolia,
according to Major Drury, are eaten by the BUCKWHEAT TREE. Mylocaryum Zr
natives in their curries. [M. T. M.]
gustrinum.
BUCKSERA. A
large erenus of Hero-
BUCKU. A name applied in South Africa
phnlariacece, generally distributed over the
to several species of Barosma, especially
tropical and subtropical regions of the
B. crenata, crenulaia, and serratifolia.
world. They are stiff scarcely-branched BUD. The young undeveloped branch or
flower.
herbaceous plants, with the lower leaves
opposite and the upper alternate, and with BUDDLEIA. A large genus of Scropliu-
;
Europe, the Medi terranean region, and tem- the alternate ones, bearded with short
perate Asia. They have stiff slender stems, hairs leaves somewhat fleshy, like those
;
often paniculately branched, and somewhat of the onion root fasciculate stem short.
; ;
resembling the toad-rush (Juncns bufo- Several species are cultivated as green-
nius) in habit leaves awh-shaped, closely
; house plants, and are not only pretty, but
applied to the stem flowers small cymose,
; often fragrant. [J. T. SJ
arranged in a spicate, racemose, or panicu-
late manner calyx four-parted, scarious,
;
BULBOCAPNOS. A section of the
compressed petals four, white
; stamens ;
fumariaceous genus Corydalis, containing
four to eight styles two : capsule two- ;
the species which have a large tuberous
valved seeds two. One species, B. annua,
;
rootstock, a persistent style, and a digitate
is said to have been found in Britain in process at the base of the seed, which has
Plukenet's and Dillenius's time, but has an embryo, of which the two cotyledons
not occurred since, and it is not improbable are united into one. Stem usually succu-
that some other plant may have been I
lent, with few thin glaucous twice-ternate
mistaken for it. [J. T. S.] leaves, having cut leaflets, and a terminal
raceme of purple flowers, with paler mark-
BUGBANE. An American name for ings. Several species occur in Europe and
Cimicifuga. temperate Asia, but none are truly native
in Britain, though one species, Corydalis
BUGLE. The common name for Ajuga. solida, often found in gardens, flowering
in spring, is naturalized in several places.
BUGLE-WEED. The American name This plant has solid tubers.a sheathing scale
for Lycopus virginicus.
below the leaves, leaf-like bracts digitately
BUGLOSS. The common name for An- cut, and rather large flowers. [J. T. S.]
chusa. —
, SMALL. Lycopsis or Anchusa
BULBOCASTANUM. Bniiium Bulbo-
aroensis. —
, VIPER'S. The common name castanum.
for Echium. —, WILD. The common
name for Lycopsis. BULBOOHiETE. A genus amongst the
179 €f)t Errajaurg of 33Dtang. [bung
confervaceous articulated Algce, remark- three-lobed, opening at the top when ripe,
able for its hyaline bristle-like branches, and showing the seeds, which are as large
which are bulbous at the base. The fruit as peas, three or four in each of the three
consists of globose capsules, with a green cells of the capsule, and with a soft thick
and then a dark red endochrome. The mode seed-coat. [J. T. S.]
of impregnation in this genus, as also in BULBOSUS. Having the structure of a
CEdogonium, is very curious. Some of the bulb ; having bulbs.
cells produce little bodies, which are fur-
nished with flagelliform appendages, by BULB-TUBER. A corm, which see.
means of which they swim about till they
fix themselves on or near, the swollen
BULL, or BULLET GRAPE. Vitis
rotundifolia.
joints, which are to produce the spores.
These bodies become clavate, with one or BULLACE. Prunus insititia.
two joints, and just when the contents of BULLACE PLUM, JAMAICA. The fruit
the swollen cells are ready for impregna- of Melicocca bijuga.
tion, a lid comes off, and makes way for
the exit of one or more globose sperma- BULLATE. Blistered puckered. When
;
tozoids, which are admitted to the endo- the parenchyma of a leaf is larger than the
chrome of the female cells by means of a area within which it is formed.
little aperture. After impregnation, the en-
dochrome acquires a membrane, and after
BULL-HOOF. Murucuja ocellata.
a time becomes free. The spore, when BULLOCK'S HEART. A name given to
liberated, elongates —
in a few hours at- the fruit of Anona reticulata, a kind of
taining twice its original length. The custard apple.
endochrome, by successive division, gives BULL-RUSH, or BULRUSH. Scirpus
rise to four distinct bodies, which acquira
lacustris ; and sometimes Typha.
a nearly globular form, and are furnished
at one extremity with two sets of ciliary BULLY, or BULLET TREE. A name
processes, by means of which they move given in Guiana to a species of Mimusops.
about, and thus appear in the condition of — , BASTARD. Bumelia retusa. —, BLACK.
erect, with racemose flowers at the top; tree, are reputed to be poisonous. [M.T.M.]
undermost bracts larger than the others, BUISTGEA. A genus of Scrophulariacece,
and frequently empty; flowers on long containing a single species, a native of
pedicels, with a six-parted ereenish peri- America. It is a small herb, growing in
anth; stamens six, monadelphous ; ovary densely leafy tufts. The leaves are linear,
BTJNl] €f)e ErcaSurg at 330tattg. 180
and deeply trifld. The flowers are on short by the Greeks under the name of Topana.
pedicels, with two bracts. The calyx is It has branching stems about a foot in
tubular at the base, and has four long height, and leaves primarily divided into
leafy divisions of the limb. The upper lip three divisions, each of which are then sub-
of the corolla is acuminate. The stamens divided into three leaflets. [A. S.]
are didynamous, hid under the upper lip,
and have two equal mucronate cells. The BUN-OCHRO. An Indian name for
style has a capitate stigmatose apex. The Urena lobata.
ovoid capsule dehisces loculicidally, and BUNT. The common name of TiUetia
contains few largish seeds. This genus is
caries, a parasitic fungus belonging to the
very near to Cymbaria, from which, how- section Coniomycetes. TiUetia differs from
ever, it is separated by its four leafy
other genera of the group Ustilaginei in
segments of the calyx, and its acuminate the perfectly globose spores having a cel-
galea. From Rhinanthus, to which it was
lular outer coat. These are at first de-
formerly referred, it differs in possessing veloped from the ultimate branchlets of a
two bracteoles under the calyx. [W. C] very delicate web which at length com-
pletely vanishes, so that the inside of the
BTJNIAS. A genus of Cruciferce herbs seed in which they grow contains nothing
;
from central Europe, the Mediterranean but a mass of spores. These are held
region, and temperate Asia, having erect
together for a long time in consequence of
branched stems, entire or pinnatifld, often the toughness
of the outer coat of the
runcinate leaves, and elongated racemes of
seed in which they grow, and accordingly
rather small yellow flowers, on short spread-
the bunted grains are carried home with
ing pedicels. Pouch resembling a small
the rest of the produce, so that when the
four-sided ovoid pyramidal nut.of ten tuber-
grain is threshed the spores of the bunt are
culated or muricated, indehiscent two-
•dispersed, and many of them adhere to
celled cells two-seeded embryo with the
;
;
the seedcorn, ready to germinatewhen the
cotyledons rolled up on themselves, which
seed is sown. The first thread protruded
distinguishes the genus from all except
Erucaria, which has a jointed pod breaking
by the spores is thick and coarse, so that it
cannot penetrate the tissues of the sprout-
across into two segments. [J. T. SJ
ing grain but a tuft of far more delicate
;
BUNTTTM. The five and twenty species threads soon crowns its apex, and after
composing this genus of tuberous-rooted becoming united with each other by means
produce
umbelliferous plants (Apiacecv) are chiefly of little lateral processes, they
inhabitants of Southern Europe and West-
secondary spores, which in their turn
ern Asia. They are small herbaceous germinate. As the wheat crop often
suffers seriously from bunt, many measures
plants, seldom more than two feet high,
and have very finely-cut leaves. Their are adopted by the farmer to kill sublimate the bunt-
spores. Arsenic and corrosive
flowers are white, and borne in compound
are ineligible because the grain, if not
umbels, generally destitute of an invo-
lucre, but occasionally with a few small
sown at once, is apt to lose its power of
bracts. The technical characters of this vegetating; sulphate of copper has not
genus and its allies are derived from the the same inconvenience, and is much used,
as is also quicklime slacked with boiling
fruit in the present it is slightly flattened
:
on two sides, and drawn in at the top, ter- water. The best practise is perhaps
that
minating in two straight styles each half pursued in some parts of France. The
;
amount of acridity, which renders them and a regular six-parted expanded limb,
[
unpleasant eating while raw, although their filaments being erect and distinct
they are often eaten in that state by from the tube. The capsule which suc-
children but when boiled or roasted, ceeds them is turbinate and dry, three-
;
they are very palatable, much resembling valved, with numerous distinct ovules.
the chestnut in taste — hence one of the Only four species are referred to the
common names for them is Earth-chest- genus by Herbert, and these are all South
nuts; they are also called Pig-nuts, Ar- African. The peduncles, which are at
nuts, Jur-nuts, Tur-nuts, Kipper-nuts, &c. first crowded and suberect, diverge so as
B. ferulcefolium, which grows in the is- to form a spherical head, the flowers of
lands of Cyprus and Candia, produces which are smaller than in the closely-
tubers as large as filberts, which are eaten ailied Arumocharis. B. toxicaria is called
;-
cattle. The bulbs of B. disticha are met flowers closely packed in a head, sur-
with as large as a man's head. The rounded by a few bracts corolla funnel- ;
I
former of these produces crowded umbels shaped, swollen above the middle limb ;
i
of flesh-coloured flowers, the segments of five-cleft,small, naked at the throat;
i
which are linear-lanceolate, and its leaves stamens inserted above the middle of the
i
are elongately lorate. [T. MJ tube of the corolla anthers on very short
;
BUPHTHALMUM. A
family of com- is succulent, two-celled, many-seeded,
pound flowers deriving their name (equiv- crowned by the deeply five-cleft calyx.
alent to Ox-eye) from the broad open disk The species are shrubs with handsome
of their flowers. Among the plants of flowers, and are natives of S. Africa,
! this family most frequently cultivated in B. capensis and B. parmflora are grown in
I English gardens are B. grandiflorum, a greenhouses for the sake of their clus-
I herbaceous perennial growing about a foot tered handsome scarlet flowers. [M. T.M.]
and a-half high, with narrow smooth
j
leaves and large yellow flowers ; and B. BURDEE. An Arabic name for Papyrus
;
forming a large tuft; the root-leaves are BURDOCK. The common name for
heart-shaped, the upper ones smaller, egg- Arctium Lappa ; also applied to Centotheca
shaped and sessile the flowers large, bright
;
lappacea, — , PRAIRIE. An American
yellow with long rays. Both are natives name for Silphiuvi terebiiitinaceum.
of central Europe. [C. A. J.]
j
I inserted on the very base of the segments stamens and a central simple or three-
I of the perianth anthers peltate, opening
;
cleft style. They are all herbaceous,
outwardly ovary triangular, containing
;
with blue or white flowers, inhabiting
I three compartments, each with several marshy or shady places. In some genera
i ovules in two rows styles three. Fruit a
;
the annual slender stems have no leaA-es
i capsule, opening by the separation of its except small colourless scales, which led
|
constituent carpels. B. umbellata is in former botanists to suppose them to be
j
cultivation it is a herbaceous plant with
;
root parasites but it has now been ascer-
;
thick rootlets, linear sheathing leaves tained that they grow on rotten leaves and
flowers white in umbels. [M. T. M.] other decayed vegetable substances, and
not on living plants. There are scarcely
BURCHELLTA. A name given in honour more than thirty species of Burmamrioccre
of Mr. Burchell, an African traveller, and known, all tropical, except one North
used to denote a genus of Cinchonacece American Burmannia. They are distri-
;
buted into ten or eleven genera, including others of the species furnish a resinous
Tacca, which some botanists treat as a substance. The shrubs are natives of the
distinct family4 under the name of Tac- West Indies. [M. T. MJ
cacece.
BURSICULA (adj. BURSICULATE).
BURMANNIA. A genus of Burmannia- A small purse. A pouch-like expansion of
cece, the principal one of the family, the stigma, into which the caudicle of
although consisting of only six or seven some orchids is inserted.
species. It is distinguished by the three- BURSINOPETALUM. A genus of Ola-
winged or three-angled ovary and capsule, cacece,containing an Indian tree (B. arbo-
completely divided into three cells, with reitm),which has ovate acuminate leathery
numerous seeds attached to the inner leaves and small panicled white flowers,
angle of each cell. They are mostly marsh remarkable for the form of the petals,
plants, with short flat sedge-like leaves, which have an inflexed lobe at the
forming radical tufts or crowded at the point, and terminate in two small sharp
base of the stem, and terminal blue flowers teeth. Calyx superior, with a five-cleft
in short simple or two or three-branched limb; stamens five, connivent. Fruit a
spikes. One species, however, B. capitata, one-celled drupe, with a groove down one
is a slender almost colourless plant, with- side of the hard endocarp. [J. T. S.]
out other leaves than minute scales, and
with very small capitate flowers. They are BURTONIA. A genus of dwarf heath-
natives of the tropical regions of Asia, like shrubs belonging to the pea-flowered
Africa, and America, one species extending section of the leguminous family, all of
northward as far as Virginia. them natives of West Australia. They have
simple or trifoliate sessile leaves, which
BURNET, GARDEN. Poterium Sangui- are usually awl-shaped. The flowers are
sorba. —.GREAT. Sanguisorba officinalis. axillary and often thickly-gathered on the
— ,LESSER. The common name for Pote- ends of the branches the corollas rich
;
valved at apex; seeds one or two in each on the torus ovary on a long stalk, one-
; I
BURSERA. One of the genera of Amy- sessile, round berry globose, leathery,
;
ridacece, consisting of trees with alternate rough on the outer surface seeds kidney- ;
compound leaves, flowers in axillary clus- shaped, imbedded in pulp, and with a
ters, a small three to five-parted calyx, a leathery coat. A Norfolk Island shrub of
corolla of three to five petals, larger than climbing habit, with alternate leaves fur-
the segments of the calyx, inserted with nished with spiny stipules, and solitary
the six to ten stamens beneath an entire axillary stalked flowers. The fruit is of
circular disc. Ovary sessile, with three the size of a large orange. The BusbecMa,
compartments, each containing two sus- of Martius is now included in the genus
pended inverted ovules, placed side by Salpichroma. [M. T. M.]
side. Fruit globose or somewhat angular, BUSH SYRUP. A saccharine fluid
with a leathery outer rind bursting into obtained from the flowers of Protea melli-
three pieces, and an inner hard shell, fera, in theCape Colony.
containing three bony seeds, surrounded
by a small quantity of pulp, or a single BUSSEROLE. (Fr.) Arctostaphylos Uva-
seed, by the abortion of the rest. B. pani- ursi.
culata, called Bois de Colophane in the BUSSU. A S. American name for Mani-
isle of Bourbon, contains an abundance of caria saccifera.
oil, like turpentine, which exudes when
the bark is pierced, and speedily congeals, BUTCHER'S BROOM. Buscus aculea-
till it acquires a buttery consistence; tus also a common name for Buscus.
;
:
BUTEA. The three or four species B. superba is a large climbing shrub with
constituting this genus of leguminous leaves resembling those of the last species
plants (Fabacece Papilionacece) form either its flowers, also, are of a similar bright
small trees or large climbing shrubs, and orange-red, but rather larger, so that
are ail natives of India. Their flowers are when in full flower the plant presents a
produced in racemes consisting of numer- very gaudy appearance. Its products are
ous nowers arranged in threes. The calyx similar to those of the dhak ; the flowers
has two small bracts near its base, and yielding a colouring matter, and the juice
is usually covered with black velvety hardening into kino.
down it is bell-shaped and two-lipped, the
; B. parviflora is a shrubby climber re-
1
upper lip being nearly whole, and the sembling the last in general appearance,
;
lower one three cut the corolla is papilio-
; but having very much smaller flowers than
j
naceous the stamens are ten in number,
; either of the preceding. The gum of this
!
nine of them being united into a tube, species is given, dissolved in arrack, in
1
and the tenth separate. The fruit is a hysteria and colic. [A. S.]
stalked flattened thin and membrana-
!
exudes from wounds in the bark, and BUTOMUS. The Flowering Rush : one of
which, when hardened by evaporation, the stateliest and most elegant of English
forms one of the brittle ruby-coloured sub- aquatics, improperly called a rush, though
stances called kino, this particular variety the similarity of its long smooth knotless
being termed butea kino or gum butea. flower-stalk to the stalk of the bulrush
Sometimes, however, it goes under the (Scirpus) sufficiently accounts for the name
name of Bengal kino but it must not be
; having been given. Gerarde, who suggests
confounded with East Indian kino, which the name of Lillie-grasse, calls it the Water
is produced by Pterocarpus Marsupium. Gladiole or Grassie Rush, and says, that ' Of
This substance is procurable in large quan- all others it is the fairest and most plea-
tities, but it has not yet come much into sant to behold, and serveth very well for
use. The natives employ it for tanning the decking and trimming up of houses,
leather, and it has been tried in this because of the beautie and braverie there-
country for the same purpose, but the of ; consisting of sundry small flowers,
dark colour which it communicates to the |
compact of sixe small leaves, of a white
leather is considered objectionable; it !
colour mixed with carnation, growing at
might probably be turned to account by i
the top of a bare and naked stalk, Ave or
the dyer. The flowers are called teesoo or sixe foote long, and sometime more.' The
keesoo in India, and afford either a beauti- j
leaves are narrow, triangular, and very
ful bright yellow, or a deep orange-red cellular, shorter than the flower stalks, but
dye but unfortunately these tints are not
; they, nevertheless, greatly exceed two feet,
permanent. A coarse fibrous material the dimensions assigned to them in bota-
obtained from the bark of the stems and nical works, as the plant generally grows
1
roots is used in India for caulking the in water at least two or three feet deep.
I
seams of boats as a substitute for oakum. The bottom of the main stalk as well as the
! The lac insect (Coccus) likewise frequents partial flower stalks are frequently tinged
the Dhak tree, and by its punctm-es in the with purple. The flowers are large, of six
young twigs causes the formation of the sepals and contain each nine stamens and
substance known as stick-lac, which is used six styles. The seeds and root were for-
in the manufacture of sealing-wax and merly employed medicinally, and in the
in dyeing. And, finally, the seeds yield a north of Asia, the latter is roasted and
small quantity of oil, called moodooga oil, eaten. A variety is cultivated which has
which the native doctors consider to striped leaves. (French, Butome. German,
possess anthelmintic properties. !
Blumenbiuse). [C. A. J.]
butt] €§t &xtx£uY2 af 33atang. 184
BUTTER & EGGS. The double-flowered BUXUS. A small but important genus
variety of Narcissus (Queltia) aurantius. of spurgeworts (EuphorbiacecB), one species
of which is the well-known Box-tree of
BUTTER AND TALLOW TREE. Pen- our gardens. They are shrubs or small
tadesma butyracea. trees, with opposite entire evergreen
leaves, and their flowers being produced in
BUTTER-BUR. The common name of
clusters from the angles of the leaves, each
Petasites, a group of the Tussilago family.
cluster consisting of several male flowers,
BUTTERCUP. The popular name for surmounted by one or two females. They
Banunculus acris and its near allies, B. have a calyx, consisting of four minute
repens and bulbosus. sepals, the males having four stamens, and
the females three styles. Thefruitis three-
BUTTER OP CACAO. A pleasant con- celled, containing two shining black seeds
crete-oil,obtained from the seeds of Theo- in each cell, and splitting open when ripe.
broma Cacao. —
OP CANARA. Piney
, The Common or Evergreen Box-tree {B.
tallow, a solid oil obtained from the fruits sempervirens) is a native of both Europe and
of Yateria inclica. Asia. In Europe it extends as far north as
the fifty-second parallel of latitude, and is
BUTTER TREE, INDIAN. Bassia buty- found plentifully on the coast of the Black
racea. —.AFRICAN. The Shea tree, .Bassm |
j
Sea, also in Spain, Italy, and the southern
'Parkii. and eastern provinces of France. In this
BUTTERFLY-PLANT. Oncidium Pa- country the only place where it is really
pilio. — , INDIAN. Phalcenopsis amabilis. i indigenous is Boxhill in Surrey. In Asia
found in Persia, Northern India, China,
BUTTERFLY-SHAPED. — See Papiliona- and Japan.
! it is
It varies considerably in height,
ceous. some varieties growing as high as twenty
BUTTERFLY WEED. Asclepiastuberosa. or thirty feet, with a trunk eight or ten
inches in diameter while others never ex-
;
BUTTERWEED. Erigeron canadense. ceed three or four feet, and have very
BUTTERWORT. The common name for small stems. As commonly seen in this
Pinguicula. country it is either a shrub eight or ten
feet high, or artificially dwarfed and only a
BUTTON-BUSH. An American name for few inches high. Its leaves vary from half
Cephalanthus. an inch to an inch long, and from an egg-
BUTTON-FLOWER. The common name shaped to an elliptical form ; they are of a
of Goinphia. shining deep-green colour, and of a thick
leathery texture. The wood of the Box-tree
BUTTON-TREE. The common name of has long been celebrated for its hardness
Conocarpus. and closeness of grain it is mentioned by
;
BUTTON-WEED. The common name of Theophrastus, and also by Pliny, the latter
Spermacoce. Also an American name for asserting that it is as hard to burn as iron.
Biodia. Other early authors also mention it as
being used for musical instruments, carv-
BUTTON-WOOD. Cephalanthus occiden- ing, turnery, &c. Its chief characteristics
talis. Also an American name for Pla- are excessive hardness, great weight, even-
tanus. ness and closeness of grain, light colour,
BUTUA. The Brazilian name for the roots and being susceptible of a fine polish.
of Botryopsis platyphylla and B. cinerea. These are the qualities that render it so
According to Pereira, Butua root is the valuable to the wood engraver, the turner,
root of Cissavipelos Pereira or pereira brava the mathematical and musical instrument
of commerce. —
,DO CURYO. The Brazilian makers, and others. Between 2,000 and
name of the roots of Cochlospermum insigne. 3,000 tons are annually imported ; in 1858,
the imports amounted to 2,704 tons, valued
BUXBAUMIA: BUXBAUMIACE2E. A at 28.270L The finest quality, and the best
most singular genus and division of mosses, suited for the engraver, comes from Odessa,
in which the capsule bears an extraordinary Constantinople, and Smyrna, being grown
proportion to the vegetative part, which is in the vicinity of the Black Sea; it is
sometimes all but obsolete. It has a double generally in logs about four feet long, and
peristome, of which the outer one is either seldom more than eight or ten inches in
nearly obsolete, or consists of a triple or diameter. For the use of the engraver
quadruple circle of teeth, and the inner these logs are cut across the grain into
forms atruncate cone. The species are few slices about an inch thick. In the early
in number. Two are found in this country, days of wood engraving, these slices were
Biphyscium foliosum, which has a nearly cut lengthways with the grain, and it was
sessile ovato-conical capsule, and occurs on not till the middle of the last century that
the ground and on rocks in sub- Alpine dis- the present method was adopted. For the
tricts ; the other, Buxbaumia aphylla, re- turner and other manufacturers of small
markable for its long stalked capsule, being wares, wood of an inferior description
flat on one side, and convex on the other, from smaller trees is suitable, and large
like the roses of certain watering-pots, quantities of box-wood articles are conse-
and the leaves being quite rudimentary. quently made in different parts of France,
It is found, but rarely, on heaths or in where the tree abounds, though it does not
heathy woods. CM. J. B.] attain a great size. The Box-tree is greatly
ISo <£{)£ Crca^uro at tetany. [bytt
employed in ornamental gardening, par- I The racemes of flowers are about six inches
ticularly for the formation of geometric |
long, and being of a deep yellow colour,
designs. The kind commonly used for the give the tree a fine effect when in full
edges of flower beds is merely a dwarf j
flower. In Panama it is called Nanci, and
variety of the common species. I the inhabitants consider the bark an efBca-
The Minorca Box, B. balearica, is a na- I
cious remedy in certain skin diseases com-
tive of several of the Mediterranean islands mon in that country they likewise use the
;
and of Asia Minor. It is a larger tree than wood for building purposes, and eat the
the last, growing sometimes as high as small acid berries.
sixty or eighty feet, with a straight smooth B. crassifolia is a native of the "West
trunk the leaves also are of a much paler
; Indies and the Northern part of South
|
green than those of the common box, and America, where it forms a small tree about
much larger, being about three inches long fifteen feet high. It has oval leaves about
and of an elliptical shape. The wood much four inches long and two broad, smooth
resembles that of the common box, but is upon the upper surface, and covered with
said to have a coarser grain; it no doubt brownish silky down underneath. The bark
forms part of the wood' exported from possesses astringent properties, and is used
Constantinople and Smyrna. [A. S.] for tanning leather it is also said to be
;
(Drosera). They have very short stems, as a febrifuge. The Carib Indians call the
and tufts of linear leaves, with revolute plant Moulae-ie, and use its bark for paint-
margins. Tne peduncles are axillary, one- ing their paddles and arrow-heads.
flowered ; sepals and petals five each, B. spicata is a tree thirty or forty feet
the latter blue stamens Ave style simple.
; ;
high, growing in some of the West India
The capsule, which is obcordate, ventri- Islands and in Brazil. It has lance-shaped
cose and two-celled, contains but few blunt-pointed leaves about four or five
seeds. [J. T. S.] inches long and an inch and a half broad,
BYRSANTHES. One of the genera of the of a shining green upon the upper side and
order Lobeliacece. Calyx tube adnate to the a dull rusty brown colour beneath. The
ovary, its limb flve-parted corolla funnel-
;
bark of this, as indeed of all the species of
shaped, leathery (hence the name Leather- the genus, is very astringent, and is com-
flower;, its limb flve-parted, with erect equal monly used by the Brazilian tanners, under
segments; stamens Ave, inserted with the the name of Muruxi bark it also contains
;
corolla on to the tube of the calyx, the an- a colouring matter, and is used by the
thers coherent in a tube, some or all of them Indians for dyeing their garments red.
hairy at the top. Ovary two-celled, contain- The yellow acid berries of this plant are
ing several ovules, adhering to the two- very good eating when ripe, but rather
lobed placenta; style not projecting from
;
astringent; they are considered to act
the flower; stigma two-lobed, the lobes beneficially in cases of dysentery.
spreading, roundish, hairy. Shrubs inhabits B. verbascifolia is a small shrub with a
ing the Andes, covered with snow-white short thick knotty stem, the wood of which
hairs ; flowers stalked. [M. T. M .]
is of a bright red colour. Its leaves are
about ten inches long and of an obovate
BYRSONTMA An extensive genus of shape, i.e. having the top half broader than
plants belonging to the order of malpig- the bottom they are generally woolly on
;
height, and have opposite entire leaves, grows, a decoction of the roots and bran-
destitute of the glands common to those of ches is used for washing ulcers, and is con-
j
allied genera. Their flowers are produced sidered to possess healing properties. [A.S.]
in racemes at the ends of the branches,
and are generally of a yellow colour; the BYSSACEOUS. Composed of fine en-
tangled threads.]
two at the base of each sepal; their ten BYSSI. A name which formerly included
stamens are connected together by a ring a heterogeneous mass of perfect and im-
j
at the base, and they have three distinct perfect plants of various affinities, but is
styles terminated by pointed stigmas. Their now exploded, the term byssoid alone
fruit has a fleshy pulp surrounding a hard being retained to express a peculiar fringed
three-celled stone, containing three seeds, structure in which the threads or fascicles
B. Cumingiana is common in New Gre- of threads are of unequal lengths [M. J.B.]
j
small tree about twenty-five or thirty feet BYSSUS. The stipe of certain fungals.
|
three inches long and an inch and a half riads, the Chocolate family.) natural A
wide, the widest part being at the top end ; order of thalamifloral dicotyledons belong-
both their upper and under surfaces, but ing to Lindley's malval alliance. Trees,
particularly the latter, are covered with a shrubs, or undershrubs with simple leaves
thick coating of light brown woolly scurf, and deciduous stipules. Calyx four to flve-
which gives them a rather dull appearance, lobed, valvate in bud. Corolla consisting
i
;
of four to five petals twisted in aestiva- to occur nowhere else in the island. The
tion (flower-bud), sometimes wanting. Sta- genus is named in honour of D. S. A.
mens hypogynous (inserted below the Byttner, once professor of botany at
ovary) united into a tube anthers opening
; Gottingen. [A. A.'B.]
inwards, two-celled, generally splitting
lengthwise. Ovary composed of four to CAA-APIA. A Brazilian name for Dor-
ten carpels, arranged round a central stenia brasiliensis.
column ovules two in each carpel styles
; ;
CAA-ATAICA. Vandellia diffusa.
united below, but branching into four to
ten stigmas. Fruit usually a capsule, split- CAA-CTJA. A Brazilian name for some
ting through the cells or resolving itself scrophulariaceous plant.
into its original carpels by splitting at the CAA'-TIGUA'. A
Brazilian name for
partitions seeds albuminous. Chiefly tro-
;
2Ioschoxylon Catigua, a plant which imparts
pical or subtropical plants. Lindley gives a bright yellow stain to leather.
the following distribution of the tribes in-
to which the order is divided i—Lasiopcia lece CAAPE'BA. The Brazilian name for
in Australia Hermanniece in South Africa
;
the Pareira bram, Cissampelos Pareira,
D'.rmbeyece in Asia and Africa; Eriolcenecs CAAPIM DE ANGOLA. Panicum spec-
in Asia; Philippodendrece in New Zealand ; tabile, a fodder grass of Brazil.
Byttnerece in Asia and America. These
plants have mucilaginous qualities. Choco- CAAPOMONGA. Plumbago scandens.
late and Cocoa are prepared from the seeds CABALLINE ALOES. Horse Aloes,
(Cacao beans) of Theobroma Cacao, a small Aloe caballina.
tree found in the forests of Demerara. The
seeds containatonic substance called theo- CABARET. (Fr.) Asarum europmim.
bromine, allied to theine, and a fatty oil is — ,DES OISEAUX. Dipsacus sylvestris.
expressed from them called the "butter of CABBAGE. The common name for
cacao. From the pulp of the fruit a kind Brassica; specially applied to the plane-
of spirit is distilled. Several of the plants leaved hearting garden varieties of Bras-
I yield fibres which are used for cordage. sica oleracea. , DOG'S.— Thelygonum
There are fifty known genera and about 420
species. Illustrative genera: —
Lasiopeta-
Cynocrambe. —
ST. PATRICK'S. Saxifraga
,
reaching south to Buenos Ayres, and Coryplia australis, the leaves of which are
attaining their greatest number in Brazil. made into plait for hats, baskets, &c.
They are very diverse in appearance, some — , BASTARD. Andira inermis.
being small erect herbs about one foot CABBAGE WOOD. Eriodendron anfrac-
high ; others tall straight bushes with tuosum.
winged or angled steins and very narrow
leaves B. catalpifolia grows to a tree
;
CABEZA DE NEGRO. Negro's head,
thirty feet high, with long-stalked heart- the Columbian name for the fruit of
shaped leaves; but the greater number Phytelephas macrocarpa.
are scandent prickly bushes, scrambling CABOMBACE^l. (Cabombece ; Sydropel-
over other plants as the brambles do in tideas; Water-shields.) A
natural order of
our hedges. The leaves in all the species thalamifloral dicotyledons belonging to
are simple, and in the greater part more Lindley's nymphal alliance. Aquatic
or less heart-shaped in form, with entire plants with floating shield-like leaves;
or notched margins. The flowers are small, sepals and petals three or four, alternating;
generally dark purple in colour, and ar- stamens six to thirty-six. Carpels distinct,
ranged in axillary simple or compound two to eighteen; seeds not numerous;
umbels. The petals are curiously hooded embryo in a membranous bag, outside
at the apex, and from the outer surface of abundant fleshy albumen. The plants are
the hood grow one, two, or three strap- obviously allied to the Water-lilies. They
like appendages. The fruit is a five-celled are found in America, from Cayenne to New
woody capsule, spherical in form, from Jersey, as well as in New Holland. There
half an inch to two inches in diameter, are two genera, Cabomba and Hydropeltis,
and armed with longer short rigid bristles. which comprise three species. [J. H. B.]
Each cell contains one seed. B. heterophyl-
la, a native of Madagascar, is often to CABOMBA. A genus of aquatic herbs
be found with entire or three-lobed leaves giving its name to the small order of
on the same plant; it is an extensive Cabomba cere. The species are small water
climber, scrambling over the tops of the plants with shield-shaped entire floating
highest forest trees, and is said to cover leaves, and finely-cut submerged ones,
nearly the whole slope of the sides of like those of the common water ranun-
the mountain called Tantinanarivo, and culus. The flowers have three sepals, four
;
; ;;
or five petals, six stamens with ovatefour- refreshing; insome instances it is sweetish
cornered anthers, and two ovaries. They and insipid. The stems of some of the
are natives of North America. [M. T. MJ species are eaten by cattle. These stems
present very varied forms some are
;
|
several peculiarities will be noticed. It is
the chief ingredient in chocolate. this old familiar name, sometimes still used
j
the point :the stylopods or thickened stamens more or less united below fruit ;
several. Fruit succulent; seeds without mate segments of their fronds. The name
albumen. They are natives of America, has also been given to another fern, now
whence they have been transported to referred to Onychium. [T. M.]
various quarters of the globe. The fruit C/EOMACEI. A
term applied to those
of many of the Indian Figs is subacid and species of truly parasitic Fungi known
;
familiarly under the name of Rust and prickly branches, the primary divisions of
Mildew, which have naked spores free the leaves varying from twenty to twenty-
from dissepiments. They are, however, four, and having ten or twelve pairs of
so closely connected with those with sep- obliquely oval-shaped leaflets, notched at
tate spores thatit is far more natural to the tip, with minute dots on the under
unite them. "We accordingly refer for surface. The brownish-red wood of this
further information to the article Pucci- tree furnishes the Sappan wood of com-
niosi. [M. J. B.] merce, the Bukkuni or "Wukkum of India,
from which dyers obtain a red colour,
CERULEUS or' CGERULEUS. Blue ; a principally used for dyeing cotton goods.
pale indigo colour. Its root also affords an orange-yellow
CiESALPINIA. A genus of leguminous dye. In 1858, 4,116 tons of sappan wood
plants typical of the section Ccesalpiniece, were imported into this country.
containing about fifty species, most of Of other useful species G. Pipai pro-
which are small trees or large shrubs, duces pods which possess some astrin-
inhabiting tropical countries. Their leaves gency, and are called Pipi pods; the
are compound, being what is termed bi- seeds of C. digyna, an East Indian climber,
pinnatifld. Their flowers are produced in yield an oil used for burning in lamps in
racemes, and have a top-shaped calyx, India ; the roots of C. Nuga are diuretic ;
divided at the end into Ave parts, the and in China the pods of several species
lowest of which is larger than the others ; are called Soap pods from their being
five unequal stalked petals, the upper one commonly employed for producing a lather
shorter than the rest ten stamens, and a
; as a substitute for manufactured soap.
long slender style. [A. S.]
C. coriaria is a small tree twenty or thirty (LESAREA. A genus of Vivianiacece,
feet high, native of several of the West containing but few species, all of them
Indian Islands, Mexico, Venezuela, and natives of Southern Brazil. They are
North Brazil. The primary divisions of its slender herbs one to three feet high, with
leaves vary from nine to fifteen, each opposite, or, towards the base of the stem,
bearing from sixteen to twenty-four nar- verticillate leaves, having serrate margins,
row oblong blunt leaflets, marked with generally smooth above, and covered with
black clots on the under surface. It has white down underneath. The flowers are
branched racemes of white flowers, which axillary towards the ends of the branch-
produce curiously flattened pods, about lets, white, yellow, or of a reddish colour.
two inches long by three-fourths broad, None of the species are in cultivation,
and curved so as to bear some resemblance although they would be pretty greenhouse
to the letter S. The large per centage of plants. The genus bears the name of
tannin in these pods renders them exceed- Cesar de S. Hilaire, a captain in the French
ingly valuable for tanning purposes they :
navy, who first introduced the Mocha
are known in commerce under the names coffee to Bourbon. [A. A. B.]
of Divi-divi, Libi-divi, or Libi-dibi, and
are chiefly imported from Maracaibo, Pa- C^ESIA. A genus of Liliacew, contain-
raiba, and' St. Domingo. ing herbs from Australia and Tasmania,
a native of the "West Indian is-
C. crista, with fasciculate roots often with thickened
lands, grows about twenty feet high, and has tuberous fibres, grass-like radical leaves,
smooth prickly branches, and leaves Avith and rather small white or blue flowers in
eight primary divisions, each having from simple or compound racemes. Perianth
three to Ave pairs of leaflets, which are six-parted, the segments petaloid and
generally notched at the top, and of an spirally twisted after flowering stamens
;
oblong shape, rather broader at the top six:, with glabrous filaments ovary three-
;
end. The flowers are yellowish-red, and celled, with two ovules in each cell
produce scimitar-shaped pods about three capsule sometimes one-celled ; seeds with
inches long, containing eight or ten seeds. an appendage at the base. [J. T. SJ
C. echinata is a Brazilian tree with prickly
branches, elliptical blunt-pointed leaflets C^ESIUS. Lavender colour.
and yellow flowers producing spiny pods. OESPITOSE. Growing in tufts or
The woods known in commerce as Brazil,
patches.
Pemambuco, Nicaragua, Lima, and Peach-
woods, are said to be produced by this OESULIA. The only species of this
genus, but nothing certain is known upon genus, C. axillaris, which belongs to the
the subject. They are generally attributed composite family, grows in moist places
to the two last-named species, and to in many parts of India, and is a small
another called C. brasiliensis (the correct weed with alternate linear toothed leaves,
name of which is Peltophorum Linncei), but and what appear to be single sessile flower-
which is not a native of Brazil. They are heads, but which are in reality a number of
all exceedingly valuable to the dyer, pro- flower-heads enclosed in a common involu-
ducing various tints of red, orange, and cre, each of them containing only one floret
peach-colour. The imports of Brazil wood and provided with a two-leaved involucre,
in 1858 amounted to 1,052 tons, and of the lower part of which at length unites
Nicaragua wood to 4,767 tons, the aggregate with, and forms part of the achene, the
value of which was 133,627Z. upper portions remaining free and giving
C. Sappan, an East Indian tree growing the achene an eared appearance. The
about thirty or forty feet high, has florets are purple or white. [A. A. B.J
189 €?je Crea^ttrg nf 23fltang. [CAKI
CAFE' FRAXQAIS. (Fr.) Cicer arieti- angles between the leaf stalks and stems
num. — MARRON. The wild Bourbon Their calyx is bell-shaped and cut half-way.
Coffea mauritiana. down into four divisions, the upper of
which has two small teeth; their corolla
CAFE'IER or CAFFETER. The Coffee
is papilionaceous ;and they have ten sta-
tree.
mens, nine of which are united together,
CAFFER-BREAD. A South African and the tenth free. The fruit is a pea-like
name applied to various species of Ence- pod, containing many seeds, and having
phalartos. its husk or shell constricted between each
seed.
CAHTNCA or CAINCA. A Brazilian
C. indicus is a native of the East Indies,
drug obtained from Chiocoeca densifolia. but is nownaturalised and cultivated in
CAHOFN NUTS. The fruits of Attalea the West Indies, in tropical America and
Column, -which yield an oil equal to that of Africa, and in some islands of the Pacific
the cocoa-nut. Ocean. There are two varieties, differing
only in height and in the colour of their
CAIANHE. (Fr.) A kind of olive. flowers. It is a perennial shrub growing
CAILLEBOTTE. (Fr.) Viburnum Opu- from three to ten feet high, but in places
lus. where it is cultivated, it is generally
treated as an annual, the stems being
CAILLELAIT. (Fr.) Galium verum. pulled up and used for firewood as soon as
CAIOPHORA. A genus of loasads, distin- the crop of seeds has been gathered. All
guished from congeners by having on
its parts of the plant are more or less covered
the calyx ten spirally-arranged ribs; the with soft silky or velvety hairs. The leaves
divisions of the corolla notched at the tip are composed of three oval-lance-shaped
or with three teeth style or appendage
;
stalked leaflets. The variety bicolor gene-
on the ovary single, bifid at the end, the rally grows from three to six feet high,
two pieces approximate. The name appears and has yellow flowers marked with crim-
to be derived from the Greek verbs signi- son streaks on the outside; its pods are
fying I burn,' and I bear,' in allusion to
' ' spotted or marbled with dark lines. It is
the numerous stinging hairs which produce called the Congo pea in Jamaica. The
a burning sensation when they pierce the variety flavus is a larger kind, forming
skin. The species are herbaceous plants, bushes twenty feet in circumference, and
natives of Peru and Chili, of branched varying from five to ten feet high it has ;
and climbing habit, armed with sharp pure yellow flowers and uniformly-coloured
stings. The leaves are
opposite, lobed or pods. In Jamaica it is called the No-eye
deeply cut the flowers solitary from the
:
pea. Both of these varieties are cultivated
angles of the leaves or at the ends of the in various parts of the tropics for the sake
branches. of their seeds or pulse. In India the
The plants have the general aspect of pulse is called Dhal or Dhol, or Urhur, and
Loasa, a genus in which some of them it forms a large part of the food of all
|
were formerly included. One of the most classes of natives, being ranked as third
notable is C. coronata, discovered by Dr. in value among the pulses. In the West
Gillies on the sides of the Cordillera, Indies they are called Pigeon peas, being
between Mendoza and Chile, at an elevation commonly used for feeding pigeons and
of 8,000 to 11,000 feet. Dr. Gillies observes other birds; besides which they are highly
of it: 'the general aspect of the plant is esteemed as an article of human food, the
very peculiar, and on examining its whole variety called No-eye pea being considered
economy we are struck with the care taken to be little inferior in a green state to our
to protect the flower, and insure impregna- English peas, and, when dried and split,
tion. It forms a large convex mass, quite as good. The Congo pea is harder
rising one or two feet from the ground ;
and coarser, and is only used by negroes,
the upper part is composed entirely of requiring a great deal of boiling. Pea meal
a great abundance of dark green leaves, of very good quality is prepared from both
along the margins of which, and protected the varieties -in Jamaica. Horses and
by them, are arranged the large whitish cattle of various kind are very fond of
flowers, forming one or two or more the young branches and leaves, either in a
circlets or fillets, giving the whole a very fresh or dried state. The late Dr.McFadyen,
singular and elegant appearance. The speaking of this plant, says :There are
'
j
recommend it to notice but the singular and pointed pales two, small. There are
;
genus is admirably illustrated in Hooker's ing; upper lip of the corolla nearly fiat,
Mora Tasmanica. tube straight.' C. Acinos, or Basil-thyme
(formerly called Thymus Acinos and Acinos
CALADIUM. The generic name of cer- vulgaris), is a low somewhat shrubby plant
tain plants of the Arum family, having a with stems from four to six inches high,
hood-like spathe rolled round at the base a
; small leaves, and rather showy violet-
spadix whose upper portion is entirely- purple flowers, which grow in whorls of
covered with stamens, but ultimately be- six together. The whole plant is fragrant
comes bare at the extreme top, provided and aromatic, and well deserves its name
with blunt glands or sterile stamens in the (from the Greek basilicon, royal), if, as
middle, and ovaries beneath the anthers
; Gerarde tells us, 'the seede cureth the
shield-shaped and one-celled the ovaries
; infirmities of the hart, taketh away sor-
numerous, two-celled, with from two to rowfulnesse which commeth of melaneho-
four ascending ovules in each cell; the lie, and maketh a man merrie and glad.'
fruit a one or two-celled berry, with few It is most frequently found in chalky or
seeds. These plants partake of the acrid gravelly pastures. C. officinalis {Melissa Ca-
properties which pervade the Aracecc, but, lais intha), G. Nepeta, and C. sylvatica, the, Ca-
nevertheless, the rootstocks or rhizomes lamints or ' Excellent Mints,' as their name
of some of the species are eaten as food in imports, are herbaceous aromatic herbs to
the West Indies, the Sandwich Islands, which great medicinal virtues were an-
&.c., in consequence of the abundance of ciently ascribed. They bear their flowers
starch contained in them, the process of in stalked tufts which proceed from the
cooking depriving them of their noxious axils of the opposite leaves, and are only
qualities. It is stated that the rootstocks to be distinguished from one another
or tubers of G. petiolatum were on one by a minute comparison of characters.
occasion mistaken for potatoes on board They all possess a strong aromatic odour
ship, and were given to some animals with resembling that of penny-royal, and are
fatal results. The leaves of C. sagitti/olium employed to make herb-tea. C. Clinopo-
are boiled and eaten in the West Indies as dium, the Wild Basil, formerly called
a vegetable. The species are natives of Clinopodium vulgare, is a straggling hedge
the warmer regions of the globe, where plant with hairy stems from one to two
they are cultivated in abundance for the feet long, bearing its rather large purple
above-named purposes. Several are also flowers in dense whorls in the axils of the
grown in hothouses in this country, hairy ovate distant leaves, and having
latterly several varieties with beautifully numerous bristly bracts at their base.
variegated foliage have been introduced. The odour is aromatic, but not so agree-
See Plate 2, lig. 6. [M. T. M.] able as in the other species. [C. A. J.]
; ;
CALAMOSAGUS. The four species con- separate bract at its base. The fruits are
stituting this genus of palms do not covered with smooth shining scales,
possess any individual features of interest which are fixed by their upper edges, and
beyond their technical characters. They overlap each other from the top down-
.are all natives of the forests of the Malayan wards, like plates of mail they generally
;
covered with a bluish bloom underneath than 18,625,368 were imported in 1858, and
their top half is broad and very much valued at 38.960L In the countries where
I
jagged, the lower half being entire and these palms abound, the inhabitants make
wedge-shaped. One of the chief character- use of them for a great variety of pur-
istics of the genus is the presence of a poses, baskets of all kinds, mats, hats, and
broad leafy expansion called the ligule, other useful articles being commonly made
near to and partly surrounding the base of them. Their most important use, how-
of the footstalk of the leaf. They have ever, is for the manufacture of the ropes
perfect flowers, arranged in branching and cables usually employed by junks and
spikes resembling bunches of catkins, I other coasting vessels. In the Himalayas
each flower being half buried in a dense they are used in the formation of suspen-
mass of wool, and having a three-toothed sion bridges across rivers, the construction
calyx, a three-parted corolla, six stamens, of which Dr. Hooker thus describes ' Two :
and a three-celled ovary covered with parallel canes, on the same horizontal
scales, and crowned by a three-toothed plane, were stretched across the stream
awl-shaped style. None of the species are from these others hung in loops, and
known to possess any useful properties, along the loops were laid one or two
but as their stems bear a close resemblance bamboo stems for flooring cross pieces
;
to some of the species of Calamus, they below this flooring hung from the two
are probably used for similar purposes. upper canes, which they thus served to
One species, C. harinicefolliis, is called ;
keep apart. The traveller grasps one of
Rotang Simote by the Malayans, and the canes in either hand, and walks along
another, C. ochriger, Rotang Donam. [A. S.] the loose bamboos laid on the swinging
!
loops.'
CALAMPELIS. JEccremocarpus. ! C. Scipionum, the stems of which are
;
small trees. Their leaves are pinnate, and CALAMUS AROMATICUS. Acorns Ca-
in many of the species, the leafstalk is
prolonged beyond the termination of the
lamus. — ODORATUS. Andropogon Schce-
nanthus.
leaflets intoa whip-like tail. The flowers
are small, generally of a rose or greenish CALANDRINIA. A genus of purslanes
colour, and arranged very close together consisting of smooth fleshy plants of
upon long branching spikes, the ultimate annual or perennial duration, with entire
branches somewhat resembling catkins. leaves, and, in the case of the species in
They have a three-toothed calyx, and a cultivation, showy purple or rose-coloured
three-parted or three-petaled corolla; the flowers expanding only in sunny weather.
males having six stamens joined together It is well distinguished among the other
at the base, and the females imperfect genera of the order by its two persistent
stamens, and a three-celled ovary, more or sepals, which close over the seed-vessel
less covered with scales, andbearing three after the petals have fallen three to five
;
stigmas (no style). The spikes are sur- petals, mostly the latter number, numerous
rounded by numerous bracts or spathes, distinct stamens, single style with its
|
which, however, do not completely enclose stigma three-lobed, and oblons: one-celled
them, and each branch of the spike has a fruit, splitting when ripe into three pieces
;
or valves, and containing numerous seeds spikes and protected by bracts they have ;
adhering to a central placenta. A few only a calyx of three segments a corolla of six
;
of the species are introduced, but they in- pieces, the external ones lance-shaped, the
clude probably the most interesting mem- internal ones blunt and irregular in shape ;
bers of the genus. As a type of one sec- three petal-like stamens, one of which
tion, reference may be made to the G. dis- bears a linear one-celled anther, attached
color, which has large oblong or lanceolate to its edge, while the rest are sterile and ;
pointed glaucous leaves, mostly radical, a petal-like style, the stigma hooded, an-
green on their upper surface and purplish gular. The species are natives of tropical
beneath, whence its specific name; and America, and some of them are in cultiva-
flowers one and a half inch across, of a tion for the sake of their handsome foliage,
bright rose colour, produced in a long especially C. zebrina, the leaves of which
distant raceme on a sort of scape, the foot- have alternate dark-coloured and green
stalks being deflexed before and after stripes. The leaves of some of the South
flowering, and furnished with one or two American kinds are used for. making
ovate bracts at their base a calyx of two
; baskets. [jtf. T. MJ
broad concave pieces spotted with black,
and petals inversely heart-shaped. The CALATHIAN VIOLET. Gentiana pneu-
C. grandiflora closely resembles it, but has,
monanthe.
notwithstanding its name, rather smaller CALATHIDA, CALATHUS, CALATHI-
flowers, with leaves which are more taper- DITJM. The head of flowers borne by
ing at the point and base, and green on composites.
both surfaces. Both of these species,
though usually treated as annuals, are pe- CALATHIFORM. Cup-shaped, or almost
rennial in warmer latitudes than our own, hemispherical.
and are, as well as the following plant, CALATHODES. A genus of RanuncuJa-
natives of Chili. C. umbellata differs very cea3 containing one species, C. palmata,
considerably in habit from the two preced- from Sikkim, growing at an altitude of
ing, forming a small spreading tuft with about 10,000 feet. A perennial herb with
shrubby shoots thickly set with linear the habit of Trollius, having palmately
foliage, fringed at the margins. The cleft leaves, a simple stem one and a-half
flowers are produced in terminal umbels, foot to two feet high flowers large ter-
;
more or less compound, according to the minal and solitary, with five ovate acute pe-
strength of the plant, each blossom being taloid sepals ;
petals none ovaries ten or
;
about half an inch in diameter, and of a more, oblong, gibbous externally, beaked ;
rich purple-crimson colour. Possessing a ovules eight or ten ; style bent down out-
hardier constitution than the foregoing wards after flowering. [J. T. S.]
plants, it frequently endures our winters
in dry soils, though often treated as an CALAVANCE. A name for several kinds
annual. G. speciosa, a Calif ornian annual, of pulse, including Dolichos barbadensis
is ofprocumbent habit with numerous and D. sinensis.
branched stems radiating from the crown CALBOA. A synonyme of Quamoclit.
of the root, thickly clothed with narrow
spathulate glossy leaves, and producing CALCAR (adj. Calcaratus), A spur a ;
singly from its axils a profusion of crimson hollow process of some part of a flower.
purple flowers rather larger than in umbel-
lata. The seeds of this species are lenti-
CALCAREUS. Dead-white, like chalk.
Also growing in chalky places, or having
cular in form, and of a glossy black colour,
the substance of chalk.
by which they are readily distinguish-
able from those of the three previously- CALCARIFORM. Shaped like a calcar
named. There is a variety of this with or spur.
flowers of a coppery-red colour. [W. T.J
CALCEARIA. Coryanthes.
CALANTHE. A large genus of terres- CALCEOLARIA. A beautiful genus of
trialstemless vandeous orchids with broad Scrophulariacem, distinguished chiefly by
many-ribbed leaves, and long spikes of the peculiar form of the corolla, which has
flowers, the lip of which is calcarate and two lips,the lower of which is inflated, some-
adherent to the column, while the waxy what elongated and turned downwards,
pollen masses are eight, adhering to a sepa- having some resemblance to a shoe the ;
rable gland. Some thirty species are known, stamens are two in number. The name is
chieflyfrom tropical and extratropical derived from the Latin word Calceolarius,'
'
Asia; a few are American. The flowers, a shoemaker. The peculiar form of the
which are white, or lilac, or purple, or corolla, above described, is nevertheless
copper-coloured, are ornamental, where- not invariably a character of the genus
fore several species are in gardens. Of the plant known in collections as C. vio-
these C. vestita is one of the handsomest. lacea, a native of Chili, has the corolla in
the form of two equal gaping lips it was ;
gether, rarely alternate, either entire leaves, glaucous below; stipules lanceo-
toothed or deeply cut, often more or less late, deciduous; flowers in axillary pan-
hairy, the flowers variously grouped and icles calyx deciduous, four or five parted
;
distributed, the prevailing colours, yellow petalsfour or five, inserted on a disk which
white or purple. They are natives of has as many glandular notched lobes as
South America, confined either to the there are petals stamens eight or ten,
;
western side of the Andes, or to the inserted within the disk; ovary free, two
southern extremity of the mainland and or three-celled ovules numerous styles
; ;
the adjacent islands. Some are found only two or three, becoming reflexed. [J. T. S.]
near the level of the sea, and others are
,
;
inhabitants of the higher parts of the CALEA. The
species of this genus,
Cordilleras hence it is that, among the
;
which belongs to the composite family,
numerous introduced species in our collec- are natives of tropical America, extending
tions, a few are more or less hardy, others from Mexico to South Brazil. They are
require protection. C. floribunda, for in- herbs or small shrubs with opposite or
stance, is a native of the vicinity of the whorled entire or toothed leaves, generally
city of Quito, at an elevation of 11,000 three-nerved and very rough on the sur-
feet above the level of the sea, and several face, many of them resembling those of the
occur at low altitudes in the Falkland common nettle in form. In one group the
Islands, &c, forming a prominent feature species are dwarf and unbranched, bearing
of the native vegetation. In the Flora a long-stalked terminal flower-head, about
Antarctica, Dr. Hooker thus alludes to the an inch in diameter, containing both strap-
C. Fothergillii of Port Famine : ' Though
shaped and tubular florets, the former
inferior in stature and beauty to many having pistil only, the latter both stamens
of its congeners, this is among the pret- and pistil. In another group the plants
tiest of the wild flowers of the Falklands, are larger, the flower-heads small and nu-
and the attention of the voyager who is merous, disposed in corymbs at the ends
familiar with the genus Calceolaria only in of the branches, and bearing tubular florets
the conservatories of Britain, must be only. The flowers of most of them are
attracted by its appearance on the exposed yellow and the pappus is made up of from
shores of these inhospitable islands.' five to twenty lanceolate pointed scales.
Many of the original pure species have Upwards of thirty species are known.
been modified by hybridising, and are not C. Zacatechichi, a Mexican species with
now so common in collections. Thehybrids nettle-like leaves and small flower-heads, is
are numerous and some of them greatly known there by the name of 'Juralillo,'
prized not only is the size of the flower
;
and is said to contain, in a fresh state, a con-
modified but the colour as well, the shades siderable quantity of camphor, and to be
of yellow and purple being highly varied, employed against fevers, and the powdered
as also the characters of the spots on the ! leaves for healing wounds. The leaves of
slipper-like portion. The handsome as- I
C. jamaicensis are said to be powerfully
pect of different species and crosses has bitter, and steeped in wine or brandy are
always recommended them to the attention j
used asa stomachic in the West Indies but ;
spreading like a star, the three outer pu- Asia, with the leaves entire ortoothed and
bescent stamens six. The ovary is one-
; cut at the margin the heads of flowers
;
ceiled with three ovules. [J. T. S.] yellow in the middle, and white or blue at
the circumference. [G. D.]
CALEE KTJSTOOREE. An Indian name
for the Musk Ochro, Abelmoschus mos- CALIPHRURIA. A genus of amaryl-
chatus. lids, forming a link between Eurycles and
CALELYNA. A section of Evelyna. Griffinia, andhaving, except in the inflo-
rescence, much the appearance of Eucrosia.
CALENDULA. The name of a genus The species, C. Hartwegiana, has ovate
belonging to the composite order, having bulbs, petiolate depressed perennial oval
numerous flowers grouped on a nearly flat acuminate somewhat plaited leaves, with
surface, those at the circumference strap- a blade six inches long or more, a glaucous
like, in two or three rows and with pistils scape a foot high bearing an umbel of
only, those in the centre tubular with about seven subdeclinate flowers, having a
stamens only, both kinds hairy at the green tube and white limb. The tube of
base, the whole surrounded on the outside the perianth is narrowly funnel-shaped
by a series of scale-like leaflets. The name and nearly straight, the limb regular with
Calendula is founded on the circumstance the segments turned back in the form of
that species may be in flower on the a star, the sepaline ones rather the broader.
calends of every month. They are annual or The filaments of the six stamens are in-
perennial, chiefly natives of the Mediter- serted at the base of the segments of the
ranean borders, with yellow or orange- perianth, and have a white bristle on each
yellow flowers, usually of a powerful, not side, and they are associated with a straight
pleasant odour. One of them, C. officinalis, style terminated by a somewhat recurved
the Pot Marigold, formerly enjoyed repute three-lobed stigma. C. Hartwegiana is a
as a domestic remedy, being used in form- native of New Grenada. [T. M.]
ing a distilled water or vinegar. [G. D.]
CALLA. A genus of Orontiacece, con-
CALF'S SNOUT. Antirrhinum Oron- sisting of herbaceous marsh plants with
tium. creeping or floating stems, heart-shaped
CALICATE. Furnished with a calyx. entire leaves, the stalks of which emerge
from a sheath. The flowers cover a spadix,
CALICINAR. When a flower becomes which is protected by a flat spathe, the
double by an increase in the number of flowers themselves having neither calyx
lobes of the calyx or sepals. nor corolla. The upper flowers are female,
consisting of a one-celled ovary, from the
CALICIUM, CALICIEI. A genus and base of which arise the ovules the lower
;
family of lichens known at once by the
flowers are hermaphrodite with numerous
sporidia forming ultimately a dusty stra- thread-shaped stamens, flattened and di-
tum over a little orbicular disc which is
lated at the top, and springing from
either nearly sessile or supported upon a below the ovary. The species are natives
short stalk so as to look like a little nail Europe and North America,
of Northern
more or less completely driven home. The and possess acrid caustic properties. The
sporidia, as in other lichens, are at first
rootstocks of G. palustris yield eatable
contained in asci, which soon, however, starch, prepared by drying and grinding
disappear. One of the most familiar them, and then heating the powder till the
species is C. inquinans, which is common
acrid properties are dissipated. [M. T. M.]
upon gate-posts, and attracts notiGe from
leaving the print of its discs upon the CALLA D'ETHIOPIE. (Fr.) Bichardia
finger when touched. The crust is some- cethiopica.
times very obscure or almost obsolete.
All the species of Calicium are, we believe, CALLCEDRA-WOOD. The timber of
found in Europe, though several of them Flindersia australis.
occur elsewhere. [M. J. B.]CALLERYA. The name formerly given
to a plant of the leguminous family, but
CALICO BUSH. Kalmia latifolia. now found to be a species of Milletia, and
CALICULAR. A term of aestivation, perhaps the same as M. nitida, which is,
•
when the outer bracts of an involucre are like this, a native of NE. China. It is
much shorter than the inner. a small tree, with alternate unequally pin-
j
I
but sometimes in terminal racemes the ; corolla tube is short, and the limb has four
corollas small and hidden by the very nearly regular lobes. There are four ex-
numerous long filaments of the stamens, serted stamens, a four-celled ovary, with a
which are almost always of a beautiful red single ovule in each cell; and the fruit is I
colour. From this latter circumstance a small juicy berry or drupe, with four
the genus is named Calliandra, signifying distinct seed-like nuts or kernels. [W. C]
'beautiful stamened.' from all
It differs
allied genera in the valves of its com-
CALLICOMA. A genus of Cunoniacece,
containing small trees or shrubs from
pressed pod rolling backwards in a remark-
South Australia, with opposite simple lan-
able manner from apex to base when the
ceolate leaves, white beneath, furnished
seeds are ripe. Many of the species are in
with elliptical membranous caducous sti-
cultivation in plant-stoves, and almost all
of them produce bright red balls of
pules. The peduncles are long, axillary,
flowers, which stand erect from amongst
with a dense globular head of small yellow
flowers, which are sessile on a woolly
the ferny foliage of some of the species in
receptacle, and surrounded by a four-
great profusion. In C. diademata the
leaved reflesed involucre. Flowers with
stamens are beautifully curved backwards
four or six membranous bracts forming an
and pink in colour the leaves twice pin-
;
about ten pairs of leaflets half an inch CALLILEPIS. A small genus of SE.
long, and its round balls of flowers are of African plants belonging to the composite
a rich red colour. The Peruvian women family. They are herbs, about a foot high,
decorate their hair with the flowers of branching from the base, or simple, with
C. trinervia, calling them seda-sisa or silk lanceolate en tire or slightly serrated leaves,
flower. More than sixty species are enu- which are opposite on the lower part of
merated, all of them more or less orna- the stem, and alternate above. The flower-
mental. [A. A. B.] ' heads single and terminal, nearly an inch
in diameter, with strap-shaped ray florets celled ovary containing many ovules, and
hearing a pistil only, and tuhular disc florets surmounted by a three-lobed stigma. C.
having hoth stamens and pistil. The Ivied, the only species, is a dwarf plant,
pappus is made up of three unequal scales. producing umbels of yellow star-shaped
The flowers are yellow. [A. A. B.] flowers resembling those of an Omitho-
galum. [T. M.]
CALLIOPSIS. A genus of plants he-
longing to the composite order, distin- CALLIPSYCHB. A genus of AmarvlU-
guished from their allies hy the invo- dacea?,founded on a Mexican species allied
lucre or covering which surrounds the to Eucrosia, and named C. eucrosioides.
heads of the flowers being formed of two The plant has roundish bulbs, furnished
rows of scales, the outer short and spread- with a few green tessellated and pitted
ing, the inner larger erect and united at leaves, a foot long and four inches wide,
the base. The receptacle or part support- and produces at a different season, before
ing the flowers is flat, having on it narrow the leaves are developed, a glaucous scape
scales which fall early and are shorter upwards of two feet high, bearing an um-
than the flowers. The fruit is truncated, bel of declinate flowers, which are stalked.
incurved, destitute of appendages. The The perianth consists of a short green
name is from two Greek words which tube, full of honey, and an erect regular
together signify beautiful eye, aspect, or
' limb nearly an inch long of bright red
appearance,' in allusion to the general segments, the sepaline of which are boat-
elegance of the species or the eye-like spot shaped, and the petaline obtuse. The six
on the flowers. The genus comprehends stamens are pale green, and with the style
a number of interesting herbaceous plants, are about four times as long as the perianth.
natives of North America, several of which The filaments are free, inserted in the
were, and indeed still are, referred by some mouth of the tube, and are tuberculate
authorities to the genus Coreopsis. They at the base. In our gardens the leaves die
are usually free from hairs, the leaves away in the autumn, and the flower-scapes
opposite, more or less divided the flowers; appear in spring before they are again
at the circumference of the heads yellow, developed. [T. M.]
with a dark purple or rose-coloured spot at
the base, those in the centre yellow or .
CALLTPTERIS. A genus of polypodia-
purple. The elegance of the flowers, so ceous ferns of the group Aspleniece. They
marked in these plants, renders them de- belong to the diplazioid series, having the
sori more or less abundantly and constantly
sirable in flower-beds. The more hardy
species, whether annual or perennial, are placed in pairs back to back on the same
generally of easy cultivation. C. rosea has vein and are specially distinguished in
;
been long known, and may be specially the typal group by having the veins joined
alluded to as an example of the genus; together in a connivent manner, that is,
having the stem smooth, leaves opposite, the main veins that spring out from the
long and narrow, the heads of flowers midrib are parallel, and the venules which
small on short stalks. [G. D.]
branch out from them set off at an angle
and meet the opposite ones in the centre,
CALLIPELTIS. An annual erect much- and so form a series of acute angles one
branched slender herb belonging to the above the other. In one group the
order Bnbiacece. The flowers grow in junction of the veins is less regular and
whorls of six, and are whitish four-parted frequent. The species, ten or twelve in
and bell-shaped. The fruit, which is one- number, are almost all found in the east-
seeded by abortion, is partially enveloped ern tropics, but one or two occur in the W.
by a large hollow membranous bract. The Indies and S. America. They are gene-
leaves and leaf-like stipules form whorls rally large growing plants with coarse
of four. C. CHCiiUaria, the only species, a pinnated or twice or thrice-pmnatedfronds,
native of the Levant, is an unimportant the rachis sometimes proliferous. [T. MJ
plant growing from six to twelve inches CALLIRHOE. A genus of beautiful
high. [C. A. J.] North American mallow-worts, comprising
CALLTPHYSA. A genus of Polj/gona- several perennial herbaceous species, some-
cece, differing from Callhionum only by times known by the name of Nuttallia,
having the nut not winged at the angles which, however, belongs to a genus of
but rounded, and covered with bristles, and Rosacea?. They are very nearly allied to
expanded at the apex Into a bladder-like Malva itself, from which they differ in
envelope to the nut. [J. T. S.]
certain slight technical peculiarities of the
fruit and also in some of the species, by
;
nished with six stamens, all perfect, with tals truncately wedge-shaped, and often
petaloid bilobed filaments, the alternate eroscly-toothed at the tip. The filaments
ones shorter, and the anthers sessile be- of the stamens are united into a columnar
tween the lobes and it has a stalked three-
; tube which bears a tuft of many stamens
; ;
at the end. The carpels are numerous, tube is hemispherical, while the limb is
united by a short beak, and are one-seeded. divided into five obtuse lobes petals five ;
petals fimbriately toothed at the truncate to Dr. Bennett, peels off in layers, hence the
;
apes, and bearded at the base, of a rich I
trees are called Paper Bark trees. Many
'
dark crimson-purple, and very handsome. of the kinds are grown in this country
: This plant is sometimes called Nuttallia for their handsome flowers. [M. T. MJ
grandiflora. C. Papover, another species of
the genus, a good deal resembles digitata, CALLISTEPHUS. The generic name of
j
plants belonging to the composite order,
but this is furnished with a three-leaved
the distinguishing characters of which
involucel. It has five-lobed leaves with
are the following the involucre or part
I
:
I lobate segments and large solitary long-
i stalked flowers from the upper axils, these
surrounding the heads of flowers consists
being of a rich bright rosy-lake colour, of three or four series of spreading scales
and very showy. The name Callirhoe has fringed at the edge the receptacle or
j
on the top of the fruit thread-like and appendages on the ripe fruit. The genus
ending in three points. The name is was originally founded on the characters
derived from the Greek, and indicates the of a plant long known as Aster sinensis.
beautiful or handsome aspect of the species, The species are annuals, chiefly natives of
which are natives of the warmer parts of China; they have erect branched stems,
America, having stems trailing at the base, with stalkless alternate and toothed leaves,
the leaves shea'thing the stem, their ge- the branches with single heads of flowers.
neral outline lance-shaped, often with hard The one already alluded to as Aster sinensis,
projections at the margin. G. repens, a
and a very general favourite with culti-
native of the "West Indies, is one long vators, has the individual florets either
known in cultivation its graceful habit,
;
strap-shaped or tubular, and presenting
and brilliant leaves with purple, edges are various tints of rose, violet and white it ;
as many partitions as there are seeds, but of a few somewhat resinous opposite-
these divisions are obliterated as the pod leaved trees, which differ from the others
ripens. The generic name is derived from in the family in the following combined
the Greek, and signifies 'beautiful spike.' characters the five-parted unequal calyx,
:
A number of the species are in cultivation the upper and larger segment of which is
in greenhouses. C. lanceolate/, has racemes prolonged behind into a spur; the single
of golden yellow flowers, nearly as large as inversely heart-shaped and stalked petal
those of the broom, and the stems and and the solitary stamen whose anther is
leaves are covered with beautiful silky The leaves are either smooth
four-celled.
hairs. C. linearis has dull purple flowers, or downy, and have entire margins in one ;
while C. longifolia has racemes of yellow species they are oval and about two inches
j
i flowers with a purple keel. The species long, while in another they are linear and
with one exception, C. sparsa, which is scarcely half an inch in length. The yel-
found in N.S. "Wales, are all natives of the low flowers (about the size of those of a
Swan Paver colony. pea) are either single or numerous in the
[A. A. B.]
axils of the leaves, and, like all the others
CALLISTEM ON. A name indicative of of the family, are remarkable for the
the beauty of the stamens in the eenus of unsyrametrical arrangement of their parts.
Myrtacece to which it is given. The calyx We have first an irregularly five-parted
CALL QH)t Crea^urg at 23fltanj). 198
calyx, one of whose divisions is prolonged consider it as a much-reduced aquatic
into a spur somewhat like that in a bal Euphorbiacea.
sam flower their cones a single yellow
; C. aquatica is common in our ponds and
striped petal, instead of five, as would still waters, often floating over them in
generally be the case ; next a solitary large masses, and it is found in- most parts
stamen ; and lastly a three-celled ovary, of the world. It varies much in its leaves,
which, when mature, becomes a woody either all narrow and submerged, or more
capsule about the size of a hazel-nut, con- frequently the upper floating ones, oblong
taining a number of seeds, and splitting or obovate, in the size and form of the
into three portions. [A. A. B.] fruits, the erect or recurved styles, &c;
and it has been, therefore, variously divi-
CALLITHAMNION. A beautiful genus ded into from two to twenty supposed
belonging to the division Ceramiacece of species, which are now more generally
the rose-spored Algce, to which it bears admitted to be varieties of a single one.
nearly the same relation as Cladophora This apetalous genus, which is so singular
does to the chlorosperms. The frond is in its structure, consists of small herba-
generally more or less branched, and often ceous plants, natives of Europe and
most beautifully pinnate, consisting of ISTorth America, growing in ponds and
jointed threads, the stem alone being streamlets, usually immersed, but becom-
occasionally slightly compound from de- ing more luxuriant in habit and pro-
current branchlets, as in Batrachospermum. ducing much more seed when growing out
The tetrasporesand capsules often occur on of the water. The most common form in the
different plants, the latter containing irreg- British Islands is that called C. ver?ia. The
ularly distributed spores. Antheridia again axillary flowers are usually unisexual, the
are mostly produced on distinct plants. males and females growing on the same
The species are extremely numerous and plants; but not unfrequently they become
occur in most parts of the world on other hermaphrodite, apparently from the male
algae, and on almost any object which is flowers producing ovaries. The male
washed by the waves. One or two species flower consists of but one stamen without
are found on roeks only occasionally im- a calyx, its only envelope being two
mersed. From their beautiful ramifica- lateral bracts, which are in some species
tion these plants are the delight of wan- wanting and the anther is two-celled, or
;
derers on the sea-shore, and afford great more commonly one-celled, from the two
gratification to those who possess only cells having become confluent. The female
imperfect microscopes. [M. J. BJ consists of a four-celled ovary having but
two stigmas, and is elevated on a short
CALLITHAUMA. A genus of Peruvian stalk, and enveloped by two lateral bracts
Amaryliidacece related to Pancratium, and as in the male. The cells contain one
remarkable for the large size of the ovule each, suspended from the side, and
staminal cup or coronet of its perianth, the seed is albuminous. Mr. Babington
which is equal to that of the limb. C. states that at its first formation the ovary
viridiflormn has large obiong-cylindrical is only two-celled, and that the four-celled
bulbs, long flat ensiform suberect leaves, condition is produced by the midrib of each
and a flower scape, which is said some- carpel extending inwardly between the
times to reach six feet in height in its two ovules to the centre of the ovary to
native country, supporting four or five which it becomes adherent. Very numer-
emerald green flowers, which have a hori- ous flat glands have been observed on the
zontal slender tube two inches long, acumi- young stems by Dr. Lankester and others
nate spreading limb segments, and a larse {Linn. Proc.ii. 94). These give a glistening
cup or coronet. Mr. Mathews found this appearance to the plant when growing out
with scapes three feet high growing in of the water, something like that of the
dryish exposed situations. The other Tetragoniacea, which is also owing to
species, C. angustifolium, is similar in the presence of minute glands. [B. C]
character, but rather smaller. [T.M.]
CALLITRIS. A genus of conifers allied
CALLITRICHE, CALLITRTCHACE.E. to Tlutja, but differing from it in having
A small aquatic plant with simple entire the cones with four to six woody scales,
opposite leaves and minute unisexual which separate one from the other like the
axillary flowers, so reduced in structure valves of a capsule: and three to six
as to afford little indication of its real winged seeds to each scale. C. quadrivalvis
affinities, and to have induced botanists i large tree with straggling jointed
to propose it as a distinct family, under furrowed branches, having rings of small
the plural name of Callitrichacew. The scales at the joints. It is a native of
male flowers consist of a single stamen, Barbary, but is cultivated in this country
between two small bracts; the females in sheltered situations. The resin of this
have a six-lobed four-celled ovary and tree is used in varnish-making under the
fruit, crowned by two styles without any name of gum sandarach while powdered
;
perianth, each cell enclosing one pendu- it forms pounce, formerly used for the
lous ovule and seed. The genus has been same purpose as blotting-paper now is.
most frequently associated, with other The timber also, according to Dr. Lindley,
minute-flowered aquatic plants, under flfdo- is durable, very hard, fragrant, and of
ragew, but, more recently, it has been pro- a mahogany colour, for which reason it
posed, upon more plausible grounds, to largely used in the construction of
mosques and similar buildings in the N. \
varies considerably, being pale green, pur-
of Africa. [M. T. M.] plish, or hoary with down. In all the
varieties the flowers retain their form and
CALLIXEXE. A genus of Liliacece, con- position long after they have ceased to
1
i
three inner segments with two glands at j
part anything which has acquired unusual
;
small, three-celled, with two or three seeds sense of verruca; also the hymenium of
in each cell. [J. T. S.] certain fungals.
CALLOGRAMMA. A name given by CALOCEPHALTJS. A
genus of the com-
Professor Fee to Syngramma alismcefolia. posite family found in Australia and Tas-
CALLOSO-SERRATE. When serratures mania. The three known species are
slender herbs one to three feet high, with
are callosities.
opposite linear entire leaves, one to three
C ALL UNA.The true ' Heather of Scot- ' inches long, and covered, like all parts of
Ling and Common Heath.
land, called also the plant, with white appressed down.
A low much-branching tufted shrub, dis- The flower-heads are in dense round clus-
tinguished from Erica by having a calyx ters, at the ends of the branches, each
of four coloured leaves concealing a bell- head containing three florets. In C. lacteus
shaped corolla, and accompanied by four the flower-heads are white, and in C.
bracts resembling an outer calyx, the true citreus they are lemon-coloured. [A. A. B.]
heaths having a calyx of four green leaves.
.
Calluna derives its name from the Greek CALOCHILUS campestris is a slender
calluno, to ' cleanse or adorn,' an appropri-
leafy-stemmed Australian orchid with tes-
ticulate roots and nearly closed greenish
ate name, whether taken in reference to
flowers, the tip of which is deeply clothed
the use to which heather-brooms are
applied, or to the exquisite beauty of its
with long delicate hairs. C. herbaceus,
than the outer, and bearded on the inside with red and in C. Sieboldii they are deep
;
the flowers, therefore, appear to consist of green with paler blotches. The flowers
three large spreading petals, and three being small, it is for their foliage and
narrow sepals. There are six stamens erect palm-like habit alone, that these
adherent to the base of the perianth, and plants are prized by cultivators. The
a three-celled ovary crowned by three same name has been given to a section of
subsessile stigmas. The few known spe- the genus Dracocephalum. [T. M.]
cies, which are found in Mexico, California, CALODRYUM. A genus of Meliacece
and XW. America, are all plants of gorgeous inhabiting the islands of Madagascar,
beauty, but found to be exceedingly diffi- Mauritius, and Bourbon. The calyx is five-
cult of cultivation. C. venustus is one cleft the petals five, more or less adherent
;
of the handsomest; it grows about two anthers projecting from the tube formed
feet high, and produces large flowers, by the united filaments of the stamens
upwards of three inches across, with style thread-shaped ovary five-celled with
;
narrow green sepals, and broad roundish pendulous ovules. [M. T. M.]
wedge-shaped petals which form a cup, and
are white above, yellowish towards the CALOGYNE. A name expressive of the
base, each of them marked with a wedge- peculiarity and beauty of the stigma in the
shaped deep crimson stain, terminating in a genus of Goodeniacece, to which it is
yellow spot, and above this, in the same line, applied. The genus consists of herbaceous
with a deep red spot bordered with yellow, plants with irregular flowers, and a style
and a spot of lighter red. C. macrocarpus with three branches, each branch termi-
isanothervery fine species, growing nearly nated by a kind of cup. The fruit is a
two feet high this has three narrowish
;
two-celled capsule with several seeds. The
sepals very much longer than the petals, plants are natives of the coast of tropical
which are broad cuneately-obovate, form- Australia, and one has lately been dis-
ing a cup, and of a rich rosy-purple, paler covered in the neighbourhood of Amoy,
towards the base, and beautifully bearded in China. The flowers of this latter species
with yellow hairs. [T. M.] are said by Bentham to have an odour like
that of hay. [M. T. MJ
CALODENDRON. A genus of Eutacece, CALONYCTION. A
genus of Convolvu-
so named from the beauty of the flowers lacece, containing fifteen species, natives
and foliage. The flowers are regular, con- of the intertropical regions of Asia and
sisting of a five-parted calyx, five narrow America. They are twining herbaceous
spreading petals, hairy on the outside, five plants with alternate cordate leaves and
fertile stamens, alternating with and very large showy flowers on axillary one
shorter than five petal-like sterile ones, to three-flowered peduncles. The calyx
which are tipped with a gland and placed consists of five sepals; the corolla is
on the outside of a shallow tubular disc ;
funnel-shaped with along tube, and large
style long; fruit a stalked capsule with spreading limb. There are five exserted
five angles, and five two-seeded cavities stamens, with filaments dilated at the
opening by as many valves. C. capense is a base. The ovary is two-celled with two
very ornamental tree, native of the Cape of ovules in each cell sometimes the rudi-
;
seed. The flowers are yellow, in clusters to base of ovary limb with four short lobes;
;
in the axils of the leaves, and are suc- petals four, obovate stamens eight, with-
;
ceeded by reddish pods. [C. A. J.] out any appendage to the anthers berry ;
the top, and it has white flowers resembling CALOSCORDUM. A genus of small-
I
those of the last. The seeds of this tree growing lilyworts, found in China. They
yield a thick dark green strong-scented are allied to Allium, from which they are
oil, employed in India for burning aiid distinguished by afew technicai character-
also medicinally. Its timber is used for istics. C. nerineflorum has small bulbs
building purposes, and for masts and and linear leaves which are thick and
spars and a greenish coloured resin which rounded behind, and the flowers which are
;
exudes from the trunk forms one of the small starry and rose-coloured form an
kinds of East Indian Tacamahac. Other umbel at the top of a scape. One or two
species likewise yield resin, such as C. Ta- other species are known. The plants have
wmo.haca in Bourbon and Madagascar; none of the onion-like odour which per-
and C. brasiliense in Brazil. The fruits of vades the Allium family. [T. M.]
C. edule and C. Madrunno are eaten in
South America as also are those of C.
;
CALOSERIS. The name given to a
spurium in Malabar. In Ceylon the timber plant of the composite family which is
\
fleshy leaves, and adheres to the tube of pretty rose-purple colour, and have the
the corolla, above which it projects. The segments of the corolla bent downwards.
gynostegium is short the anthers termi-
; This plant is called Mudar or Ak in North-
nate in a short membrane and the elon-
; ern, and Yercum in Southern India. The
gated projecting stigma has a prominent inner bark of its young branches yields a
dilated apex. The pollen masses are con- valuable fibre, capable of bearing a greater
nected by a kneed and, in the upper strain than Russian hemp. All parts
portion, by a winged process to a linear abound in a very acrid milky juice, which
corpuscle. [W. C] hardens into a substance resembling gutta
percha; but in a fresh state it is a valuable
CALOTHAMNTIS. One of the beautiful remedy in cutaneous diseases. The bark
genera of Myrtacece, in which Australia of the root also possesses similar medical
abounds. The calyx limb has four to five qualities and its tincture yields mudarine,
;
the base of the hardened hemispherical made by mixing it with cotton paper has ;
calyx tube. The plants are shrubs with also been made from it. Another species,
scattered needle-shaped leaves. The name C. procera, a native of India, Arabia,
indicates that the branches become cover- Persia, and various parts of Africa, pos-
ed with the beautiful flowers. «[M. T. M.] sesses similar qualities. It is a much
CALOTIS. A genus of simple or branch- smaller plant, and has white flowers with
ed small Australian herbs of the composite straight segments. [A. S.]
family. The leaves are alternate, varying
much in form, but most generally oblong
CALPANDRIA. Camellia. [B. S.]
united below with a fleshy tube bearing lera of Peru three are found near the
;
stamens opening outwardly, inner ones eastern part of S. America, near the Rio
barren. Ovaries several, one-celled, ad- Plata and one from Rio Janeiro, as far as
;
opposite, and of a long narrow lance-like when it is not separable from the ovary,
form, and thick leathery texture. Some free or inferior when it is separate from
of its flowers are perfect, while others are that part, and calyculate when it is sur-
of distinct sexes, and sometimes borne ; rounded at the base by bracts in a ring.
on different trees. Their calyx, which is Also the receptacle of some kinds of
globular in the bud, bursts into two fungals. — COMMUNIS. The old name of
pieces and their corolla consists of four,
; the involucre of composites, &c.
or rarely Ave, small concave petals of a
yellowish tint streaked with red ; the CAMARA. A carpel. Also the name of a
stamens are numerous, arranged in several hard durable timber obtained in Guiana
rows, arid either quite free or slightly from''Dipteryx odorata.
connected at the base; while the two-celled
fleshy ovary is terminated by a short
;
in great abundance in swampy plains on the flowers on different trees, and the petals
north-west coast of America and Vancou- white with a pink tinge towards the base.
ver's Island, and its bulbs form the greater The name Cambogia is given from the cir-
part of the vegetable food of the Indians, cumstance of the drug being produced in
the different tribes visiting the plains for greatest quantity in that part of Siam
the purpose of collecting them, immedi- called Cambodja. Linnaeus strangely con-
ately after the plant has flowered. The founded two Ceylon plants under the name
digging of Quamash is a time of feasting Cambogia Gutta, the one having stalked
and rejoicing amongst the Indians; the and furrowed fruit, which is the true Cey-
entire labour, however, devolves upon the lon gamboge, and has been called by sub-
sequent authors Garcinia Cambogia, and
Hebradendron cambogoides the other with
;
account of the gamboge is given by Drs. been recommended as a food for cattle, but
Christison and Graham, in Hooker's Com- it is of too acrid a nature to be applied to
\
portion to the Botanical Magazine (ii. 193, such a purpose. The stems contain a con-
233). Cambogia and Hebradendron are now siderable proportion of fibre, and are com-
'
generally referred to the genus Gasclsia : monly used for making brooms in many
which see. [A. A. BJ parts of Europe. [A. S.]
! CAMBON. An Indian name for the grain CAMELLIA. A well-known genus be-
1
of Pennisetum typhoideum, the Holcus spi- longing to the tea family (Ternstriimiacece),
|
catus of Linnaeus. and so nearly related to the teas (ITiea)asto
CAMBUT. The fruit of a species of Eu-
be with difficulty distinguished from them.
genia.
The differences that do exist consist in the
number of the parts and in the position
CAMEL'S HAT. Andropogon Schcenan- of the flower. In Camellia the calyx leaves
thus. are numerous and fall early, the interior
CAMEL'S THORN. Alhagi Camelorum.
stamens twice the number of the petals,
the styles generally five, and the flowers
CAMELE'E. (Ft.) Daphne Cneorum. sessile and erect while in Thea the calyx
;
two, each half being very convex, dis- species, moreover, are found, the one in
tinctly marked by a central rib or nerve, Java, the other in Borneo and Sumatra. The
and having its edges flattened so as to genusis named in honour of George Joseph
form a narrow border round the pod. The Kamel, a Jesuit, who travelled in the East,
seeds are numerous, and have their radicle, the name being Latinised into Camellus.
or rudimentary root, folded over upon the The first species cultivated in European gar-
back of one of the cotyledons, or rudi- denswastheJapanese Camellia, C.japonica.
I
mentary leaves. It is said to have been introduced in 1739,
The most interesting species is the Ca- by Robert James, Lord Petre this was
;
'
rnelina sativa. This plant is found growing the single red flowered or normal form of
in cultivated and waste places in Central the species. It was not until 1792 that any of
i
and Southern Europe, and the temperate the double-flowered varieties were brought
! parts of Russian Asia it is generally
; to this country: then the double white
I
enumerated amongst the indigenous plants and the striped were introduced, both from
of the British Isles, but it is a very ques- China; they were shortly followed by the
:
tionable native, being found only in corn double red. Many more were subsequently
1
and flax fields in England and Ireland, introduced, and with these introductions,
i having most probably been introduced and the varieties produced from them,
|
along with foreign seeds. It is an annual through the exertions of cultivators, we
plant, growing about two feet in height have now an endless variety of forms of
and having a somewhat branching stem this beautiful plant. The most marked
its leaves are lance-shaped, and about two among them are the double white, the
inches long, with their margins entire or fringed white, which is the only variety
slightly toothed, the lower ones having with fringed petals, and the anemone
stalks, whilst those higher up have their flowered or Waratah Camellia, which has
bases shaped like those of arrow heads and a margin of broad petals and a raised
clasp round the stem. The flowers are in centre of smaller ones, somewhat like the
long loose racemes, and produce pear- flower of a double hollyhock.
shaped pods, about a quarter of an inch The net-veined Camellia, C. reticulata, a
long, containingnumerous small seeds. native of Hong-Kong, is the largest-
The English name of the plant is Gold of flowered of the species. The flowers are
Pleasure, but why it is so called is un- sometimes six inches or more in diameter,
known. It is cultivated in some parts of and not unlike those of a Poeonia. The
the Continent, both on account of the fibre petals are not so closely set as in the other
of its stems and the oil obtainable from species, but it is highly probable that cul-
its seeds, and it has been recommended tivators will be able to do as much for this
for cultivation in this country, but it is species as they have done for the Japanese
not likely to prove a profitable crop. The one, although it is said to be difficult of
seeds are sometimes imported under the propagation.
name of Dodder seed, but they have no- C. Sasanqua (Sasanqua is the Japanese
; ;
name of the plant) is found in many parts celled or many-celled ; capsule opening by
of China and Japan ; it has small white slits at the sides or by valves at the apex ;
scentless flowers, and is cultivated in Eng- seeds numerous, albuminous, attached to a
lish gardens. Anoil is obtained from the central placenta. Chiefly natives of the
seeds in China by crushing them to a north of Asia, Europe, and North America,
coarse powder, afterwards boiling them, and scarcely known in hot regions. In
and finally subjecting them to pressure. our hemisphere the greatest number of
The oil has an agreeable odour, and is used species are found between 36- and 4"o of
for many domestic purposes. The leaves north latitude. The chains of the Alps,
are used in decoction by Japanese women Italy, Greece, Caucasus, and the Altai are
to anoint the hair, and also in a dried state their true country. Several are found at
to mix with tea, on account of the pleasant the Cape of Good Hope. The species
odour contained in them. C. drupifera is opening with lateral slits in the seed-
nearly allied to C. Sasanqua, but differs in vessels are chiefly natives of the Northern
having a very Ions point to its ovate-lan- hemisphere ; those opening by valves at
ceolate leaves ;like' it the flowers are the top of their seed-vessels belong to the
small and white, but odoriferous it is also ; Southern hemisphere. The plants have a
in cultivation, and its seeds yield an oil milky acrid juice but the roots and young
;
used in medicine in Cochin China. This shoots are often cultivated as articles of
grows in great abundance on the eastern food, as in the case of the Rampion Cam-
portions of the Himalaya. The lance-leaved panula Rapunculus. There are twenty-
Camellia is found in Sumatra and Borneo nine known genera and 540 species. Illus-
and the only other species, C. quinosaura, trative genera Jasione, Phyteuma, Campa-
:
appear three-lobed. The seeds are com- theless, the roots and young shoots of
pressed and slightly winged at the top. some species are occasionally eaten. C.
Some of the species being shrubs with Rapunculus (.a diminutive of rapa, a turnip,
white or orange flowers, are cultivated in whence the English name Rampion) is
our stoves. [M. T. M.] much cultivated in France and Italy, and
j
i
or cold with vinegar and pepper ; C.
CAMMOCK. The Rest Harrow, Ononis [
persici/olia and C. rapunculoides may
arvensis. i
also be cultivated for the same purpose.
Of the British species, C. latifolia is the
CAMOMILE. The common name for finest and most stately ; the flowers are
Anthemis; more frequently written Cha- very large, blue, or (in the Scottish woods)
momile. sometimes white. C. Trachelium, the
CAMOMILLE DES CHIENS. (Fr.) An- nettle-leaved Bell-flower, formerly con-
themis or Maruta Cotula. — FAUSSE. sidered a specific for sore throat (Greek
Anthemis arvensis. — ROMAINE. Anthe- trachelos, a neck), is remarkable for the
mis nobilis. resemblance borne by its leaves to the
common plant after which it is named.
CAMOTE. A Spanish name for the C. glomerata is a handsome plant with large
Sweet Potato, Batatas edulis. erect flowers crowded into a kind of head.
The more edible species, mentioned above,
CAMPANILLE. (Fr.) W ahlenbergia. are sometimes also found apparently wild
CAMPANULACE^E. (.Campanula, Bell- but it is doubtful whether they have not
worts, Hare-bell family.) natural order A escaped from cultivation, having been
of calycifloral gamopetalous dicotyledons, grown commonly in gardens before the
characterising Lindley's campanal alliance. time of Gerarde. The best-known species
Milky herbs or undershrubs with alternate is C. rotundi folia, Hare-bell, or more cor-
leaves having no stipules, and usually with rectly Hair-bell, the Blue-bell of Scotland,
showy blue or white flowers. Calyx above an elegant plant about a foot high, with a
the ovary (superior), commonly five-cleft, branched wiry stem and graceful drooping
persistent corolla regular, bell-shaped,
; pale blue, sometimes white, flowers. The
usually five-lobed,withering; stamens five, stem-leaves of this plant are exceedingly
distinct style with hairs. Fruit one or two-
; narrow, and seem to belie the name rotun-
209 (EI)C Erias'urp of 23otanti. [camp
difolia,but the root-leaves, which for the and spread-
follicles are slender, cylindrical
raost part wither away early in the season, ing, with numerous comose seeds. [W. C]
justify the appellation. It has been said
that Linnaeus gaTe this plant its name
CAMPELIA. The name of a genus
belonging to the order of spiderworts,
from having jast seen the round leaves on having three petals which remain attached
the steps of the university of Upsal. This, I
'
season. It is still, too, a great favourite SUMATRA. The drug produced by Bryo-
balanops aromatica, sometimes called
i
JD.
in cottage windows in England. In the
j
CAMPEACHT or CAMPECHE-WOOD.
The red dye-wood, better known as Log-
wood, obtained from Hozmatoxylon Cam-
pechianum.
CAMPELEPIS. An asclepiadeous ge-
nus belonging to the division Periplocew,
containing a single species, a native of
Lower Bactria. It is an erect branching
almost leafless shrub, the remote deciduous
leaves being like scales, and the small
coriaceous flowers in few-flowered cymes.
The calyx is five-parted tue corolla ro-
; Camphora officinarum.
tate and five-cleft, its throat crowned with
five short trilobed scales alternating with by scales, and by the calyx being mem-
the segments ; the five stamens have branous instead of leathery. Camphor is
distinct filaments inserted in the throat of prepared from the wood of the tree by boil-
the corolla below the scales, and sagittate ing the chopped branches in water, when,
anthers, with the pollen-masses solitary after some time, the camphor becomes
and granular ; the stigma is dilated the ; deposited, and is purified by sublimation.
, .
j
produced principally in the island of
It is ascending the trees to the height of forty
Formosa, and is imported from Singapore, or fifty feet. It is found in Chili and the
&c. Another kind of camphor is imported adjacent islands, from latitude 40° to 44°
I
from the Dutch settlement of Batavia. south ; the isle of Huafo, where it was
What is known as Borneo camphor is the found by Eiglets, being the southernmost
I
produce of a tree of a different family see : station at present known. According to
Dryobalaxops. Camphor has acrid stimu- Mr. Bridges, the inhabitants of Chiloe
lant properties, and in large quantities is term it ' pilpil boqui.' [B. S.]
•poisonous. There is a very prevalent but
erroneous notion that camphor acts as a CAMPSIS. A genus of Bignoniacece, con-
preventative in infectious diseases. It is, sisting of half-a-dozen species distributed
however, much used to prevent the ravages over the Eastern Archipelago, China,
of insects in clothes, and in cabinets of Japan, and North America, and distin-
natural history. The wood of the tree is guished from all other members of the
occasionally imported to make cabinets f or order by the branches being climbing and
entomologists. [M. T. M.] rooting like ivy, eminently qualifying
these plants for covering walls and rocks,
CAMPHOROSMA. A genus of Clienopo- for which purpose two species, C. adrepens
diacece consisting of small shrubs or herbs (Bignonia, or Tecoma grandiflora, of some
chiefly natives of the saline steppes of writers) and C.radicans {Bignonia, or
Central Asia, though one species occurs in Tecoma radicans of botanists, the jasmin-
the Mediterranean region. Leaves small, trompette of the French, or Trumpet-
linear or awl-shaped, often downy.scattered flower as we call it) are already used in
or fasciculate flowers very small, axillary,
; our gardens. The calyx is regular, with
crowded calyx tubular, compressed, four-
; five acute lobes, valvate in aestivation;
toothed, two of the teeth larger and the corolla funnel-shaped, large the sta- ;
regular five-cleft calyx, a tubular almost granular. The two long slender follicles
regular corolla, of a rich orange colour; contain many comose seeds. [W. C]
and live stamens, one of which is sterile,
the anthers placed parallel (.a peculi- CAMPTOSEMA. A genus of scandent
arity shared with only two other bigno- or erect shrubs, belonging to the pea
niads, Bignonia venusta and Millingtonia family, peculiar to South America, and for
hortensis). The plant grows in woods, the most part found in Brazil. Their leaves
211 &l)t £rta£ur» of Matmg. [camp
bright red. The pods are stalked, linear, shaped corolla; four short stamens, with
compressed, and contain from three to six anthers projecting from the short tube of
seeds. C. rubiaindum, a native of South the corolla a four-cornered ovary, with
;
Brazil, is a climbing shrub of great length. two many-seeded compartments, and sur-
The leaves are few with long stalks, their mounted by a fleshy disc. C. regalis has
leaflets oblong or elliptical, smooth above, elliptic leaves with a satiny lustre, and a
and pea-green beneath; the flowers are bronzy-green colour, except the main rib
bright red, in long drooping racemes, and the larger side ones. C. bicolor and
like those of a laburnum. It is a beautiful other species are cultivated in stoves for
object when in flower, and has long been in the beauty of their foliage. They are,
cultivation in English gardens. C. grcnuli- however, now regarded as belonging to
florum, also a Brazilian species, has yellow Higginsia. [M. T. M.J
flowers, two to three inches long, dis-
posed in axillary racemes. [A. A. B.] CAMPYLOXETTRTTM. A genus of simple-
fronded polypodiaceous ferns of the group
CAA1PTOSORUS. A genus of polypodia- Polypodiece. They have round naked sori
ceous ferns, of the group Aspleniece, and as in the other genera of this group, from
of the scolopendrioid series, in wmich the which they are distinguished by having
sori are produced in pairs, set face to face the prin cipal veins branchingfrom the costa.
on contiguous veins— the reverse of what nearly parallel, and united by transverse
occurs in the diplazioid series, in which curved venules, while from the outer side
they are set back to back in pairs on the of these are produced two or three short
same vein. The present is a small genus straight veinlets on the middle or point of
omisising of one Korth American and one which the sori are placed. There are about
Siberian species, both dwarf plants with a score of species, all West Indian and
simple spreading fronds, which are ex- South American, and with two exceptions
tended into a long narrow tail-like point, simple-fronded. One of these exceptions
where is produced a young plant. The is C. magnificum, a splendid pinnate Vene-
veins join to form a few angular unequal zuelan fern, of which the pinnae measure
areoles near the midrib, and send out eighteen inches long and four inchesbroad,
branches towards the margin. The sori, and bear four rows of sori between the
which are linear, and covered by linear veins. C.repens is a well-known illustration
indusia, are usually connivent in irregular of the simple-fronded series. [T. M.]
unequal pairs, but are sometimes more
scattered, owing to the irregularity of the CAMPYLOSPERMOUS. When a seed
venation. The variously directed irregu- or seed-like fruit is so rolled up as to have
larly-disposed yet generally opposite pairs a furrow in the longer diameter of one
of sori form the peculiar features of the side.
genus. [T. M.]
CAMPYLOSTACHYS. A genus of Stil-
CA3IPTOTROPAL. An orthotropal ovule, bacece confined to South Africa. The only
curved downwards like a horse shoe, with species known, cernua, is a heath-like
ft
the sides adherent. bush, about one foot high, with closely set
linear pointed leaves, about half an inch
CAMPYLANTHUS. A small genus, na- long, and terminal roundish spikes of
tive of the Canary Isles, Tropical Africa, flowers, which are reflexed when the seeds
and India, consisting of branching under- become mature. The flowers are very
sbxubs, growing chiefly in the Assures of small, and have a long tube with a four-cleft
rocks, having fleshy linear sessile leaves, border. The name Campy lostachys has
and small jasmine-like flowers in loose reference to the curved spike. [A. A. B.]
terminal racemes. The calyx is deeply
CAMPYLOTROPAL. An ovule, one of
cleft into five linear-lanceolate divisions
the corolla tube is long, cylindrical, and
;
whose sides grows much faster than the
other, so that while the chalaza remains at
slightly kneed near the middle, its limb
deeply five-lobed. Two stamens on very the hilum, the foramen is brought nearly
short nlamentsrise from the curved portion into contact with it.
of the corolla tube, and bear divaricate CAMPYNEMA. A
genus of doubtful
anthers. The capsule is compressed later- amaryllids found in Tasmania. It has been
ally, and dehisces septicidally and septi- associated with Anigozanthus by Herbert,
fragally, leaving the placentiferous column and has been regarded by Brown as inter-
free there are numerous roundish seeds.
: mediate between amaryllids and asphodels,
Webb seems to have satisfactorily re- coming near to Melanthacece. The only
ferred this sincrular penus to Scrophula- species, C. lineare, is a slender herb, about
riacem, but so different is it from the other a foot high, with fasciculate fusiform
genera of the order, that he has been roots tufted grassy leaves and one to
; ;
CANADA BALSAM FIR. Abies balsamea. column, one of their number being sepa-
Canada Balsam is an oleo-resin obtained rated for the greater part of its length.
from this tree, and is extensively used in Thepodsare large, with their sides swelled
medicine and manufactures. out, and having three elevated ribs or
ridges along the upper edge; they contain
CANAGONG. The fruit of Mesembryan - numerous seeds, which are separated from
themum cequilaterale.
each other by a quantity of cellular tissue.
CANALICULATE. Channelled, Hire the C. gladiata is commonly found growing
many leaves.
petioles of in woods in the East Indies, tropical Africa,
Mexico, Brazil, the West Indies, &c. The
CANARINA. A genus of Campanidaccce, leaves consist of three roundish or egg-
containing a glaucous herb from the Ca- shaped leaflets, terminating abruptly in a
nary Islands, which has a tuberous root short point, and varying in size from two
with milky juice, and a branched stem to six inches long. The flowers are dark-
thickened at the joints, the leaves opposite
purple, and succeeded by scimitar-shaped
(rarely in a whorl of three), stalked,
pods, about a foot long, containing numer-
hastate-heart-shaped, irregularly toothed,
ous red or white seeds, resembling large
shining above. The flowers are large beans. According to Dr. McFadyen, this
nodding yellowish (a remarkable feature, plant is called the 'Overlook' by the negroes
as purple, blue, or lilac flowers are usually
in Jamaica, who plant it along their pro-
found in this natural order), solitary at the vision grounds from a superstitious notion
apex of short leafy axillary branches .
;
that it fulfils the part of a watchman, and,
'
calyx-limb six-cleft, reflexed corolla bell-
;
from some dreaded power ascribed to it,
shaped, six-toothed stamens six ovary
; ;
protects the property from plunder. Even
style with six stigmas;
inferior, six-celled ;
the better informed adopt the practice,
capsule somewhat fleshy, and as well as
although they themselves may not place
the roots and young shoots said to be
confidence in any particular influence which
edible. [J. T. S.]
this humble plant can exercise, either in
CANARIUM. A genus of Amyridacece, preventing theft, or in punishing it when
consisting of trees with compound leaves ;
committed.' [A. S.]
the flowers panicled, dioecious, having a
bell-shaped calyx, with three unequal CANCELLATE. Composed of veins only,
lobes three oblong concave petals six
; ;
allthe parenchyma or intervening web
stamens inserted beneath a cup-shaped being absent.
disc; and a sessile globular ovary, with
very short style, and three-lobed stigma.
CANCER-ROOT. An American name for
Epipliegus and Conopholis also for Aphyllon
;
The fruit is a triangular drupe, with three, umjlorum, sometimes called Orobanche uni-
or, by abortion, one cavity, containing one
flora.
seed. C. commune is cultivated in the Mo-
luccas for its fruits, which are also eaten CANCHE. (Fr.) Aim.
in Java, and from them an oil is expressed
which is used at table when fresh, and for CANDIDUS. Pure white, but not so
burning in lanrps. A gum exudes from the white as snow.
bark which is said to resemble in its proper-
ties Balsam of Copaiba. C. strictum, ac-
CANDLE BERRY MYRTLE. The com-
cording to Dr. Wight, is known in Malabar
mon name for Myrica.
as the black Dammar tree, in contradistinc- CANDLEBERRY TREE. Aleurites tri-
tion to the white Dammar (Vateria indica). loba, the nuts of which are commercially
The resin of Dammar is of a brownish or called Candle nuts.
amber colour. [M. T. M.]
CANDLE TREE. Parmentiera cerifera.
CANARY CREEPER. A garden name
CANDLEWOOD, of Jamaica. Gomphia
for Tropaolum adunrum, commonly but
wrongly called T. canariense. guianensis.
CANE. A common commercial name for containing a single species from Java, a '
the stems of various grasses, palms, &c, very beautiful Alpine plant, with erect
— , BAMBOO. Bambum arundinacea. — radical leaves, often half a foot in diame-
—
j
DUMB. Dieffenbachia seguina. —, GREAT fruit. The calyx is five-toothed and cup- I
1
shaped the corolla is funnel-shaped, with
;
j
LACCA. The stem of Calamus scipionum, short filaments, are inserted in the throat i
matic odour, which is used as a tonic. The obtained from theHemp, Cannabis sativa.
]
gathered on the skin of the naked coolies a layer of loose woody and cellular tissue,
!
i
Gunjah is smoked like tobacco Bhang is ; and enclosed in a thin bark containing the
not smoked, but pounded with water into fibre which renders the plant so valuable.
a pulp, so as to make a drink both are : Its leaves have long stalks with minute
stimulant and intoxicating but the Chur- awl-shaped stipules at their bases, and are
|
delirium and catalepsy if the quantity be having its margin cut into sharp saw-like
j
smoke is inhaled, and if one man sets the dry and bleach this is called grassing,
:
'
example the others are sure to follow it. after which the fibre is detached, either
These grotesque sounds are probably not by pulling it off by manual labour, or by
wholly natural. Even the boys may be breaking the stems in a machine, and
heard practising them as an announcement afterwards scutching them in a similar
215 Cf)c ZxtHSut}} at 23otang. [cap
manner to that employed for the prepara- differing from Eestio in the fruit, which is
tion of flax. a hard indehiscent nut and from Willden-
;
The uses of Hemp for the manufacture noicia by having two distinct styles. C.
of cordage, canvas, &c, are too well known cephalotes, the original species, has a
to require more than a passing allusion. rigid stem with numerous short barren
The seeds are used for feeding caged birds, stems at the base ; flowers in a large ovate
and an oil is expressed from them. The terminal head, with ovate acute imbricated
imports of Hemp in 1858 amounted to bracts. This and another species are from
739.339 cwts., rhe computed real value of the Cape of Good Hope. [J. T. S.]
which was 1.034.277?.: and of seed, Hemp CANNON-BALL TREE. Couroupita
11,090 quarters ; value 24,074?. [A. S.]
guianensis.
CABTTACE2E. The Indian-shot family, a CANOE BIRCH. Betulapapyracea.
natural order of epigynous monocotyledons
belonging to Lindiey's amomal alliance. CANOE WOOD. Liriodendron tidipifera.
The name of Marantacece is also given CANTERBURY BELL. Campamda
to the order, and under that its characters Medium.
and properties are stated. [J. H. B.]
CANTHARELLUS. The scientific name
CANNA. The name of a genus of of the ChantareUe.
Marantacece distinguished by the flowers CANTHIUM. A genus of Cinchonacece
being in panicles having a calyx of three
;
consisting of spiny rigid plants with
sepals, a corolla of six pieces, five of
solitary fragrant white flowers, having the
which are erect, the other reflexed these :
stamens inserted near the throat of the
may be considered rather as abortive corolla, and a thread-shaped protruding
stamens than as petals; the one fertile style terminated by a thick globular or
stamen is petal-like, with an anther on the mitre-shaped stigma. The fruit is a two-
margin the style is also petal-like with a
;
celled berry. C. parviflorum, an Indian
linear stigma, and the fruit consists of a plant, makes good fences, while the leaves
capsule covered with rough tubercles ex- are occasionally added to curries by the
ternally, and internally divided into three natives; but they have also medicinal
compartments, each of which contains a properties. One or two species are in
number of horizontally placed seeds; cultivation. [M. T M.]
when ripe the fruit bursts into three
divisions. The seeds of most of the CANTUA. A genus of Polemoniacece,
species are round, hard, and black, hence containing six or eight species, natives of
the name of Indian Shot, which is applied Peru. They are trees or shrubs with
to the plants. alternate fleshy entire or sinuate-dentate
Many of the species have brightly- leaves, and large showy flowers in corymbs
coloured flowers— yellow, red or orange. at the termination of the branches, rarely
The foliage, too, is highly ornamental and solitary and axillary. The calyx is tubular
characteristic; hence they are favourite and five-cleft the corolla is funnel-shaped
;
plants in cultivation, and produce a striking with the spreading limb split into five
effect when grouped in beds out of doors obovate lobes the five stamens are
;
during the summer months. The beauty inserted at the base of the tube, and are
of these plants is not their only feature of more or less exsertedthe ovary is three-
;
interest, as some of them are also of celledwith numerous ovules, and bears a
importance from their fleshy underground simple style with a trifld stigma; the
stems, containing an abundance of starch. capsule is coriaceous and tnree-valved ;
Tous les mois, a superior kind of arrowroot, the seeds have their apex produced into a
the grains of which are very large, is the wing. This genus is nearly related by its
produce of one of the West Indian species, capsule and seeds to Cobcea, though in habit
probably C. edulis. The tubers of other and inflorescence some of its species ap-
species are eaten as a vegetable, while proach Polemonium. [W. C]
some have slight medicinal properties.
In the Brazils the leaves are used for
CANUS. Grey-white or hoary. A term
applied to hairy surfaces.
packing purposes, hence the French call
these plants Balisier, from a Spanish word CAOUTCHOUC. The elastic gummy
signifying cover. The seeds are also made substance known as India rubber, which
use of as beads. *-** [M.T. MJ is the inspissated juice of various plants
growing in tropical climates in different
CANNE A* SUCRE. (Fr.) Saccharum parts of the world ; e. g. Ficus elastica
officinarum. — D*INDE.
, Canna iudica. and other species of moraceous plants,
— , DE JOXC. Typha latifolia. —, DE Castilloa elastica and other artocarpads,
PROVENCE. Arundo Donax. Siphonia elastica and other euphorbiaceous
plants, Urceola elastica and other apocyna-
CANNEBERGE. (Fr.) Oxy coccus palus- ceous plants, &c. The name is also given
tris.
by the Popayans to the milky juice of
CAXNELLIER. (Fr.) The Cinnamon Stphocampi/lus Caoutchouc, an elastic gum,
tree. very different from the caoutchouc of
commerce. [T. M.]
CANXILE'E. (Fr.) Lemna minor.
CAP. The convex part of an agaric or
j
CANNOMOIS. A genus of Restiacece, other similar fungal.
mty €rca£urg of Uotaitjn 216
CAPANEA. A genus of Gesneracece of CAPITULUM. A head of sessile
close
the tribe Besleriece, consisting of dwarf flowers. Also a term vaguely applied
herbs with subshrubby stems, and opposite among fungals to the receptacle, pileus, or
oval stalked hairy leaves, from the axils of peridium.
which spring the flowers two or three
together from a common peduncle. The CAPNITES. A section of the genus
calyx isfree, nearly regular, and five-parted. Corydalis. Decandolle employs it in a
The corolla is irregularly bell-shaped, sense synonymous with Bulbocapnos, but
scarcely curved, somewhat ventricose be- Endlicher used it to designate a part of
neath, with a short limb. There are four Decandolle's section Capnoides, which
didynamous stamens, the filaments of includes the species of Corydalis without
which carry heart-shaped anthers, which tuberous rootstocks. In this way it is
are firmly joined together, and form in equivalent to Corydalis of Bernhardi, and
the mouth of the tuber a pale yellow star, differs from Capnoides, as restricted by
with which the stigma is in contact. The that author, by having the stem single and
ovary is free, surrounded by a disk of five branched, and the style persistent. There
obtuse fleshy lobes. The only species, C. is, however, no natural division, and it is
grandiflora, a native of New Grenada, better to consider all the species of Cory-
grows nearly a foot high, with moderate- dalis without, tuberous rootstocks, with
sized oval-acuminate leaves, and large two separate cotyledons, and with a cup-
showy long-stalked flowers, seated in a shaped appendage at the base of the seed,
tuft at the end of an axillary or terminal as belonging to the section Capnoides. The
peduncle these flowers are nodding gloxi-
;
only British species is the small Climb-
nia-like, with a limb of five broad spread- ing Fumitory Corydalis claviculata, which
ing emarginate lobes, pubescent outside, has long branched trailing stems, and
white, elegantly painted on the inner yellowish flowers in racemes. C. lutea,
face of the limb, or less frequently on the often cultivated, and naturalised in several
tube, with numerous crimson dots arranged localities, is easily known by its short stems
in contiguous lines. Dr. Lindley writes and large bright yellow flowers. [J. T. S.]
the name of this genus Campanea in Pax-
ton's Flower Garden, i. 91. [T. M.]
CAPNODIUM. A curious genus of Fungi
established by Dr. Montagne to receive a
CAPE WEED. Roccella tinctoria, a dye portion of the black smutty parasiteswhich
lichen, obtained from the Cape de Verd infest the leaves and twigs of shrubs in
Islands. damp warm climates. It belongs to the
division Physomycetes, and is characterised
CAPER. Capparis spinosa, the flower by the abundant creeping black threads
buds of which, and of some allied species which run over the several parts of the
or varieties, form the well-known condi- plants which it attacks. Shoots from these
ment of this name, for which the flowers threads either intimately invest the fruit
of Zygophyllum Fabago are sometimes or are combined to form it. The fruit
substituted. consists of irregular often elongated and
branched cysts, which in the same species
CAPERONNIER. (Fr.) Fragaria elatior. contain naked spores and sporidia, enclosed
in asci. One species only, C. elongatum,
CAPER SPURGE. Euphorbia Lathy ris, has been found in the extreme south-west
sometimes called Caper bush.
of this country on pear trees others are
;
CAPER TREE, of New South "Wales, the plague of coffee, lemons, olives, and
Busbeckia arborea. other important plants. In a young state
these plants are not distinguishable from
CAPILLACEOUS, CAPILLARY. Having Antennaria. The breathing pores or sto-
the form of a thread. mates of the plants which they attack are
completely smothered, and direct light
CAPILLAIRE. A syrup prepared with almost excluded, so that the functions of
Adiantum Capillus-veneris. the leaves are greatly impeded. No remedy
CAPILLAIRE. (Fr.) Asplenium Tricho- is known when the parasite is once de-
manes. — DE MONTPELLIER. Adiantum veloped. If any is applied, it must be
Capillus-veneris. — DU CANADA. Adi directed to the destruction of the different
antum pedatum. — NOIR. Asplenium species of coccus on whose dung or
Adiantum-nigrum. excretions these Fungi seem mostly to be
developed. Lemons frequently arrive in
CAPILLITIUM. Entangled filamentary this country in an unsaleable condition,
matter in fungals, bearing sporidia. incrusted more or less completely with a
jet black felt, in consequence of the
CAPILLUS (adj. CAPILLARIS). The
growth either of an Antennaria or the
breadth of a hair; the twelfth part of a spawn of Capnodimn Citri, which seems to
line.
increase greatly after the fruit is packed up
CAPITAO DO MATTO. A common for the market. [M. J. B.]
name for Lantana pseudo-thea.
Brazilian CAPPARIDACE^E. (Capparids.) A natural
CAPITATE. Pin-headed, as the stigma order of thalamifloral dicotyledons placed
of a primrose, or as certain hairs. Also in Lintlley's cistal alliance. Herbs, shrubs,
growingin heads,or terminal close clusters, or trees with alternate leaves and solitary
as the flowers of composites, &c. or clustered flowers ; sepals four, imbricate
,
CAPRIFICATION. Afertilisation of
i
itself.
itsname to the natural order Capparidacece. I
frequently with two little spines at their from the abortive fruit of the Wild Fig are
j
i
base, and showy flowers with a four-parted
generated certain winged flies,which,failing
to find food in the corruption which gave
I
slender stalk. The most generally known and penetrating the fruit of the true fig,
plant of this genus is the common Caper,
,
the South of Europe and Mediterranean immature juices, and help the fruit to
ripen. To pi omote this end, the Capriflcus
j
j
-
unripe fruits, are pickled in vinegar, and boughs of the other. Fig trees growing
form what are commonly known as capers. in a poor soil exposed to the winds, and
especially dust, do not, they say, need this
!
on the Himalaya, are eatable and agreeable. America, but thrives well in Great Britain
There are sixteen genera and 230 species. ina dry open situation, bearing a profusion
Illustrative genera :Linncea, Lonicera, of beautiful but scentless flowers from
Viburnum, Sambucus. [J. H. B.] May till August. C. etruscum approaches
C. italicum in habit, but the leaves are more
OAPRIFOLIUM. A family of well-known obtuse and downy, and it flowers during a
twining shrubs giving name to the order greater portion of the year. In France
Caprifoliaceai. No British shrub claims this species is more frequently cultivated
our favourable notice so early in the season than any other. [C.A. J.]
as the Honeysuckle (C. Periclymenum) ;
C APSELL A. A common weed belonging
for even before the frosts of January have
to the cruciferous order, well marked by
attained their greatest intensity, we may its heart-shaped pods, which when ripe
discover in the sheltered wood or hedge- separate into two boat-shaped valves, each
bank its wiry stem throwing out tufts of enclosing numerous yellow seeds. There
tender green leaves from the extremity of is but one species, G. Bursa-pastoris,
every twig. Later in the season it engages Shepherd's Purse, so called from the
our attention by its twisting stems clinging resemblance of the pods to some ancient
for support to some lustier neighbour
form of purse. A native of Europe, it has
till it has reached air and light, when it
accompanied Europeans in all their migra-
asserts its independence, loses a good deal
tions, and established itself wherever
of its twining character, and displays its
they have settled to till the soil. It is a
numerous clusters of trumpet-shaped troublesome weed, not refusing to growand
cream-coloured flowers, tinged with crim- leave seed even in the poorest soil, but lux-
son, and shedding a perfume which in
uriating in the richest. Hence its utilita-
sweetness is surpassed by no other British rian popular name, 'Pickpocket,' is more
plant. As the coils made by the honey- appropriate perhaps than the sentimental
suckle in its effort to reach the summit of
one Shepherd's Purse.' When not in flower,
'
a tree never enlarge, but on the contrary,
it may be distinguished by its radiating
rather contract as the diameter of its
leaves, of which the outer lie close pressed
stem increases, it is mischievous to any to the ground. It is less acrid than most
growing tree round which it twines ; it of the cruciferous tribe, but was formerly
should, therefore, be discouraged in young
used as a potherb, as is said to be still the
plantations but trained against a wall or
;
custom in some parts of North America.
allowed to twine round a pole or the bole French, Bourse de Pasteur; German, Hirt-
of a full-grown tree, it is harmless and j
clammy to the touch, glutinous and sweet CAPSICUM. One of the genera of
to the taste, but mawkish. In October the Solanacece, deriving its name from the
woodbine endeavours to impart a grace to \
Greek word signifying 'to bite,' in allu-
the fading year by producing a new crop \
sion to the hot pungent properties pos-
of flowers, which, though not so luxuriant j
sessed by the fruits and seeds. The genus
nor so numerous as the first, are quite as consists of annual or biennial plants,
frequently with a somewhat woody and
j
twig, uniting autumn with summer as the stamens protruding from the corolla, their
early foliage united winter with spring. anthers converging at their points, and
A variety with leaves sinuated like the oak opening by longitudinal slits; and a two to
is not of uncommon occurrence and ; four-celled ovary, becoming, when ripe, a
another variety, called Dutch Honeysuckle, membranous pod containing several seeds.
is valued as a garden plant on account of The shape of the fruit varies very much in
its extreme fragrance (especially in the the different species of the genus.
evening) and its early flowering. C. annuum, a native originally of South
The Perfoliate Honeysuckle (G. italicum, America, but introduced into India and
sometimes called Lonicera Caprifoli am) elsewhere, furnishes the fruits known as
resembles the last in habit. It is a native Chillies; these, as well as the fruits of G.
of the middle and South of Europe, and is frutescens, and several other species or
said to be naturalised in some parts of varieties, are used to form Cayenne pepper.
England. It may be distinguished from For this purpose the ripe fruits are dried
the common kind by having its upper in the sun or in an oven, and then ground
leaves united at the base so as to form a to powder, which is mixed with a large
kind of cup, and it bears whorls of flowers quantity of wheat flour. The mixed
in the axils of these leaves as well as at |
powder is then made into cakes with
the extremity of the shoot. leavpn, these are baked till they are as
Anions the other cultivated species, C.fla- hard as biscuit, and are then ground and
vum, a native of America, has very fragrant sifted. The Cayenne pepper of the shops
yellow flowers, which as they fade become is, however, usually largely adulterated
!19 K\)t QTxtcL$\iYy at Matmy. [CARA
with red lead and other less objectionable variable— some being
yellow, others red,
substances. The hot taste seems to be and others black. In a green state they
due to a peculiar acrid fluid called Coptic in,are used for pickling, and Avhen ripe are
which is so pungent that half a grain of it mixed with tomatos, &c, to form sauces.
volatilised in a large room, causes all who They are also dried and ground for use like
i
respire the contained air to cough and Cayenne pepper. The Berry-bearing Capsi-
I
sneeze. It is remarkable that the narcotic cum, or Bird Pepper (C. baccatum), is
properties, which are possessed by most of indigenous to both the East and West
the Solanacecc to a greater or less extent, Indies, and has been grown in this country
are not present in Capsicum^-though this since 1731. Its pods are erect, roundish,
is open to some doubt, as it is said
that egg-shaped, very pungent, and when ripe
some of the American species have nar- are dried and used for the same purposes
cotic properties residing in the pulpy as those of other kinds of Capsicum. They
matter in which the seeds are imbedded, also form one of the chief ingredients in
this pulp being absent in those kinds the preparation known in the West Indies
which are used for their pungent pro- as man-dram, which is usually resorted to
perties. by those affected with loss of appetite or
Capsicum fruits are used medicinally, m weak digestion, and consists of cucumbers
powder or as a tincture, as an external sliced very thin, shallots or onions chopped
application, or as a gargle in certain cases very fine, a little lime juice and Madeira
of sore throat, particularly those of a wine, to which is added a handful of the
malignant character, and internally as a pods of this pepper, and the whole arethen
stimulant in cases of impaired digestion, mashed together, and mixed with as much
&c. Several kinds are cultivated in this liquid as may be thought necessary.
countrv, as objects of curiosity, and for Besides the three species noticed as being
the sake of their fruits. [M. T. M.] the kinds most generally cultivated, there
The species of Capsicum are chiefly are many other species and varieties
natives of the East and West Indies, occasionally grown for the sake of their
China, Brazil, and Egypt, where they are pods, all of which yield a warm acrid oil,
much esteemed for their pungent fruit which acts powerfully on the stomach, and
and seeds, which, under the name of is thought to correct flatulency, and assist
Cayenne Pepper, or Chillies, form an digestion. [W. B. B.]
indispensable condiment, which Nature CAPSOMANIA. An unnatural deveiope-
herself appears to have pointed out to ment of pistils, which may consist either
persons resident within the tropics. Ac- of an excessive multiplication or of such a
cording to Sir R. Schomburgk, the natives derangement as impedes their functions.
in Guiana eat the fruit of these plants in In the first case the unusual demands for
such abundance as would not be credited nutritive matter cannot be met, and the
by an European unless he were to see t( Jour. fruit becomes small and abortive in the
i
;
Hon. Soc. ii. 153). In Jamaica the species latter, as in green-centred roses, bladder
most esteemed is the Bonnet Pepper (C. plums, &c, the ovules being imperfect
tcirnqonumi, the fruits of which are very do not come to perfection. [M. J. B.]
fleshy, and have a depressed form, like a
Scotch bonnet. The shrubby Capsicum, or CAPSULE. Any dry dehiscent seed-
Spur Pepper (C. frutescens), is a native of vessel. A spurious capsule is any dry seed-
the East Indies, and has been in our gar- vessel tliatisnot dehiscent. Also employed
dens since 1656. It forms a dwarf bushy among fungals, to denote certain kinds of
shrub, with whitefiowers, and bears numer- perithecia, or receptacles.
ous small oblong obtuse pods, which are CAPUCHON. (Fr.) Arisarum vulgare.
very pungent, and in their green and ripe
state are used for pickling, as well as for CAPUCINE. (Fr.) Tropceolum.
making Chilli vinegar. This is done by CAPUT. The peridium of certain fun-
merely putting a handful of pods into a gals.
bottle, and afterwards filling it with best
—
, RADICIS. The crown of a root.
The very short stem, or rather bud, which
vinegar, which in several weeks will be fit terminates he roots of herbaceous plants.
for use. But the chief purpose for which
this species is cultivated is for making CAQUILLIER. (Fr.) Cakile.
Cayenne pepper, which is often prepared CARA BIN. (Fr.) Fagopyrum esculentum.
by' drying the pods on a hot plate, or in a
Blow oven, and then pounding them in a CARACRTCHU. A
Brazilian name for
mortar, and passing them through a hand- Solanum nigrum.
mill until the whole is reduced to the finest CARAGANA. (Fr.) Caragana arbores-
possible state. After this has been done, cens. —, ARGENTE'. Halimodendrou
the powder is to be sifted through a thin argenteum. —
DE LA CHINE. Caragana
,
muslin sieve, and preserved in well-corked Clunnhigu. , —
DE SIBE'RIE. Caragana
glass bottles for use.The common annual frutescens.
Capsicum, or Guinea Pepper (C. annuum),
was introduced into Europe by the Spa- CARAGANA. The Siberian Pea Tree.
niards. It was cultivated in England in Trees or shrubs belonging to the legumi- I
1548, and is sufficiently hardy to thrive in nous order, natives of Siberia and the East, !
summer against a south wall in the open with pinnate leaves of which the midrib
air,and mature its fruit. The colour, terminates in a bristle or spine instead of i
direction, and figure of the latter is very a leaflet, and axillary flowers, either solitary i
cara] %\)t &vzn£urv at SSotauu. 220
or crowded, but always single on thin cation curing the most inveterate cases in
stalks, of a pale yellow colour, with the twenty-four hours. [T. MJ
exception of one species, C. jubata, in which
they are white tinged with red. They are all CARAJTJRA. A red colouring matter
ornamental or curious. Some of them being obtained from Bignonia Chica.
natives of Siberia, vegetate like most other
Siberian plants, early in the spring, and
CARALLINE. (Pr.) Ranunculus gla-
cialis.
their delicate pinnate foliage, of a yellowish
green, independently altogether of their C ARALLUMA. A genus of Asclepiadacece,
flowers, makes a fine appearance about the containing a few species of fleshy leafless
middle of April, or, in mild seasons, as early herbaceous plants, natives of India and
as the middle of March. The flowers, which Arabia. The stems are sparingly branched,
are of a bright yellow, appear about the end erect and four-sided, with teeth at the
of April, in the earliest Siberian species, angles ;towards the summit the stem
and those which flower latest, are also latest becomes rounded, and from the teeth rise |
in coming into leaf. Thus in a group con- the peduncles bearing at their summits
one or more drooping flowers. The calyx
|
some other allied Algce when dried and mens are united into a tube, the apex of
bleached. Vast quantities are collected which is divided into eight or ten rounded
for sale and supply a useful article for teeth, bearing the anthers on the inside,
feeding cattle or making jelly for invalids. between the teeth and the ovary is four
;
Its unequivocal sea taste and odour are or five-celled, each cell containing four
against its being a perfect substitute for ovules in pairs. The fruit is large and con-
isinglass. Thei'e is no doubt, however, tains numerous oily seeds, and eventually
that in the sick chamber it is a far better splits into five pieces. C. guianensis is a
substitute than gelatine, as that has very large tree, sixty or eighty feet high, grow-
small, if any, nutritive qualities, a fact ing plentifully in the forests of Guiana
perhaps not sufficiently known. [M. J. B.] where it is called Carapa and Andiroba.
Its leaves are composed of from eight to
CARAIPA. A genus of Ternstromiacem, ten pairs of elliptical lance-shaped
distinguished among the group having the leathery shining leaflets and its fruit is
;
petals contorted, and the capsule septicid- nearly round, and about four inches in
ally dehiscent, by its leaves being alter- diameter. The bark of this tree possesses
nate, its stamens usually free, with the febrifugal properties, and is also used for
anthers glanduliferous at the apex, and tanning. Its timber, called Crab-wood, is
fixed near the base, and by its having two obtainable in sticks, fifty feet long by
or three pendulous ovules in each of the fifteen inches square, and is used in Dem-
three cells of its ovary. The species, about erara for making articles of furniture, for
eight in number, grow in Tropical America, shingles, and for the masts and spars of
and are trees bearing white sweet-scented vessels it is
: light, having a specific
flowers. The celebrated Balsam of Tama- gravity of 0"603, and takes a good polish.
coari is obtained from C. fasciculata, or a By pressure the seeds yield a liquid oil,
closely allied species. This substance, which called Carap oil or Crab oil, suitable for
is of the colour of old port wine, and the burning in lamps, and which the natives
consistency of olive oil, is, according to use for anointing their hair; but in this
Mr. Spruce (Journ. Lin. Soc. v. 63) of great country it hardens into a solid fat. C.
use in the cure of the itch, a single appli- guineensis is a native of Senegal, and
221 CI)e ULrCKgurt) nf 23ntanj). [CARD
scarcely differs from the last. Its seeds ripe, curl up with an elastic spring from
yield Tallicoonah or Coondi oil, which, the base upwards, thus scattering the
besides being used for the same purposes seed. The Cuckoo-flower or Lady's-smock
as Crab oil, is employed as a purgative and (C. pratensis) is a common and very pretty
anthelmintic. [A. S.J meadow plant, with large lilac flowers.
'
They come with the cuckoo,' says Sir J.
CARAPIXO DA CALCADA. A Brazilian E. Smith, whence one of their English as
name for some species of Triumfetta. well as Latin names {Flos Cuculi) ; and they
cover themeadows as with linen bleaching,
CARATOE. A West Indian name for which is supposed to be the origin of the
Agave americana. other. They are associated with pleasant
ideas of spring, and join with the white
CARAVELLA. An Indian name for the saxifrage, the cowslip, primrose and hare-
small black aromatic stimulant seeds of
I bell, to compose many a rustic nosegay.
Cleorae pentaphylla.
A double variety is sometimes found wild,
CARAVERU. A red pigment, so called which is remarkably proliferous, the leaf- |
by the Indians of Guiana, obtained from lets pi'oducingnew plants where they come j
CARCIXODES. A term applied to what places continues in flower all the summer.
is commonly called Canker in trees, which The leaves and flowers of this species also
may in general be characterised as a slow form an agreeable salad. This species, and
decay inducing deformity. The appear- it is said several others, produce young
ances are very different in different plants, plants from the leaves. All that is neces-
and the causes different. Tbe same plant, sary is to place them on a moist grassy or
as the apple, may even exhibit three or mossy surface. Two other British species
four different kinds of Canker. One form I are less common. The foreign kinds are
arises from the attack of the woolly aphis ; lessornamental as garden plants than the
a second from the developement of bundles double variety of C. pratensis. French,
of adventitious roots, whose tips decay i
Cresson ; German, Gaucliblume. [C. A. J .]
and harbour moisture, and contaminate
the subjacent tissues; a third exhibits I
CARDAMOM. The name applied to the
itself without any apparent cause in the
:
plant and the diseased action. [M. J. B] i at the margins of the corymb barren and
1
CARCITHIUM. The mycelium of certain the anthers heart-shaped, from which the
fungals. genus takes its name styles three capsule
; ;
for a group of large-growing aspidium-like of the involucre are pinnatifid and spinous,
ferns, now referred to Sagenia. [T. M.] the inner entire and pointed the florets
;
Mexico, with numerous stems, opposite tic juice, and resemble those of the white
crowded linear leaves, and small sessile chamseleon (Carlina gummifera), but differ
axillary greenish-white flowers, the calyx in their caustic properties. [A. A. B.]
of which is five-parted, surrounded by an CARDO SANTO. A
involucre of bracts, five of which are
Brazilian name for
Argemone mexicana.
larger than the other, serrulate, terminat-
ing in conical points the petals absent
; CARDUNCELLUS. A genus of the
the stamens five, two sterile, the anthers thistle group of the composite family,
subrotund ; the ovary one-celled with and closely related to the saffron thistle
a single ovule, and two revolute styles the ; (Carthamus tinctorus), but the achenes,
fruit an oblong-ovate utricle. [J. T. S.] instead of being naked, are crowned with
a pappus consisting of numerous bearded
CARDIOSPERMUM. A
genus of the hairs of unequal length united at the base
soap-wort family (Sapindacece), composed into a ring. The stamens also have a tuft
of a number of scandent or climbing of hair on the middle of the filament.
shrubs, or herbs having tendrils like the There are about nine known species dis-
vine. The leaves are twice ternate or very tributed over the Mediterranean region.
compound, and the leaflets vary much in Some are stemless herbs, with toothed or
form and theflowers.generally small.white
;
pinnatifid spiny-pointed leaves lying close
or green, and disposed in short axillary to the ground, and sitting in their midst
racemes, which are furnished below the is a large thistle-like flower-head, one to two
flowers with two tendrils. The fruit is a inches across, containing numerous tubu-
three-celled bladdery capsule, with few lar florets of a blue colour, surrounded by
round seeds. The name of the genus is an involucre of many scales, the outer roAV
derived from the Greek, and signifies heart of which are often leafy, and have spinous
seed, in allusion to the prominent white teeth. Others have elongated simple or
heart-shaped scars on the seed, which indi- branched stems, one to two feet high, each
cate its point of attachment. The common branch terminating in a flower head. Some
Heartseed (G. HaUcacabum), sometimes of the species are cultivated in botanic
called also Winter cherry, or Heart-pea, is a gardens. [A. A. B.]
widely distributed plant, found in all tro-
pical countries. Its leaves are twice ter- CARDUUS. A genus of compound or
nate, the leaflets lanceolate and coarseiycomposite flowers, distinguished among
toothed. In the Moluccas they are cooked the thistle-like plants by having the per-
and eaten as a vegetable, and on the Mala-fectly smooth fruit crowned by a stalkless
bar coast are used with castor-oil, and tuft of simple deciduous hair. C. nutans, a
taken internally for lumbago, &c. common English species, is distinguished
The
root is laxative, diuretic, and demulcent.by having the upper part of its stalk
almost bare of leaves, and by its large
It is mucilaginous, but has a slightly nau-
seous taste, and is used in rheumatism. solitary drooping rich purple -flowers,
There are upwards of a dozen species which have a strong odour, thought by
known, the greater portion of them nativessome to resemble that of the substance
of South America, but there is no tropicalfrom which it derives its name, Musk-
country in which some of the species are Thistle. This is sometimes called, but
not found. incorrectly, the
[A. A. B.] Scottish Thistle (see
Onopoedum).
CARD-LEAP TREE. A West Indian nus) is well marked The Holy Thistle (C. Maria-
by the white veins on
name for Clusia. its large shiny leaves, fabled to have been
CARDOST or CARDONETTE. (Fr.) Cyna- produced by a portion of the milk of the
ra Gardunculus. Virgin Mary having fallen on them. The
other British species are uninteresting
CARDOON. Cynara Cardunculus. weeds. Of the hundred species which the
CARDOPATIUM. A genus of peren- genus comprises, some are cultivated, and
nial thistle-like plants of the composite are considered ornamental plants. Care,
family, natives of the Mediterranean however, should be taken how they are
region, and also very common in Algeria. introduced into small gardens, many of
They vary in height from six inches the perennial species being exceedingly
to one and a half foot, The leaves difficult to eradicate when they have once
are pinnatifid with much cut and spin- taken possession of the soil, and all having
ous segments, and have considerableresem- great facilities of dissemination by means
blance to those of the common wayside of their downy seeds. The seeds of the
thistle (Carduus). The flower-heads are thistle tribe are the favourite food of many
small, and disposed in dense corymbs at of the hard-billed small birds, especially the
;
goldfinch.which derives its name {Carduelis differs from its allies in the quater-
elegans) from the plant. The common nary arrangement of parts of the flower.
statement that this bird lines its nest with The Black Plum of Illawarra (C. australis)
thistle-down is scarcely accurate; the is a slender tree, from twenty to forty feet
substance being, in most cases, the down in height, and ten to fourteen inches in
of colt's foot {Tv.ssilago), or the cotton from diameter, the wood of which is close-
the willow, both of which are procu- 1
calyx four-lobed; the petals, four; the acrid milky juice when wounded. Their
!
stamens very numerous, their filaments flowers are borne in racemes, proceeding
i
united by their base into a ring; they from the bases of the leaf-stalks, the
generally fall in one piece when the flower males and females being usually on dif-
withers, and have the appearance of a ferent trees. The males have a funnel-
1
painter's brush. The fruit is a berry, shaped corolla, into the throat of which
crowned with the remaining calyx-lobes, the ten stamens are inserted in two rows,
and in C. sphmrica is of the size and form one above the other and the females a
;
peninsula, where it attains a large size. Papaya, called the Papaw-tree. This is
j
The bark is ash-like, fibrous, and fit for now generally acknowledged to be a native
j
cordage. The wood of C. arborea is used of tropical South America, but it is com-
for various purposes, as making boxes, monly cultivated in most tropical coun-
i
hoops, &c. It is, however, not a valuable tries, and was at one time supposed to be
i
timber, as it is liable to split when exposed indigenous to the East Indies. It is a small
!
to the sun, and is not impervious to wet; tree, seldom exceeding twenty feet in
formerly it was employed for making the height, with a stem about a foot in dia-
i drums of the Sepoy corps, being flexible it ; meter, tapering gradually to about four or
\ takes a good polish, and the colour resem- five inches at the summit, and composed
bles that of mahogany. The bark is made of soft spongy wood, mostly hollow in the
into a rough cordage ; and prepared in a centre. The leaves are frequently as much
i
peculiar way, is said to be used in some as two feet in diameter, and deeply cut
;
parts of India as a slow match for firelocks. into seven Ijroad lobes terminating in
;
The fleshy calyx leaves are said to be used sharp points, and having their margins
I
for curing colds in Scind. The genus is irregularly waved or gashed their foot-
;
named in honour of Dr. W. Carey, an Indian stalks are about two feet long, and di-
botanist, who edited one of the editions verge almost horizontally from the stem.
! of Roxburgh's Flora Indica. [A. A. B.] The fruit, for which this tree is celebrated,
is of a dingy orange-yellow colour, gene-
CARGILLIA. A genus of the ebony rally of an oblong form, about ten inches
family (Ebenac-eae), peculiar to Eastern long by three or four broad, but sometimes
j
tropical Australia. The two known species shaped like a melon, with projecting an-
! are trees, with alternate leathery oblong j
gles ; it has a thick fleshy rind, like that of
obtuse entire leaves. The flowers are a gourd, and contains numerous small
a nd white, collected in dense clusters
i
indeed, that merely hanging the meat In plants of shorter duration, decay takes
amongst the leaves of the tree will produce place from various causes, sometimes from
the same effect; but in this case it is mere constitutional peculiarities, some-
probable that the result is rather attribut- times from a cessation of vital functions,
able to the high temperature, than to any sometimes again from atmospheric or
specific influence exerted by the tree. It other outward agents, and sometimes from
is also said that if old hogs or poultry be parasitic fungi. The rapidity with which
fed upon the fruits and leaves, their flesh the mischief spreads when once set up is
will not fail to be tender. The ripe fruit is exemplified by the potato murrain and the
seldom eaten raw, although, with the black spot of orchids a few days in either
;
addition of pepper and sugar, it is said to case being sometimes sufficient to induce
be agreeable. It is generally made into complete decomposition. The decay of fruit,
sauce, or preserved in sugar, in the West though not due, as is sometimes supposed,
Indies, and the unripe fruit is either to minute fungi, is certainly promoted by
pickled, or boiled and eaten like turnips. their presence, the mere contact of the tis-
Its juice is used by the ladies as a cosme- sues and parasite being sufficient to set up
tic, to remove freckles ; it is also a power- putrefactive action. [M. J. BJ
ful vermifuge. And, according to the CARILLON. (Fr.) Campanula Medium.
analysis of Vauquelin, it contains fibrine, a
substance at one time supposed to be CARIM-GOLA. An Indian name for the
confined to the animal kingdom, but now root of Monochoria vaginalis.
known to exist in several vegetables. The CARINA (adj. CARINATE). A keel. The
leaves are employed as a substitute for two anterior petals of a papilionaceous
soap. C. spinosa is a branching tree, about flower, the three anterior in a milkwort, or
twenty feet high, with a spiny stem and any such. Also the thin sharp back of
branches ; native of Guiana and Brazil, certain parts, as that of a glume of Phala-
where it is called Chamburu. Its leaves are ris, &c.
deeply cut into seven lobes, like those of C.
Papa ii a, but the lobes are quite entire. CARINATO-PLICATE. So plaited that
The juice of this tree is of an exceedingly each fold is like a keel, as in the peristome
acrid nature, causing blisters and itching of some urn-mosses.
CARIOPSIS. A one-celled one-seeded
superior fruit, whose pericarp is membra-
nous and united to the seed, as in wheat,
maize, and other kinds of corn.
CARLIXA. A genus of prickly herba- isagain cut. The Panama hats commonly
ceous plants distinguished among the worn in America, and now becoming
thistle-like group of compound flowers by common in this country, are manufactured
having the inner leaves of the calyx or from these leaves. Those of the best
involucre coloured, and of the texture quality are platted from a single leaf
usually called everlasting (scariose). The without any joinings, and, as the process
species, which closely resemble each other sometimes occupies two or three months,
in habit are natives of most parts of J
'
their price is very high, a single hat often
Europe, growing on dry commons and costing 150 dollars, and cigar-cases of the
sea cliffs. C. vulgaris, the only English same material 61. each. The leaves are cut
species, is a common weed about a foot whilst young, and the stiff parallel veins
high, on dry heaths and soil which has removed, after which they are slit into
been long undisturbed, less conspicuous shreds, but not separated at the stalk end,
from its dull purple disk than from the and immersed in boiling water for a short
radiating straw-coloured involucre, which time, and then bleached in the sun. [A. SJ
expands horizontally in dry weather, and
becomes erect during rain. This portion CARMEL. The Arab name for
of the flower is very durable, retaining its lum simplex.
form long after the spiny leaves" have been CARMICHAELIA. A genus of New
reduced to a skeleton. It preserves its Zealand shrubs belonging to the pea-
hygrometric properties for a long period, flowered group of the leguminous family.
and is sometimes gathered and suspended The branches are sometimes round, but
in the house to serve as a natural weather-
more commonly flattened and tape-like.
gage. Olivier de Sevres says that this plant
received its name after the famous
The plants when in a seedling condition
are furnished with unequally-pinnate
Charlemagne, whose army was cured of
leaves, but after they are afew weeks old
the plague by using it medicinally.
no more leaves are produced. The flowers
LiunaBus ascribes the name to the Em-
are small, very numerous, pink or lilac in
peror Charles V., whose army was relieved
colour, and disposed in short racemes.
in Barbary from the same disease by a
The pods are roundish, slightly turgid,
similar remedy. Several of the species,
about half an inch long, and contain two
especially C. gummifera, contain an acrid
or four seeds. They are remarkable in the
resin in which the medicinal virtue of the
family because of their having a thin
plant is supposed to reside. The tender
partition (replum) between the valves of
roots of some species are said to be
the pod, which remains after the valves
eatable, and of others the flowers furnish
French,
have fallen to this partition the seeds are
:
a substitute for artichokes. attached. The genus is named in honour
Carline ; German, Eberwurz. [C. A. JJ
of Captain Carmichael, who published an
CARLINE THISTLE. The common account of the plants of the island Tristan
name for Carlina. d'Acunha. [A. A. B.]
CARLUDOVICA. A small genus of CARNATION. A garden variety of
screw-pines (Pandanacew) confined to Dianthus Caryophyllus. —, SPANISH.
tropical South America. Some of them Poinciana pztlcherrima.
have long climbing stems, sending out
aerial roots which fasten upon the trunks CARNATION TREE. A garden name
of trees, orhang down like ropes, whilst for Kleinia neriifolia.
others have no stems, and form dense
thickets. They have large stiff plaited CARNAUBA. A Brazilian palm, Coryplia
leaves, deeply cut into from two to five ccrifera, the leaves of which yield a wax,
divisions. Their flowers are of separate which is used for making candles.
sexes, and disposed in squares arranged
CARNETTS. Flesh: colour ; the pale red
very close together in a spiral manner, of roses.
and forming cylindrical which,
spikes,
while young, are enclosed within four CARNILLET. (Fr.) Silene inflata.
leafy bracts fspathes). Each square consists
CARO. The fleshy part of fruit. The
of a female flower surrounded by four flesh or tissue of which fungals consist.
males, giving the spikes a tessellated,
appearance. The males have a calyx cut CAROB TREE. The Algaroba Bean,
into numerous lobes, and an indefinite Ceratonia Siliqua.
number of stamens and the females a
;
CAROLINEA. The designation given
calyx of four sepals, four barren ^tamens,
to a genus of Bombacece by the younger
and a square-sided ovary surmounted by a Linnaeus in honour of the Princess Sophia
cross-like stigma, eventually producing a
Caroline of Baden, a name which he says
i
oblong anthers affixed by the base; the CARRAGEEN. Chonclrus crispus ; also
style is thick furrowed, triangular, more written Carageen, under which name its
slender upwards, terminated by a trifld properties are noticed.
recurved fimbriated stigma, [T. MJ
CARRIA. The name sometimes given
CAE.POMANTA. This affection, some- to a beautiful Ceylon tree, of the tea family
times called Phytolithes, is scarcely a {Ternstrijmiacece). It attains a height of
disease, for the grittiness of pears, medlars, forty to fifty feet, and has entire sessile
quinces, dc. which the term has in view, leaves, which are smooth, of a leathery
is a condition which always exists, and the texture, and elliptical in form they vary
;
efforts of the gardener to reduce it as much from three to four inches in length, and
as possible, are rather efforts to create a one to two and a half in breadth. The fine
disease than to cure one. Grittiness de- large blood-coloured flowers proceed from
pends upon the deposit of layer after layer the axils of the upper leaves, and are a
of new matter within certain cells, till good deal like those of some single-flow-
they become hard like stone. Cultivation ered camellias. The plant is now generally
has a tendency to make the fruit more known as Gordonia speciosa. [A. A. BJ
juicy, butseldom if ever wholly prevents
the formation of these stony cells. In the CARRION-FLOWER. A common gar-
warm climate of Italy quinces are often so den name for Stapelia. Also an American
full of themas to become uneatable. A name for Smilax herbacea.
variety is said to exist in Chili completely CARROT. Daucus Carota, the garden
free from grittiness, but this requires con- form of which furnishes the well-known
firmation. [M. J. B.] esculent root. — CANDY
, or CRETAN.
CARPOMORPHA. Athamanta cretensis. — , DEADLY. A
Those parts in cryp-
togamic plants which resemble true fruits
common name for Thapsia. — , NATIVE.
without being such receive this name. The
A name given in Tasmania to the tubers
of Geranium parviflorum.
spores of lichens.
CARROT TREE. Monizia edulis.
CARPOPHORUM. The stalk of the
pistil above or beyond the stamens. CARTHAGINIAN APPLE. Punica
Granatum.
r
i :
leafy bracts (involucre) in numerous rows,
|
fruit is set than the tree is equal to nourish, the outermost row being broad and spread-
and the failure of the crop is in consequence ing out flat, with their edges spiny, the
i
either total or partiaL If again the supply middle ones more upright, of an ovalform,
of nourishment is too great, from want of and surmounted by an egg-shaped appen-
I
root-pruning or from any other cause, the I
dage with spiny edges, and the innermost
!
demands of the young shoots are often much narrower, quite upright, with their
such that the sap is diverted from the edges entire, but terminated by a sharp
fruit, which consequently perishes. In spiny point. Each flower is perfect, and
Italy the rice crops are often somewhat has an orange or yellow corolla longer than
similarly affected. In this case, however, ;
the involucre, their lower part being
the grain acquires a certain degree of ma- ]
imbedded in a dense mass of fringed
turity, though not its perfect condition, scales and hairs, but the chief characte-
and is so slightly attached to the mother- i
ristic consists in the absence of the
plant that the slightest breeze shakes it off. bristles, technically termed pappus. The
It is not a mere case of over-ripeness, Safflower plant, or Bastard Saffron (C.
which, as in our own corn crops, may be tinctorius), the Koosumbha of India and
avoided by early reaping. [M. J. B.] Hoang-tchi of China, is extensively culti-
vated in India, China, and other parts of
CARPOST05IIIDI. The opening into Asia, also in Egypt and Southern Europe;
the spore-case of algals. but its native country is unknown. It
CARRADORIA. A genus of Globulariacem grows about two or three feet high, with
containing a single species, a native of the a stiff upright whitisn stem, branching
Italian mountains. It is a glabrous herba- near the top ;and has oval, spiny, sharp-
ceous plant, with small scattered leaves. pointed leaves, scattered upon, and their
The flowers grow in a terminal head the bases half-clasping, the stem.
; Its fruits
calyx is subequal the upper lip of the are about the size of barleycorns, somewhat
;
corolla is simple and linear, and shorter four-sided, white and shining, like little
than the lower lip there is no nectary
; shells. Under thename of Safflower, 11,934
the stigma is simple and the scales and cwts. of the flowers of this plant, made up
paleas of the involucre are persistent. In into flat circular cakes about the size of
other respects it resembles GWmlaria, half-crowns, were imported to this country,
from which it has been but recently separ- principally from India, and valued at
ated. [W.C.] 105,C73L Safflower contains two colouring
matters, yellow and red, the latter being produced in threes from a single stalk,
that for which it is most valued. It is each flower having a three-parted calyx,
chiefly used for dyeing silk, affording and not more than six stamens and
;
various shades of pink, rose, crimson and by the female flowers being destitute of a
scarlet. Mixed with finely-powdered talc corolla, and having their f our-lobed stigmas
it forms the well-known substance called sessile upon the ovary. The husk of the
rouge. Another common use of saffiower fruit, also, splits into four equal-sized
is for adulterating saffron, a more expen- pieces, instead of irregularly as in Juglans.
sive dye stuff. The seeds yield an oil much There are about a dozen species, all of
used in India for burning and for culinary thein natives of North America, forming
purposes. [A. S.] large forest trees. Their timber is coarse-
grained, of great strength and toughness,
CARTILAGINOUS. Hard and tough, and very heavy but as it does not bear
;
like the skin of an apple-seed, or a piece of exposure to the weather, and is extremely
parchment. liable to the attacks of insects, it is
CARTONEMA. The generic name of i
not suitable for building or similar pur-
one of the spiderworts, characterised by poses. It is, however, much used where
having the filaments of the stamens toughness and elasticity are requh-ed, such
without any hairs, but somewhat rough ;
as for barrel-hoops, press-screws, axe-
the style or appendage on the seed-vessel handles, handspikes, &c, and common des-
thread-like, and bearded at the end. The criptions of furniture are also made of
name is from the Greek, and indicates the it. The nuts of some species are eatable,
bare or shorn stamens. The only known and resemble but do not equal our walnuts.
species is C. spicatum, a native of New I
The Shell-bark, Scaly-bark, or Shag-bark
Holland, a plant covered with scattered |
Hickory, C. alba, is so called in consequence
hairs, the stem slightly branched, the of its rough shaggy bark peeling off in
leaves long and narrow, the flowers blue, long narrow strips. It is common through-
arranged in spikes. [G. D.] out the Alleghany mountains from Carolina
to New Hampshire, forming a tree eighty
CARUM. A genus of Apiacece or or ninety feet in height, with a trunk about
UmbellifercB, of some importance as pro- two feet in diameter. Its leaves are about
ducing the Caraway fruits, or seeds as they twenty inches long, and are composed of
are improperly termed. The plants have five or seven oblong sharp-pointed leaflets,
finely cut leaves, and compound umbels, which are hairy beneath, and have sharply
which in the true Caraway have but few saw-toothed edges. The fruit is nearly
bracts surrounding them, or sometimes round, and has an excessively thick rind,
none at all petals broad, with a point bent
;
enclosing a small white hard-shelled nut,
inwards fruit oval, curved, with five ribs,
; slightly flattened upon two sides, and
and one or more channels for volatile oil marked by four elevated angular ridges.
under each furrow. The Caraway, C. These nuts stand second in point of flavour
Carui, is cultivated in Essex and else- among the hickories, and small quantities
where, and may occasionally be found in a of them are sometimes sent to this
half wild condition. The fruits are used country. The Bitter-nut or Swamp Hickory,
for flavouring as they contain an aromatic C. amara, produces small and somewhat
volatile oil. [M. T. M.] egg-shaped fruits, having a thin fleshy
rind, which never becomes hard and woody
CARUNCULA (adj. CARTJNCFLATE, like that of the others the nut is nearly-
CARUNCULAR). A wart or protuberance ;
It is called Pekea by the natives, and its I mere weeds. The clove pink, Bianthus
caby] Wfyz Crcatiurg nf 33flta«|?. 230
Caryophyllus, is the origin of all the culti- sionally used in toothache with the effect
vated varieties of carnations, as picotees, of lulling the pain, and as a carminative in
bizarres, and flakes. The common duckweed medicine. [M. T. MJ
(Stellaria media), and spurrey {Spergula ar-
vensis) used as .fodder for sheep, are other CARYOTA. A genus of very elegant lofty
examples. There are about sixty genera palms (Palmacece) with graceful twice-
and 1,100 species. Illustrative genera: pinnate leaves, the leaflets of which differ
Dianthus, Saponaria, Silene, Lychnis, Al- very much from those of other plants of
sine, Armaria, Stellaria, Cerastium, Mol- this order. In general the leaflets of pinnate-
lugo. [J. H. B.] leaved palms are long, narrow, and tapering
upwards to a point but those of Caryota,
;
cultivation to the island of Amboyna, and countries with several important articles.
even there extirpating all but a limited From its flower-spikes a large quantity of
number of the trees but they are now
: the juice called toddy, or palm wine, is
extensively grown in the West Indies and obtained, and this, when boiled, yields very
elsewhere. All parts of the plant are aro- good jaggery or palm sugar, and also ex-
matic, from the presence of a volatile oil, cellent sugar-candy. The whole of the
but especially the flower-buds, hence its sugar used in Ceylon is obtained from the
use for culinary purposes. The oil is occa- present and two other palms (Cocos nucifera
;
and Borassus flabcUiformis), and a particu- 1 render Cinchona so valuable. The shrubs
lar caste of natives are called jaggeraros, are natives of Peru and Brazil. See also
on account of their being solely employed Ceotox. [M.T.M.]
in the preparation of this article. Another
valuable substance supplied by this tree is CASE ARIA. A large genus of Samydacece,
the species of which are found more or
lessabundant in all tropical countries, but
§a, principally in South America. They are
^- small trees or shrubs, with alternate entire
or serrated leaves, which in the greater
number of the species are furnished with
a mixture of round or linear pellucid dots',
which can be seen with the aid of a lens,
by holding the leaf between the eye and
a good light, and serve to distinguish
the plants of this genus from those of any
other family with which they are likely to
be confounded. The flowers are small,
white, green, or rose-coloured, generally
arranged in little umbels or corymbs, but
sometimes sessile. The calyx is of four
or five divisions the petals wanting the
; ;
any of those chemical ingredients which five distinct stamens, whose filaments are
; ;
dilated at the base. The fruit is of the thers, which open longitudinally and the
;
size of a large apple. C. edulis is a tree, ovary is two-celled, with a single ovule in
native of, and cultivated in, Mexico. Its each cell, the style equalling in length the
fruit, when eaten, has an agreeable taste, shorter stamens. The drupe has two
but induces sleep, and is unwholesome. stones, and is covered by the persistent
The seeds are poisonous. The bark of the calyx. This genus is separated from Ta-
tree is bitter, and it, as well as the leaves, monea by the fruit, which in the latter has
and also the seeds, when burnt and re- a single four-celled stone. [W. C]
duced to powder, are used medicinally in
Mexico. {Seeman.) [M. T. M.] CASSIA. This genus is of much impor-
tance in a medical point of view, from
CASP ART A. A genus of begoniads, con- its producing the well-known drug called
sisting of scandent (climbing) plants grow- senna. It is a member of the leguminous
ing in Peru. The staminate flowers have family (Fabaccce) and is known by its five
;
bearing a long recurved awn behind. The veterate ulcers, for which it is prepared by
ovoid capsule has four to five cells and as mixing the powdered plant with ginger
many valves, with a four to five-lobed and butter. The juice mixed with sugar
placenta pendulous from the summit of is considered a specific in inflamed eyes.
the columella, and contains many smooth The species are found, more or less, in
wingless seeds. [W. C.j all tropical countries. [A. A. B.]
contact, emit root-like tubercles, by which barn near the city, framed entirely of this
they derive their future nourishment from timber and certainly the trees grew not
;
the plant to which they are fixed, the roots far off, probably in some woods near the
in the soil dying away. The flowers are town, for in that description of London
small and white, disposed in short spikes written by Fitz-Stephen, in the reign of
which arise from the axils of small scales. Henry II., he speaks of a very noble and
j
The calyx is six-parted. The stamens are large forest, which grew in the bcreal part
petal-like,twelve in number, arranged in of it,' &c. Other writers, equally deserv-
four rows the two external rows perfect,
; ing of credit, make mention of Chestnut
the anthers opening inwards with two timber being found in old buildings; and,
recurved lids, the next row smaller and among them, Hasted went so far as to
having a pair of glands at the base of each broach a theory that a traffic was anciently
stamen, the anthers opening outwards, carried on between Normandy and Eng-
while the fourth row is scale-like and land, the latter supplying Chestnut timber
abortive. The fruit is about the size of a in exchange for stone.
pea, enclosed in a berried calyx, and That this wood should be found in ancient
contains one seed. The plants of this buildings in very large quantities would
genus are much like dodders in appearance, carry great weight; but it has recently
and are often called Dodder-laurels. They been discovered that the timber supposed
only differ from true laurels in the absence to be Chestnut is in reality a kind of Oak
of leaves and the berried calyx. Some of [Quercus sessiliflorcO or Denmark Oak, dif-
the Australian species are called Scrub- fering from common oak timber in those
vines they groAv so thickly in some places
; very characters which had been fixed on
as to be almost impenetrable. The white as distinctive of Chestnut. Besides this,
j
drupes of C. cuseutiformis, a X. Australian Chestnut timber of large dimensions is
j
species, are eatable. C.flUformis, a common neither in Great Britain nor the South
Indian species, is said to be reduced to a of Europe found to possess the qualities,
powder, mixed with sesamum oil, and used strength and durability, which were sup-
I
! as a head-wash for strengthening the hair; posed to have recommended it to the notice
! it is also used by the Brahmins of S. India of ancient builders. Evelyn's quotation
|
for seasoning their butter-milk; and in from Fitz-Stephen is a very unhappy one,
medicine as a remedy for cleansing in and the citation of the same passage from
235 WAyt 2Trca£urp of 25ntanp. [cast
!
guments founded on the facts that trees expose the ripe nuts. Each case contains
from two to five nuts, two or more of
I
|
are individually mentioned as being in i
i
existence at periods more or less remote, ] which are often mere empty rinds; but
and that there are in England several j
all, whether solid or otherwise, have the
places which have long borne a name taken remains of the flower, in the shape of a few
from these trees, e.g. Chesteney, Cheshunt, I
dry bristles, on their points. The Chestnut
Cheston, Shesterhunte, Chasteners, &c, tree retains its leaves until late in the
and consequently that the trees must have ! autumn, when they become of a rich
grown there in considerable abundance golden hue. Owing to the tufted, and
—
I
wards as common a hedge tree as the elm, by insects. The timber of young trees is
we cannot deny that there was abundance applied to many useful purposes, but when
of time between the Roman period and the matured is of little value, being brittle
earliest notice of Chestnut trees in our and apt to crack and fly into splinters. In
histories, for those trees to have propa- the hop countries the growth of chestnut
gated themselves to any extent. On the coppice is much encouraged, poles from
whole, then, rather than set aside the this tree and the oak being preferred to
positive statement of ancient authors that all others. French, Cliataigner German,
;
that this tree, though long naturalized in case, the fruit may have been thence im-
England, is not an aboriginal native, but ported into Italy, although the tree, in a
was introduced by the Romans at a very wild state, may have previously existed
early period, and in process of time propa- |
there. Professor Targioni observes that
gated itself so widely as to have raised a not only have the extensive woods in the
doubt whether it was not a really native Apian Alps, and other parts of the Apen-
tree. nines, every appearance of being really j
Its history may be briefly told as fol- indigenous, but further evidence that
lows :— It was firstintroduced into Europe woods of this tree existed in Tuscany from
from Sardis in Asia Minor, whence it was very remote times may be found in the [
called Castanea from Castanuni, a town of ripens in warm seasons or favourable lo-
Magnesia in Thessaly, where it grew in calities, this seems very unlikely. It was
great abundance, and from which it is said probably introduced into this country by
j
i
i
nuts having, perhaps, been carried to chose nut of Tortworth,' from which it may
lofty situations by the animals which Jay reasonably be presumed to have existed
up stores of winter food. It is still more ! before the Conquest. It bore fruit abun-
: ;
dantly in 1788. In 1820 its measurement, they have a two-lipped, short-tubed calyx,
five feet from the ground, was fifty-two the upper lip having two, and the lower
feet in circumference, so that the diameter, one three, divisions, and ten free stamens.
twelve feet, is equal to the width of a The fruit is a pendulous cylindrical pod, of
moderate-sized room. But these dimen- a bright brown colour, six or eight inches
sions are small compared with the great long, and tapering to both ends it gener-
:
Chestnut tree on Mount. Etna, which ally contains four seeds, which are rather
measured 204 feet in circumference. When larger than chestnuts, and of a roundish
visited by M. Houel it was undergoing shape, but flattened on one side. The con
treatment by no means favourable to its tment of Australia is remarkable for the
prolonged existence. A house was formed paucity and inferior quality of its indige-
in the interior, in which some country nous fruits or other esculents, the so-
people were living and they had an oven,
; called apples and pears of the colonists
in which, according to the custom of the being hard, woody, uneatable productions
country, they dried chestnuts, filberts, and and the seeds of this tree, called Moreton
other fruits which they wished to preserve Bay Chestnuts, are no exception to the
for winter use, using for fuel, when they rule, for, although they have been extolled,
could find no other, pieces cut with a and placed upon an equality with our
liatchet from the interior of the tree. chestnuts, they are in reality not much
It has been said that the timber in the superior to acorns, and have an astringent
roof of Westminster Abbey is Spanish taste they are improved by roasting, and
:
two-lobed. The corolla-tube is included in on the same plant, and are collected in
the calyx the upper lip is long and nar-
; dense heads they have no calyx, but a
;
row, arched, keeled and flattened laterally, one-celled ovary with one ascending ovule,
and incloses the stamens the lower lip is
; and two styles this ripens into a cone of
:
short and three-lobed. There are four sta- woody bracts enclosing the seed-vessels,
mens with oblong-linear unequal anther which are winged the seeds are coated
;
cells, the outer attached by the middle, densely with spiral vessels.
the inner pendulous. The pod contains These singular plants are met with most
numerous seeds. [W. C] abundantly in tropical Australia, less
frequently in the Indian Islands, New
CASTILLIER. (Fr.) Ribes rubrwm. Caledonia, &c. In Australia they are said
CASTILLOA. A Mexican tree belonging by Dr. Bennett to be called Oaks. Their
sombre appearance causesthem tobeplant-
to the Artocarpacece, and having male and
ed in cemeteries, where ' their branches
female flowers alternating one with the
give out a mournful sighing sound, as the
other, on the same branch. The male
breeze passes over them, waving at the
flowers have several stamens, inserted into
same time their gloomy hearse-like plumes.'
a hemispherical perianth, consisting of
several united scales. The female flowers
The wood is used for fires, as it burns
readily, and the ashes retain the heat for
consist of numerous ovaries in a similar
a long time. It is much valued for steam-
cup. The tree contains a milky juice, engines, ovens, &c. The timber that is
yielding caoutchouc. [M. T. M.]
furnished by these trees is valuable for its
CASTOR-OIL PLANT. Ricinus com- extreme hardness. From its red colour, it
munis. is called in the colonies Beef -wood. The
wood of C. suberosa is made use of for
CASTRATTTS. When an important part shingles to cover houses, and for other
is missing, as in the case of filaments purposes where lightness, toughness, and
which have no anthers. durability are required. For further
particulars of the Australian species, see
CASUARINACE^E. A
group of about a
Bennett's Gatherings of, a Naturalist in
score of species of jointed leafless trees or
Australia.
shrubs, which, in their striated internodes
C. muricata is a native of Southern
and toothed-ribbed sheaths, have some India, where it is valued for its showy
resemblance to Equisetums, whilst in wood, whose weight, however, forms an
other respects they are allied in some
objection to its use. The bark furnishes a
measure to Ephedra and the Coniferce, under brown dye. The young branches of some
which they were formerly classed, and of the species have a grateful acid flavour,
still more with Hyricacem and other amen-
taceous groups, near to which they are
much relished by cattle. C. equisetifolia
is found in the South Sea Islands, the
now placed as a small distinct family.
Indian Archipelago, and India. Its bark
Their flowers are unisexual, the males in
is astringent, and was formerly used by
distinct whorls forming a cylindrical spike
the South Sea Islanders to dye their cloth.
each stamen is enclosed in four scale-like The ashes of the tree yield a quantity of
leaflets, the two outer ones considered as
alkali, which is now used in the manufac-
bracts, persistent at the base of the stamen,
ture of a coarse soap. The wood furnished
while the two inner ones or sepals, firmly
by it is called iron-wood, from its colour,
cohering at the tips, are carried upwards
hardness, and durability. The natives
by the anthers as the filament is produced. avail themselves of these properties to
The female flowers are in dense axillary make clubs, &c, of it. In Australia this
heads without any perianth. The ovaries, species is called the Swamp Oak, though all
sessile within the bracts of the head, are
the species thrive best in damp localities.
one-celled, with a single ascending ovule,
Dr. Berthold Seemann mentions in a letter
and bear two styles united at the base the ;
to the Athenceum, that the Fiji Islanders,
winged nuts are collected in a cone hidden or rather those among them that are
under the thickened bracts. The Casua- cannibals, eat human flesh with forks made
rinas are natives of Australia, of New
of the hard wood of a Casuarina, while
Caledonia, or of the Indian Archipelago.
they eat every other kind of food with
They are too tender for this climate, but their fingers. ' Every one of these forks is
one species is occasionally planted in known by its particular often obscene
Southern Europe for its elegant drooping name, and they are handed down as heir-
habit.
looms from generation to generation.' So
CASUARINA. A
group of curious trees highly are they valued that it was difficult
constituting of themselves a distinct to obtain one. Several species of Casua-
family, Casuarinacece. They have very rina are grown in greenhouses for the sake
much the appearance of gigantic horse of their singular appearance. [M. T. MJ
tails (Equisetace(B\ being trees with thread-
like jointed furrowed pendent branches,
CASSUMUNAR. The roots of Zingiber
I
i
without leaves, but with small toothed Cassumunar.
sheaths at the joints. The male flowers CAT. (Fr.) Celastrus edulis.
are in spikes with two bracts, and two
J
sepals, which adhere at their points and CATABROSA. A genus of grasses be-
j
are carried up like a hood by the anther of longing to the tribe Festucece. The genus
the single stamen. The female flowers are scarcely differs from Glyceria, except in
;
the circumstance that there are only two species which were included in this genus
florets in each spikelet. The British spe- are described by Steudel under Festuca, in
cies, 0. aquatica, is a handsome grass, hut the Synopsis Graminearum.
not of much agricultural importance. It
is not uncommon in shallow ditches and the
CATAPUCE. (Fr.) Euphorbia Latliyris.
furrows of wet fields. [D. M.]
CATASETUM. A numerous genus of
CATACLESIUM. A one-celled, one- fleshy-stemmed terrestrial orchids from the
seeded fruit, inclosed within a hardened tropical parts of the New "World, where
calyx, as in Mirabilis. they form masses of considerable extent
on decayed leaves, twigs, or other frag-
CATALEPTIQUE. (Fr.) Physostegia. ments of vegetation. The leaves are
CATALPA. A genus of Bignoniacece plaited and membranous. The flowers,
containing four or five species of trees, always more or less green, spring in erect
natives of the West Indies, North America, or drooping racemes from the base of great
Japan, and China. They have large simple oblong fleshy stems, marked by circular
petiolate and opposite or terno-verticillatt; scars, showing the places whence leaves
leaves, and' flowers in terminal panicles. have dropped away. The sepals and petals
The calyx is deeply two-lipped the corolla
; are of a firm leathery texture, sometimes
is hell-shaped, with a swollen tuhe and an converging into the form of a hood, some-
undulate five-lohed spreading limb, irregu- times spreading backwards. The lip is a
lar, and two-lipped. There are two or fleshy body, not at all jointed with the co-
sometimes four fertile stamens, the one to lumn sometimes it assumes the form of a
;
three others being sterile and rudimentary casque, in other cases it is flat, lobed, and
the anthers consist of two vertically di- broken up into fleshy fringes the first be-
:
verging cells. The ovary is free, bearing a ing characteristic of the original Catasetum,
long slender style with a two-lipped the second of what has been called Myan-
stigma. The capsule is very long and thus. The column is an erect fleshy body,
slender, nearly cylindrical and two-celled, terminating in a horn, and bearing about
with the partition contrary to the valves. its middle a pair of long deflected feelers
The seeds are numerous, broadly winged or tendrils, except in a few instances,
on each side, the wings being cut at their when the species without feelers have been
extremities into a fringe. On account of called Monachanthus. In all cases the two
the beautiful and showy panicles of this fleshy pollen masses are ejected with con-
genus, the species are cultivated in the siderable force by the sudden contraction
various countries where they are found, as of a glutinous gland, by which they adhere
ornamental trees. They have been intro- to surrounding objects. Among the most
duced into Europe they thrive in Prance
;
singular circumstances connected with
and Germany, and when planted in pro- this genus is the manner in which, upon
tected situations do well in the south of the same spike, flowers of extremely
England, though they are very liable to be
cut off by frosts or north-east winds. They
grow rapidly. The wood is remarkably
lisht of a grayish-white colour, and fine in
texture, capable of receiving a brilliant
polish, and when properly seasoned is very
durable. The bark is said to be tonic,
stimulant, and antiseptic; and the honey
from its flowers poisonous. [W. C]
CATANANCHE. A genus belonging to
the chicoraceous tribe of compound flowers
distinguished by its scariose involucre and
the awned chaffy scales which crown its
fruit. C. ccerulea is a perennial herbaceous
plant with slender stalks, long narrow
leaves which are somewhat toothed at the
base, and larjre heads of sky-blue flowers
the scaly involucre of which is silvery-whi te
tipped with rCddish-brown. It is a native
of the south of Europe, and as a border
Catasetum Naso (flower)
plant flourishes best in a light dry soil in a
sheltered situation. Varieties are also
cultivated with white or double flowers. different structure are produced. This was
C. lutea is an annual species with yellow first noticed in Demerara by Sir R. Schom-
flowers, a native of Candia. French, burgk, who published in the Linn. Soc.
Cupklone German, Basselblume. [C. A. J.]
;
Transactions (xvii. 551) an account of the
production o£ the three supposed genera,
CATAPETALOUS. Having the petals Monachanthus, Myanthus, and Catasetum,
slightly united by their inner edge near upon the same spike and he expressed
the base, as in the mallow. A form of
;
similar specimen made its appearance in interesting species of the genus, its leaves
tlie garden of his Grace the Duke of being used by the Arabs in the preparation
Devonshire at Chatsworth. Mr. Darwin of a beverage possessing properties analo-
confirms that opinion. It has been well gous to those of tea or coffee. It is a shrub
observed that 'such cases shake to the without spines, growing about ten feet in
foundation all our ideas of the stability of height, and is cultivated by the Arabs in
.
genera and species, and prepare the mind the same ground as coffee. Its leaves are
for more startling discoveries than conld opposite on some branches, and alternate
'
have been otherwise anticipated.' For, on others, smooth, and about two inches
according to the principles employed in or more in length by an inch in width, of
botanical classification, no one could have an elliptical form, and having their margins
doubted the distinctions between Monar cut into blunt saw-like teeth. The flowers
chanthus, Myantleus, and Catasetum being are very small and white. Under the
real, until the appearance of all their name of Kit or Cafta, the leaves of this
forms upon the same plant effectually shrub, or, rather, twigs of it with the
dispelled the illusion. ^
leaves attached, form a considerable article
of commerce amongst the Arabs, large
CATATA. A Brazilian name for a quantities of them being annually brought
pungent species of Polygonum. to Aden from the interior of Arabia, where
CATBRIER. An American name for the plant is cultivated. For the purposes
Smilcix. of commerce they are made up into neat
closely-pressed bundles of different sizes,
CAT-CHOP. Mesembryanthemum felinum. according to quality, the best kind being
CATCHFLY. The common name for in bundles a foot or fifteen inches long by
Silene. three inches wide, and consisting of about
forty slender twigs, tied together with
CATCH"WEED. The Cleavers, Galium strips of fibrous bark each bundle selling
;
CATKIN. A
deciduous spike, consisting parcels. The fruit not known. [A. A. B.]
of unisexual apetalous flowers. An amen-
tum. CAT'S-CLAW, Doliclws filiformis. Also
Inga unguis-Cati.
CATMINT. The common name for Ne-
peta ; especially applied to N. Cataria. — CAT'S-EAR. The common name for Hy-
MALABAR. Anisomeles malabarica. pochceris, especially H. radicata; applied
also to Gnaphalium dioicum.
CATNEP, or CATNIP. Nepeta Cataria.
CAT'S-MILK. Euphorbia helioscopia.
CATOBLASTUS. Two species of palms,
formerly included in the genus Iriartea, CAT'S-TAIL. The common name for
have recently been separated under this Typha. — , GRASS. The common name
name. They are both natives of New for Phleum.
Grenada, where they grow together in
masses, having trunks from thirty to fifty
CATSUP or KETCHUP. A sauce pre-
pared from mushrooms, walnuts, and other
feet high, distantly marked with circular
vegetable productions.
scars, supported a short distance above the
level of the ground upon a tuft of aerial CATTEMUNDOO. A gum-elastic yielded
roots, and bearing a crown of pinnate by Euphorbia antiquorum. Sometimes
leaves. They differ from Iriartea in the called Callemundoo.
male and female flowers being borne on CATTERIDGE TREE. Comus sanguinea.
separate spikes, the males having a small
rudimentary ovary in addition to the nine CAT-THYME. Teucrium Marum.
to fifteen stamens, whilst the females have
scarcely any rudimentary stamens. The
CATTLE YA. An extensive genus of
orchids inhabiting Central America and
seed, also, has markings like a nutmeg
Brazil, where they are found on the bark
(ruminate), and its embryo is placed up-
of trees, and. on rocks. The species all
right at the base. [A. S.]
form pseudo-bulbs bearing one, or at the
CATOCOMA. A genus of scandent or most two, fleshy leaves, from, the axil of
climbing shrubs, natives of the tropical which rise two or more flowers for the most
parts of S. America, and belonging to the part rose-coloured, but occasionally yellow,
milkwort family. The leaves are alternate, or some tint of that colour. These flowers
entire, ovate or oblong, and leathery in :
are often among the largest in the orchi-
texture. The flowers are numerous, dis- i daceous order, some being as much as
posed in terminal panicles, yellow or |
seven inches across from tip to tip of the
greenish white, often with a purple spot petals. The finest of all these grand
on the keel the calyx five-leaved, the
; species is C. Warscewiczii from the Ama-
three exterior leaves small the petals five,
; zons, whose flowers grow seven together
one of them large keeled and three-lobed, on a raceme eighteen inches long. Next
the two lateral ones small and scale-like, to it stand C. Mossice, labiata, crispa, and
the other two oblong ; the stamens eight Skinneri. The species called C. Schilleriana
;
j
with rough interstices. All the species are Caulinia. [J. T. S.]
herbaceous, natives of Europe and the
l
are large and rose-coloured. The foreign CAULOCARPOUS. A stem which lives
species are equally unattractive. French, many years, repeatedly bearing flowers
Caucalide German, Haftdolde. [C. A. J.]
:
and fruit ; as a shrub or tree.
CAUDA (adj. CAUDATUS). Any long
CAULOMA. The stem of a palm-tree.
soft narrow terminal appendage, as that
The stem-like portion of the thallus of
of the corolline lobes of StropJianthus, or the
such algals as some Fuci.
lateral sepals of Cypripedium caudatum.
CAUDEX. The axis of a plant, consist- CAULON. In Greek compounds = stem.
ing of stem and root. —
RE PENS. A creep- CAULOPHYLLUM. A perennial herba-
ing stem what is now called a rhizome.
; ceous plant with tuberous roots, belonging
— DESCENDERS. The root. to the order Berberidece, remarkable for
CAUDICULA. bearing only oneleaf on each stem, directly
The cartilaginous strap
which connects certain kinds of pollen under the cluster of flowers, and termina-
ting the stem, which, consequently, has the
masses to the stigma, as in Maxillaria.
appearance of being no more than a leaf-
CAULERPA. A very beautiful genus of ! stalk. The true leaf-stalk is divided to the
green-seeded Alga?, abounding in species, base into three parts, each part having
and assuming very different forms. The three ovate deeply-cut leaflets. The foliage
species are almost exclusively natives of bears a resemblance to that of Thalictrum
warm climates, and occur on sand, on (hence the specific name thalictroides) or
shaded rocks, or in deep water. All have Aquilegia. The stems are about a foot
a more or less decided green herbaceous high the flowers small, yellowish-green,
;
CAVERN FERN. A name given in some a large spreading head the trunk itself
books to Antrophyum. being marked at regular distances by cir-
cular scars which indicate the places where
CAVERNULI. The pores of certain fun-
leaves once grew, and the hollow inside
gals. having transverse partitions correspond-
CAVITAS. The perithecium of certain ing in number and position with them.
fungals. The leaves are nearly circular, often more
than a foot in diameter, and attached to
"
CAVUS. The peridium of certain fun- their stalk from a point near the centre,
gals. — SUPERUS. The hymeuium of
their margins being deeply cut into nine
certain fungals, oblong lobes, each of which is tipped with
CAXAPORA DO GENTIO. A Brazilian a short point they are very rough upon
;
name for Terminalia argentea. the upper side, and thickly covered on the
under side with snowy white down. The
CAYENNE PEPPER. The dried pow-
spikes of fruit are in clusters of from five
dered fruits of various species of Capsicum.
to fifteen.
Miller calls it Cayan Pepper.
The Uaupe Indians, who inhabit the Rio
CEANOTHUS. Red root. genus of A Uaupes, a tributary of the Rio Negro, con-
shrubby plants belonging to the order vert the hollow stems of this tree into a
Bharanacece, allied to Euonymus, with very curious kind of musical instrument,
which it agrees in having a three-celled a species of drum, called by them Amboo-
three-seeded pericarp, but the seeds are bas. They select a trunk four or five inches
not enclosed in a membrane (arillus). in diameter, and cut off a piece about four
C. americanus, the species most commonly feet long, removing the partitions and
cultivated in English gardens, is a native rendering the inside smooth by means of
of N. America, a shrub from two to four fire they then close up the lower end with
;
feet high, with downy leaves and stems, leaves beaten down into a hard mass with
and small white flowers, which, being pro- a pestle, and cut two holes towards the top
duced in great numbers, are very orna- end, so as to form a handle. These rude
mental. They appear in June and July, |
instruments are commonly used in the
and are succeeded by bluntly triangular native dances, the performer, holding by
seed-vessels. In America it is commonly the handle, beats the lower end upon the
known by the name New
Jersey tea, the
of ground, and moves his feet in unison with
leaves having been formerly used for the the sounds thus produced.
same purpose as those of the Chinese tea- The inner bark of the young branches
plant, and for which it formed a general yields a very tough fibre, which is twisted
substitute during the War of Indepen- into coarse ropes and the old bark is em-
;
roots. [C. A. J.] strops are likewise made of it, and when
dry the Indians use it for producing fire by
CEBADILLA, CEVADILLA. The seeds
means of friction. [A. S.]
of Asagrcea officinalis, from which veratria
isobtained.
CEDAR. The common name of various
CECROPIA. A genus of large-leaved trees, but more especially applied to the
soft-wooded milky trees, native of tropical Cedar of Lebanon, mentioned below. —
South America, and belonging to the order BARBADOS. Juniperus barbadensis. —
of artocarpads. The flowers are extremely BASTARD BARBADOS. Cedrela odorata,
minute, and are arranged upon short cy- also called the Sweet-scented Barbados
lindrical spikes, several of which (some- Cedar. —BASTARD. Guazumaidmifolia;
times as many as sixty) are enclosed within also a common name for Cedrela, BER- —
a large bract, which, however, soon falls MUDA. Juniperus bermudiana. — , GUI-
away their calyx is tubular, and rather
; ANA. Idea altissima. , — HONDURAS.
thicker in the females than the males, the Cedrela odorata. , —
INDIAN.
Abies (or
males containing two stamens, and the Cedrus) Deodara. —
JAPAN. Gryptomeria
females a free ovary and short style ter- japonica. —
MOUNT ATLAS. Abies at-
minated by a brush-like stigma. The latter lantica. —
OF GOA. Cupressus lusitanica.
are succeeded by short spikes of small — OF LEBANON. Abies Cedrus, often
fleshy one-seededf ruits. Upwards of twenty- called Cedrus Libani, —
OF N. S. WALES.
five species are described. Cedrela australis. —
PRICKLY. Cyathodes
C. peltata, the Trumpet-tree of the "West Oxy cedrus. —
RED. Juniperus virginiana ;
CEDAR APPLES. The Pennsylvania!! and has been found valuable in fevers, dy-
name of the curious excrescences on sentery, &c. The flowers are used in some
Juniperus virginiana, caused by the fungus parts of India for producing a red dye.
called Podisoma macropus. [M. J. B.] The Red Cedar of Australia, C. australis, is
now becoming scarce in that colony, the
CEDRAT. A variety of the Citron, Citrus trees having been cut down for the sake of
medico. their timber, which was commonly used in
the construction of houses. [M. T. M.]
CE'DRE BLA2JC. (Fr.)Cupressus tny-
oifes. — DES BERMUDES. Juniperus CEDRINO. The small Italian Citron.
bermudiana. — d' ESPAGNE. Juniperus
thurifera. — DE VIRGINIE or ROUGE. CEDRONELLA. A small genus of LaH-
Juniperus virginiana. — PIQUANT. Ju- atce, natives of North America and the
niperus Oxycedrus. Canary Isles. They are sweet-scented per-
ennial herbs, or rarely shrubs, with pale
CEDRELACE-E. (Cedrelads, the Mahog- purplish flowers, in spikes or terminal
any family.) A natural
order of thalami- racemes, and having the floral leaves bract-
floral dicotyledons, belonging to Lindley's like, and the bracts themselves small and
rural alliance. Trees with alternate pin- setaceous. The calyx is rather obliquely
nate leaves, without stipules. Flowers in five-toothed, and many nerved. The co-
panicles :calyx four to five-cleft petals ;
rolla is very large, much expanded at the
four to five; stamens eight to ten, inserted throat, and two-lipped, with the upper lip
on a disk. 'Ovary three to five-celled. Fruit flattish or concave, and two-lobed, and the
a capsule opening by valves, which sepa- lower three-cleft, spreading, the middle
rate from a thick axis seeds numerous,
;
lobe being largest. There are four ascend
flat, winged, and anatropal, i. e., with ing stamens, the lower pair are shorter
the opening near the hilum, and the cha- than the others; the anthers have two pa-
laza at the opposite end. There are two rallel ceils. The apex of the style is sub-
suborders 1. Swieteniea' filaments of sta-
: :
equally bifid, with subulate lobes. The
mens united. 2. Cedrelew. filaments not nuculeis smooth. [W. C]
united. Natives of the tropics of America
and India, very rare in Africa. The plants CEDRUS. The name under which the
of this order are generally fragrant, aroma- Cedar of Lebanon, the Deodar or the Indian
tic, and tonic. Many supply compact Cedar,and the Mt.Atlas Cedar,are sometimes
beautifully-veined timber, such as the separated from other coniferous trees.
mahogany of tropical America (Swietenia The characters mainly relied on to distin-
Mahagoni), satin-wood of India (Chloro- guish the genus are the evergreen leaves
xylon Swietenia), yellow-wood of New disposed many together in bundles or fas-
South "Wales (Oxleya xanthoxyla), red-wood cicles, and the erect cones with their carpels
of Coromandel (Soy midafebrifuga), and the separating from the axis. The cedars are
toon of India or Simal-Kun of the Lep- now generally included in Abies. [T. M.]
chas (Cedrela Toona). A kind of oil is pro-
cured from satin-wood and the barks of
CEINBRA. (Fr.) Pinus Cembra.
;
Cedrela febrifuga, the mahogany tree and CELANDINE. The common name for
others, are used as remedies in intermit- Clielidonium. —
LESSER. Ranunculus
tent fevers, as well as in dyspeptic com- Ficaria. —
TREE. Bocconia frutescens.
plaints. There are nine known genera, and
twenty-five species. Swietenia., Soymida,
CELASTRACE^E. (Celastrinecr ; Spindle-
Flindersia, and Cedrela, serve as illustra-
trees.) A natural order of calycifloral poly-
peta'ous dicotyledons belonging to Lind-
tions, of the group. [J. H. B.]
ley's rhamnal alliance. Shrubs or small
CEDRELA. A genus of large trees, trees with alternate rarely opposite simple
giving its name to the order Cedrelacew. leaves, having stipules which fall off.
They bear compound leaves, regular flow- Flowers in axillary cymes, small, green
ers, five fertile stamens adherent to the white or purple sepals and petals four to
;
stalk which supports the five-celled ovary, five, imbricate, the petals sometimes
and five sterile stamens, which are very wanting stamens four to five, inserted on
;
small, or altogether absent. The fruit is a a large disk, which surrounds the ovary
capsule bursting by five pieces to liberate and encloses it. Fruit two to flve-celled,
the seeds, which are winged. The trees capsular or drupaceous (cherry-like) seeds ;
are natives of the tropical parts of Asia usually with an aril, albuminous, with a
and America, and are remarkable for their large straight embryo. Natives of the
fine timber, sometimes called Cedar-wood. warmer parts of Europe, North America, and
The trunk of C. odorata, a West Indian Asia, far more abundant beyond the tropics
tree, is sufficiently large to be hollowed than within them. Many inhabit the Cape
out into canoes ; this, which is of a brown of Good Hope, some occur in South Ame-
colour, and has a fragrant odour, is im- rica,and a few in New Holland. There are
ported under the name of Jamaica or Hon- two suborders 1. Euonymece fruit dry and
: :
their crimson capsules and arils, are called ance, however, with their anatomy has
burning-bush. Celastrus scandens from shown that vascular tissue exists in many
its aspect is denominated Wax-work in of the higher forms, and that even in
North America. The stimulating substance Fungi there are genera which possess true
j
called by the Arabs khat is procured from spiral vessels, while in one or two higher
Catha edulis. The wood of the European Algo3 the stem contains vascular threads,
spindle-tree is used for cannon gunpowder while the contents of the cells or endo-
in Prance. There are thirty-five known chrome are sometimes disposed in one or
genera, and 280 species. Illustrative more spiral bands. In botn, the cell-walls
genera: Euonymus, Celastrus, Ekeoden- themselves have occasionally a spiral
dron. [J H. B.]
•
structure. Podaxon amongst Fungi, and
Conferva Melagonium amongst Algce, afford
CELASTRUS. A genus which gives its excellent examples. [M. J. B.]
name to the family to which it belongs.
It is on the one hand allied to Euonymus, CELLULOSE. The primitive membrane,
from which it differs in its alternate leaves, free from all deposits of sedimentary or
and on the other to Catha, which embraces other matter. Its composition, according
spiny shrubs, whose seeds are furnished to the latest analysis, is C 24 H20 O 10.
with a small aril; whilst Celastrus is com-
posed of small unarmed scandent shrubs or CELOSIA. A genus of amaranthads,
consisting, with a few exceptions, of tro-
trees, having a large aril to their seeds.
Their leaves are alternate, entire or serrated picalannual plants, closely allied in their
with minute stipules. The flowers are structure to Amarantlius, with which they
small, green or white, and disposed in !
agree in having the flowers three-bracted,
terminal racemes or panicles. The name of I
a perianth of five-coloured scarious pieces,
the genus is derived from the C4reek, sig- two-celled anthers, and an utricular seed-
nifying the latter season. The ancients vessel splitting horizontally round when
considered the holly, the genista, and the ripe; but differ in their five stamens be-
celastrus, the trees which ripened their ing united at the base into a cup, in
fruit latest in the season. The
celastrus of having a more or less elongated style, and
however, supposed to have in the utricle containing several seeds,
the ancients is,
been a kind of Euonymus. C. scandens is a instead of but one only. It is important
climbing North American shrub, popularly to remark that the form of the C. cristata
known as Bitter-sweet or Wax-work. The or Cockscomb usually found in cultivation,
capsules are orange-coloured when mature, conveys a very incorrect idea of the inflo-
and the seeds reddish-brown, coated with a rescence of this genus, the broad flattened
bright orange or scarlet aril. It is some- stem with its terminal crest being a mon-
times planted as an ornamental climber strosity, resultingfrom the lateral adhesion
^because of its showy fruit. The seeds are of the stems and branches by a process
said to possess narcotic and stimulating termed by botanists fasciation. In its
qualities, while the bark is purgative and normal phase the C. cristata is of erect
habit, growing one to two feet high,
* emetic. The scarlet-coated seeds of C.
'
pinnatifid foliage, and spikes of bright of France, Italy, and Spain. It is pecu-
yellow mullein-like flowers. The biennial, ! liarly abundant in Provence and there is a
;
straight trunk and a branched head. The German, Lotusbaum. [C. A. J.]
branches are long, slender and flexible,
with a grey bark spotted with white, and CENARRHENES. A genus of Protectees,
covered with a slight down at the extremi- found in Tasmania. Its flowers, which are
ties. The bark of the trunk is rich brown. apetalous, have four sepals with the points
The leaves are dark green, marked strongly attenuated; four stamens with free fila-
with the nerves on the lower side, and, ments, inserted at the base of the sepals ;
when young, covered with a yellowish and a filiform style with a simple stigma.
down. They are oval-lanceolate, termi- These flowers are borne on spikes, rather
nating in a point at the summit, and at shorter than the leaves. The fruit is a
the base having one side prolonged down single-seeded berry. C. nitida, the only
the petiole. The flowers are small greenish species, is a small tree about twenty-five
and inconspicuous, aud are produced at feet in height, with shining coriaceous spa-
the same time as the leaves. The fruit, thulate leaves, attenuated at the base, and
which, when ripe, is blackish and resembles remotely dentate, with a grooved petiole;
a very small withered wild cherry, is said they are from four to six inches in length
not to become edible until the first frosts, and about one inch in width. [R. H.]
and it hangs on until the following spring.
It is remarkably sweet, and is supposed to
CENCHRT7S. A genus of grasses belong-
ing to the tribe Panicece, and scarcely
have been the Lotus of the ancients, the
differing from Pennisetum, except in the
food of the Lotophagi, which Herodotus,
involucral scales being more hardened,
Dioscorides, and Theophrastus describe as
broader, and more or less connate at the
sweet, pleasant, and wholesome, and which
base. Steudel describes thirty species,
Homer says was so delicious as to make which are chiefly inhabitants of rather
thosewho ate it forget their native country. warm and dry countries, consequently
The berries are still eaten in Spain, and they require the protection of a conserva-
Dr. Walsh says that the modern Greeks are
tory when cultivated in Britain. [D. M.]
very fond of them. According to Dr.
Sibthorpe, they are called in modern Greece CENIA A genus of the composite order,
|
Honey-berries. The tree grows rapidly, having the flowers at the circumference of
j
more especially when once established and the heads either strap-shaped or with two
afterwards cut down, sometimes producing lips those in the centre tubular and four-
;
shoots, in the climate of London, six feet toothed the receptacle or part supporting
;
or eigbt feet in length. C. australis is the flowers inflated or hollow and the fruit
;
found on both the shores of the Mediter- two-ribbed, without any crown-like appen-
ranean, throughout the whole of the south dage. The name of the genus is from the
CENO] &fyt Ereatfurg ol 28fltang. 246
Greek word signifying hollow or void, in tum, which gives it a striking aspect and ;
allusion to the hollow receptacle. The C. Ragusina, a Dalmatian species, has simi-
species are natives of the Cape of Good lar foliage both these latter have yellow
:
entire lanceolate downy leaves, and large or white. Calyx tube four-sided, its limb
capitules, the outer florets of which are four-parted; petals four; stamens eight ; the
pale violet blue, and the central ones deep two larger anthers spurred, the others with
purple. C. macrocephala, an erect growing a glandular appendage to the connective ;
species, of stiff habit, with entire leaves, ovary free, four-celled, with a ring of hairs
stalked at the root but decurrent on the at the top. [J. T. S.]
stem, has large solitary flower-heads of a
fine yellow colour. In C. dealbata, with CENTRANTHERA. A small genus of
reddish purple flowers, the twice-pinnatifid Scrophularieicece, natives of tropical Asia
foliage is whitened on the under side, a and Australia. They are scabrous herba-
circumstance to which the name is due. ceous with generally opposite
plants,
C. candidissima, a native of the Levant, leaves, and almost sessile axillary flowers.
has the lyrately pinnatifld leaves clothed The calyx is compressed, and split down
on both surfaces with a white silky tomen- the inner margin, entire or two to five-
247 Cijc €nra£urs rrf SSntanj?. [cent
toothed. The corolla tube is curved and ter; the ray florets few and female, those
dilated upwards its limb lias Ave broad
; of the disc numerous, and containing both
lobes, the two upper being innermost in stamens and pistil. The achenes are five-
the bud. There are two pairs of included angled, crowned with a pappus of nu-
stamens, having transverse two-celled an- merous unequal rough hairs, and seated
thers, with mucronate cells. The capsule on a flat receptacle furnished with short
is obtuse. [W. C] bristles. C. adpressum and C. reflexum
have been in cultivation, but their rose-
CENTRANTHUS. A small genus of va- coloured flowers, which smell of Hawthorn,
lerian-worts, consisting of smooth annual are very sparingly produced. [A. A. B.]
or perennial European plants, with mostly
entire opposite leaves, and small red or CENTROLEPI&. A genus of Desvaux-
white flowers in terminal corymbose pan- iacew, containing a few small tufted sedge-
icles, the flowers arranged unilaterally like herbs from Australia and Tasmania-
along the branches of the panicle. A Leaves setaceous, all radical scapes short,
;
slender tubular spurred corolla with a five- terminated by a simple spike contained in
lobed limb, one of the lobes standing a spathe formed by two slightly unequal
apart from the rest a single stamen a
; ; bracts (glumes of some authors); glumes
superior calyx of feathery pappus-like (.pales of those who consider the spathe-
appendages rolled inwards before the co- bracts as glumes) two, membranous, sta-
rolla falls, and only expanded as the fruit men one ovaries two to twelve, becoming
;
tonic properties occurring in the true va- like the fruit of the common Maple (Acer)
lerians. C. macrosiphon is a very pretty in form, and about nine inches in length,
annual species from Spain, with smooth the lower or seed-bearing portion globu-
hollow stem, broadly ovate sessile leaves, lar, and clad with long straight prickles,
entire, or pinnatifid, and very large co- the upper or winged portion thin, pa-
rymbs of rose-coloured flowers. [W. T.] pery in texture, about two and a half
inches in breadth, and bearing on its back
CENTRIFUGAL. A term applied to near the base a long straight spurred
those kinds of inflorescence which, like spine, which is the hardened style. C. pa-
the cyme, flower first at the point or centre, raense furnishes one of the most esteemed
and last at the base or circumference. timbers of the Orinoco ; its colour is bright
orange when fresh, but it fades to a brown
CENTRIPETAL. A term applied to
after exposure it is very strong, dense
;
those kinds of inflorescence which, like and durable. The name of the genus is
the spike or capitulum, flower first at the derived from the spur-like hardened style
base or circumference, and.last at the point which remains on the pod. [A. A. BJ
or centre.
CENTROCARPHA. A group of the CENTRON, or CENTRUM.. In Greek
composite family, differing in no way
compounds — calcar, a spur.
from Eudbeckia. The species referred to CENTROPAPPUS. A genus of the com-
it are N. American perennial herbs very posite family, found in Tasmania, nearly
frequently met with in gardens. Their allied to Senecio, and differing chiefly in
leaves are alternate, entire or lobed, and habit. The only known species, C. Bruno-
generally scabrous. The flower-heads are nis, is found about the upper limits of the
large and yellow, terminating the stem or forest on Mount Wellington, at an eleva-
j
branches. In C. grandifiora ("otherwise tion of 3,000 to 4,000 feet. It is a smooth
Eudbeckia grandifkrra), the flower-heads shrub, seven to ten feet high. The leaves
are sometimes more than six inches in are sessile, gathered together towards the
diameter, and much like those of the sun- ends of the branches, three to four inches
[A A. BJ
I
'
flower, but smaller. long, and one-quarter of an inch broad.
CENTROCLINIUM. A genus of the The flower-heads are in terminal corymbs,
and in form and appearance bear great re-
composite family, belonging to that sec-
semblance to those of the common yellow
tion of the order which has two-lipped
ragwort. [A. A. BJ
corollas. The four known species are herbs
or small shrubs found in the Peruvian CENTROPETALUM distichum and C.
Andes at an elevation of 6,000 to 8,000 feet. Warcsevnczi are two small epiphytal orchids
Their leaves are alternate, stalked, toothed from the mountains of tropical America,
or entire, and covered beneath, as well as with fleshy distichous leaves, and brownish
the stems, with a -white tomentum. The solitary flowers, with a broad lip adherent
purple flower-heads are axillary and single, to a hooded column. The pollen masses
on long stalks, and about an inch in diame- are four, free, attached in pairs to two
cent] &1>z &xck$\ix\) at 25atann. 248
filiform curved caudicies which adhere to the Indian Archipelago, the Moluccas, and
a common gland. the Philippine Islands. They are twining
shrubs, with opposite coriaceous leaves,
CENTROPOGOK A genus of Lobeliacece, and umbels on interpetiolar and terminal
consisting of undershrubs with irregular peduncles, composed of many large yellow-
flowers on long axillary stalks. The five ish flowers. The calyx is five-parted. The
stamens are united into a tube, and spring limb of the corolla is deeply five-cleft and
from between the corolla, and a ring-like reflexed a hairy ring exists in the throat
;
fleshy five-lobed disc, surrounding the of the corolla around the base of the
inferior two-celled ovary. The two lower gynostegium, which is exserted. The sta-
anthers are terminated by an ovate tri- minal corona consists of five fleshy leaves
angular cartilaginous point. The plants inserted on the summit of the gynostegium
are natives of tropical America. [M.T.M.] and surpassing the stigma. The anthers
are surrounded by a spreading membrane
CENTROSEMA. A genus of prostrate which attaches them to the stigma the ;
or twining perennial plants belonging to pollen masses being oblong, with a pellucid
the Leguminosce, and distinguished from interior margin, and attached by short
its nearest allies by its having on the back processes. The pentagonal stigma is
and near the base of the standard a short lengthened out into a cone. The follicles
spur, from which circumstance the genus are solitary, long and cylindrical, and con-
receives its name. The species are almost tain numerous comose seeds. The hairy
entirely American, and the greater number ring in the throat of the corolla separates
are found in Brazil. The leaves are made this genus from Uoya, to which otherwise
up Ave or seven,
of three leaflets, rarely of it is very nearly related. C. multiflorum is
j
inserted in the base of the tube. The by its flowers being collected together In
ovary is oblong-conical and hairy. This heads surrounded by a leafy involucre;
genus is evidently allied to Nematanthus, the limb of the calyx very small and five-
but the spur of the flower, coupled with toothed; the corolla funnel-shaped with
the habit and the toothed segments of the five small lobes ; the anthers inclosed
calyx, distinguish it. [W. C] within the corolla and the fruit succulent
;
flowers.
while the stems are smooth and not
properties of the root are due to a
clammy. [A. A. B.]
chemical principle called emetin.
CENTROSTEMMA. A genus of Asclejna- Ipecacuanha is largely employed in medi-
dacew, containing five species, natives of cine as a safe emetic, and in smaller
249 Cf)C Crea£uri? al aSotanj). [CEPH
quantities it acts on the skin, but espe- the leaves, which surround the heads of
cially on the bronchial passages. Some flowers, shorter than "the appendages which
persons are so susceptible to the influence are attached to the surface supporting the
of this drug that they cannot remain in a flowers. The covering, technically called
room where there is Ipecacuanha without involucel, which surrounds each flower, is
severe suffering. It is likewise highly four-sided, with eight grooves, and four to
esteemed in dysentery, though not so eight teeth at the margin. The name of
much so now as formerly. Louis XIV. the genus is derived from the Greek word
paid 1000 Louis d'or to a physician named signifying a 'head,' indicating the form
Helvetius for the purchase of a remedy for assumed by the groups of flowers. There
dysentery, under which the Dauphin was are about twenty species known, some of
then suffering. This remedy was Ipeca- which are natives of Middle Europe,
cuanha. Helvetius derived his knowledge others occur in X. Asia and at the Cape;
of it from a merchant, who from gratitude tney are mostly perennial herbs, a few
for attention paid him during illness, by being annual, with opposite leaves, which
Helvetius, gave the latter some of the are either toothed or deeply divided the ;
root as a remedy for dysentery. [M. T. M.] flowers white, yellow, or lilac. [G. D.]
rubra are wild in woods in this country. find its place amongst or in the imme-
diate neighbourhood of the Saxifragacece.
CEPHALAXTHIOI. The capitulum or
flower-head of composites. CEPHALOTAXP/S. A genus of Coni-
\
ferce of the tribe or family of Taxacece,
CEPHALAXTHPS. A name expressive nearly allied to the yew (Taxus), in general
of the aggregation of the flowers into and essential characters;
habit, foliage,
heads, and applied to a genus of cmcho- 1
but the male flowers are in small heads,
naceous plants called in Xorth America consisting of several closely-clustered
Button-wood. The calyx is tubular with catkins, and the fleshy disk, instead of
an angular four-toothed limb the corolla
; forming an open cup round the base of the
tubular, with a four-toothed limb; the seed, completely closes over it into an
stamens four in number, scarcely pro- entire pericarp, two or three of these
truding from the corolla; the style pro- fruits being collected into a drupe-like
truded for a considerable distance from head. There are four or five speciesknown,
I
the throat of the corolla and the stigma
; all from Japan or Xorth China, one of
capitate. The fruit is inversely pyramidal which, C. Fortuni, is now frequently planted
in shape, crowned by the limb of the in our collections of conifers.
calyx, two to four-celled, each cell or com-
partment containing one seed, or some- CEPHALOTPS. A genus of very singu-
times two of the seeds are absent. The lar dwarf pitcher-plants. C. follicularis,
seeds are terminated by a small thickened the only species, is a native of swampy
knob at one end. C. occidentalis is a bushy places in King George's Sound, and may
frequently be met with in gardens. It has a
shrub with leaves opposite, or sometimes
three in a whorl, and yellowish white very short or contracted stem, with spoon-
flowers in round heads of the size of a shaped stalked leaves, among which are
marble. mingled small pitcher-like bodies, placed
[M. T. M.]
on short stout stalks, and closed at the top
CEPHALARIA. A semis belonging to with lids like the true pitcher-plants
the teazelworts, characterised by having (Nepenthes) These pitchers are of a green
.
ceph] GTije Ercagurj) of 2Sfltatig. 250
colour, spotted with purple or brown, and which are entire and spathulate in form-
provided with hairs; the mouth furnished From the axils of these the flower-heads
with a thickened and regularly notched proceed; they are solitary, of a pale
rim. The flowers are borne on a long yellow colour, and placed on stalks hardly
spike, and have a coloured six-parted as long as the leaves. The name Ceradia
calyx, without a corolla; twelve stamens, has allusion to the horned appearance of
six longer than the rest, inserted into a the branches. From the wounded stems
disc, the anthers provided with a large of the plant exude small tears of a gum
connective. There are six distinct carpels, resin, which in burning has a smell re-
each bearing a single seed. Dr. Hooker in sembling that of myrrh, and has been
a valuable paper on Nepenthes in the caUed African Bdellium. [A. A. B.]
Transactions of the Linnwan Society, says
CE'RAISTE COMMUNE. (Fr.) Any wild
Cerastium.
CERAMIACE^E. A division of rose-
spored Algce distinguished amongst those
which have their spores collected without
order within a hyaline sac (Gongylosper-
meoe), by the capsular fruit being either
naked or surrounded by a whorl of threads.
The external walls of the capsule vary in
character, and are sometimes membranous
(favella), as if formed of a transformed
mother cell. The frond is either compound
or simple and filamentous. [M. J. BJ
mahogany is less common than with us ; ters; and the fruits small, dark purple.
1
I
employed in France as a diuretic. A
kind of less poisonous. The vapour of the bruised
: gum, analogous to tragacanth, exudes in leaves Is sufficient to destroy small insects.
I
great abundance from these and also Cherry-laurel water is a watery solution of
|
from other species of this genus. It is the volatile oil of this plant; it contains
|
employed by hat-makers and others. A prussic acid, and its effects, medicinal and
double-flowered variety of C. vulgaris is in poisonous, are similar to those of that
cultivation ; its flowers are very showy acid. Sweetmeats, custards, &c, flavoured
and interesting botanically from the fact with the leaves of this plant have occasion-
that the pistil is replaced by two small ally proved fatal; hence it is better to dis-
green leaves. C. Padus, the Bird-cherry. card the use of these leaves altogether for
is also a native of the British Isles; in these purposes, and to employ the leaves
Scotland it is known as the Hagberry. of the Sweet Bay, Laurus nobilis, instead,
It differs from the foregoing in the flowers as these are equally agreeable in flavour,
being arranged in terminal clusters or and harmless. The Cherry -laurel was in-
racemes. The fruit is small, black, and troduced into this country from the
nauseous to the taste. In the north of j
Levant in the sixteenth century. [M.T.M.]
Europe it enters into the formation of a The numerous varieties of cultivated
palatable liqueur; the juice is also ex- |
Cherries have in all probability originated
pressed and drunk with milk, while the from C. Avium and C. vulgaris. Those be-
residue of the fruit is kneaded up into ] longing to C. Avium, of which the Bigar-
;
margins plain, with the veins beneath as perpendicular ladders suspended from the
they approach the margin scarcely at all lowest branches. The trunk of one which
prominent, the parenchyma or fleshy I measured was five feet in circumference
substance of the leaves being much and the height where the first branches
thicker than in the former their colour
; issued forty feet from the summit of the
;
sixty-eight years before the Christian era. of opinion that Pliny must have meant a
'
It is also stated by the same authority cultivated variety of the Cherry, of which
that, in less than 120 years after, other
'
the Romans had many in his time for the ;
lands had Cherries, even as far as Britain small black Cherry which abounds in our
beyond the ocean.' Pliny's statements, woods has much too permanent habits to
Professor Taglioni observes, gave rise to have been derived from any cultivated
the tale, so generally received as a fact, variety.' The species to which Mr. Knight
that Cherries came originally from Cera- alludes is the C. Avium or C. sylvestris,
sonte, now Zefano, and were therefore commonly to be met with in the woods of
called Cerasus by the Latins. It may be this and other countries of Europe. Some
here observed that nearly all the names of of its varieties are occasionally found
the Cherry in the south of Europe and almost equal in size and quality to the cul-
Germanic languages are derived from the tivated sorts. Among these may be men-
Ke'pa<ros of the Greeks. Now, Decandolle tioned the Couronne Cherry, so called
says that the Cherry tree is decidedly wild from its being as black as a crow, which
in Europe, and especially in Greece, where reproduces itself from seed, and is very
it had existed from a very early period, abundant in several parts of England, and
for mentioned by Theophrastus b.c.
it is particularly in Hertfordshire. C. vulgaris
300, more than two centuries before its does not appear to be in general so plen-
reputed first introduction to Rome by tiful as C. Avium yet there is a variety
;
in 1824, amongst other plants of which he plain industry of one Richard Haines, a
gave an account (Trans. Hort.Soc.vi. 32), printer to King Henry VIII., that the
he mentions the abundance of Cherry- fields and environs of about thirty towns,
trees as follows: 'Primus Cerasus, two in Kent only, were planted with fruit trees
varieties. The first of these varieties is a from Flanders, to the unusual benefit and
Cherry of enormous size, that grows along general improvement of that county to
the northern coast of Asia Minor, from this day.' The Kentish, sometimes called
253 Kfyz eTrcaSurg at 28ntang. [CERA
]
the Flemish, had probably been introduced in whorls of four, very narrow and spread
•
at the above period, and likewise the Big- ing. Flowers brownish, and very small,
arreau the former is the Cerise de Mont-
;
solitary in the axils of the upper leaves.
A
!
:
numerous in this country. The following on the islands at the mouth of St. Mary's
; rank among the best May Duke, Knight's
:
River.' (Loudon.) [C. A. J.]
1
Early Black, Elton, Bigarreau, Florence, CERATITES. A name
applied by Link
Kentish and Morello. The last two are to the long rag.ced species of jEcidium
i not properly dessert kinds, but are other- which grow on the leaves of the moun-
! wise very useful. The Kentish is chiefly tain ash and whitethorn, sometimes at-
i used for pies its stalk is so strongly
;
tacking the fruit of the latter and distort-
attached to the stone that the latter may ing it. They are now placed in the genus
i be withdrawn from the fruit by it, so as to Ecestelia, to which we shall have occasion
, leave the cherry apparently whole, and in to refer hereafter. [M. J B.] .
the kernels of the fruit, are mixed. The narrow lobes, truncate before and behind,
celebrated Ratafia of Grenoble is prepared and exhibiting no traces of the union
from pounded Cherries, to which brandy, of the sepals. [W. C]
sugar, and spices are added, the mixture
being then placed in the sun or near a fire. CERATOCAPNOS. A genus of Fumari- ;
The gum of the Cherry tree closely resem- acece, the four petals of which are spurred
i bles gum Arabic in its nature and proper- at the base and two-lobed at the apex; |
ties. The wood is hard and tough, and is stamens six, united into two bundles ; >
used by the cabinet-makers. It has been style simple, deciduous. Fruit either a one-
I
occasionallv employed for rifle stocks in- seeded nut, marked with five ribs, and !
1
flowers, turning black in drying. The Ranunculacece, natives of Central and <
anther is a great inverted horseshoe- Southern Europe. They are small annuals
shaped body the lip, which is heart-shaped
; covered with cottony hairs, having many- j
I or angular, and bears some kind of process cleft radical leaves, and numerous short
j
in its middle, is attached to the face of the one-flowered scapes calyx with five
;
!
column by a narrow unguis. The species sepals petals five, small, yellow stamens
; :
j
grow in sand, into which they introduce five to fifteen ovaries numerous. Achenes
;
long succulent hairy fibres ; they seem to in an oblong spike on the receptacle; they
|
be uncultivable. have two protuberances and two empty
cells at the base, and terminate in sword-
CERATIOLA. A small heath-like ever-
shaped beaks, about half an inch long
;
green shrub, belonging to the Empetra- when mature. This beak which charac-
ceae, among which it is distinguished by
terises the genus, is curved upwards in the
i
live among mosses which partly conceal cattle; but although they form an agree-
them. The supposed genus Omoca is one able article of food, they do not possess
of the species. The Ceratochilus of Lod- much real nutritive property, the saccha-
diges' Botanical Cabinet is Stanhopea. rine matter belonging to the class of foods
termed carbonaceous or heat-givers, the
CERATOCHLOA. A genus of grasses seeds alone possessing nitrogenous or
belonging to the Festucece; only one flesh-forming materials, and these are so
species has been described, namely, C.
small and hard that they are apt to escape
pendula, •which is Bromus Schracleri, a
mastication. They form one of the ingre-
native of Carolina. [D. M.]
dients in the much-vaunted cattle-foods
CERATODACTYLIS. A synonyme of at present so extensively advertised, the
Llavea cordifolia, a beautiful Mexican green tint of these foods arising from this
fern. [T. M.] admixture. Some years ago they were
sold by chemists at a high price, and were
CERATOGONTJM. A genus of Polygo- used by singers who imagined that they
nacece founded on a plant cultivated in the softened and cleared the voice. By fer-
Calcutta Botanic Garden. The leaves I
It varies much in the shape and ex- the axil the other with a branched stem
;
crescences of the fruit, and has heen ac- like that of caulescent Maxillarias. These
cordingly divided by some botanists into last constitute the spurious genus Trigo-
sis or more supposed species, more gener- nanthus.
ally considered as varieties.
CERATOTHECA. A
genus of Sesamece,
CERATOPSI3. Epipogum. containing a single species from tropical
Africa. It is a herbaceous plant, with an
CERATOPTERIDINE.E. One of the
erect tetragonous stem, opposite petiolate
primary subdivisions or tribes of the poly-
podiaceous ferns, distinguished by the and dentate leaves, and single flowers on
short axillary peduncles, with two glandu-
broad incomplete or rudimentary condi-
liferous bracteoles at their base. The per-
tion of the ring of the sessile globose
sistent calyx is deeply divided into five
spore-cases, the latter containing few large
spores, concentrically striated on their
acuminate lobes ; the corolla tube is short
three faces. [T. MJ
and campanulate, and the limb bilabiate
and five-cleft. There are four didynamous
I
few, comparatively large, obtusely trigo- two horas on the scales of its zamia-like
nal, each of the faces being beautifully \
fruit. The stem is short and globular,
marked with concentric lines. The only j
giving off numerous pinnate leaves. The
species, C. thalictroides, is found scattered ! flowers are dioecious the males in cones,
;
I
Asia, with terminal flowers disposed in
culent foliage of this fern is boiled and
eaten as a vegetable by the poorer classes i corymbs. The corolla is funnel-shaped,
with the limb divided into five oblique
in the Indian Archipelago. [T. MJ
i
heads. [J. T. SJ
coid, with a wavy margin. The fruit con-
j
the filaments united below into a cup, and of a poisonous character, though some of
the anthers opening by pores and a five- the species are said to be destitute of the
;
j
celled ovary with several seeds, ripening venomous qualities possessed by the rest.
into a kind of berry surmounted by the The seeds of C. Ahovai are very poisonous,
limb of the calyx. [II. T. MJ and the wood of this tree has an abomin-
able odour. The seeds of C, Manghas are
CERATOSTYLIS. A small and unim- emetic and poisonous. C. OcZoZtam, a Malabar
portant genus of terrestrial orchids tree, is cited by Lindley, as being inno-
inhabiting tropical Asia. It contains cuous, but this character applies probably
two sections, one made up of species to the fleshy drupe, the nut in the interior
with long terete one-leaved simple stems being narcotic and even poisonous. The
with a dense cluster of minute flowers in bark is purgative the unripe fruit, more- :
CERC] €f)e Crcatfttrg at 2Sfltan». 256
over, is dangerous, and is said to be used many are unbranched, while others have
by the natives of Travancore to destroy numerous branches, and some are jointed.
dogs the teeth of the unfortunate animals
; The majority are armed with spines, which
being, as is reported, loosened so as to fall radiate from little cushion-like tufts, placed
out after masticating it. See Plate 6, at regular intervals along the ridges or
fig. e. [M. T. M.] angles of the stems. Their flowers are
distinguished by the tube being somewhat
CERCIDITJM. The mycelium or spawn funnel-shaped and generally armed with
of certain f ungals. small spines, by the numerous stamens
CERCIFIX. (Fr.) Tragopogon porrifolius. being united only at the base, and nearly
as long as the petals, and by the slender
CERCIS. Judas Tree. This tree divides thread-like style scarcely exceeding the
with the Elder the ignominy of being that stamens in length.
on which the arch-traitor hanged himself, C. giganteus, the Suwarrow or Saguaro
neither legend being worth the trouble of of the Mexicans, is the largest and most
sifting. It is a native of the south of
striking species of the genus. It is a
Europe and several countries of Asia from native of the hot, arid, and almost desert
Syria to Japan, and is a handsome low
!
'
'
!
night-flowering kind is the C. grandiflorus,
a native of the West Indies. [A. S.] containing more than fifty species of
perennial herbaceous plants or under-
CERFEUIL. (Fr.) Scandix Cerefolium. shrubs, natives of India and Africa. They
—A v
AIGUILLETTES. Scandix Pecten- have a bulbous root, and short erect or
Veneris. — CULTIYE'. Anthriscus Cere- slender twining stems, with opposite
folium. — DES FOTJS. Anthriscus vulgaris. leaves and interpetiolar umbels of few or
— MUSQUE'. Myrrhis odorata many flowers. The calyx is five-parted.
CERIXTHE. Asmall genus of borage- The corolla tube is slender in the middle,
worts, consisting, with one exception, of expanding more or less below as well as
annual plants, with oval glaucous stem- above, where the limb divides into five
clasping leaves, and tubular flowers in generally slender portions, which being
one-sided drooping leafy racemes. The united at their points form a globose head.
species are mostly European, and are more j
The staminal corona consists of five, ten,
remarkable for their singularly glaucous or fifteen ligulate lobes in one or two
aspect than for beauty. Two species, C. series. The gynostegium is included.
major and C. minor, have been long culti- The anthers have no membrane. The
vated in gardens under the name of pollen masses are rounded, have a pellucid
i Honeywort, an appellation due to the interior margin, and are connected by
abundance of honey secreted by their short processes. The slender follicles are
j
! blossoms, which are much resorted to by cylindrical with comose seeds. Several
I bees. C. major grows about a foot high, i
species are employed for food in some
;
with a branched stem, oval stem-clasping cases the whole plant is eaten as a salad, in
I
leaves, minutely toothed at the margin, others the fleshy leaves, stems and tubers,
j
set with rough white dots, and covered are used as pot vegetables. [W. C]
with a bluish white bloom. The crook-like
j
[T. M.]
which are connivent and not reflexed. In
C. retorta the tube of the corolla is curved, CEROXYLON. This genus of palms is
and the leaves are blotched with silvery- by some botanists combined with the
white. [W. T.] genus Iriartea, from which, however, it is
CERINTJS. distinguished by the spathe or bract which
The colour of yellow wax.
covers the young flower spikes being
CERIOPS. Trees distinguished from the entire (in Iriartea it is divided), by some
neighbouring genus Rhizophora, by their of its flowers being perfect, while those of
small five-parted flowers, the petals of Iriartea are all imperfect, and also by a
which are hairy at the points. The ten slight difference in the position of the
stamens are placed in pairs before the embryo in the seed. Both calyx and
petals. The lower part of the ovary has corolla are three-parted, the calyx being
three compartments and six ovules, while very minute; the stamens are generally
the upper part is solid, and ends in a style twelve in number, but occasionally vary
which is longer than the stamens. Like from nine to fifteen; and the females have
the rest of the mangrove family the seed a three-celled ovary and three stigmas.
has the curious habit of germinating and The fruit is a small round berry containing
CEBVl QLl)t Creatfurp of 33otang, 258
one seed.Three species of this genus are from it.The candles used by the inhabi-
known, two of which are noble trees of tants for offerings to the Saints and Virgin
great height. are, however, made without any such
C. andicola, the "Wax Palm of New mixture but on account of their resinous
;
Grenada, was first made known and de- nature the priests will not allow them to
scribed by the celebrated travellers Hum- be used for the high ceremonies of the
boldt and Bonpland, who found it growing Romish Church. The wood is very hard
in great abundance in very elevated regions towards the exterior, and is commonly
on the chain of mountains separating the employed for building purposes and the
;
courses of the rivers MagdalenaandCauca, leaves are used for thatching. [A. S.]
in New Grenada, extending almost as high
as the lower limit of perpetual snow, CERVANTESIA. A genus belonging to
which is a remarkable fact when It is the order of sandalworts, characterised by
remembered that the generality of the the disk, or part intervening between sta-
palm tribe luxuriate in tropical climates. mens and pistil, beingfive-cleft,shorter than
It has a straight trunk of great height, the flowers, and adherent to it below, the
and about a foot in diameter, cylindrical style or appendage on the seed-vessel thick
for the first half of its height, after which and slightly notched at the end. The
it swells out, but again contracts to its name was given in honour of Cervantes.
original dimension at the summit but the
;
The species are trees or shrubs, natives of
most singular feature connected with the Peru, having scattered entire simple
trunk Is the circumstance of its being leaves. The fruit of C. tomeutosa is used
covered with a thin coating of a whitish as food in Peru. [G. D.]
waxy substance which gives it a curious CERVINE. Deep tawuy, such as the
marble-like appearance. It is surmounted
dark part of a lion's hide.
by a tuft consisting of from six to eight
CESTREAU Av BAIES NOIRES. (Fr.)
Oestrum Parqui.
CESTRUM. A genus of solanaceous
shrubs, of which several are in cultivation
in this country, though of no great beauty.
They have a funnel-shaped yellowish fra-
grant corolla concealing the stamens,
whose anthers open longitudinally. The
fruit is a dark-coloured berry, enclosed
within the calyx, with two compartments
.(or from the union of the placenta? and
breaking down of the partition, one only)
with few seeds, and a straight embryo.
The plants are natives of Brazil. Some of
them possess a bitter principle like quinine,
while others are used as diuretics, and for
other medicinal purposes. [M. T. MJ
CETERACH. A genus of polypodiaceous
ferns of the group Aspleniece, distinguished
by having distinct simple sori, reticulated
veins of which the marginal veinlets are
free, and fronds clothed thickly with scales,
among which the sori are hidden. One spe-
cies is a commonish native fern called Milt-
Ceroxylon andicola. waste or Scale Fern, and another of twice
the stature is found in the Canary Islands,
handsome pinnate leaves, each of which is both being alike coriaceous, and clothed on
about twenty feet long, and has a strong the under surface with a thick covering of
thick footstalk, the base of which spreads imbricated tawny scales, by which peculia-
out and clasps round the trunk, leaving a rity the British species may be readily
circular scar when it falls away; the known from all other native ferns. To
leaflets are densely covered on the under this plant was formerly attributed a mar-
side with a beautiful silvery scurf, while vellous influence over the spleen,and Vitru-
the upper side is of a deep green colour. vius states that it had the effect of destroy-
The waxy substance of the trunk forms an ing that organ in certain Cretan swine
article of commerce amongst the inhabi- which fed upon it. So Gerarde writes :—
tants of New Grenada. It is obtained 'There be empiricks or blinde practi-
by cutting down the tree and scraping it tioners of this age who teach that with
with a blunt implement, each tree yielding this herbe, not only the hardness and
about twenty-five pounds. According to swelling of the spleen, but all infirmities
the analysis of Vauquelin, it consists of of the liver, may be effectually, and in a
two parts of resin and one of wax, and is very short time removed. But this is to be
therefore of too inflammable a nature to reckoned amongst the old wives' fables,
be used by itself; but by mixing it with and that also which Dioscorides telleth of
one-third part of tallow, very good candles touching the gathering of Spleenewort in
for ordinary purposes are manufactured the night, and other most vaine things
259 Z\)t CrcaSttrg of Volant). [CHAF
which are found here and there scattered
'
distinguishing feature in the peculiarity
in old books.' It is said, however, to be of the tubular calyx, which splits open by
still usefully employed as a bait for rock- the growth of the fruit. The trees grow
cod flshiug on the coast of Wales. The in the valleys of the Andes. fM. T. M.]
genus is a somewhat anomalous one as to CH.ENOSTOMA. A considerable genus
classification, the indusium, which is one
of herbs or undershrubs, belonging to
of the characteristics of the Aspleniece, be- Scrophulariacece, natives of South Africa.
ins here either wholly wanting or merely They have opposite dentate rarely entire
I rudimentary. The sori are nevertheless leaves, and axillary or racemose pedicel-
'
has been detected, so that it is now gene- ing. The calyx is five-parted the decidu-
,
rally associated with the Aspleniwm as it
ous corolla is funnel-shaped, sometimes
!
was by Linnneus. The name Ceterach has with a short tube, and its limb is five-cleft.
i
also been used by Presl to distinguish a
There are four didynamous stamens the
'
section of Gymnogramma. [T. M.]
length of the corolla or slightly exserted.
I
CETRARIA. A genus of lecidineous The style is simple, and the stigma sub-
lichens distinguished by the fructification clavate. The capsule is membranaceous
being fixed laterally to the borders of the and two-celled. [W. C]
thallus, and consequently margined by it.
It is not, however, peltate. It deserves
CH--ERADOPLECTRON Glossula.
:
notice here as containing C. islandica, or CHjETA. A bristle. The slender stalk
the well-known Iceland Moss, which of the spore-case of mosses . also called
. affords at once a nutritious article of Seta.
food, and a doubtful medicine. Before
i
by many useful in pulmonary complaints gins, and from one to two inches long;
; or as a restorative, but after the bitter they are generally terminated by a bristle,
principle has been extracted it seems to
and accompanied at the base of the stalks
: possess no active qualities. [M. J. B.]
by two short spines. The flowers are
CEVADILLA. The seeds of Asagrcea small and green, male and female on the
'
a decoction of Casearia lingua. — DE sion the females are single in the axils of
PEDRESTE. A Brazilian name for Lan- ;
!
CH^ETOGASTRA. A genus of Melasto-
appendages. The name was given in macew, natives of tropical America, allied
to Arthrostemma, but with the parts of the
honour of Chabre, a botanist of Geneva. flower in fives. Like that genus the pre-
The species of this genus are natives of
sent is an unnatural one, the species hav-
Chili and of the Straits of Magellan they ;
ing only trifling technical characters in
!
is a great ornament to the grassy hills of flowers solitary, rather small, purple with
the Falkland Islands, is decidedly that yellow anthers ; parts of the flowers in
of benzoin.' [G. D.] fours or fives, the stamens being twice as
CHACA, or CHOCO. Sechium edule.
many as the petals capsule free, cylin-
;
Their leaves are shaped and plaited like a times written Camomile. — ,WILD. Ma-
fan, having the margin deeply cut into tricaria Chamomilla.
numerous sharp-pointed divisions and the
;
bases of their long and generally prickly CHAMP. The timber of Michelia ex-
footstalks are inserted into amass of coarse celsa.
fibrous matter. Their flowers are produced
in panicles from among the bases of the
CHAMPIGNON. The French name for
mushrooms in general, but applied in this
leaves, and are either perfect or of sepa-
country only to Agaricus (Marasmius)
rate sexes, and consist of a three-parted
Oreacles or by mistake to very different
calyx, and a corolla of three petals with
and often dangerous species. In some
from six or nine stamens attached to parts of the country it is known under the
their bases; the fertile ones having, in
addition, three distinct ovaries tapering
name of Scotch Bonnets. The Champig-
The fruit is a non grows in fairy rings, generally of
into awl-shaped styles.
a few feet only in diameter. It seems to
berry about the size of an olive, contain- luxuriate most in a sandy soil, but occurs
ing one seed. everywhere in exposed pastures.
C. humilis, the only European species of
The
pileus when moist is of a dull fawn colour,
the palm tribe, does not extend farther
north than Nice. It is generally very
when dry of a creamy white the stem is;
pus and its few flower-heads. The generic with a capitate stigma. The oblong cap-
name has reference to the appearance of sular fruit exceeds the persistent calyx
the plant, and is derived from two Greek it is one-celled and contains many ovate
words signifying 'on the ground' and 'a seeds with a reticulated testa. [W. C]
little sphere.' [A. A. B.] CHANDELIER TREE. Pandanus Can-
delabrum.
CHAMBURU. Carica digitata.
CHANNELLED. Hollowed out like a
CHAMISSOA. A genus of tropical gutter, like many leaf -stalks.
herbs belonging to Amaranthacece with
alternate leaves and flowers in axillary or CHANTARELLE. The French name
terminal spikes or globular heads; differing for Cantharellus cibarms, adopted in this
from Amaranthus by having the seeds country. The genus Cantharellus is dis-
furnished with a small white axil at the tinguished from Agaricus by the gills of
liilum, and the radicle of the embryo the latter being replaced by veins which
superior. [J. T. S.] are frequently branched, and if they ever
approach the appearance of gills, they are
CHAMOMILE. Anthemis nobilis, some- distinguished by their very obtuse edge,
263 Elje CreaSurg at 23otanj?. [CHAR
the shorter ones not being distinct as in which seems to be connected with the
mushrooms, but connected with the longer manner in which the grains of chlorophyl
as if immediately given off by them. are arranged on the walls of tubes, a free
The Chantarelle is a common though longitudinal colourless space being left
seldom an abundant inhabitant of our round which the juices circulate from the
woods. The rich yolk-of-egg yellow and base upwards at the rate of about two
fragrant fruity smell at once distinguish lines in a second. An ordinary microscope
it. It is rather acrid when eaten raw, but is amply sufficient to show this interesting
makes an excellent fricassee if steeped phenomenon. A little alcohol, as also
before dressing in boiling milk, and then many other chemical substances, at once
stewed very gently. It is, however, of arrests the motion, as is also the case when
far less frequent use in this country than the distribution of the chlorophyl is dis-
on the continent, where it is highly turbed. "We know of no use to which these
esteemed. "We are not aware that there is plants can be applied. The smell which
any deleterious fungus with which it can they emit resembles that of sulphuretted
be confounded. [M. J. B.] hydrogen, and it is to this cause probably
Cannabis. — D'EAU.
that they have an evil report as productive
CHAXYRE. (Fr.)
of fevers. Their nucules, known to miner-
Bidens tripartita. — SAUVAGE. Galeop- alogists under the name of Gyrogonites,
sis Tetraliit.
are found for the first time in the lower
CHASTRT:n~E. (Fr.) Eupatoriumcannabi- freshwater formations. [M. J. B.]
CHARACTER. A short phrase express-
CHAPEATJ D'E'YEQUE. (Fr.) Epiiih ing the essential marks by which a given
dium alpinum. plant or group of plants is distinguished
CHARACE.E. A small natural order of from others. A specific character distin-
acrogens consisting of two or at most guishes one species from other species
three genera. The species are all aquatic, and so on.
j
and are found in almost all parts of the
i
edge, but especially by their turning yellow ments are small, roundish, pouch-shaped,
when bruised. It constitutes the greater the indusium entire and almost closing
part of the mushroom baskets in the over the back of the segment, which,
Covent Garden market, and is consumed when reversed, looks not unlike a small
in large quantities in Leeds and other roundish watch-pocket. The difference is
important towns in the north. When hardly important enough to warrant their
properly dressed and eaten in moderate separation. [T. M.]
quantities with plenty of bread, to insure
mastication, these horse mushrooms are CHEIRADENIA cuspidata is a small
an excellent article of food, though they Demerara orchid with the aspect of some
occasionally prove unwholesome, partly equitant Oncidium. It has the lateral
from over-indulgence, and partly from sepals adnate to the prolonged foot of the
their having undergone decomposition column, a pair of solid pollen masses, and a
before use. The term is sometimes ap- round lip bearing five processes near the I
plied to species of Boletus, several of which margin, arranged like the fingers of an |
punctiform at the apices of the veins, and sporacece, containing an Australian under-
covered by indusia, which, —
sometimes shrub with erect stems, and narrowly
short and rounded, sometimes elongated linear acute leaves, which have fascicled
continuous and therefore pteroid— consist- leaves in the axils peduncles terminal,
;
ing of portions of the margin inflected with small blue corymbose flowers; calyx
over them, are therefore necessarily trans- of five sepals ;the petals and stamens
verse to the margin of the frond or of its five each, the latter all bending to one
segments. [T.M.] !
side ; fruit dry, scarcely berry-like, two-
celled. [J. T. S.]
CHEILANTHES. A genus of polypo-
diaceous ferns of the group of Cheilanthece, CHEIRANTHUS. A genus of cruci-
which it typifies. The species, which are ferous flowers, all so nearly resembling in
numerous and scattered over the tropical habit and characters the common species
and temperate regions both of the Old and as to be easily distinguished. C. Cheiri,
New World, generally inhabiting dry rocky the Wallflower, is a native of all Southern
situations, are much varied in aspect, Europe, growing on old walls, in quarries,
and for the most part are dwarf plants and on sea-cliffs. In its wild state the
of tufted habit, with more or less com- flowers are always single and of a bright
pound fronds, the under surface in some yellow colour, but the varieties obtained
cases being covered with silvery or gold- by cultivation are of various tints, many
coloured powder, as in Gymnogramma. of them beautiful, and all fragrant, espe-
The distinguishing features of the genus cially in the evening. Seeds of numerous
consist in its producing small punctiform beautiful varieties are annually imported
sori at the ends of the veins close to the from Germany and small gardens, in
;
margin of the frond, the margin itself which the supply of ornamental early
becoming membranaceous, and bent over summer flowers is limited, may be made
them to form the indusia, which are either very gay by planting them liberally with
linear and continuous, or take the shape these German wallflowers. The wallflower
of roundish lobes. The veins are free. has long been a favourite cottage-garden
Cheilanthes has considerable affinity with flower, and has been praised in many a
Nothochlwna, the species of which possess rustic lay ; it is supposed by many to be
a similar habit, but have naked or non- the Viola of the Latin poets. Its French
indusiate sori. Owing, however, to the names are Girofleejaune, Violier, Ravenelle,
different degrees in which the margin Bavieau d'or, Baton d'or, &c. ; German,
becomes attenuated and reflexed, it is '
'
men Inconspicuous plants found in and is said to be a favourite dish with the
waste places in all parts of the world, but ladies of Lima. However prepared, the
i abounding in extra-tropical regions. Many Quinoa is unpalatable to strangers, though
i of them, as species of Salicornia. and Sali- it is probably a nutritious article of food
CHEIt] €l)c Crea^urg of 3Sfltang. 268
CHERRIS. An Indian name for the HOLLAND. The large fleshy seeds of Cas-
resinous exudation of the Hemp, Cannabis tanospermum australe. — SPANISH. ,
are other woods with a similar appellation. much from that genus, except in having a
The bark of this tree is astringent but not very broad arched dorsal sepal.
bitter. [M. T. M.]
CHILOPSIS. A genus of Bignoniaceo?,
CHICKWEED. The common name for consisting of a single species of erect
Alsine. The well-known weed of this name branching shrubs from Mexico. It has long
is Alsine, or Stellaria media. , BASTARD, — linear entire alternate leaves, and beautiful
Buffonia ternifolia. —
FORKED. Any- , flowers in terminal dense spicate racemes,
chia dichotoma. —
, INDIAN. An American on short bibracteolate pedicles. The bila-
name for Mollugo. —
, MOUSE-EAR. The biate calyx is membranaceous, inflated,
common name for Cerastium also speci- ; and deeply-cleft in front the corolla-tube
;
ally C. vidgatum. —
SEA. Arenaria pep-
, is dilated upwards, and the two-lipped limb
loides. —, SILVER. Paronychia argyro- is five-lobed. The four stamens are didy-
coma. — ,WATER. Montia fontana also ; namous, the sterile fifth being very minute.
sometimes applied to Malachium aquati- The style is Aliform, and the stigma bi-
ctim, and Callitriche verna. lobed. The pod-like capsule is two-celled,
with the partition bearing the placenta
CHICO. A kind of beer, made in Chili
contrary to the valves. The seeds are
from the Indian corn, Zea Mays. transversely winged. [W. C]
CHICON. (Fr.) Lactuca sativa. CHILOSCHISTA usneoides is a leafless
CHICOR'EE. (Fr.) Succory, Cichorium Indian epiphyte of the orchidaceous order,
Intybus. —
FRISEE'. Curled Endive, a
, with narrow, flat, green roots, which cling
variety of Cichorium Endivia. to the branches of trees and appear to
serve the purpose of leaves, as also happens
CHICORIA DE LA TIERRA CALT- in the leafless Angrcecums.
ENTE. A South American name for Achy-
rophorus sessiliflorus. CHIMAPHILA. A small genus of Pyro-
lacece, natives of Europe, Siberia, and
CHICORY. Cichorium Intybus, or Suc- North America, differing from Pyrola by
cory. the hairy filaments, very short style, and
capsule splitting from the apex downwards
CHICOT, or CHICHOT DU CANADA. with the edges of the valves not woolly.
iFt.i Gymnocladus canadensis. The term
Chicot is applied to the
also seeds of
The plants, called Winter Greens in Ame-
rica, have woody subterranean shoots, and
Moringa pterygosperma.
a short stem with a tuft of thick shining
CHIENDENT. (Fr.) Cynodon Bactylon. evergreen leaves, oblong, wedge-shaped, or
A BALAIS.
N
Andropogon Ischoemum. — lanceolate —
in the latter case variegated
A CHAPELET. Avena bulbosa.
y
— DES with white. The scape is corymbosely or
BOUTIQUES. Triticum repens. umbellately branched at the apex the ,
chim] Wfyt Crotfurp flf Matany. 270
pedicels one-flowered, bearing handsome, |
Opegrarpha and their allies, which grow on
bell-shaped, white flowers, tinged with i the trunks of trees. These lichens are also
purplish-red, and very sweet-scented. The :
1
sometimes called Letter-lichens, or Scrip-
leaves contain a bitter extractive matter, ture-worts. [M. J. B.]
on which account they have been used in CHINQUAPIN. An American name for
medicine, in North America. [J. T. S.]
Quercus prinoides; also for Castanea pu-
CHIMNEY PLANT. Campanula pyra- mila.
midalis. CHIOCOCCA. A genus of the Cinchon-
CHIMONANTHUS. The Japan Allspice, aceous family, consisting of small shrubs,
C fragrans, is the only representative of
with a funnel-shaped yellowish corolla,
this genus of the Calycanthus family, and concealing the five stamens, which are
it is well-known in gardens for its early
provided with hairs. Ovary two-celled,
flowering and the sweet scent of its blos- with two inverted ovules. Fruit a berry
soms. It was introduced from China in with two seeds. The species are remark-
able for the violent emetic and cathartic,
1766, and for a long while was known
under the name of Calycanthus pracox, properties possessed by the roots, which
until it was shown to differ from that are administered in Brazil as a certain
genus in having but ten stamens arranged remedy for snake bites, though their in-
in two rows while in Calycanthus they are
tense action would seem to be, from the
;
very numerous, and arranged in four rows. account of Von Martius, almost as danger-
The Japan Allspice is a much-branched ous as the wound they are intended to
shrub, and generally treated as a wall-plant cure. The name is derived from two Greek
in gardens its leaves are opposite, stalked,
;
words, signifying 'snow-berry,' in allu-
between oval and lanceolate in form, and sion to the white fruit. [M. T. MJ
very rough on the surface they generally
; CHIONANTHUS. The Snowdrop tree of
fall late in the autumn, but sometimes a North America, or the Snow-flower, as the
few remain till the spring. The flowers are name implies, belongs to a gen us of Oleacea?,
sessile on the branches, about an inch in and is distinguished by its deciduous leaves,
diameter, and made up of a large number and the long narrow ribbon-like segments
of pale yellow waxy petals, arranged in of the corolla. The fruit is a drupe like
several rows: the inner series in one that of the olive. C. virginica is a decidu-
variety chocolate-coloured, and in an- ous shrub or small tree, with large smooth
other mottled with red. These flowers in
mild winters often appear about Christ-
M
leaves like those of a agnolia, and bearing
flowers in terminal panicles. It blossoms
mas, and last for a long time. [A. A. B.J in this country in June, and is highly or-
namental. [M. T. MJ
CHINA ASTER. Callistephus chinensis,
also called Callistemma hortense. CHIONOPHILA. A genus of Scrophu-
lariacece, nearly allied to Pentstemon, but
CHINA BARK. The bark of Buena hex-
differing from that genus in its five-
andra, an indifferent febrifuge.
toothed (not five-cleft) calyx, as well as in
CHINA GRASS. The fibre of Bbhmeria habit. C. Jamesii, the only known species,
nivea, the Rheea, or Ramee. found in the Rocky Mountains near the
snow limit, is a small unbranched herb
CHINA ROOT. The tuberous rhizome about two inches high, with a few smooth
of Smilax Cliina. linear leaves which are enveloped near the
CHINCAPIN. (Fr.) Castanea pumila. base by a number of membranaceous
scales. The tubular flowers grow one or
CHINCH IN. A Chilian name for Poly-
two on the apex of ashort scape. The fruit
gala thesioides.
is not known. [A. A. BJ
CHIN-CHON. A gummy or glutinous
CHIP. A material used for plaiting into
matter, much used as a glueor varnish in
various articles of ornament and use, and
China and Japan, and supposed to be the obtained from the leaves of the palm called
produce of Plocaria tenax. Thrinax argentea.
CHINESE SWALLOWS' NESTS. These
CHIQU1CHIQUI. The Venezuelan name
curious productions, which sell at such a
for Attalea funifera, which yields the Pias-
high price in China, though they have saba fibre of commerce.
no especial points of recommendation be-
yond many other gelatinous ingredients in CHIRATA. An Indian tonic,
soups, were formerly supposed to be made Chrrayta; also called Chireeta or Chi-
of some species of the rose-spored Algw, as retta.
Sphcerococcus lichenoides; but this is now
ascertained to be amistake, and it is known
CHIRITA. A small genus of Gesnera-
cece, natives of tropical Asia. They are
that thev are formed of a secretion from
herbaceous plants with a short stock or a
the mouth of the bird itself. [M. J. B.]
simple leafy stem, the leaves opposite, and
CHINESE TREE. Posonia Moutan. the flowers solitary or umbellate, on axil-
lary or radical peduncles. The calyx is
CHINESE VARNISH. Ehus vernici- flve-lobed the corolla tubular, the limb
;
fera.
two-lipped. Of the four stamens the two
CHINKWORT. The popular name upper are small and sterile, and the fertile
in
some districts for the different species of pair have divaricate anther-cells cohering
Elje ErcaSurg of ^otaiiD-. [CHLO
laterally. The stigma flattened and
is several Indian trees, especially of Cedrela
emarginate or two-lobed. The linear Toona, and Chickrassia tabularis.
capsule contains many minute seeds with-
CHITTAH-PAT. The Assam name for
out appendages. [W. C.J
Licuala peltata.
CHIROXIA. A genus of the gentian CHIVES or CITES. Allium Schceno-
family, somewhat singularly named after
Chiron, one of the reputed fathers of p rasum, a garden esculent.
r
anthers open by two pores at the top. structure of the ovary fruit and seed is
The ovary is partly two-celled, .by the the same as in some genera of that
bending inwards of the placenta, bearing family ; but the calyx is said to be always
the numerous seeds the style terminal,
;
j
three-cleft or composed of three sepals,
curved at the top, and directed away from and enclosed in a five-toothed involucre,
the stamens. The capsule has a somewhat an anomaly which has prevented the abso-
fleshy external rind, and an inner membra- lute union of Chlcenacece with Sterculiacece.
nous one. Several kinds are in cultivation.
They have for the most part pretty pink CHLAMYDANTHUS. A
name now ap-
flowers. plied to a section of the genus Thymelcea,
[M. T. M."
in which the tubular calyx remains
CHIRONIS. (Fr.) Slum Sisarv.m. attached after withering and encloses the
CHIROPETALUM. A genus of Euphor- nut. The plants embraced in this section
are low woody-stemmed bushes, chiefly
Macece, allied to Croton, but differing in the
natives of the Mediterranean regions.
stamens being united into a column, not
free, and also to Ditaxis, which, however,
Their bark is very tough as in all the
has ten stamens in two tiers, instead of five plants of the family to which they belong
in one tier. The plants are herbs or small
(Thymelacem). Their leaves are seldom
shrubs confined to the temperate parts of more than half an inch long, and generally
linear in form and the flowers are small
South America, some of them having all ;
their parts covered- with little simple hairs. and inconspicuous in the axils of the
leaves. [A. A. B.]
The leaves are alternate entire or serrate,
generally lanceolate in form and three- CHLIDANTHUS. A genus of South
nerved. The small green flowers are American amaryllids having truncated
disposed in axillary or terminal racemes, bulbs, linear-lorate leaves sheathing at the
I
the upper portion of the raceme being |
base, developed after the flowers, and a
j
occupied by the males, which are the most scape, one and a half foot high, supporting
numerous, the lower by the females. The ;
an umbel of a few large fragrant flowers.
• calyx is five-parted, and the petals, of a like i The perianth has an erect cylindrical
j
number, are three or seven-lobed. The j
tube widened at the mouth, and a nearly-
i ovary is crowned with three styles, each |
equal somewhat spreading limb of six
I forked at the summit in the form of a Y, j
segments. The filaments of the six
and bent back on the fruit which is three- stamens are inserted in the points of the
lobedand contains three seeds. The leaves alternately unequal teeth of a thin mem-
of some of the species are of a reddish- brane adhering completely to the tube and
brown colour owing to the presence of base of the petals, but partible. This
j
colouring matter. [A. A. B.] membrane Dr. Herbert regarded as an
CHITOXIA. A genu3 of West Indian incipient manifestation of the staminife-
j
shrubs of the family Melastomacece, some rous cup of his pancratiform section of
amaryllids, with which Chlidanthus thus
|
nal panicles with three-flowered branches. are yellow, fragrant, sub-sessile, with the
The limb of the calyx is described as tube two to four inches long, and the
being in two rows, the outer consisting limb one inch and a half. [T. M.J
of aw]-shaped teeth, the inner of short CHLO ANTHES. A genus of Verbenacea?
very blunt membranous processes, adhe- New Holland, consist-
from extra-tropical
rent to the base of the outer teeth ing of undershrubs thickly covered with
the ;
like the genus Erythrcea, to which Clilora large quantity of albumen, the embryo
is allied. The whole plant is intensely being very minute.
bitter, and may be employed with ad-
vantage as a tonic; it also dyes yellow.
It is of tolerably common occurrence in
chalky pastures, especially near the sea.
Two other species resembling C. perfoliata
in habit occur on the European continent,
one a native of Germany and Hungary, the
other of Southern Europe. French, Chlore;
German, Bikerkraut. [C. A. J.]
there can be no doubt that it is one of the which those of clover, onions, cucumbers,
most valuable stimulants in such cases. and melons, are perhaps the best known.
It was given in infusion, and was usually Melons have become so subject to chlorosis,
1
combined with a decoction of Cedrela from some unknown cause, that their cul-
•
Toona. The roots are also employed there tivation is daily becoming more difficult
with the greatest success, mixed with and cucumbers are still more generally
carminatives, as anise, in the malignant affected, the fruit even partaking of the
'
small-pox in children. C. brachystachys malady, and not only losing its brilliant
has similar properties. [B. C] green, but becoming distorted from gum-
J
The detached flowers of C. inconspicuus, ming and partial decay. [M. J. B.]
which are fragrant, are used in China under CHLOROSPERME^l. One of the three
the name of Chu-lan, for scenting some of
I
under pressure, and thus impart their some of these the spores are originally
fragrance to the leaves. [T. M.]
green. The species are in general far less
CHLORETTE. (Fr.) Chlora perfoliata. compound than in the two other orders,
though in some instances the phenomena
CHLORIS. A genus of grasses, typical of fructification are more striking. The
of the tribe Clilor idee?, distinguished chiefly green powdery or gelatinous productions,
hy the spikes of inflorescence being in i
which are so common upon damp walls or
finger-like fascicles, rarely two, or only ! rocks the curious microscopic few-celled
;
nine species are described in SteudeTs filmy membranes which occur both in
Synopsis, and these are mostly natives of fresh and salt water, are so many mem-
warm, dry countries, and consequently ;
hers of the division ; to which may be
require the protection of a conservatory i
added, the spongy Codiums and the herba-
in Britain. C. radiata is a pretty annual . ceous tinted Caulerpce, which often assume
grass, frequently cultivated in green- I
the more solid appearance of the more per-
houses, in consequence of its ornamental fect A Igce. In a few genera large quantities
and curious appearance. Many of the of carbonate of lime are deposited, so as
other species are handsome also. [D. MJ to give them a coral-like appearance. To
avoid repetition the peculiar features of
CHLORO.
I
lucid glands or oil cells. The small whitish sprinkled with glandular dots the five
;
flowers of this tree are borne in large petals and ten stamens inserted on a short
branching panicles, growing at the ends stalk supporting the ovary, which consists
of the young branches. They have a small of five carpels fused into one. The style
five-parted calyx ; five spreading petals is short with five furrows, hairy like the
with short stalks ten awl-shaped spread-
;
ovary; stigma capitate. The fruit is a
ing stamens, all of which are distinct and capsule with five furrows. [M. T. MJ
fertile and a three-celled ovary, which is
;
j
(St. Domingo and New Providence) in furnished at the base of the beak with five
square logs or planks varying from nine
small scales, arranged in the manner of a
to twenty inches across. The principal
use of satin-wood is for making the backs
little calyx. The plants are herbs, with
generally pinnatifid root-leaves, having a
of clothes- and hair-brushes, and for arti-
large terminal lobe and small lateral ones
cles of turnery ware ; the finest mottled
those of the stem, few small and entire.
pieces, however, are cut into veneers and
used for cabinet-making and similar pur- The yellow flower-heads are solitary and
terminating the branches, or in corymbs
poses. [A. S.J
or leafy spikes. C. juncea, a native of the
CHNOOPHORA. A name sometimes south of Europe, a straggling much-
given to certain ferns usually referred to branched plant, is almost destitute of
Alsophila. [T. M.] leaves when in flower; a narcotic gum is
said to be obtained from it in the Island
CHOCO. Sechmm edule, a tropical escu- of Lemnos. About twenty species are
lent of the cucurbitaceous order. Notused enumerated, all of them weedy plants,
in this country. natives of South Europe, the East, and
Siberia. [A. A. B.]
CHOCOLATE ROOT. Geum canadense.
—, INDIAN. Geum rivale. CHONDRODENDRTTM. A genus of climb-
ing shrubs belonging to the Menisper-
CHOCOLATE TREE. Theobroma Cacao. macecv, and closely allied to Cocculus, from
The Chocolate-nut is the seed of this tree, which it is distinguished by the stigmas,
and the chocolate of the shops a prepara- which are ovate and simple by the glo-
;
bracts. The calyx and corolla consist each land-locked bays,' says Dr. Harvey, with '
either entire or with crisped margins, and The fruit is a capsule bursting into two
many
|
I producing their graceful elegant flowers CHRIST'S EYE. Inula cuius Christi.
in the spring months. The leaves are sim-
pie, either entire or with spinous teeth,
CHRIST'S THORN. Paliurus aculeatus.
J
'
generally smooth, and varying much in CHRISTYA. A Cape shrub forming a
i
form. In the greater portion the flowers genus of Apocynacea, and having erect
! are in racemes, but in a few they are axil- rod-like branches and large handsome
;
lary and solitary; the pods are generally flowers, with a calyx divided into five
I
oval in form, turgid, and about half an lance-shaped divisions, each with a cleft
! inch long, containing a number of seeds. gland at its base a somewhat bell-shaped
;
The first species of the genus, C. ilici- corolla with a row of cleft fleshy scales at
:
folium, was found by Labillardiere in West its mouth, alternating with the linear
;
Australia. This botanist was attached to divisions of its limb five anthers, hairy
;
! the expedition sent by the French govern- oil their back, and cohering with the
I
inent in search of the lost La Perouse, and velvety cushion-like stigma. The two ova-
: onone of his excursions suffered much.wir.h ries contain several seeds. [M. T. M.j
his party, for want of water at last they;
i
met with an ample supply, and near it with CHROMATIDIUM. The colouring matter
1
November and December. This plant, twenty stamens and an ovary the style of
;
popularly known as the Chrysanthemum, which arises from one of its sides near the
is more generally referred by botanists base, which latter is one of the principal
to the genus Pyrethrum, as P. sinense. characters of the family. The Cocoa-plum,
Chrysanthemums are classed by growers C. Icaeo, is one of the commonest species.
into Large-flowered, Anemone-flowered, The fruits are about the size of a plum,
Pompons, and Anemone-flowered Pom- and vary much in colour, being either
pons. [C. A. J.] white, yellow, red, or purple. The pulp is
sweet, a little austere, and not disagree-
CHRYSANTHUS. Yellow-flowered. able. The shell of the kernel is hard and
CHRYSBIS. A name sometimes given six-grooved. In the West Indies, according
to the species of Bschscholtzia which :
to McPadyen, the fruits prepared with
see. sugar form a favourite conserve with the
Spanish colonists, and large quantities are
CHRYSIPHIALA. A synonyme of annually exported from Cuba. The kernels
Stenomesson, adopted in some systematic yield a fixed oil, and an emulsion made
books. with them is said to be used in dysentery.
CHRYSO. In Greek compounds = golden An astringent bath recommended in leu-
yellow. corrhoea and blennorrhoea is prepared from
the leaves and roots. Pour species are
CHRYSOBACTRON. A genus of Lilia- known. [A. A. B.]
cece, near Anthericum, from the Auckland
and Campbell Islands, New Zealand. It has CHRYSOCHROUS. Having a yellow
linear leaves and racemose flowers (which skin.
are occasionally dioecious) of abright yellow
colour. The perianth is six-lobed the an-
;
CHRYSOCOMA. A genus of South Afri-
thers connected (absent in the female flow- can shrubs or undershrubs of the com-
posite family, nearly allied to Linosyris,
ers). The ovary has three furrows style ;
small annual Australian plants belonging North America to be the same as that of
I to the composite family. They are branch- the golden rod (Solidago). The species are
; ed from the base, and seldom exceed three perennial plants, with alternate lance-
inches in height. The leaves are small, shaped entire or serrated leaves, sometimes
i
, linear, and covered with loose white wool furnished with pellucid dots, and they bear
i but the most marked feature in the plants terminal corymbs of yellow flower-heads,
! is the arrangement of the flower-heads each of which contains from six to eight
these are disposed in short yellow club- florets, one to three of them being strap-
i
shaped spikes, and each flower head is al- shaped. [A. A. B.]
most hidden by a yellow bract, and contains CHRYSOPHYLCUM. A name expres-
but two florets. The florets are tubular sive of the golden colour on the underside
and bi- or tridentate, an unusual circum- of their leaves, which the trees of this
stance in this family. The achenes are genus possess. It is a group of Sapotacew,
covered with wart-like glands, and are des-
!
and the best known of the two species, the bearing pistil only, those of the disc
leaf is large, plaited and ovate, while the tubular and perfect. The genus differs
scape is about two feet high, bearing from its allies in having the pappus of the
orange and yellow flowers the size of a ray and disc florets similar and double,
wild pansy. the exterior short and scale-like, the
inner copious and capillary. C. villosa, a
CHRYSOGONUU. This genus of the plant with oblong hairy leaves about an
composite family differs from its allies in inch and a half long, and numerous yellow
its achenes being crowned with a two or flower-heads, half an inch in diameter, is
three-toothed pappus. Its only representa- said to be one of the commonest plants on
tive is C. virginianum, a dwarf perennial the prairies of the Saskatchawan. C. gra-
herb found in many parts of the United
j
States. All its parts when young are its leaves are clad with beautiful close-
covered with hairy tomentum. It is nearly pressed silvery hairs. [A. A. B.]
stemless when it begins to flower, but
soon sends out several stems, some of
CHRYSOPTERIS. A synonyme of
ridebodium, a genus of ferns which in-
which are erect and flower-bearing, while cludes Linnffius's Polypodium aureum, the
others take the form of runners and
specific appellation seeming to have sug-
creep alonp the ground. The leaves are
gested this generic name. [T. M.]
opposite on long stalks, ovate, with notched
margins. The flower-heads, stalked, soli- CHRYSORRHOE. A genus of Chamaz-
tary, and terminating the branches, are lauciacece, consisting of a rigid shrub from
made up of numerous bright yellow the Swan river, with narrow terete leaves,
florets, those of the ray few and strap- and terminal corymbs of bright yellow
chry] €3)£ tRkt&gUYi* at 23atattj). 280
flowers. The sepals are five in number, CHUICHUNCHULLI. The root of loni-
and cut into many pilose segments the ; dium microphyllum.
petals Ave, serrate the stamens free, ten
;
fertile and ten imperfect and shorter than CHU-LAN. Chlorantlius inconspicuus, a
the others the ovary completely covered
;
tea-scent used in China.
by the disc. The genus is closely allied to CHUMBELEE. Jasminum grandiflo-
Verticordia, but that has monadelphous rum.
stamens, and the sterile ones longer than
the fertile. [J. T. S.] CHURN-STAFF. Euphorbia heliosco-
pia.
CHRYSOSPLBNI UM. Golden Saxifrage.
A small genus of unimportant herbaceous CHURRAS. The Nepalese name of the
plants belonging to the Saxifragacem, resinous exudation of the Hemp, Cannabis
among which they are discriminated by sativa.
their one-celled seed-vessel, and by being CHUSSALONGO. The vulnerary, Matico,
destitute of petals. Two species are in- Eupatorum glutinosum.
digenous to Britain, and scarcely differ
from one another, except that one has the CHYMOCARPITS. A genus of scandent
leaves opposite, the other alternate. They herbs belonging to the Tropceolacece. The
grow on the margins of streams, forming flowers consist of a coloured calyx, pro-
extensive patches, and in hilly districts longed behind into a hollow spur, and
often betray, by a line of bright green, the divided at the margin, in a somewhat two-
course of a, mountain-spring which has lipped manner, into five nearly equal lobes
worn a narrow way for itself down the a corolla of two petals inserted in the
slope. The roots are intermatted and send mouth of the tube-like spur; and eight
up numerous delicate green very succulent hypogynous stamens. The sessile three-
stems, to the height of three or four lobed three-celled ovary grows into a
inches. The leaves are roundish, some- three-lobed sweet fleshy edible berry,
what fleshy, and sprinkled with longish which remains attached to thefrontof the
hairs. The flowers, which are bright persistent calyx. This black juicy berry,
yellowish-green, appear in April and which is not unlike in appearance and
May, growing in flat tufts at the summit flavour to the Zante or currant grape, is
of the stems C. oppositifolium is the com- the most remarkable peculiarity of the
monest species. C. alternifolium is more genus, which was founded on C. pentaphyl-
j
abundaut in the north. The genus is ! lus, a plant of Buenos Ayres, long culti-
represented in various parts of the world i vated in our gardens. This is a handsome
by plants of similar habit, none of which species, with a thick fleshy fusiform tuber,
are worthy of cultivation. In the Vosges, j
and smooth filiform stems, climbing se-
the species are used as a salad under veral feet high, and furnished with alter-
the name of Cresson de Roche; French, ;
nate stalked five-parted leaves, having
Dorine German, Goldmilz.
; [C. A. J.] j
oblong-elliptic leaflets. The Howers are
solitary in the axils of the leaves, the spur
CHRYSOSTEMMA. Under the name of |
gardens a tall smooth North American marked with dark red spots. The two
herb of the composite family, with opposite petals are very small, purple. [T. M.]
leaves, those on the lower part of the
stem pinnately five-parted, the upper ones CHYSIS. Under this name are collected
three-parted, with lance-shaped segments !
fern, -which is no doubt the species just re- medicinally as a styptic, is derived in the
ferred to. "When inverted, the basal part islands of the Eastern Archipelago from the
of the stipes of four of the fronds suitably caudex and stipes of C. Barometz and also ;
placed, having been retained as legs, and from Dicksonia chrysotricha, of which lat-
the rest cast away, these caudices pre- ter a plantation belonging to the Dutch
sent an appearance which may be taken as government exists in the interior of Java,
a rude representation of some small woolly and the produce of this plantation has
animal. The 'traveller's tale' is that on been exported to Holland for public sale.
an elevated uncultivated salt-plain of vast This substance is called Penghawar Djambi.
extent, west of the Volga, grows a wonder- Its styptic properties seem attributable to
ful plant, with the appearance of a lamb
(Baran in Russian), having feet, head, and
tail distinctly formed, and its skin covered
with soft down. The ' lamb grows upon '
serves Dr. Lindley, that 'simple people the rapidity with which its filaments, act-
have been pursuaded that there existed, in ing by capillary attraction, absorb the
the deserts of Scythia, creatures half aqueous particles of the blood, and thus
animal, half plant.' ' This condition of the cause its immediate coagulation. C. Men-
rootstock of some ferns,' writes Sir W. J. ziesii, one of the species said to furnish
Hooker, 'long engaged the attention of Pulu, has large thick coriaceous bipinnate
early writers of the marvellous, and many fronds, the large oblong acuminate sinuato-
strange figures were published of it but ; pinnatifld pinnules with rounded lobes,
Dr. Beyue, of Dantzig, in 1725, declared !
bearing several large corneous opaque in-
that the pretended Agnus Scythicus was volucres. This may be taken as a fair
nothing more than the root of a large I
representative of the other species, one of
fern covered with its natural villus or j
which, besides those already mentioned, is
yellow down, and accompanied by some |
found in Assam, and another of very
of the stems, &c, in order, when placed j
graceful habit in Mexico. [T. M.]
in "an inverted position, the better to repre- CIBOULE.
j
(Fr.) Allium ascalonicum.
sent the appearance of the legs and horns
of a quadruped.' He also adds, ' that the
| — COMMUNE. The Welsh Onion, Allium
t
fistulosum.
down or villus is the poco sempic, or
" golden moss," so much esteemed by the
|
CIBOULETTE. <Fr.) Allium Schceno-
Chinese for the purpose of stopping prasum.
—
haemorrhage,' the very use to which it
CICATRICULE. The scar formed by the
has been found to be applied elsewhere in separation of a leaf from its stem.
modern times. A substance called Pulu,
consisting of silky fibrous hairs, used for CICATRJSATE, OICATRICOSE. Marked
stuffing mattresses, &c, is obtained from with scars.
three species of this genus, C. glaucum,
Chamissoi, and Menziesii, natives of the
CICATRIX. Any kind of scar formed
by the separation of one part from an-
Sandwich Islands, whence this article has
other.
become a regular export, to the extent of
some thousands of pounds annually. This CICCA. A
genus of Euphorbiacece, com-
Pulu consists of the hair-like scales found prising a number of small trees or shrubs,
on the crown of the stem and about the natives of the tropical parts of India,
base of the frond-stalks of the ferns only ; Africa, and America. The leaves, stalked,
a small quantity, about two or three ounces, entire, and generally oval, are furnished
is found on each plant, and it takes about with minute stipules the small green
;
four years for the plants to reproduce this flowers are shortly stalked, generally four
amount. The ferns which produce the to Ave in the axils of the leaves, but some-
Pulu grow on all the high lands of the times in long-bracted racemes the males ;
peans pickle or make preserves of them, peculiar form of these peas has given rise
and also use them in tarts. In Java they to the specific name of the plant arieti-
are brought to the markets and sold for num, which alludes to their supposed re-
preserving at threepence per gallon. A semblance to a ram's head.
decoction of the leaves is used to cause This plant is extensively cultivated in
perspiration, and the roots are emetic, but India and other eastern countries, and
too violently so to be used. likewise in the south of Europe. In India
C. indica, sometimes called Prosoras the seeds form one of the pulses known
indicus, is a tree of thirty or forty feet under the name of Gram,' and are greatly
'
high, found in the Bombay district and used as an article of food by the natives,
also in Ceylon ; its ovate-lanceolate entire being ground into meal, and either eaten
leaves are pale green underneath, and the in puddings or made into cakes. They are
flowers are in axillary fascicles. The bright also toasted or parched, and in this state
blue seeds are contained in a dry capsule, are commonly carried for food on long
and according to Mr. Thwaites are a favou- journeys ; rolled in sugar-candy, these
rite food of the green pigeon. Its wood is toasted peas form a rough sort of comfits,
white, tough, and used for building pur- and gram-flour made up with sesamuin
poses in Ceylon. [A. A. B.] oil and sugar-candy is an Indian sweet-
meat. Small quantities of these peas
CICELY, SWEET. Myrrhis odorata come to this country from Turkey, and are
also an American name for Osmorrhiza.
used for grinding into pea-meal. Attempts
CICER. A genus of leguminous plants, have been made to employ them as a sub-
which, in combination with five or six stitute for coffee. In Paris they are greatly
others, closely allied, forms the vetch used in soups. [A. S.]
tribe of that order. About a dozen or In Mysore the natives collect the dew
fifteen species, natives of Southern or from the Gram plants by means of muslin
' '
Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Abys- cloths, which become saturated with it.
sinia, are described. They are annuals or The liquid thus obtained, which is very
perennial herbaceous plants or under- acid, is preserved in bottles for use, and
shrubs, clothed with glandular hairs, and is regarded as a sure medicine in cases of
having pinnate leaves, consisting either of indigestion, being administered in water.
a definite number of leaflets in pairs with It is stated that the boots of a person
the leaf-stalk terminating in a tendril, or walking through a dewy gram field will be
of several pairs of leaflets with an odd one entirely destroyed by the pungency of this
at the end, the leaflets being conspicuously acid given out by the leaves. [T. M.]
marked by veins. The generic character
consists in the tube of the five-lobed calyx
CICHE. (Fr.) Astragalus, Cicer; also
Cicer arietinum.
being puffed out on the upper side, and
two or three of the lobes being pressed CICHORACEiE. (Chicory family.> A sub-
upon the upper petal of the pea-like co- order of the natural order Composites or
rolla. The pods have their sides swollen Asteracece, under which its full characters
out, and contain only a few (seldom more are given. The plants have numerous
than two or three) seeds, which bear some florets (small flowers) on a common head,
resemblance to peas, but are of an irregular and all of them are irregular, having a
shape. ligulate form in consequence of the corol-
C. ariebinum is the Chick-pea, or Egyp- line tube being split down on one side,
tian pea of the English, the 'Cece' of the and a tongue or strap-like process formed
Italians, the ' Garbanzos' of the Spaniards, by the united petals projecting on the other
and the Gram of India. It is an annual
'
' side. The suborder sometimes receives the
plant, growing about a foot or more in name of Ligidifloros from the form of the
I
_c>o &l)t STrca^urg at SSnfang. [cicu
by the presence of ligulateor strap-shaped states that endive in his time was eaten
florets only in the heads of flowers, and by both as a salad and potherb. As such it
the presence of a milky juice. It consists has been used in this country for three
of perennial plants, with stiff branching centuries, and it is a singular fact that the
stems, and sessile heads of blue flowers, manner in which it was prepared for
surrounded by an involucre consisting of winter use, as described by Gerarde in
two rows of bracts, the outer of which are 1597, differs but little from the mode that
feflexed and shorter than the inner. The is often practised at the present day. The
fruits are crowned by two rows of minute plant has numerous large sinuate smooth
scales, constituting the limb of the calyx. toothed, or in some varieties much
The Wild Chicory or Succory, C. Intybus, undulated and finely-curled deep-green
is a perennial plant found in this country leaves. The flower-stem rises about two
by roadsides and in dry, especially chalky, feet high and produces numerous pale-blue
soil. It has a long tap root, and a rigid flowers. It is cultivated solely for the
slightly hairy branched stem, with a few stocky head of leaves, which after being
sessile clasping leaves. The lower leaves blanched to diminish their bitterness, are
spread on the ground, and are pinnately used in salads and stews during winter
lobed and coarsely toothed, while the and spring. The different varieties of
upper ones are scanty and embrace the endive are arranged in two classes, namely:
stem by the two pointed lobes at their base. 1, the Batavian (Scarolesof the French),
The heads of flowers are few, sessile, of which comprises all with large broad
the size of a penny-piece, and of a brilliant leaves, slightly ragged or torn and 2, the
;
light blue colour. The leaves of chicory Curled or Chicorees of the French, being
are blanched and used as a salad under the all those with crisp and finely-frizzled j
ally used under the name of sulphate of greatly diminished, if means be not taken
quinine— next to opium and calomel, pro- to secure the growth of these trees. Che-
bably the most important of all drugs. mists, however, tell us we need not de-
The alkaloids extracted from the harks spair of finding a substitute. Thanks,
are recognised by their distinctive chemi- nevertheless, to the labours of Messrs.
cal characteristics, while the barks pro- Markhani, Spruce, and others in South
ducing them are likewise distinguished by America, as well as to those of Mr. Mclvor
a careful scrutiny of their external ap- and other cultivators in India, there are
pearance, the lichens, &c, growing on now established in many of the hilly dis-
them, the way in which they break, their tricts of the latter country large planta-
taste, odour, &c, as well as by their mi- tions of the most valuable kinds of cin-
croscopical and chemical characteristics. chona. Mr. Wilson also has met with
All these varied points require long prac- tolerable success in the cultivation of these
tical experience for their due acquirement. plants on the higher mountains of Jamaica,
The way in which the barks break, or the
j
fracture, as it is termed, depends on their bark derived from these sources are very
[
and woody portions. "Where the former the middle of the seventeenth century, i
preponderates, the fracture is smooth and The discovery of its medicinal value is i
even, and such barks are said to yield the a matter of fable and conjecture. The
greatest quantity of quinidin. When there
j
albumen of the seeds. Cephaelis Ipecacu- be made to bloom almost at any season.
C. cruenta, a native of Teneriffe, has heart-
anha yields the well-known Ipecacuan root
which is used commonly as an emetic. shaped leaves, variously toothed at the
edge, tinged with red or purple, or of
A dye called soorangie is procured from
unmixed green the upper leaves clasp
the root of Morinda citrifolia. White gam- ;
has been found in Norway. [M. J. B.] tical, leathery, smooth and entire; peduncles
axillary, three-flowered calyx of three
CINCLIDOTUS. A genus of aquatic ;
cleft leathery calyx, nine fertile stamens having the veins reticulated. The only
in three rows, with four-celled anthers species known, C. Moorii, has a short de-
j
which open inwardly, except those of the cumbent rhizome, and pedately bipinnato-
! third or innermost row, which open to- pinnatifid fronds of membranaceo-berba-
, wards the outside of the flower. The ceous texture, which are studded with sori
stamens of this third row are moreover around the margin. The fructification of
provided with two sessile glands, one on Cionidium is that of Deparia, the distinc-
!
each side of their base, and within them is tion between these two consisting in the
|
a fourth row of abortive stamens. The reticulated venation of the former, and
fruit is berry-like, one-seeded, in a cup- the free venation of the latter. [T. M.]
like calyx.
i
C. largely cultivated in
zeylanicum is CIPURA. A small genus of iridaceous
Ceylon, for its bark, which furnishes the plants closely allied to Marica, consisting
i
best Cinnamon. The bark is stripped off of bulbous herbs with ensiform leaves and
i
the branches, when it rolls up into quills, terminal heads of flowers. The species,
i the smaller of which are introduced within which are hut few in number, are found in
|
the larger and then dried in the sun. The tropical and subtropical America. The
\
thinner the bark is as a rule, the finer its perianth has a very short tube and a six-
I quality. Cinnamon is largely used as a parted limb, of which the inner or petal-
condiment for its agreeable flavour, while oid divisions .are much the smaller; there
its astringent and cordial properties give are three stamens with distinct filaments
it a medicinal value. It is said to possess inserted in the tube of the perianth, and a
!
the special property of restraining uterine three-celled ovary containing numerous
haemorrhage. ovules, and surmounted by a very short
C. Cassia furnishes Cassia bark, which is style, and three petaloid undivided styles
much like cinnamon, but thicker, coarser, alternating with the stamens. C.paludosa,
stronger, less delicate in flavour, and a native of humid meadows in Cayenne,
cheaper hence it is frequently used to
; has conico-globose bulbs, radical linear-
adulterate cinnamon Its admixture, how- . lanceolate plaited leaves from three to
ever, can be readily detected, even in a five inches long, the scape shorter than
powdered state, according to Dr. Hassall. I the leaves, and bearing a short densely-
Cassia is grown in China, Java, &c. The l imbricated distichous terminal spike of
German and Russian chocolate-makers bluish flowers. [T. M.]
prefer cassia to cinnamon, as affording a
stronger flavour. The same, or some CTB.CMX. A plant with a name so
closely-allied trees, furnish Cassia buds, ominous as Enchanter's or Enchantress-
which are something like cloves, and, like >*ight shade might well be supposed to be
them, consist of the unexpanded flower- gifted with the most potent properties.
buds but they possess properties similar
;
It is, however, a humble herbaceous plant,
to those of the bark. belonging to the Onagracece, growing to
Other species of this genus afford aro- the height of about a foot and a half, with
matic barks: such as C. Culilawan, a native delicate egg-shaped leaves which taper to
of Amboyna, whose bark has a flavour of a point, and small white flowers tinged
I
cloves. C. iners, a native of Malabar, is with pink, which are succeeded by small
employed medicinally in fevers and dysen- roundish seed-vessels thickly covered with
tery the seeds are the parts used; the
;
hooked bristles. C. Lutetiana, the com-
I
bark is likewise employed as a condiment. mon species, is abundant in shady woods,
! The leaves of C. nitidum, dried, are said to where it frequently covers a large space of
|
have furnished the aromatic leaves called ground. It often too finds its way into
'folia Malabathri'; indeed, it is surprising shrubberies, where it is a pretty but
that the leaves of the cinnamon are not troublesome weed, creeping extensively,
;
more often imported, as they, like the inner and very difficult to eradicate. It has no
hark, though to a less extent, contain the affinity with any of the true nightshades,
volatile oil on which the fragrant aromatic and is conjectured to have received its
properties depend. [31. T. M.] name from the tenacity with which its
prickly seed-vessels attach themselves to
1
Cut circularly round the sides, as the seed- leaves with toothed margins, and their
vessel of Anagallis. under-surface is invariably covered with
CIRCUMSCRIPTIO. The outline of
short close-pressed white hairs. The
yellow flower-heads, arranged in terminal
anything.
or axillary panicles or corymbs, have an
CIRCUMSEPIENTIA FOLIA. Leaves involucre of eight or ten scales, enclosing
which rise up like a funnel and surround about a dozen florets, all of them tubular.
the stem as if to protect the young shoots, The achenes have no beak, are somewhat
as in the marvel of Peru. Such is De angular in form, and crowned with a
Candolle's definition, but the term is very pappus of many rough hairs, arranged in a
rarely used. single series. [A. A. B.]
CIRIER or CIRIER DE LA CAROLINE. CISSAMPELOS. The plants so named
(Fr.) Myrica cerifera. have the climbing character of the ivy
—kissos of the Greeks, and the clustered
CIRRILEA. A genus of pseudobul- fruit of the vine— ampelos. Their flowers
bous orchids from tropical America, with are dioecious. The male flowers have four
solitary ribbed ieaves, and drooping ra-
sepals and four petals combined into a
cemes of flowers, yellowish, greenish, or cup the female flowers have two sepals
;
spotted with purple. They are remarkable
fused into a somewhat fleshy two-nerved
for their long column, which bears a one-
scale, frequently notched at the margin,
celled anther at the back of the upper
and having externally a small bract, for-
extremity, curving gracefully over a deeply
merly considered as a sepa the ovary is
three-lobed lip, the middle division of
solitary. In drawing up the differential
which turns back from the side ones. The characteristics of this genus, the explana-
proscolla or stigmatic point is extended
tions of Booker and Thomson as to the
into a slender tendril-like thread, whence
structure of these flowers have been
the name. adopted as being probably correct, though
CIRRHTFEROUS. Bearing a tendril. at variance with the account given by
other writers. The most important plant
CIRRHIFORM. Shaped like a tendril. of the genus is the Velvet Leaf, C. Pareira,
C1RRHOPETALUM. An extensive ge- a native of the West Indies, Central
nus of small epiphytal orchids, with soli- America, and India. It is an exceedingly
tary fleshy leaves proceeding from the top variable plant with a climbing stem, the
of roundish pseudobulbs. Their flowers leavesof variable'rounded shape,and dotted
are remarkable for having the lateral with velvety pubescence male flowers in
;
sepals prolonged into narrow streamers, by stalked hairy cymes, and female flowers in
which the species are readily distinguished clusters,with large rounded bracts, and suc-
from Bolbophyllum. Between thirty and ceeded by sub-globose hairy scarlet drupes.
forty species are known, all from tropical The root of this plant furnishes the
Asia except C. Thouarsii, which inhabits '
Pareira brava' of the druggists, which is
the Mascaren and South Sea Islands. The used with much benefit in diseases of the
singularly-formed flowers have made a few bladder and urinary organs. Many other
favourite objects of cultivation. The best species are used as tonics and diuretics,
are C. fimbriatum, refractum, chinense, and while C. glaberrima and C. ebracteata are
Cumingii. used as remedies for serpent bites. The
root of C. obtecta is used in the manufac-
CIRRHOSITAS. The production of
tendrils.
ture of an intoxicating drink. [M. T. M.]
indeed they are placed by some authors. The leaves are often more deeply divided.
Most of them have heart-shaped stalked J Most of the species are found within the
Tropics, especially in Asia ; a few occur in species the petals are white and furnished
North America. [J. T. S.] with a yellow or purple mark at their base
while in a second the petals are rose-
CISTACEJE. (Rock-rose family.) A natural coloured, each with a yellow spot at its
order of thalamifloral dicotyledons, cha- base. None of them have yellow flowers,
racterising Lindley's cistal alliance.
a colour so common among the Heli-
Shrubs or herbs, often viscid, with sim- antlicmums.
ple entire leaves and showy flowers. The Ladauum or Labdanum of Crete is
Sepals three to five, persistent, unequal, a well-known gum, which exudes from the
The three inner twisted in the bud. leaves and branches of C. creticus, and
Petals five, rarely three, falling off, often some other allied species. This plant is a
crumpled, twisted in an opposite direction handsome shrub, with oblong obtuse
from the sepals. Stamens numerous, not rough leaves with waved margins and
united. Fruit a one-celled capsule with pa- about an inch in length. The flowers are
rietal placentas, or imperfectly three to five-
terminal and single or twin, the petals
celled with central placentas. Seeds with
purple with a pale yellow spot at the base.
mealy albumen; embryo curved or spiral. The gum is collected in Crete by means
The plants are found chiefly in the south of a kind of rake, with a double row of
'
of Europe and north of Africa. They are long leathern straps, employed in the heat
very rare in North America, still more un- of the day when not a breath of wind is
common in South America, and scarcely stirring. Seven or eight country fellows,
known in Asia, They are usually resinous, in their shirts and drawers, whip the
and have a balsamic fragrance. The resin plants with these straps, which, by rub-
called Ladonum is procured from several
species of Cistus. Helianthemum vulgare,
the common rock-rose of Britain, has re-
markably irritable stamens, which in
sunny weather move on being touched.
There are eight known genera, and about
190 species. Illustrative genera: Fumana,
Cistus, Helianthemun, [J. H. B.]
CISTELLA, CISTULA. A cell-like shield
found among lichens in the genus Sphcero-
phoron.
CISTCOIE. A membranous sac which
'
there is no sunshine. In one group of 1 deep purple blotch at the base. The gum
cist] Cfje gnrougurj) ai Statang. 290
is said to be obtained by boiling in water secrete an oily substance of a strong
the summits of the branches. It has an citron odour. Some of the species are
odour similar to that of the former, but is known on this account by the name of
not in much repute. Limoncillo, and the genus also derives its
A much more common plant in gardens name from this circumstance. The leaves,
is C. cyprius, which is often confounded sometimes three or four in a whorl, are
with the former, but has large and al- either entire or toothed, and very often
ways solitary flowers, while this has three covered with rusty hairs, but sometimes
or four flowers on a common stalk'; the smooth. The small green or yellow
leaves are also stalked, while in C. ladani- flowers without petals are numerous, dis-
ferus they are sessile. posed in axillary cymes, and either male
One of the most beautiful of the rosy- and female on the same or on different
flowered species is C. vaginatus, a native plants. They are made up of a three or
of Teneriffe. Its hairy leaves are lance- six-lobed cup-shaped calyx, which in the
shaped, three-nerved, and dilated towards male encloses few or many stamens, and
the base, while the splendid large rose- in the female a number of one-celled and
coloured flowers are very numerous and in one-seeded ovaries, each with a simple
terminal panicles. The petals are crumpled style these are at length entirely en-
;
and have wavy margins, bent inwards, veloped by the fleshy tube of the calyx.
with a yellow spot at their base. A large This latter circumstance serves to dis-
•number are in cultivation, and upwards, tinguish the genus from its allies. The
of thirty coloured figures of these plants fruit is about the size of a pea when ripe.
are given in Sweet's Cistinece. [A. A. B.] The name of the genus was formerly
written Citrosma. [A. A. B.]
CISTUS, GROUND. Rhododendron Cha-
mcBcistus. — ,GUM. Cistus ladaniferus, CITRON. Citrus medica. — , FINGERED.
and C. Ledon. Sarcodactylis.
CISTUSRAPES. A name given by CITRONELLA. Andropogon citratum,
Lindley to the group of Cytinaceous which yields an essential oil used in
parasites. perfumery.
CITHAREXYLON. A considerable ge- CITRONELLE. (Fr.) Artemisia Abro-
nus of trees or shrubs, belonging to the tanum.
order Verbenacece, natives of tropical and
sub-tropical America. They have tetra- CITRONNELLE. (Fr.) Melissa offici-
gonous sometimes spiny branches, oppo- nalis. *
site or verticillate leaves, and small race- CITRONNIER. (Fr.) Citrus medica.
mose flowers each with a minute bracteole.
The persistent calyx is cup-shaped or CITRONWORTS. A name given by
tubular the limb of the corolla is sub-
; Lindley to the family of aurantiaceous
equally five-parted. The included stamens plants to which the orange and citron
are inserted below the throat of the co- belong.
rolla on short filaments they are sub-
;
equal or the fifth is shorter than the CITROUILLE. (Fr.) A race of large
others, sometimes rudimentary and ste- oblong Gourds derived from Cucurbita
rile, on altogether absorbed. The ovary Pepo. — PASTE V QUE. Cucumis Citrullus.
,
is four-celled, with one ovule in each cell. CITRUL. The Water Melon, Cucumis
The juicy drupe is surrounded by the large Citmllus.
cup-shaped calyx, and is two-stoned, each
stone being two-celled. [W. C] CITRULLUS. The bitter Cucumber or
Colocynth, which furnishes a well-known
CITREOUS, CITRINOUS. Lemon-co^ cathartic drug, belongs to this genus of
loured. the gourd family, Cucurbita cece, and is
CITRIOBATUS. A genus of small known by its unisexual flowers, which
thorny Austraiian trees or shrubs belong- have a persistent five-parted calyx and
corolla. In the male flowers, the stamens
ing to Pittosporacece. Leaves alternate,
shortly stalked, obovate, leathery, entire. are five, united into three bundles, and the
Flowers small, solitary,sessile,axiliary,with anthers are sinuous. The female flowers
five sepals bracteated at the base
have an inferior three to six-celled ovary,
; five pe-
a cylindrical three-cleft style, and kidney-
tals united at the base; and fivestamens.
Fruit an orange berry with a leathery
shaped stigmas. The fruit is a many-
skin, sub-globular, about one inch and a
seeded gourd. C. Colocynthis was origin-
ally a native of the warmer parts of Asia,
half in diameter, eaten by the natives;
seeds large. The plants are called the
but has now become widely diffused. The
Native Orange and Orange Thorn by the
drug known as Colocynth consists of the
Australian colonists.
round fruits or gourds, which are im-
[J, T. S.]
ported either with the rind on or peeled,
CITRIOSMA. A genus of opposite- from Spain, the Levant, &c. The pulp
leaved bushes or small trees belonging to in the interior of the fruit is light and
the Monimiacece, confined to the tropical spongy, and very bitter from it a watery ;
parts of South America, and numbering extract is made, which is much employed
u pwards of fifty species. A large propor- as a purgative in the form of pills. Some
tion of them have their parts, especially discrepancy exists as to the seeds of this
the leaves, covered with glands which plant, which some describe as bland and
291 GEIje CreaSurg of 2Sotanp.
nutritious, "while others say that they the following observations by Dr. Lindley
are hitter and purgative. Certainly the in the Journal of the Horticultural Society
dried dark-coloured seeds met with in (ix. 171), are important. He states that
this country are so ; hut it is stated that the above-mentioned fruits 'are all of
Eastern origin, and mostly introduced
into Europe in comparatively modern
days, but of very ancient and general
cultivation in Asia. The varieties known
are very numerous and difficult to reduce
according to their species, on the limits
of which botanists are much divided in
opinion. Those who have bestowed the
most pains in the investigation of Indian
botany, and in^vhose judgment we should
place the most confidence, have come to
the conclusion that the Citron, the Orange,
the Lemon, the Lime, and their numerous
varieties now in circulation, are all de-
rived from one botanical species, C. medica,
indigenous to, and still found wild in, the
mountains of East India. Others, it is
true, tell us that the Citron, the Orange,
and the Lime are to be found as distinct
types in different valleys, even in the wild
Citrullus Colocynthis.
state ; but these observations do not
appear to have been made with that ac-
the seeds are used as food at the Cape of.
Good Hope. An oil is also extracted from curacy and critical caution which would
them for burning in lamps. [M. T. M.] be necessary in the case of trees so long
and so generally cultivated.'
CITRUS. The Orange, Lemon, Citron, The Citron, C. medica, is described by
and other well-known fruits of a similar Theophrastus as abundant in Media, that
kind, are included in this genus of Auran- is to say, in the north of Persia, Its fruit,
tiacece. Its distinguishing characteristics according to Professor Decandolle, was
are: the presence of a cup-like calyx, carried to Rome in the beginning of the
I
numerous stamens irregularly united by Christian era, or perhaps at an earlier
! their filaments into several bundles, a period. The first attempts at its cultiva-
cylindrical style, and a pulpy fruit with a tion in Italy proved unsuccessful, and ac-
spongy- rind. The leaves of these trees are cording to Gallesio, it was not established
!
also remarkable inasmuch as they consist there till about the third or fourth cen-
I of one leaflet, separated from the leaf-like tury. The Jews cultivated the Citron at
stalk supporting it, by a distinct joint. the time they were under subjection to
The most important species, in a medi- the Romans, and used the fruit then, as at
cal or pharmaceutical point of view, are the present day, in the Feast of Taber-
I the Citron, C. medica, which furnishes two nacles but there is no proof of their hav-
;
]
distinct kinds of oil, used by perfumers, ing known this tree in the time of Moses.
! the essential oil of citron and the essen- It is likely they found it at Babylon dur-
|
tial oil of cedra. The Lemon, C. Limo- ing their captivity, and brought it to
!
num, is employed in medicine for the sake Palestine on their return. "Whatever may
of its aromatic bitter rind ; its odour is have been the diffusion of the species in
due to the volatile oil in which it abounds. "Western Asia at that remote date, there is
The juice of the Lemon is used as a re- no evidence of its having been indigenous
freshing beverage in fevers and scorbutic to Media, norhavemodern travellers found
affections, and as effervescing lemonade it wild in Persia; but Dr. Royle found the
to check sickness and nausea. As it is species in the forests of Northern India.
apt to decompose, crystallized citric acid The Citron is cultivated in Cochin China,
is usually employed in its place as an anti- and in China, but Thunberg does not men-
scorbutic, and with the best effects. Lately tion it as existing in Japan. Taking all
it has been recommended in acute rheu- the above facts into consideration, it is
matism. Lime juice is employed for simi- evident that the species is originally from
lar purposes. The Seville or Bitter Orange, the north of India, and as the habitat of
C. Blgaradia, is used for the sake of its every one of the Orange tribe is naturally
rind and its flowers, which possess a rather limited, Professor Decandolle does
stronger flavour and odour than the sweet not think that this extended in the case of
orange. The rind is used as a stomachic the Citron, as far as the north of Persia.
and tonic, while the flowers yield by distil- Probably the Citron was carried in that
lation orange-flower water. [M. T. M.] direction, and also into China at a very
The Citron, Orange, Lemon, Shaddock, early period. In many countries they are
and Lime have been referred to various easily naturalised. The seeds sow them-
species of Citrus, with regard to which selves in several of the colonies : for in-
botanists, however, are not agreed. It is stance, in Jamaica. In its wild state the
even doubtful whether all of them, with Citron grows erect with spiny branches. The
their very numerous varieties, have not flowers are purple on the outside and white
originated from C. medica. On this point inside. The fruit is large, oblong or ovate,
citr] Cije Erea^urji of SSfltang. 292
finger-like divisions, and hence called the sweet ones through Persia to Syria, and
Fingered Citron. thence to the shores of Italy and the
The Lemon, C, Limonum, of some bota- south of France and the bitter, called in
;
nists, G. medica Limonum of others, is, ac- commerce Seville Oranges, by Arabia,
cording to Dr. Royle, who found it Egypt, and the north of Africa to Spain.
growing wild in the North of India, Of the numerous varieties of this esteemed
named in Hindostanee Neemoo, Leemoo, fruit, our limits will only admit of our
Leeboo ; in Arabic Limoun and in
; noticing some of the more important.
Italian, Limone. Professor Decandolle The Sweet Orange has the leaves ovate-
states that it was unknown to the ancient oblong, acute, somewhat serrated, with
Greeks and Romans and that its culture
; the stalk more or less winged. The flowers
only extended into the west with the con- are white. The fruit is well known. There
quests of the Arabs. On' their spreading are many varieties that called the China
;
over the vast regions of Asia- and Africa, Orange is the common Orange of the mar-
they carried with them everywhere the kets. The Blood Red or Malta Orange has
Orange and Lemon. The latter was brought the fruit round, rough red or reddish-yellow
by them in the tenth century from the outside,with a pulp irregularly mottled
gardens of Oman into Palestine and Egypt. with crimson. The Saint Michael's Orange
Jacques de Vitry, writing in the thirteenth has the fruit rather small, pale yellow and
century, very well describes the Lemon, seedless, with a thin rind and very sweet
which he had seen in Palestine and doubt-
; pulp; it is one of the most delicious and pro-
less it was by the crusaders first brought ductive varieties. The Noble, or Mandarin
into Italy, but at a date which cannot be Orange is small flattened and deep orange,
exactly ascertained. From the north of with a thin rind which separates spontane-
India it appears to have passed eastward ously from the pulp, so that when quite ripe
into Cochin China and China, and westward the latter may be shaken about inside it ;
into Europe, and it has naturalised itself is exceedingly rich and sweet. In China,
in the West Indies and various parts of where this delicious variety has been
America. Fruit oval or ovate, terminated raised, the fruit is chiefly consumed in
by a small blunt nipple-like point skin ; presents to the Mandarins, hence its name.
smooth, rind much thinner than that It is now, however, very successfully cul-
of the Citron. The varieties are nu- tivated in Malta and in the Azores. The
merous. Lemons are chiefly imported for Sweet-Skinned Orange is the Pomme
their agreeably acid juice and essential d'Adam, or Forbidden fruit of the shops
'
'
oil, and also for the manufacture of citric of Paris, but not of London; its skin is
acid. smooth, deep yellow, with a thick sweet
The Orange, C. Aurantium of those bota- soft rind. The above are some of the
nists who do not consider it to be pro- principal sorts of sweet oranges but there
;
bably only a variety of G. medica, is asso- are many other varieties, many of which
ciated with the latter as a native of the possess, however, but little merit.
north of India. According to Gallesio, in- The Common Seville, or Bitter Orange,
stead of being found in the north of Africa, orBigarade, C. Bigaradia, has around dark
Syria, or even in Media, it was not at the fruit with an uneven, rugged, extremely
time of Alexander the Great in that part of bitter rind. This sort is largely im-
India which he penetrated for it is not
; ported for the manufacture of bitter tinc-
mentioned by Nearchus among the pro- ture, and the preparation of the candied
ductions of the country which is watered orange-peel. To this section are referred
by the Indus. But the Arabs, carrying the various kinds of Bie-arades, among
their conquests fui'ther into India than which may be named the Horned, Curled-
Alexander, found the Orange more in the leaved, Purple,Double-flowered,and Myrtle-
interior and according to Professor Tar-
; leaved. These, especially the Horned and
gioni it was brought by them into Arabia
l
I
Curled-leaved, are cultivated chiefly for
in the ninth century. Oranges were un- their flowers, which are powerfully fra-
known in Europe, or at all events in Italy, grant.
in the eleventh century, but were shortly Of the Bergamot Orange, C. Bergamia,
afterwards carried westward by the Moors. both flowers and fruit possess a peculiar
They were in cultivation at Seville to- fragrance ; and from each of them an es-
wards the end of the twelfth century, and sence of a delicious quality is extracted.
at Palermo in the thirteenth, for it is said The Lime, C.L imetta, bears ovate or round-
that St. Dominic planted an orange for the ish pale yellow fruit with a boss at the
convent of St. Sabina in Rome, in the point its juice is acid and slightly bitter.
;
year 1200. In the course of the same There are varieties differing
in form and
thirteenth century, the crusaders found in the thickness of their rind. Among
Citrons, Oranges, and Lemons, very abun- them is one called by the Italians Porno
dant in Palestine and in the following
: d'Adamo, because they fancy the depres-
sions on its surface appear as if it still trees, for Limes, Citrons, Lemons, Guavas,
bore the marks of Adam's teeth. &c, are scattered about in them. Orange
The Shaddock, C. decumana, derives its trees were first introduced to the Azores
common name from Captain Shaddock, by by the Portuguese. There are only two
whom it was first carried from China to kinds of oranges cultivated at St. Michael's,
the West Indies, early in the eighteenth viz., the Portugal and the Mandarin ; many
centm-y. The shoots are pubescent; the varieties of the former exist, and they are
leaves large with a winged stalk the fruit
; greatly improved by the genial climate of
very large, weighing sometimes ten to i
St. Michaels. The Mandarin Orange has
twenty pounds, roundish, with a smooth, j
not been many years in the island, never-
pale yellow skin, and white or reddish sub- theless there are some trees of it fourteen
acid pulp. When the fruits attain their feet high. This capital little orange has
largest size they are called Pompoleons, j
lately been exported to England, where
or Pompelmousses those of the smallest
; it realises a higher price than the common
size form the 'Forbidden fruit' of all the St. Michaels. The largest orange tree
English markets.
I
ment there are some remarkable instances wanting; nut with a thick fleshy coat,
of their longevity. There may be seen, in tipped with the conical base of the joint-
the orangery at Versailles, a tree which less style. Twenty-one species are men-
was sown in 1421. It is growing with its tioned in Steudel's Plantar Cyperacece these ;
characterised by its clawed petals, eight times grows at the mouth of rivers where
stamens, of which the alternate four are the saltness is much modified, and then
shortest and sterile, four-lobed stigma assumes a large size with increased
with broad roundish spreading lobes, and delicacy. The above account is taken
j
cylindrical four-furrowed four-celled seed- from Dr. Harvey's Phycologia Australasica
vessel, opening when ripe by four valves. a work which ought to be in the hands
The species are all erect branching plants, of every lover of seaweeds. [M. J. B.]
with entire or toothed foliage, and showy
I
'
their vertical growth and superior hyme- petals of some flowers the analogue of ;
believe all the species which produce white racemes. Generically they are distinguished
spores are wholesome some, moreover,
;
by a calyx of two oval permanent sepals,
with yellow spores are esculent, though five petals usually with short claws coher-
one or two are doubtful. [M. J. B.] ing at the base, five stamens inserted on
CLAVATUS, CLAVIFORMIS. Gradu- the claws, one style with its apex three-
allythickening upwards, from a very taper cleft, and an ovary ripening into a one-
base as the appendages of the flower of
;
celled capsule, opening by three valves,
Schwenckia, or the spadix of Arum macula- and containing from three to six seeds.
turn. Of the annual section, C. perfoliata, one of
the best known, is a weedy little species
CLAVICULA. A tendril. with fibrous roots, broadly ovate veinless
CLAVIGERA. The name applied by the radical leaves on long foot-stalks, and
elder De Candolle to three Mexican plants numerous simple naked flower-stems,
of the composite family, since shown by bearing at the summit a roundish leafy
Dr. Asa Gray to differ in no way from bract formed by the cohesion of two op-
Brickellia, and therefore placed in that
posite leaves, from which arise one or
genus which numbers about thirty species, more short racemes of small white flowers
mostly Mexican, and is distinguished from with notched petals. The leaves of this
Eupatorium by the many-striate instead plant are used like those of the common
of five-angled achenes. [A. A. B.]
purslane, Portulaca oleracea. The peren-
nial Claytonias have for the most part
CLAVTJA. A
genus of the myrsine small tuberous or spindle-shaped roots,
family, comprising a number of shrubs or from which arise a few simple stems a
small trees, confined to the tropical parts foot high, bearing about the middle a
of South America. Their unbranched rod- single pair of opposite linear or lanceolate
like stems are furnished at the top with a leaves, and being terminated by a loose
crown of large alternate coriaceous drooping raceme of pink flowers veined
leaves, often two feet in length, quite with red. The species are rare in cultiva-
smooth, oblong in form, and entire or tion, but C. virgin ica is sometimes met with.
spinously-toothed at the margin. The They are popularly known in America by
waxy white or orange-coloured flowers the name of Spring Beauty, from the early
are small and disposed in erect or droop- season at which they flower. [W. T.]
ins racemes which are shorter than the
leaves, and either proceed from their axils
CLEARING NUT. An Indian name for
or from the bare stem where the leaves
the nut of Strychnos potatorum.
have fallen. The tube of the corolla be- CLEAR WEED. An American name for
ing very short, and the five stamens hav-.i Pilea pumila.
ing five roundish fleshy scales alternating CLEAVERS. Galium Aparine.
with them, are characters which distin- ;
but are seldom larger than a pigeon's egg. salver-shaped corolla with oblique lobes
The genus bears the name of J. Clavijo and without scales in its throat included
;
two large follicles. [M. T. MJ a corolla of four erect petals, usually with
long claws; six stamens having long dis-
CLEISOSTOMA. A genus of caulescent
tinct filaments and a many-seeded pod-
orchids, with leathery narrow distichous ;
Bower, is so called on account of its being are trifoliate, and the flowers have four
;
used for covering bowers another name,
; somewhat spathulate petals with short
Traveller's-joy, was probably given to it claws and six separate stamens attached to
;
because of its being, in winter, among the the stalk supporting the ovary, which
:
most conspicuous and ornamental of way- latter is gourd-shaped and one-celled, be-
i side plants, often covering hedges for a coming a pod-like capsule. The plant is a
j
considerable distance with its feathery native of Mexico and M. America. [M.T.M.]
seed-vessels, from the resemblance of
:
called Old-Man's Beard. The flowers are nus of Verbenacece, natives of tropical dis-
j
French Herbe uux gueux, from its ragged Africa and America. They are shrubs or
trees with opposite or ternate simple
appearance. C. Flammula is the sweet-
leaves, and loosely cymose or capitate
i
; July solitary large blue flowers with nu- exserted style has two acute stigmatic
merous abortive stamens simulating pe- lobes. The fruit is a drupe surrounded by
|
tals :and C. azurea and C. lanuginosa, mag- the calyx, its kernel usually large, separat-
nificent blue-flowered Japanese species. ing into two two-celled or four one-celled
C. tubulosa is a showy perennial with lar.<?e
nuts. This genus is nearly related to Vol-
blue flowers. kameria and JEgiplvila, but is separated
[C. A. J.]
from the former by its fruit, and from the
CLE'MATITB COMMUNE. (Fr.) Cle- latter by its pentamerous flower. Nearly
matis Vitalba. — ODORAKTB. Clematis eighty species have been described. They
Flammula. have been arranged under two sections :—
1. Euclerodendron, in which the corolla is
CLEMATITIS. Aristolochia Clematitis.
salver-shaped with a short tube scarcely
CLEOME. A genus of capparids chiefly longer than the calyx and 2. Siphonanthus,
;
found in the tropical regions of the New in which the corolla is funnel-shaped with
World, and presenting, in common with a very long tube. The plants have slightly
the other genera of the order, some in- bitter sub-astringent properties, and on
CLES &!)£ CreaStttw at 280taug. 298
this account some of them are used in three inches from the tip of the standard
Indian medicine. [W C] to the tip of the keel, and of a deep blood
colour.
CLESTINES. Large cells of paren- C. Dampieri is a native of the desert re-
chyma, in which raphides are often de- gions of Australia, and is also in cultiva-
posited.
tion. In habit it is much like the former,
CLETHRA. A genus of Ericacew, con- but it does not grow to such dimensions.
sisting of shrubs or trees, with alternate The whole plant is of a pale green colour,
serrate deciduous leaves, and bearing white and is thickly covered with long white
flowers in terminal hoary racemes. They hairs. The peduncles proceed from the
are natives of North and tropical America. axils of the leaves, and bear on their apex
The calyx is five-parted the corolla has
; four or five scarlet flowers, larger and
five distinct obovate-oblong petals. There of a much brighter colour than those of
are ten hypogynous stamens, with in- the former, the standard having also a
versely arrow-shaped anthers, which open large black-purple boss at its base. This
by terminal pores or short slits. The ovary plant has the most beautiful flowers in
is three-celled with many ovules in each the genus, but is unfortunately difficult
cell. The style is slender with a three- of cultivation. The only other known
cleft stigma. The capsule is three-celled, species is C. carneus, a native of Norfolk
with many seeds in each cell, three-valved, Island it has flesh-coloured flowers, and
;
and enclosed in the calyx. [W. C] although a pretty plant, is not to be com-
CLEYERA. A genus of Temstriimiacece, pared with the others, the flowers being
comprising a few Indian and Japanese much smaller. [A. A. B.]
evergreen bushes with camellia-like leaves, CLIDEMIA. A genus of Melastomacece
and small axillary white or yellowish from tropical America, containing hairy
flowers, sometimes sweet-scented. These branched shrubs with opposite stalked
flowers are stalked, and have a calyx of leaves, generally unequal in size, with
five leaves, Ave petals, numerous stamens three to seven ribs, and white or rose-
in two or three series, and an ovary sur- coloured flowers, often silky. The calyx is
mounted by a style which is three-parted adherent to the ovary at the base ; petals
at the top. The five free petals, and the five or six, rarely four ; stamens twice as
numerous stamens slightly adhering to many as the petals ; ovary hairy, with as
their base, are the chief distinguishing many cells as there are petals ; ben-y fleshy,
features of the genus. [A. A. B.] often edible. [J. T. S.]
CLIANTHUS. A genus of Leguminosce CLIPFORTIA. A genus of small ape-
found in New Zealand, Norfolk Island, talous South African bushes, belonging to
and New Holland. It is nearly related to the rosaceous family, whose principal dis-
Sutherlandia, a Cape genus which has
tinction lies in the three-toothed calyx
bladdery pods, while the pods in the present
and very numerous stamens. The leaves
are coriaceous. The plants are herbaceous
are alternate, small, and composed of two
or woody branching shrubs, with unequally-
or three leaflets when the latter is the
;
pinnate leaves made up of eight to sixteen
case, the two lateral ones are small, and
pairs of linear or elliptical leaflets half an
more or less united to the central one, so
inch long. The large handsome flowers are that the leaves appear to be simple. The
in terminal or axillary racemes. The calyx
flowers are small, and seated in the axils of
is bell-shaped and five-toothed. The upper
the leaves. In the males the calyx tube is
petal or standard is oval, pointed, and bent
contracted at the top, and bears about
backwards, much larger than the wings
thirty stamens. In the females the calyx
and shorter than the keel, which is skiff- is similar to that of the male, and encloses
shaped. The pod is stalked, somewhat one or two achenes, each furnished with a
woolly inside, and contains a number of The
lateral bearded or feathery style.
seeds. The name of the genus is derived
holly-like leaves of C. ilicifolia are used by
from the Greek, and signifies Glory Flower, the Boers as an emollient and expec-
a name peculiarly applicable to the plants. torant in coughs. C. crenatais remarkable
The best known species is C. puniceus, for the form and arrangement of the
called Parrot's-Bill in New Zealand, from
leaves.which are composed of two orbicular
the resemblance of the keeled petal to the
leaflets with notched margins, and are so
bill of that bird. This plant was introduced
closely set on the stems that they lap over
in 1831, and is often to be met with in
each other in the manner of the scales of a
greenhouses, or on open walls with a fish. [A. A. B.]
southern aspect, where it flowers freely if
protected in winter. It seldom attains CLIFFORTIACE^E. A name given some-
more than six feet in height, although in times to Eosacece proper, including San-
Ireland, where the climate seems to suit guisorbece, as distinguished from Amygda-
it better, it is sometimes to be seen cover- lece and Pomacece.
ing on a wall a surface of twelve or four-
teen feet square. The pinnate-leaves are CLINANDRIUM. The bed of the an-
ther of orchids an excavation of the top
about six inches long, and the leaflets, ;
ob- |
liads, consisting of dwarf annuals with the the most delicate of mushrooms and A. ; I
I
aspect and habit of Lobelia, but differing geotropus, especially the form called sub- j
;
from that genus in the corolla being with- involutus, is not to be despised. [M. J. BJ
out a tube, and in the character of the
j
fleshy
! when ripe by pores at the summit, is a !
the centre being white and yellow with ! having no spur-like appendage near its
several deep purple spots. The pod is so i
base. The genus is widely distributed,
long and slender that it presents the ap- j
being found in tropical Asia, Africa, and
j
pearance of a foot-stalk rather than that America in the latter country in the
:
|
belonging to the lily tribe. [W. T.] are twiners among bushes. The alternate
pinnate leaves are made up of one or
! CLIOCARPUS. A
genus of Brazilian
many pairs of opposite leaflets, and a ter-
shrubs of the family Atropacew, remark-
able for being densely covered with small
minal odd one. The peduncles arise from
s(#r-shaped hairs. The flowers are stalked, the axils of the leaves, and bear one or
and are set in the axils of the leaves. The
many large purple blue white or red
flowers, often two to three inches long.
calyx is hairy, platter-shaped at its base,
with five small pouches near its junction The tubular five-toothed calyx is furnished
with the flower-stalk, the upper portion with two bracts at its base the standard
;
the standard with a white or yellow hlotch to be a hybrid between C. nobilis and the
|
at its base. They sometimes occur double, Imantophyllum miniatum above referred to.
and a variety with white flowers also It has distichous lorate leaves, and an erect
exists. The corollas of the blue variety flower-scape, bearing numerous drooping
j
are said to afford a blue dye in Cochin slender funnel-shaped flowers, of a pale
|
China, but it is not permanent, and Rum- flame-colour with green tips. [T. M.]
phius says that they are used for colouring
boiled rice in Amboyna. The root is re- CLOCHETTE DES CHAMPS. (Fr.) Con-
puted to be as powerfully purgative as volvulus arvensis. —
D'HIVER. Galan-
jalap ;and in India, where it is sold in the thus nivalis.
bazaars in pieces about the thickness of CLOSTERANDRA. A poppy-like papa-
two quills, it is given to children to pro- veraceous plant imperfectly known. The
mote sickness and vomiting. The Butter- filaments of the stamens are dilated in the
fly Pea, C Mariana, has a curious dis- middle. The ovary is obovate, one-celled,
tribution, being found in the Southern surmounted by five radiating stigmas
American States and Mexico, and appear- which fall off when the capsular fruit is
ing again in the Khasia Mountains in ripe. [M. T. MJ
India without being found in any interven-
ing place. It is a Slender twining plant CLOT-BURR. A
North American name
with leaves made up of three oval or lanceo- for Xanthium.
late thin leaflets, about two inches long,
and axillary peduncles bearing one or CLOUDBERRY. Bubus Chamcemorus.
three flowers of a light blue colour. C. CLOUDED. When colours are unequally
arborescens, a native of the West Indies blended together.
and the adjoining mainland, is the only CLOVE BARK. The bark of Cinnamo-
one of the numerous large scandent spe- mum Oulilawan.
cies peculiar to South America, which are
in cultivation. Its leaves are pinnate and CLOVE CASSIA. The bark of Dicypel-
more than a foot in length, and the leaflets lium Caryoplujllatum.
sometimes eight inches long and four
broad. The large pale-blue flowers are nu-
CLOVE GILLIPLOWER. The aromatic-
merous and in racemes, which are shorter scented double-flowered whole-coloured
than the leaves. Some of the species were varieties of Dianthus Caryophyllus.
formerly known under the names Neu- CLOVE NUTMEG. The fruit of Agatho
rocarpiim&nd Ternatea. [A. A. B.] phyllum aromaticum.
CLIVERS, or CLEAVERS. Galium Apa- CLOVE TREE. Caryophyllus aromati-
rine. cus. The cloves of commerce are the
CLIVIA. A beautiful genus of amaryl- dried aromatic flower-buds. , WILD. —
lids, to which the name Imatophy Hum has
Eugenia acris.
also been applied. The latter, however, CLOVER. The common name for Tri-
corrected to Imantophyllum, Sir W. J. folium, especially applied to the sorts cul-
Hooker now proposes to apply to a distinct tivated for fodder. —
BOKHARA. Meli-
,
though allied plant of South Africa called lotus leucantha, a fodder plant, very grate-
I. miniatum. The Olivias consist of herbs ful to bees. — , BUSH. An American name
with fasciculate fleshy roots, and distichous for Lespedeza.- —
, PRAIR-IE, An American
lorate radical persistent dark-green leaves, name for Petalostemon. —
SOOLA. Hedy-
,
whole force of vegetation is carried down- but smaller in all its parts, is C. insignis,
wards to the destruction of the leaf and a Brazilian plant, whose flowers weep a
'
stem. The main root is mostly affected, considerable quantity of resin from the
hut The disease sometimes affects the disc and stamens, so much so indeed,
laterals. The structure of the root is that Von Martius says he obtained an
much altered, so that on division it looks ounce from two flowers this resin rubbed
;
marbled like a truffle, and many of the down with the butter of the chocolate-nut,
cells gorged with highly nitrogenous the Brazilian women employ to alleviate
matter. The disease is local, or where not the pain of a sore breast.' Other large
local, capricious, and probably depends flowered species, such as C. alba, C. rosea,
upon peculiar chemical conditions of the and C. flava in the West Indies, yield an
soil. In districts which are subject to it, abundant tenacious resin from their stems,
the most effectual remedy appears to con- which is largely used for the same purposes
sist in putting a small quantity of wood- as pitch it is at first of a green colour,
;
ashes, which contain several salts of potash, hut when exposed to the air assumes a
into the hole in which the root of each brown or reddish tint. The Caribs use it
plant is placed. [M. J. B.] for painting the bottoms of their boats.
Among the smaller-flowered species the
CLTTB-GRASS. A common name for most interesting is the C. Galactodendron,
Coryneplwrus. a native of Venezuela. This plant, accord-
CLUB-MOSS. A common name for Ly- ing to M. Desvaux, is one of the Palo de
copodium. Vaca or Cow-trees of South America. Its
leaves are about three inches long, oboval
CLUB-RUSH. A common name for Scir- in form, and narrowed towards the base.
The bark is thick, covered with rough
CLUB-SHAPED. The same as Clavate. tubercles, and its internal tissue becomes
red when exposed to the air. In extract-
CLUSIA. A large genus taken as the ing the milk from this tree the inhabitants
type of the Clusiacece or Gutttferce, the make incisions through the bark till they
latter name referring to the fact that the reach the wood, these incisions are said to
greater portion of the plants secrete in be made only before the moon is full, as
more or less quantity a milk-like or yellow they imagine the milk flows more freely
resin. Clusia is chiefly distinguished by then than at any other time. One tree is
its capsular five or ten-celled fruit, which said to yield a quart in an hour. When the
splits when ripe, each cell having many inhabitants find themselves at a distance
seeds ; and by the numerous stamens, from their homes, they make use of the
whose anthers open along their whole milk for themselves and their children its ;
length, and not by a small pore or slit at use is accompanied by a sensation of as-
the apex. All are trees or shrubs peculiar tringence in the lips and palate, which is
to Tropical America, and grow in very said to be characteristic of all edible vege-
humid hot places. A great portion of them table milks.
are parasitical on other trees, and a few C. Duca yields a resin known in Columbia
send down stout root-supports from their by the name of Duca, and burnt for the
thick branches similar to those of the sake of its pleasant odour. Upwards of
banyan tree. The leaves are opposite, thirty species are enumerated. [A. A. B.]
entire, very leathery in textm-e, mostly
obovate in form, and furnished with nu- CLUSIACE^E. The gamboge family, a
merous parallel nerves which are very evi- natural order belonging to thethalamifloral
dent in dried specimens, but almost imper- dicotyledons, usually called Guttifer^: :
I inches in diameter. Nearly allied to this, branches of a chandelier the base of the;
CLYP] ®f)z Wxtz8uv$ at 2$0tang« 302
column surrounded by two rows of
is by a spurious transverse partition. The
glands, five of them large and two- or species will grow in the south of England
three-lobed, and five smaller, each of them in sheltered situations. [M. T. M.]
entire or two-lobed. In the female flower CNEORUM. Daphne Cneorum.
(Fr.)
the calyx and corolla is the same as in the
male, but the disc is made up of five bifid CNESTIDIUM. Dr. Planchon has des-
glands only, and the three-lobed ovary is cribed under this name a Central American
crowned by a three-branched style, each tree of the order Connai-acew. It has com-
branch bind at the point and bent back on pound leaves covered with thick red
the ovary. The fruit is a three-celled cap- down clustered flowers, which have a
;
sule with three seeds. The only reported calyx consisting of five parts, adhering
useful species is C. lanceolata, a native together for a time, but at length breaking
of Abyssinia, where it is said to be used for irregularly into two or three divisions ten ;
stopping dysentery in cattle. [A. A. B.] stamens, five of which are shorter than the
rest, and confluent in a ring at their base
CLTPEA. A name which has been given and five ovaries with as many thread-
now referred to
to certain Menispermacece, shaped styles. Thefruit consists of asingle
Stephania. [M. T. M.] follicle from the suppression of the re-
CLYPEATE. Having the form of an maining four, covered with red down, and
ancient buckler the same as Scutate.
;
containing a single seed. [M. T. M.]
CLTPEOLA. A
genus of small annual CNESTIS. A name derived from the
herbs, belonging to Cruciferce, natives of Greek word signifying to scratch, in allu-
Southern Europe and temperate Asia. sion to the hairs on the fruit, which irri-
They have the habit of the annual species tate the skin. It is applied to a genus
of Alyssum, but differ in having an in- of Connaracea?- consisting of shrubs fre-
dehiscent orbicular, flattened and margined quently of climbing habit, with alternate
pouch containing a single seed. [J. T. S.] compound thick leaves, and clusters of
five-parted flowers which bear ten sta-
:
alternate, linear, entire or serrate leaves. broad scar on one side; pappus in three
The inconspicuous flowers are male and rows, the outer horny, short, the next com-
female on the same plant the males in
; posed of ten long bristles, the third of ten
slender spikes, have a three-parted calyx short bristles. The English plume thistles,
and three free stamens the females, single
; formerly included in a genus of the same
in the axils of the leaves, have a calyx like name, but differing from the above, are now
the males, and a three-lobed ovary, crowned referred to Cardans. Of the true genus
with a three-parted style. The capsule, Cnicus the most remarkable is C. bene-
about the size of a pea when ripe, is either dictus, a native of the Levant and Persia,
smooth or covered with rough points, and but now widely distributed. The plant was
is three-celled, with a single seed.
each cell formerly esteemed as a tonic, diaphoretic,
The greater portion of the species are etc., but is now little used. [M. T. M.]
Brazilian. One (C. Chamcelea) is common
to India and Africa, and another, which CNIDOSCOLUS. A genus of Eupliorbi-
has been called Elachocroton aspericoccmn, acea?, composed of a few shrubs or her-
is found in Tropical Australia. [A A. B.] baceous plants, all of them confined to
tropical America. On the one hand they
CNEORUM. Agenus of uncertain posi- are nearly related to Jatropha, on the
tion, but closely allied to the Rutacea?. It other to Manihot, but differ from the
consists of small shrubs inhabiting the former in having no petals, and from the
Mediterranean region, the Canary Isles, etc. latter in the filaments of their stamens
They have narrow, entire leaves yellow ; being united into a central column, not
flowers with three or four sessile equal free. Their stems are often fleshy and
petals, larger than the sepals, inserted gouty, and are furnished with stalked
beneath the disc three or four stamens
;
leaves, which in most cases are armed
attached to the stalk bearing the three or with straight hairs, which sting most viru-
four-lobed ovary, which has two ovules in lently ; the blades are sometimes entire,
each of its three or four compartments. The but mostly palmately-lobed. The small
fruit when ripe consists of three or four white flowers are arranged in terminal or
segments, which separate one from the axillary cymes, the females few and oc-
other, and are fleshy externally, bony cupying the central portion of the cyme;
internally, and divided into two cavities the males more numerous and occupying
303 (£f)2 Creaguru of 38atang. [cocc
the lateral parts. In both males and fe- lus Avellana. — , JAMAICA. The seeds
males the calyx is tubular with a five- of Omphalea triandra,
lobed limb, and encloses in the former ten
stamens united into a column and ar- COBURGIA. A genus of ornamental
ranged in two tiers; and in the latter a Amaryllidacece, having tunicated bulbs,
three-lobed ovary crowned with three lorately linear glaucescent leaves, and a
stigmas torn at the apex. The three-celled two-edged scape supporting a terminal
capsular-fruit is about the size of a large umbel of few showy flowers. The perianth
pea, and covered with sharp hairs, each is funnel-shaped, with an elongated an-
cellcontaining but one seed. gular incurved tube, swollen towards the
C. stimulans is a plant of the Southern top, a regular six-parted imbricated some-
American states, and has palmately-lobed what spreading limb, and a short cam-
leaves from four to eight inches long. panulate cup, bearing on its margin the
The lacerated segments are covered with six stamens and six intermediate biden-
spreading hairs, which sting fearfully the tate lobes ; the ovary is three-celled with
bare feet of the negroes when they tread numerous ovules. There are eight or ten
on them it is sometimes called on this
;
species known, and these are natives of
account Tread Softly.' Its tuberous roots
'
Peru. The type of the genus, C. incarnata,
are said to be eatable like those of the is a very handsome plant, with bulbs like
cassava or manihot. C. quinquelobus has those of the Jacobsea lily, five or six ob-
been in cultivation, but it stings so ter- long linear bluntish, slightly glaucous
ribly that few people care to keep it. The leaves, and a scape two and a half feet
effects of the sting are various on different high, supporting a four-flowered umbel of
constitutions. Some on being stung fall pendent flowers, about five inches in
down and are quite unconscious for a length, of a brilliant salmon-orange colour,
length of time but others are not so af-
;
the tube of which is bluntly three-cornered,
fected. In both cases an excruciating very slender at the base, widened upwards
pain is felt, lasts for some days,
which and dividing into a moderately-spreading
and the parts swell and sometimes con- limb of six ovate-elliptic segments an inch
tinue swollen, accompanied with an itching long, lighter in colour and more pinky
sensation for months. [A. A. B.] than the tube, and with a green central
stripe. The crown is short and erect, with
COACERVATE. The same as Clustered. six green bind lobes between the stamens,
which about equal the limb in length and
COADXATE, COADUNATE. The same are shorter than the style. C. trichroma,
as Connate. a species with a five-flowered umbel and
flowers three inches long, the tube light
COALITIO. The growing of one thing
red, the limb white within, green without,
to another ; as that of petals, which pro-
duces a monopetalous corolla, &c. and with green-tipped teeth to the cup, is
said to be cultivated in pots with great
COARCTATE. Contracted ; drawn close care in Mexico, where it flowers at various
together. seasons. C. variegata has four-flowered
umbels, the tube of the flowers yellow and
COARCTURE. The neck of a plant. See red, and the limb yellow outside, white
Collum. within, margined with rose, and tipped
with green. C. lutea, formerly named
COBJSA. This small genus of phlox- Glinrmthus, and subsequently Clitanthes,
worts consists of climbing tendrilled has a two-flowered scape, the flowers yel-
plants, with pinnate foliage, and large low and about two inches long. The genus
bell-shaped flowers produced singly from was named in honour of the Prince of
the leaf axils. Although at first sight they Saxe Coburg, now king of the Belgians,
appear to have little in common with the who, when resident at Claremont, was a
other plants of this order, and really differ great patron of horticultural and botanical
essentially inhabit, they yet agree with them science. The name has also been applied
in theirmost important structural features. to another group of amaryllids, now
The genus is distinguished by its large merged in Hippeastrun. It is written Co-
leafy permanent Ave parted calyx; decli- burghia by Dr. Herbert. [T. M.]
nate stamens and style three-celled ovary
;
Gigartina rtmniillosaare simply called tuber- flowers have three ovaries placed on a
cles.In this species, at least, there is a pore short stalk, the styles erect, cylindrical.
for the exit of the spores. [M. J. B.] The fruit is a drupe with a bony shell, con-
COCCIGROLE. (Fr.) Fritillaria Melea" taining a curved seed. C. laurifolla forms
gris. an exception to the general rule in this
genus, inasmuch as its stems are erect,
COCCFSTEFS. Pure carmine colour, not climbing. The plant producing Ca-
slightly tinged with yellow. lumba root was formerly referred to this
COCCINTA. A climbing shrub of the genus, but is now included in Jateorhiza.
gourd family, common in the hedges of The root of C. villosus, an Indian species,
India, where it grows like our bryony. G.
is used in decoction in cases of rheu-
indica, the only species, has large white
matism, &c, while the fruits furnish a kind
of ink. See also Tinospora. [M. T. M.]
dioecious flowers, with five stamens united
together by their filaments into a column COCCUS. A
shell a carpel, which separ-
;
bearing three parcels of wavy anthers. The ates with elasticity from an axis common
female flower has three sterile stamens, to itself and others.
united in three parcels and the style is
;
short and trifid. The fruit is oblong, COCE DOLCE. The Italian name for the
marked with ten white lines when ripe it
; seeds of Sweet Fennel, Fceniculum dulce.
is of a red colour, bursting irregularly,
and having several seeds provided with a COCHENE. (Fr.) Pyrus Aucuparia.
gelatinous covering. The ripe fruit is COCHINEAL-FIG. Opuntia cochinillifera.
used by the natives in their curries the ;
leaves and other portions are also used COCHLEAR. A term used in describing
medicinally. [M. T. M.] Estivation when one piece, being larger
;
guished among its fellows. The pulpy pe- cordate leaves, the upper of which clasp
rianth has an agreeable acid flavour. An
the stem unlike the preceding species, the
extract is prepared from the plant, which
;
flowers in terminal panicles are about four ! containing six stamens united at the base, I
inches across. From the stem of this plant and the females an egg-shaped ovary, with
a gum
called Knteera is obtained, and it is a short style and three stigmas, and some-
used as a substitute for gum tragacanth times six barren stamens. The fruit is
]
because of its viscidity. The cottony sub- either elliptical, or egg-shaped and three-
stance which adheres to the seeds is some- sided, and contains a single seed enclosed
times used for stuffing pillows and cush- in a hard bony shell, which has three round
ions. Much like this is C. insigne, a native holes at its base, and is surrounded by a dry
of Brazil, but its leaves are smaller and fibrous husk.
have serrate lobes. The Brazilians make |
The Cocoa-nut Palm, C. nucifera, is now
use of a decoction of the roots of this plant so extensively cultivated throughout the
against internal pains, and principally tropics, that it is impossible to ascertain
against those which are the result of falls its native country there can be no doubt,
;
from which leaves have fallen away. It is burned in lamps. As an article of food the
surmounted by a crown of gracefully kernel is of great importance to the in-
curved feathery or pinnate leaves, each of habitants of the tropics. In the Lacca-
which is from eighteen to twenty feet in dives it forms the chief food, each person
length, and composed of a strong tough consuming four nuts per day, and the fluid,
central footstalk, with numerous narrow commonly called milk, which it contains,
long and sharp-pointed leaflets arranged affords them an agreeable beverage. While
along both sides of it, givingthe entire leaf young they yield a delicious substance re-
|
the appearance of a gigantic feather; the sembling blanc-mange. The hard shells of
base of the stalk spreads out so as to clasp the nut are made into spoons, drinking
the stem, and is surrounded by a kind of cups, lamps, &c. reduced to charcoal and
;
the delicately white but inconspicuous tained by the same process as that des-
flowers. They are succeeded by bunches cribed under Borassus flabtlliformis. When
containing from twelve to twenty fruits, fermented it is intoxicating, and strong
each of which is about a foot long by six arrack is distilled from it, besides which it
or eight inches wide, of a three-sided form, yields vinegar and 'jaggery or sugar.
'
and covered by a thick fibrous rind or The leaves are greatly used for thatching
husk, enclosing a single seed contained in houses, for platting into mats, baskets,
a hard shell, which is what is commonly hats, and similar articles and from strips
;
called the Cocoa-nut in this country. of the hard footstalk very neat combs for
The uses of this palm are so numerous the hair are made. The unexpanded leaves
that space will only allow us to give a cut out of the heart of the tree are used in
brief outline of them. In this country we the same way that we use cabbages. The
know comparatively little of its value. It is brown fibrous network from the base of
true that we are indebted to it for several the leaves is substituted for sieves, and also
very useful articles, such as cocoa-nut fibre, made into fishermen's garments. And the
cocoa-nut oil, and the cocoa-nuts them- extremely hard wood obtained from the
selves but they are all articles that we
;
outer portion of the trunk is used in the
might contrive to do without. In tropical construction of both houses and their fur-
countries, however, such as Southern India niture. In this country, under the name of
and the adjacent islands, the case is very Porcupine wood, it is made into work-
different ; there the Cocoa-nut Palm fur- boxes, and other fancy articles. Finally,
nishes the chief necessaries of life, and its we may mention that the natives attribute
culture and the preparation of its various various medicinal qualities to this palm.
products afford employment to a large The flowers they employ as an astringent,
part of the population. Every part of the the roots as a febrifuge, the milk in op-
tree is put to some useful purpose. The thalmia, &c.
outside rind or husk of the fruit yields the Few of the other species of this genus
fibre from which the well-known cocoa-nut present particular features of interest. C.
matting is manufactured. In order to ob- butyracea, a native of New Grenada, yields
tain it the husks are soaked in salt water toddy, but the manner of extracting it is
for six or twelve months, when the fibre is very different to the process employed in
easily separated by beating, and is made Eastern countries. The tree is cut down,
up into a coarse kind of yarn called coir. and a long cavity excavated in its trunk
In 1358 we imported 81,138cwts. of this fibre. near the top ; in three days' time this cavity
307 Cfjc Erca£ur» of botany. [CODO
isfound to be full of toddy, which, it in the mouth when chewed. This is the
must be borne in mind, is the sap of the plant so often found in gardens under
tree. Its seeds yield a semi-solid oil. C. the names of Croton variegatum and Croton
coronata, a small Brazilian species not pictum. The two other known species are
more than thirty feet high, has a pithy plants of very similar appearance. [A.A.B.]
substance in the interior of its stem,
which is used as food its seeds also yfleld
;
CODITJM. The most highly organised of
oil. The Cocoa-nut Palm is represented in the siphonaceous division of green-spored
Plate 7, fig. d. [A. S. Alga which occurs upon our coasts. The
species resemble sponges. The frond is
COCOTIER. (Pr.) Cocos nucifera. composed of branching filaments without
COCRISTE. (Fr.) Rhinantlius major. any partitions, having on their lateral
branchlets little cysts containing number-
CODACAXTHUS. A small genus of lessminute zoospores. C. tomentosum has
; Indian herbaceous plants, belonging to a more or less cylindrical or compressed
Acanthacea?, and having the habit of Cam- forked green frond, and is found from the
panula ranunculoides. The drooping blue equator almost to the polar basin, but is
, flowers are in compound one-sided racemes scarcely found on the eastern coasts of
; at the ends of the stem or branches ; they North America, though common on the
are furnished with small bracts and brac- north. It extends also southward to Cape
teoles. The calyx is equally five-parted Horn, Australia, &c, without any essential
|
the corolla has a short campanulate tube, change. [M. J. BJ
and a five-cleft limb there are only two
;
A variety of
j
triumphal arches with its leaves, and strew low the hypogynous disc, and have lateral
them about on occasions of festivity. The exserted anthers the ovary is one-celled
;
volvulus family, hut now generally placed ing a single pendulous ovule, and sur-
in the genus Prevostea, and called Pre- mounted by a small cup-shaped stigma.
vostea africana. It is a branching tree of ovary allies it to the genus
Its one-celled
middling stature, with alternate oblong Omphalocarymi, but it has the calyx of Coi-
leaves narrowed at both ends, having entire lostigma. [W. C]
margins and about six inches in length.
Three or four white flowers grow in the CCELANTHIUM. A genus of Caryophyl-
axils of the leaves the two exterior calyx
;
lacece, of the tribe Molluginece, consisting
leaves are large and heart-shaped, the of glabrous annuals from the Cape of
others small and narrow the corolla,
; Good Hope, with obovate stalked radical
which is bell-shaped, with a slightly re- leaves in rosettes, while those of the stem
curved five-toothed margin, encloses five are thread-like and verticillate, with
stamens, and an ovary surmounted by a bifid fringed stipules. The stems are forked at
style, each of whose branches is furnished the top the flowers racemose with a fun-
;
This plant has excited much interest he- with converging and slightly-spreading
cause it is said to ripen its seeds without sepals, petals of like nature but narrower,
the aid of pollen. Female plants (and fe- a great cucullate lip usually bearing fringes
males only) were sent to Kew by Allan on its veins, and a broad membranous
Cunningham in 1S29, where they flowered column. The pollen masses are four in num-
and perfected their seeds apparently with- ber, waxy, and cohering by agranular sub-
out the aid of pollen. The circumstance stance the stigma is prominent, deeply
;
was noticed by Mr. Smith, who made it hollowed out (whence the name), and two-
the subject of a communication to the lipped. Most of the species are beautiful
Linnasan Society. This led to careful ex-
' objects, and therefore favourites in culti-
aminations by Klotzsch, Radlkofer, and A. vation. Some have tough persistent leaves
Braun, besides other continental botanists. and loose racemes of flowers; others have
The former of these demonstrated from flowers peeping up from the soil in the
the formation of the seed that it con- absence of the leaves, in the same way as
tained no embryo but a bud while the
; the crocuses of Europe to the latter the;
other two came to the opposite conclusion ; name of Pleione has been given. Between
and A. Braun made a most important
'
forty and fifty species are known, the
observation, still unexplained by him, finest of which are G. cristata, with ivory-
namely, that he found a pollen grain on white flowers, whose veins are fringed
the stigma of Cozlebogyne.' Naudin and with yellow C. odoratissima, unsurpassed
;
Hemp, Mercurialis, and Bryony, as well as Alpine plant, ornamenting with its large
some other plants, and came to the conclu- rich rose-coloured flowers the branches of
sion that female plants of any of these, oaks, at the elevation of 7,500 feet above
when sufficiently guarded against the ac- the sea in lat. 30° N.
cidental influence of pollen from the male
flowers, produce perfectly ripe seeds. More CCELOSPERMOUS. Hollow-seeded; when
lately, Regel in Russia has made exten- the seed, or seed-like fruit, is hemispheri-
sive experiments on these plants, and cal, and excavated on the flat side, as in
affirms that no plant with evident sexual coriander.
organs can produce perfect seeds without
CCENANTHITJM. The receptacle of
the aid of pollen. This is the opinion held flowers in the inflorescence called a Capi-
by most botanists. [A. A. B.]
tulum same as Clinanthium.
;
parchment-like shell, each seed being con- presented to Louis XIV". The credit of
vex"on the outside, but flat and marked by introducing the Coffee shrub into the
a longitudinal furrow on the inside. "Western Hemisphere is a disputed point.
The most interesting species is the Coffee One story asserts that the French intro-
shrub, C. arabica. This, when allowed to duced it into Martinique in 1717 while, on
;
grow freely, will attain a height of twenty the other hand, the Dutch are said to have
feet,with astern three or four inches thick, previously taken it to Surinam. In either
but in a cultivated state it is seldom permit- case, it is certain that we are indebted to
ted to grow higher than ten or twelve feet,in the progeny of a single plant for all the
order to facilitate the gathering of the j
coffee now imported from Brazil and the
berries.Its leaves are smooth and shining, "West Indies.
and of a dark green on the upper surface, The early history of the use of coffee is
enveloped in obscurity, and consequently
there are many fables regarding its origin.
According to the best accounts, the custom
of drinking coffee originated with the
Abyssinians, by whom the plant has been
cultivated from time immemorial ;and it
was not introduced into Arabia until the
early part of the fifteenth century, when
a learned and pious Scheikh, named Djemal-
eddin-Ebn-Abou-Alfagger, returning from
Abyssinia, brought a quantity of coffee
with him to Aden, where it soon super-
seded the beverage made from the leaves
of the kat (Catha editUs), and its use
gradually spread over the rest of Arabia.
It, however, met with great opposition from
the priests, who classed it among the
intoxicating beverages forbidden by the
Koran, and therefore prohibited its use,
but the most learned physicians having
declared it to be harmless, the prohibition
was removed. The European use of coffee
dates from the middle of the sixteenth
century, when it was introduced into Con-
stantinople and a century later, namely,
;
At the present day the Coffee shrub is steeped in water for twenty-four hours to
remove all mucilaginous matter, after COIGNASSIER DU JAPON. (Fr.) Cy-
which they are carefully dried, and the donia japonica.
parchment-like coveringthe seeds
of
COILOSTIGMA. A genus of Cape Eri-
removed by means of a mill and a winnow- cacecp., containing several heath-like shrubs,
\
ing machine. In Brazil, however, the with ternate verticillate leaves, and flowers
berries as gathered are simply dried in the clustered at the end of the branches. The !
sun, and afterwards passed through a mill calyx has four divisions, generally equal,
which crushes the shells and allows the though sometimes with one larger than
separation of the seeds. the others the persistent corolla is small
;
Before being used for the preparation of and ovate the four stamens are inserted
;
the well-known beverage, coffee under- below the hypogynous disc, and have hairy
goes the process of roasting. By this anthers; the ovary has from two to four
j
means it gains nearly one half in bulk, cells with a single ovule in each, and a
and loses about a fifth in weight besides ;
cyathiform stigma. The members of this
'
changed.rheheat causing the developement are separated from the allied genus Codon- i
of the volatile oil and peculiar acid to anthemum by the shape of the stigma, and
which the aroma and flavour are due. from Codonostigma by the several-celled
Coffee acts upon the brain as a stimulant, [W. C]
ovary.
inciting it to increased activity, and pro-
ducing sleeplessness hence it is of great
; COIR. Cocoa-nut fibre.
value as an antidote to narcotic poisons.
COIX. A genus of grasses belonging to •
COFFEE-BEAN TREE. Gymnocladus wheel the stamens are united into a very
;
j
related to Oncidium, whose terete-leaved side, and contain several seeds about the
species it resembles in habit. The only size of horse chestnuts.
knowledge of it is derived from a solitary C. acuminata grows about forty feet
specimen from Guatemala in the Vienna high, and bears pale yellow flowers spotted
Herbarium, and from Reichenbach's des- with purple; its leaves are about six or
cription and figure in his Xenia Orchidacea. eight inches long, and pointed at both
ends. Under the name of Cola, or Kolla,
COHOSH. An American name for Actcea or Goora nuts, the seeds of this tree are
and Leontice. — BLUE. Leontice thalic-
, extensively used as a sort of condiment by
troides. the natives of western and central tropical
Africa and likewise by the negroes in the
COHTJNE OIL. An oil obtained from
;
Powdered Cola is applied to cuts. [A. S.] had been thrown away in Covent Garden
Market, and which she mistook for onions.
COLAX. A
small genus of epiphytal The Hermodactyls of the Arabians, for-
orchids, Maxillaria, imder which
near merly celebrated for soothing pains in the
name some have been published. It is joints, are said by Dr. Royle to belong to
especially remarkable for the condition of C. variegatwni. [M. T. MJ
its caudicle,which seems to have no dis-
tinct gland, but consists of a thin wavy COLDENIA. A genus of Ehretiacea?, con-
membrane gradually narrowing to the sisting of herbs from India and Ceylon,
point where a gland usually occurs. Max- with wedge-shaped stalked plicate ser-
illaria virldis and placanthera are the best rated leaves, which are often more deve-
known species. loped on one side of the mid-rib than on
the other. Flowers small, white, axiLary,
COLBERTIA. A genus of Billeniacea?, solitary; calyx five-parted; corolla funnel-
the type of which a tree from tropical
is
shaped. The nuts have a somewhat fleshy
Asia with oblong
or obovate shortly covering, and are rugose. C. procumbens is
stalked serrated leaves, and large yellow
used in India for promoting suppuration,
flowers on one-flowered peduncles, several
for which purpose
it is dried and powdered,
of which arise from the same scaly bud.
and mixed with the seeds of the fenu-
It differs from Dillenia by the greater sepa-
greek. [J. T. S.]
ration of its ovaries, which are generally
fewer than in that genus. [J. T. S.] COLD-SEEDS. In the old materia medica
COLCHICUM. The well-known Meadow the seeds of the cucumber, gourd, pump-
kin, &c.
Saffron, or, as it is erroneously called,
Autumn Crocus. The genus appertains to COLEA. A genus of Bignoniaccce, na-
MelanthacecB, and is known by its bell- tives of Madagascar, Mauritius, and the
shaped coloured perianth, with a long neighbouring islands. They consist of
tube six stamens inserted into the upper
; glabrous shrubs or small trees, with im-
part of the tube; a three-celled ovary pari-pinnate bi- or many-jugate leaves. The
placed at the bottom of the tube, and sur- calyx is sub-campanulate and five-toothed;
mounted by three long thread-shaped the corolla is funnel-shaped, and the limb
styles; and a three-celled capsule which is cleftinto five spreading lobes. The four
bursts by as many openings. The appearance didynamous stamens are inserted on the
of the flower is so like that of the crocus, corolla, and have two-celled anthers. The
that it is frequently mistaken for it but in ; fruit is oblong, fleshy, and indehiscent,
the crocus there are three stamens only, with two cells containing many imbricated
and the ovary is placed below the tube of wingless seeds. [W. C]
the perianth, not within it, as in the Col-
chicum or, more correctly speaking, in the
;
COLEBROOKIA. An East Indian genus
of shrubs, belonging to the family of
latter the ovary is free, while in the former
it is united to the lower part of the tube
labiates. They are covered with reddish
of the perianth. C. autumnale, the Meadow
down. The flowers are clustered, of a
white colour, with a bell-shaped equally
Saffron, found wild in some parts of Eng-
five-parted calyx, the segments of which
land, has a subterranean bulb-like stem,
are feathery, and whose tube becomes con-
called a corm, from which in autumn the
fluent with the ripe fruits a short-limbed
light purplish mottled flowers arise. The ;
COLLECTORS. The hairs found on the the flowers, which are in whorls of five or
style of such plants as the Campanula, six blossoms, having their upper lip very
and which collect or brush out the pollen '
testa or outer covering— whence the name Egypt, India, &c, for the sake of its leaves,
'
;
of the genus from kolla, glue,— which which when uncooked are acrid, but by
gives rise, under certain conditions, to a boiling, the water being changed, lose
j
ingly delicate and minute spiral vessels Tara and their rootstocks being filled with
;
lying coiled up, spire within spire, on the starch, furnish a staple article of diet
outside of the testa, and the instant water among the natives. The leaves are like-
is applied, they dart forward at right angles wise used as a vegetable. [M. T. M.]
with the testa, tach carrying with it a
sheath of mucus, in which it for a long
)
COLOCYNTH. Citrullus or Cucumis Colo-
time remains enveloped as in a membranous
|
is excellent when pickled A. esculentus stamens are covered by the galea or hel-
also, which, though small, is brought abun- met the apex of the style is subequally
;
dantly into the German markets under the bifid, with subulate lobes the nucule is
;
name of Nagelschwarnme, belongs to the oblong, dry and smooth, with a membrana-
same sub-genus. One of the best known ceous apex. [W. C]
species of the group is A. velutipes, which
grows on almost every decayed tree, con- COLTSFOOT. The common name for
spicuous for its velvety stem and rich yel- Tussilago. , —
SWEET. An American
low shining pileus. Few plants are more name for Nardosma.
patient of cold than this, for the severe COLUBRINA. Snake-wood, so called
Christmas frost of 1860 did not destroy it, from the twisted wood of one species,
specimens after the thaw being as vigorous which inhabits the forests of Martinique.
as ever. [11. J. B.] A family of plants belonging to the order
COLXJ] Cfjc Crcagurg at 3fi0tan». 316
lihamnacece, comprising small trees and styles forming a solid centi-al body, as in or-
shrubs, some of which are climbing, na- chids.
tives of South America and the warmer COLUMNARIS. Having the form of a
regions of Asia and Africa. They are columnj as the stamens of a mallow.
closely allied to Ceanothus, hut possess no
properties which render them worthy of COLUMNEA A genus of erect or climb-
cultivation. [C. A. J.] ing slender herbaceous plants or under-
shrubs, with opposite fleshy and hairy
COLUM. An obsolete term for the pla- leaves, and solitary or crowded axillary pe-
centa. duncles bearing scarlet flowers. They are
COLUMBINE. The common name for natives of tropical America, and belong to
Aquilegia. the order of Gesneracew. The calyx is free
and five-parted. The corolla is tubular, with
COLUMELLA. A little column; the the limb two-lipped, the upper one entire,
firm centre of the spore-case of an urn- erect or overarching, the lower trifid and
moss, from which the spores separate. patent; the four didynamous stamens are
The long axis round which the parts of a inserted in the tube of the corolla, and
fruit are united in reality, the ripened
: with them the rudiment of a fifth the ;
growing point. A slender axis, over which ovate anthers have two cells. The one-
the spore-cases of such ferns as Tricho- celled ovary is free, surrounded by a five-
manes are arranged. lobed disc, and contains two two-lobed
parietal placentaa with anatropal ovules.
COLUMELLIA. A genus of epigynous The fruit is a berry containing many o no-
exogens having a monopetalous corolla, vate seeds, and two fleshy placentae. The
the structure of which, and especially of genus is near to Besleria, differing chiefly
the anthers, is so remarkable that it has in the form of the corolla. [W. C]
been separated as a distinct order under
the name of Columelliacece. It consists of COLURIA. A genus of the rose family,
a few evergreen shrubs or trees, natives of very nearly allied to Geum, but differing in
Mexico and Peru, having opposite entire the styles being jointed and falling from
or slightly serrated leaves, and small yel- the achenes when mature, while in Geum
low flowers. The calyx is superior, five- they remain attached and become feathery.
cleft; the corolla five-lobed; the stamens C. geoides, the only species of the genus, is
two only, attached to the tube of the a plant about six inches high with pinna-
corolla, and the anthers are as usual only tifld leaves having cut segments, and a pe-
two-celled, but each cell is elongated, duncle bearing one to three little yellow
more so than in any other plants compara- flowers. Altogether it bears much resem-
tively with the size of the anther, but blance to the silver-weed, Potentilla anse-
being doubled and redoubled on them- rina, but its leaves although pubescent are
selves they form a ^lobular mass. The an- not clothed with silvery hairs. It is found
-
ther of C. oblong a has the shortest cells of on the less elevated mountains in Siberia,
any of the species. The ovary is two-celled, growing in rocky places. [A. A. B.]
each cell containing numerous ovules, and
the seed has a large quantity of albumen. COLUTEA. The technical name of a
The station of Columelliacece in the natu- genus of Leguminosce consisting of certain
ral system near Stylidiacece, the sta-
is shrubs, indigenous to the south of Europe
mens in the latter being only two, al- and the Mediterranean region in general,and
though differently attached. (See Ann. and especially characterised by having, with the
Mag. Ned. Hist. ser. 3. i. 109.) [B. C] ordinary papilionaceous flowers, membra-
nous bladder-like pods. The leaflets of C.
COLUMELLIACECE. Columellia, which arborescens and other species have pur-
consists of two or perhaps three species gative properties like those of senna,
from the Andes of America, having no and are sometimes mixed with senna
immediate affinity with any of the orders leaves. The distended pods, when pressed
with wlriGh it has been compared, has there- suddenly, burst with a loud noise, hence
fore been considered as forming a family the common name, Bladder-senna. Two
of itself. It consists of evergreen shrubs or three species are cultivated as deciduous
or small trees with opposite serrate leaves plants in this country, but they seem
without stipules; a superior five-cleft calyx; to be more abundantly used on the Conti-
a five-lobed spreading corolla bearing in nent than with us. C. arborescens is said to
its short tube two stamens, each with grow on the crater of Vesuvius, where there
three waved anthers. The ovary is in- is little other vegetation. [M. T. M.]
ferior, two-celled, with numerous ovules
the fruit capsular the seeds numerous,
;
COLVILLEA. The name given to a tree
of Madagascar belonging to the legumin-
with the embryo in the axis of a fleshy al- ous family. The genus is nearly related to
bumen. These characters, as well as the Ccesalpinia, but is readily distinguished by
habit, remove the genus from the gener-
the form of its calyx, which is two-lipped,
ality of Monopetatce, and indicate several the upper lip convex and four-toothed, and
points of connection with Saxifragece and the lower linear in form and entire. C.
their allies, amongst which Columellia
racemosa is a beautiful tree, which attains
may possibly take its place as a gamopetal- a height of forty or fifty feet, and is
ous form. furnished with elegant fern-like twice-
COLUMN. The combined stamens and pinnate leaves about three feet long; these
317 CIjc Kvtuiimj at 2Sfltang. COMB
are made up of from twenty to thirty pairs flowers. The fruit somewhat resembles
of pinnae, each pinna with a like number of that of the strawberry, but is spongy
;
opposite leaflets, which are nearly linear in instead of juicy, and does not fall off when
!
form, and about half an inch long. The ripe. It is of common occurrence in
|
beautiful scarlet flowers are in dense ra- marshes and boggy meadows in most
j
cemes, which arise from the axils of the up- parts of England, and extends over a great
'
per leaves,and are either simple or branch- part of Europe and North America, The
I
ed, and about a foot and a half in length. roots and stems have been used to dye
j
The calyx, like the petals, is of a scarlet wool of a dirty-red colour, and are suffi-
1
colour; the petals are five in number, ciently astringent to be employed in tan-
I
the standard the smallest and nearly hid- ning. In some parts of Scotland the fruits
l
den by the others, the two oblong wings are called Cow-berries, on account, it is
next in size, and the two free petals, which said, of their being used to rub the inside
i
form the keel, the largest the ten free
; of milk-pails for the purpose of thickening
stamens are of unequal length. The milk. The Marsh Cmquefoil, C. palustre, is
pod is straight, about six inches long, rarely cultivated, though Gerarde says with
containing a number of seeds. The genus some pride that, he brought some plants
!
bears the name of Sir Charles Colville, from Bourne Pinas, half a mile from Col-
once governor of the Mauritius. [A. A. B.j chester, for his garden, and that they there
flourished and prospered well. French
COLZA. (Fr.) Brassica Napus olei- Comaret ; German Fimfblatt. [C. A. J.]
fera.
COMBESIA. Abyssinian herbs belong-
i
COMA (adj. COMOSE). The hairs at the ing to the Crassulacece, and having five-
end of some seeds ; the empty leaves or parted flowers with petals united for a
bracts at the end of the spike of such short distance at their base five stamens
;
flowers as those of the pine-apple. with anthers opening inwardly five small
;
COMANDRA. The generic nameof scales at the base of the five sessile two-
seeded ovaries, which ripen into follicles,
|
cacece, containing fourteen species of small dry, one-celled, and one-seeded. Seeds
1 trees or shrubs, with the habit of Arbutus, without albumen cotyledons of the em-
;
,
natives of Mexico and Guatemala, They |
bryo rolled up. Natives of the tropical
have coriaceous oblong evergreen leaves, parts of Asia, Africa, and America. The
and flowers in terminal bracteate racemes
I
stamens eight. The fruit is leathery, with species. The best known are Commelyna,
four membranous wings, indehiscent and Tradescantia, and Cyanotis. [J. H. B.]
one-seeded by the abortion of several of
the ovules. Many of the species are very
COMMELYNA. The typical genus of the
order of spiderworts, distinguished by
handsome. [J. T. S.]
having usually three petals, dropping early,
COMB-SHAPED. The same as Pecti- one of the three different in form from
nate. the others, or wanting the filaments or ;
plants found in Australia and Tasmania, species are herbs, natives of tropical and
and numbering about twenty species. It Northern America, East India, and NewHol-
is nearly related to the South American land, having ovate or lance-shaped leaves,
genus Catocoma, but differs in the corolla and the flowers in groups, either issuing
being composed of three united petals, in- from an involucre or sheath-like body, or
stead of five. The stems, which are not destitute of such covering, the former con-
much thicker than a crow-quill,are furnish- stituting Commelyna proper, the latter
ed with alternate leaves, mostly linear in Aneilema. The genus was named in honour
form. The flowers, disposed in axillary or of J. and G. Commelyn, well-known Dutch
terminal racemes, either yellow, white, botanists. The species are numerous, and
blue or purple, the three latter colours several have been long known in our col-
sometimes found in the same species, as lections. They require various modes of
they are in our own common milkwort, treatment, some being hardy, others re-
Polygala vulgaris, to whose flowers those quiring a high temperatui-e. C. ccelestis,
of the plants of this genus bear much re- notable for the delicate blue of the
semblance, but are generally larger. The flower, has oblong lanceolate leaves, and
calyx is five-lobed ; the corolla three- the sheaths ciliated it is a half hardy
;
lobed, the middle lobe largest the sta-; species, which under proper treatment
mens eight the ovary two-celled, crown-
; displays a succession of azure flowers
ed with a curved style. The fruit is a from July to September. One of more
wedge-shaped capsule with two seeds, recent introduction is C. scabra, a half
each furnished with a tuft of silky hairs. hardy perennial from Northern Mexico,
This latter circumstance gives rise to the having straggling reddish stems, the
name of the genus. leaves lance-shaped, waved and hard at the
C. volubilis, the Blue-creeper of Tas- margin, and the flowers of a dull purple
mania, is a graceful little plant, twining brown. Dr. Lindley, in his Vegetable King-
among other bushes and covering them dom, states that 'the fleshy rhizomes of
with its great abundance of beautiful blue C. ccelestis, tuberosa, angustifolia, and stri-
flowers. Its thin twining stems are fur- ata, contain a good deal of starch mixed
nished with leaves which are between with mucilage, and are therefore fit for food
linear and lance-shaped in form. This when cooked. The Chinese employ those of
plant grows in various parts of Australia, C. medico, as a remedy in cough,' &c. [G.D.]
as well as in Tasmania, and is universally
admired. It has been in cultivation in
COMMIA. The name given to a plant of
Cochin-China, which forms a genus of Eu-
England under the name Comesperma gra- phorbiacece. This plant (not well known to
cilis. [A. A. B.]
botanists) has been described by Loureiro
COMPRET. Symphytum officinale. as a tree from which a white tenacious
COM IN. (Fr.) Ervum Ervilia. gum exudes, said to be of a purgative and
emetic nature, and valuable in dropsy, but
COMMELYNACE.E. ( Spidenoorts.) A requiring careful administration. The
natural order of hypogynous monocotyle- leaves are stalked, lance-shaped, entire and
dons, belonging to Lindley's xyridal alli- smooth. The inconspicuous flowers are
ance. Herbs with flat leaves, usually male and female on different plants: the
sheathing at the base. Outer perianth males in short axillary bracted spikes,
(calyx) of three parts, herbaceous; inner having neither calyx nor corolla, and the
(corolla) also of three, coloured; stamens six stamens united into a column which bears
or three, the anthers opening on the side on its summit a number of anthers; the
next the pistil. Ovary three-celled with a females in terminal racemes having a
central placenta ; style one. Fruit a two to three-leaved calyx enclosing a three-lobed
three-celled capsule, opening by two or three ovary, crowned by three short recurved
valves, which bear the dissepiments (par- styles. The fruit a three-celled capsule
titions) on the middle ; seeds with a linear with three seeds. [A. A. BJ
hilum embryo pulley-shaped. Natives of
;
the East and West Indies, New Holland, COMMISSURE. The face by which two
carpels come together or cohere, as in
and Africa. A few are found in North
America, but none in Northern Asia or umbellifers.
Europe. The underground stems of many COMMON PETIOLE. The first and prin-
of the plants yield starch, and are used for cipal leaf-stalk incompound leaves; the
food. The filaments of the Tradescantias secondary petioles are called partial.
, COMOLIA. A genus of MelastamacecB, belonging to the order Myricacem, bearing
consisting of Brazilian trees or shrubs, both male and female flowers in catkins,
I
with four-sided branches and obovate three- and on the same plant. A native of North
!
nerved leaves clothed with adpressed America in moist peaty soils. The leaves
'
hairs; flowers axillary, solitary, sessile, are long and narrow, alternately arranged
white tube of calyx adhering to the base
;
and cut on each side into rounded and
of ovary, its limb four-lobed petals four ; ;
numerous lobes, so as to resemble the
anthers one-celled curved; ovary gla- fronds of Ceterach (hence the name C. as
brous capsule two-celled.
;
[J. T. S.] plenifolia), downy and sprinkled with
golden resinous transparent dots, which,
COMPAGNON BLANC. (Fr.) Lychnis
as well as the rest of the plant, have an
dioica. aromatic scent. It was introduced in 1714
COMPARETTIA. A small genus of epi- by the Duchess of Beaufort, and was
phytal orchids inhabiting tropical Ameri- named in honour of Henry Compton,
ca. Four species are known, all Avith small Bishop of London, the introducer and cul-
pseudobulbs, coriaceous leaves, and grace- tivator of many curious exotic plants, and
fully bending racemes of long spurred a great patron of botany and horticulture.
rose coloured purple or scarlet flowers. It is hardy, but requires a peat soil and
shade. In America it is called the Sweet
COMPASS PLANT. Silphium lacinia- Fern Bush in France Comptonie, or Li qui-
;
tum, which is said to present the faces of dambar & feuilles de Ceterach but it must
:
its leaves uniformly north and south.
not be confounded with Liquidambar Sty-
COMPLEXTTS. Tissue: C. cellulosus, cel- raciflua, Sweet Gum. [C. A. J.]
lular membranaceus, the thin
tissue : C.
membrane, which is the foundation of all CONANTHERA. A genus of Liliaceoz
tissue— elementary membrane C.tubularis ;
containing a few small Chilian bulbous
tubular tissue, or woody fibre C. utricu- ;
plants, with linear leaves, and a scape
laris, angular cellular tissue C. vascularis,
;
supporting paniculate blue flowers. Peri-
spiral vessels, properly so-called often, :
anth six-parted, adhering to the base of
however, extended to all sorts of tubes the ovary, and breaking away by a trans-
with markings on the side, thus losing pre- verse split as the fruit ripens; stamens
cision, and with it its value as a scientific six, united into a cone. [J. T. S.]
term.
CONCEPTACLE. A term sometimes ap-
COMPLICATE. Folded up upon itself. plied to the capsular fruit of red-spored
Algce, in contradistinction to the fruit in
COMPOSIT2E. The more familiar name of
which the reproductive mass is ultimately
theAster acece, a large natural order of gamo-
divided into four bodies, and hence called
petalous calycifloral dicotyledons belong-
tetrasperms. Modifications have received
ing to Lindley's campanal alliance, con- the names of ceramidia, cystocarps, fa-
sisting of herbs and shrubs with alternate
villa?, nuclei, &c. The explanation of these
or opposite leaves having no stipides the ;
terms belongs rather to a treatise on Alga?
stamens and pistils either in the same or than to the present work. [M. J. B.]
in separate flowers, which are collected
Also, a special organ, developed in some
into a head on a common receptacle (hence
fungals on the surface, or in the interior
tne name Composite or compound flowers),
of a receptacle, and containing the organs
and surrounded by a set of floral leaves or of reproduction as well as their accessories
bracts, called an involucre. The fruit is it differs from a spore-case in the latter
single-seeded, crowned with the limb of
being itself one of the accessories, and only
the' calyx. The plants are found in all containing spores.
parts of the world, in warm countries
sometimes assuming arborescent forms. CONCHIDIUM. Eria.
They were included by Linnaeus in his CONCHIFORM. Shaped like one valve of
class Syngenesia. The properties of the
order are various ; but bitterness seems to
a common bivalve shell.
prevail in it, and this is accompanied with CONCHOCHILUS. Appendicula.
tonic, stimulant, aromatic, and sometimes
even narcotic qualities. Lactuca sativa, CONCOLOR. Of the same colour as
the common lettuce, and L. virosa, supply some other thing compared with it.
an organ are applied to each other by their of serious injury, either in formidable As-
faces, sures caused by differences of temperature
CONDYLIUM. The antherid of a Cham. in the different parts of the trunk, or in
the death of portions of the bark and wood.
CONE. The strobilus or conical ar- Trees thus become accurate registers of
rangement of scales in the fruit of a Pinus sevei-e winters. While, however, some
or fir-tree. plants give way at once under a slight de-
CONE-FLOWER. An American name gree of frost, others may be turned into a
for Radbeckia. —.PURPLE. An American solid mass of ice without losing their vital
name for Echinacea. powers, especially if the mass is thawed
gradually, and in the dark. The outward
CONE-HEAD. A garden name for Stro- parts of plan ts sometimes escape, when more
bilanthes. delicate and protected parts are destroyed.
CONENCHYMA. The conical cells which Pear blossom, for instance, may be appar-
constitute hairs. ently unaffected by frost and expand as
usual, when the pistils are completely de-
CONFERRUMINATE. Glued together. stroyed. The effect of frost on plants de-
CONFERTUS. When parts are pressed pends greatly upon the condition of soil.
closely round about each other; packed The wetter the soil, and the more saturated
close. the plants with moisture, the more destruc-
tive is it. Adegree of cold, which is quite
CONFERVA. The typical genus of Con- harmless wh n the cells are comparatively
fervaceai, the species of which are either empty.is positively destructive under other
attached to various bodies or float in circumstances. [M. J. B.]
dense masses on ponds swollen up with
bubbles of gas, from whence the genus CONGESTED. Crowded very closely.
takes its name. The branched Confervce CONGLOBATE. Collected into a ball, as
are now separated under the name of the florets of Echinops.
Cladophora. Confervce, when dried, were
once used as a packing instead of tow, to CONGLOMERATE. The same as Clus-
support fractured limbs, a use which is tered.
now quite obsolete. The name was also CONGLUTINATE. Glued together, not
applied to a vast heterogeneous mass of organically united.
plants, as may be seen in Dillwynn's His-
tory of British Conferva. [M. J. B.] CONIDIA. Many Fungi, besides their
true fruit, produce littlereproductive cells
CONFERVACEiE. A division of the in different parts, especially on the spawn
green-spored Algce characterised by their or mycelium which are known by the name
simple or branched articulated threads, of conidia. The substance called ergot
diffused endochrome, and small zoospores. isa good example, the conidia appearing
The articulations are mostly as long as, or some months before the perfect fungus.
longer than, their diameter, which forms When these conidia are contained in
one of the main technical distinctions be- distinct cysts or perithecia, they are called
tween them and the Oscillatorice, which stylospores. In some cases undoubtedly,
have, however, a very distinct habit. The as in Erysiphe, the conidia are reproduc-
genera are numerous, and in some cases, as tive, but in others it is possible that they
in Chcetophora, the threads are compacted may perform the functions of male organs.
into a solid mass by means of gelatine. The The subject of impregnation, in Fungi, is so
zoospores sometimes occur in the ordinary imperfectly known that it is not possible |
cells of the threads, but sometimes in dis- to speak with certainty about it. [M. J. BJ
tinct cysts, and sometimes privileged cells
are multiplied by cell-division for their
CONIDIUM. The gonidium of a lichen.
production, as in Stygeoclonium. They are CONIFER.E. (Conacece, Pinacece, Conifers,
found in all parts of the world, but are the Pine family.) A considerable and im-
most plentiful in temperate regions. They portant family, constituting with the
are sometimes so abundant that, after floods, smaller groups of Cycadece and Chietacece
they form a thick coat, like paper, on the the sub-class gymnosperms of dicoty-
ground, to which the name of meteoric ledons. It consists of trees or shrubs,
paper has been given. Chroolepus differs mostly with resinous secretions. The
from the rest in its being developed in the leaves are stiff, sometimes linear or needle-
air and not in water, and in its golden colour like, sometimes short and scale-like, or
when fresh, but the species when dry be- more rarely broad, lobed, or divided. The
come green. The fruit, however, like that flowers are unisexual, either in cylindrical
or short catkins with closely packed scales, the base. Pinus syirestris is the common
or the females are solitary. There is no Scotch fir, which abounds in cold climates,
perianth. The stamens in the males are and which supplies timber, turpentine, and
either inserted on the axis of the catkin pitch, as well as a hemp-like fibre from its
under the scales, or the anther-cells are leaves, which is used for stuffing pillows
sessile on the inside of the scales them- and cushions under the name of pine wool.
selves, which then form part of the sta- Pinus Pinaster, the Bordeaux pine, thrives
mens. The ovules and seeds are naked, well on the sea-shore. Abies includesdiffer-
that is, without ovary, style, or pericarp, ent species of fir and spruce, in all of which
althoush sometimes more or less enclosed the leaves come off from the stem and
in two bracts, or in a fleshy or hardened branches singly. Abies excelsa is the Nor-
disk. The seeds are albuminous, with one way spruce ;A. balsamea the balm of
or sometimes several embryos in the centre, Gilead fir; A. canadensis the hemlock spruce;
each embrvo having sometimes more than and A.pectinata the silver fir. Cedrus com-
two cotyledons. There are probably nearly prises those cedars which have clustered
two hundred species known, dispersed over persistent leaves. Cedrus Libani is the
a great part of the globe, several of them cedar of Lebanon, the Eres of the Bible;
forming large forests in temperate climates, while Cedrus Beodara, a local variety, is
or more rarely within the tropics ; while the sacred cedar of India. Larix includes
some of them "extend almost to the utmost the species of larch, which have clustered
limits of woody vegetation in high lati- deciduous leaves. Larix europea is the com-
tudes, or at great elevations. They are mon larch L.G-riffltliii the Himalayan larch.
;
distributed into about twenty-five genera, The Araucarias have single-seeded scales,
forming three tribes or sub-orders 1. : with adherent seeds and many-celled an-
Abietince, with the fruits collected in cones, thers ; Araucaria imbricata is a Chilian
and inverted ovules of this the principal
; species; A. BidwiUii is from Moreton Bay:
genera are Pin us (including Abies), Arauca- both have edible seeds. Eutassa excelsa is
ria, Cunninghamia, Sequoia, &c. 2. Cupres- the Norfolk Island pine, which yields valu-
sinere. with the fruits collected in cones, and able wood. Cryptomeria japonica is the
erect ovules including Juniperus, CaUitris,
:
Japan cedar. Cupressus sempervirens is
Thuja, Cupressus, Taxodium, Cryptomeria, the common cypress. The Junipers have
arc. 3. Taxinece, sometimes considered as a peculiar succulent fruit. Juniperus Ber-
a distinct family, with the fruits solitary mudiana furnishes the cedar for pencils.
or loosely spiked, including Podocarpus, The species of Thuja are known by the
Bacrydium,Pliyllocladus, Salisburia, Taxus, name of Arbor Vitae. [J. H. B.]
&c. CONIMA. The fragrant gum resin of the
The woody tissue of the trees of this incense tree, Idea heptaphylla.
family is seen to bejnarked with pecu-
liar circular dots or punctatiuns when ex- CONIOCTSTS. Closed spore-cases re-
amined under the microscope. The ovules sembling tubercles, and containing a mass
at the base of each cone-scale are gene- of spores.
rally held to be naked, each ovule having CONIOGRAMMA. A name given by Fee
a large opening at its apex, to which to the species of Gymnogramma repre-
the pollen from the stamens is applied sented by G.javanica. [T. M.]
directly. But some say that the ovules are
not naked, but are contained in a proper CONIOMYCETES. A family of Fungi
ovary which is closely applied to the seed; distinguished by the predominance of the
that "the outer membranous scales are spores over the receptacle. The spores are
modified leaves ;and that the hard scales simple or articulated, solitary or chained
are altered branches bearing the pistillate together, and sometimes fasciculate, naked
flowers. or enclosed in a distinct cyst. The plants,
Some botanists look upon Conifers as the however, in which this last structure ob-
highest type of true dicotyledons. They tains are probably, for the most part, mere
are most abundant in temperate regions, conditions of Sphccriw and other pyrenomy-
both in the northern and southern hemi- cetous Fungi. The most important mem-
spheres. In Europe, Siberia, and China, and bers of the family, are the numerous parasi-
in the temperate parts of North America, we tic species which affect the living organs
meet with species of pine, spruce, larch, of plants, and cause great mischief, especi-
cedar, and juniper. In the southern hemi- ally amongst our corn crops, by exhausting
sphere they are replaced by Araucaria, the energies of the mother plant, and pre-
Eutassa, Bamma/ra, Podocarpus, and Ba- venting the full development of the seed.
crydium. One or two of these, which grow on differ-
Conifers are of great importance to man- ent species of Juniper, approach Tremella
kind. They supply valuable timber, and in outward appearance, as all do in some
yield resin, oil, pitch, and turpentine. Some peculiarities of structure. In most of these
attain a great size. Thus Wellingtonia, gi- the spores exhibit bright colours, while in
gantea has been known to attain in Oregon, other divisions they are as generally black.
a height of 450 feet, with a circumference The dark soot-like patches which are so
of 116 feet at the base. Taxodium Hcmpcr- common on old rails and dead wood are
virens also attains an enormous size. The formed mostly by these dingy Coniomycetes,
various species of Pinus have their leaves which notwithstanding their unpromising
in clusters of two, three, four, five, or six, appearance, are often full of interest when
surrounded by a membranous sheath at closely examined. [M. J. B.]
CONl] Etje Crca^uvj) at 3Satang. 322
CONIOSELINUM. A genus of four species 1
whether a popular name or not we are un- CONNIVENT. Having a gradually inward
able to say. It is derived from the external direction, as many petals converging.
;
other to Leguminosoe, differing from the fruit is leathery, scale-like, forming imbri-
former chiefly in the more completely apo- cated cone-like heads. The Indian species,
carpous ovary, and from the latter in the which were formerly placed in this genus,
perfectly regular flowers, and in the seed are now, separated under the name of
in which the radicle is always at a distance
j
the flowers regular, with ten stamens and about the size of a pea the florets, of a
;
united by their filaments at the base, the bright blue or purple colour, are all tubu-
five which are opposite to the petals shorter lar, and have a fragrant odour. The genus
than the rest. 'Of the five ovaries, four differs from Eupatorium only in the conical
are generally abortive, and reduced to the receptacle. [A. A. BJ
condition of styles, while the fifth contains
two ascending ovules the stigma is di-
;
CONOID AL. Resembling a conical figure,
but not truly one, as the calyx of Silene
lated. The fruit is a kind of pod, but it
conoidea.
does not open, and contains only one seed,
the other being suppressed. The trees are J CONOMORPHA. A genus of 3mall ever-
CONC-] &l)z Creature oi SSotang. 324
green trees of the Myrsine family, found in are included the ovary is five-celled, with
;
the tropical parts of South America. The a single pendulous ovule in each cell. The
species have alternate stalked entire leaves hard indehi scent drupe is one-celled from
of a leathery texture and full of dots, oblong the abortion of the other cells. [W. C]
or elliptical in form, and varying from
three to seven inches in length. The small CONOSTYLIS. A genus of New Holland
white or green flowers are borne on short Hcemodoracece, consisting of perennial herbs
stiff racemes, and have a calyx of four
with distichous ensiform radical leaves, par-
divisions a funnel-shaped corolla with a
;
tially sheathing and equitant at the base,and
four-parted border, enclosing four stamens corymbose or subspicate heads of flowers at
and a one-celled ovary, which is crowned the top of a simple scape. The perianth is
with a short style. The fruit is a berry lanately woolly outside, its tube connate
about the size of a pea, and contains few with the ovary, and the limb regular, per-
seeds. [A. A. B.] sistent, and half- expanded in a bell-shaped
form it has six stamens with short erect
;
cleft calyx, a bilabiate slightly curved ted into five parcels, opposite to the petals
corolla swollen at the base, protruded sta- ovary three-celled; fruit a capsule in-
mens, and a depressed stigma. The fruit cluded within the tube of the calyx united
is an ovoid pod, with four placenta? ap- at the base with the branch, and contain-
proximated in the middle of each valve. ing one seed in each of its three compart-
The genus is nearly related to Orobanche, ments. [M. T. MJ
differing chiefly in having a bibracteolate
calyx, and exserted stamens. [W. C] CONRADIA. A genus of Gesneracece,
containing several species of shrubs or her-
CONOPSIDIUM. Platanthera. baceous plants, natives of the West Indies,
CONOSPERMUM. A genus of Proteacece, and reaching into the southern districts of
containing about forty species. It is dis- North America, They are shrubs, or rarely
tinguished by having a tubular four-cleft herbs, with petiolate generally dentate
calyx, one of the segments of which is oc- leaves, and axillary peduncles with a single
casionally much larger than the others. flower or sometimes with many-flowered
There are four stamens on short fila- cymes. The calyx tube is adherent to
ments (one of which is sterile), inserted the ovary, the limb five-cleft, or more or
at the base of the calyx segments : the less deeply five-parted the corolla is tubu-
;
three anthers cohere together; style fili- lar or campanulate, and its limb nearly
form, with a free oblique stigma. The fruit equally five-cleft. There are four didyna-
is a nut, containing a single silky seed. The mous stamens, with the rudiment of a fifth,
inflorescence is either in spikes or panicles. but neither hypogynous disc nor gland.
The habit of the different species varies The capsule is two-valved, and has two-
considerably; some are tall erect shrubs, parietal placenta? with numerous minute
while others are of much humbler growth. seeds. This genus can readily be separated
The foliage is very variable : in C. imbrica- from its allies, by the absence of disc or
tum the leaves are oval, scarcely a quarter glands around the ovary. [W. C.]
of an inch in length in C. filiforme and
;
CONSOLIDA. A section of the ranuncu- general meaning had been attached to the
laceous genus Delphinium, containing an- term 'Lilies of the Field,' which has by
nual species with only one carpel. D. ori- common consent been ascribed to the
entate and D. Ajacis, the rocket larkspurs, parallel phrase, Fowls of the Air,' while
'
oblique in figure, and overlapping its only species retained, some others which
neighbour by one margin, has its other were formerly included being now referred
'
margin in like manner overlapped by that to Polygonatum. French, Muguet de Mai,
which stands next it, as in oleander. Lis de Mai, or des Vallees ; German, May-
Mume. [C. A. J.]
CONTORTUPLICATUS. Twisted back
upon itself. CONVERGENTI-NERVOSE. When sim-
veins diverge from the midrib of a leaf,
ple,
CONTRA YERVA. Dorstenia Contrayerva. and converge towards the mai'gin.
CONULEUU. The name given to a West CONVERGINERVED. When the ribs of
African bush of the eheagnus family, with a leaf describe a curve and meet at the
opposite entire leaves, which are oboval in point, as in Plantago lanceolata.
form and pointed, while both surfaces are
covered with scurfy scales. The small CONVOLUTE, CONVOLUTIVE. When
flowers are not known. The females, ar- one part is wholly rolled up in another, as
ranged in forked racemes, have a calyx in the petals of the wallflower.
with a cylindrical tube and a conical limb,
and are provided with a little opening at CONVOLVULACE^E. (Bindweeds.) A
the top through which the style protrudes. natural order of corollifloral dicotyledons,
The fruit is not known. [A. A. B.] included in Lindley's solanal alliance.
Herbs or shrubs, usually twining, and
CONVALLARIA. The Lily of the with a milky juice, having alternate leaves
Valley is a plant so well known, and one without stipules, and regular flowers
which is so universally a favourite, that the flower-stalks (peduncles) bear one or
little need be said by way of description. many flowers. Calyx five-divided, im-
A slender irregular stalk, a few inches bricated, persistent corolla plaited sta-
; ;
high and slightly curved, bears from eight mens five, alternate with the corolline
to twelve small bell-shaped milk-white lobes ovary free, two to four-celled
;
flowers, arranged one above another, each ovules one to two in each cell; styles
on a stalk of its own, all bending towards united, often divided at the top. Fruit a
the ground, symmetrically elegant in form, two to four-celled capsule, rarely one-
and of a delicate perfume. This stalk rises celled, valves breaking off and leaving the
from the base of a pair of broadly-lanceolate dissepiments and placentas in the middle
leaves, tapering towards each extremity of the fruit seeds large with mucila-
;
of a somewhat glaucous hue, clasped to- ginous albumen embryo curved. Abun
;
gether at the base by sheathing scales, and dant in tropical countries, and rare in cold
scarcely unfolded by the time the flowers climates they twine around other plants
;
aie in perfection. "Without poetical or and creep among weeds on the sea-shore.
fanciful conventionalities, the Lily of the The plants are characterised chiefly by
Valley is as perfect an emblem of purity, their purgative qualities, and many of
modesty, and humility, as the floral world them are used medicinally. Jalap is pro-
can afford. It may seem idle to observe cured from the root, or rather underground
that a flower of this description cannot stem of Exogonium (Ipomced) Purga, while
be that referred to in the Sermon on the the gum-resin called scammony is pro-
Mount but as that opinion is frequently duced by Convolvulus Scammonia. Ipomaa
;
broached in popular works, it may simply Bona nox is the moonflower of Ceylon and
be observed, that it never grows in the open other warm countries. Batatas edulis,
fields, and that there is nothing in its sweet potato or Batatas, is cultivated in
array to which the term 'glory 'is appli- Carolina, Japan, and China, and succeeds
cable. Not a little unprofitable commen- within an annual isotherm of 59°. It is
tary might have been spared if the same cultivated also in Spain and Portugal. In
CONV] €i)t E«a£ttrg af 3Sotang. 326
the Philippine islands the batatas or cam ci- white flowers isby some authors placed in
tes are used for making soup, as well as this genus. French, Herbe aux Puces
roasted. There are forty-six known genera, German, Diirrwurz. [C. A. J.]
and nearly 700 species. Illustrative genera: COOKIA. A genus of Aurantiacece, named
Calystegia, Convolvulus, Exogonium, Ipo-
[J. H. B.]
in honour of the famous circumnavigator.
mcea, Batatas, Pharbitis. It consists of small trees with compound
CONVOLVULUS. An extensive and leaves; whose leaflets are unequal at the
widely-distributed genus, typical of the base. The flowers have four to five concave
order of bindweeds, consisting of twining petals eight to ten stamens, distinct one
;
or trailing annual and perennial plants, from the other the ovary on a very short
;
mostly with showy flowers expanding stalk, four to five-celled, with two ovules
during the early part of the day. Among in each compartment and the style short
;
the allied genera of the order it is dis- and surmounted by a four to five-toothed
tinguished by its naked bractless calyx, stigma. The fruit is a globular berry, with
funnel-shaped corolla, two linear often re- five, or by suppression, fewer compart-
volute stigmas,and two-celled capsule, each ments, filled with juice. The fruit of one
cell containing two seeds. The species species,C.pz«ict«£a,isesteemed in China and
share largely in the medicinal properties the Indian Archipelago, where it is known
found in some other genera of the family ; under the name of Wampee. [M. T. M.]
qualities which depend on the presence of
a peculiar resin with purgative properties. COONDA OIL. The oil of Carapa guia-
C. Scammonia furnishes the scammony of nensis.
the druggist and in most of the perennial
;
COOPERIA. A
genus of Arnaryllidacem,
species, including the indigenous C. arven- allied to Zephyranthes. They are bulbous
sis and C. Sohlanclla, the same principle plants with linear tortuous leaves, and one-
occurs. C. dissectus abounds in hydrocya- flowered scapes. The perianth consists of
nic acid, and is said to be one of the a long erect slender cylindrical tube wide-
plants from which the liqueur noyau ned at the mouth, and a stellate limb of six
is prepared. Some of the species are regular equal segments the filaments are ;
popular ornaments of the flower-garden, nearly equal, erect, inserted in the mouth
and with one at least every body is familiar ;
of the tube the style erect with a three-
viz. C. tricolor or Minor Convolvulus of
;
tained from Liquidambar styraciflua. i shaped corolla the ovary has two to three
;
than bees' wax, and has been used by COPTOPHYLLTJM. The name of a sec-
Price and Co. for making candles, but tion or group of Anemia in which the
as no process of bleaching has been caudex produces distinct sterile and fertile
discovered, they retain the lemon-coloured fronds. It contains one or two beautiful
tint of the raw wax. The leaves are also dwarf species, as A. buniifolia and A. mille-
used for thatching, making hats, &c, and folia. [T. M.]
while young as fodder for horses. [A. S.]
COQUARDEAU. (Fr.) Cheiranthus fenes-
COPPER. Y. Brownish red, with a metal- tralis.
lic lustre.
COQTTE. (Fr.) Cocculus.
COPRINUS. A genus of gill-bearing
Fungi remarkablefor their dark spores and COQUELICOT. (Fr.) Papaver Rhceas.
deliquescent pileus. The gills moreover COQUELOURDE. (Fr.). Anemone Pul-
adhere together in consequence of the satilla also Lychnis coronaria.
;
great projection of the transparent pro-
cesses supposed to be antheridia. The COQTJELUCHIOLE. (Fr.) Cornucopia.
species are numerous, of extremely rapid
growth, and are developed for the most
COQBERELLE. (Fr.) Anemone Pulsa-
tilla.
part on dung hotbeds or very rich manured
soil. They have even been found on the COQUERET. rFr.) Physalis Alkekengi.
dressings of fractured limbs. A few hours — COMESTIBLE. Physalis peruviana.
,
at 019,668?., having been imported to this trees or shrubs with alternate rarely sub-
country alone in 1858. The plant is largely opposite petiolate and entire or subden-
cultivated in India also by the Malays arid
;
'
I very soft, silky, and separable into fine fila- nel-shaped with the limb four to five-parted,
I
• nients, which are easily spun. Jute is rarely six to twelve-lobed the stamens are
i
;
j
much used in the manufacture of carpets, as numerous as the divisions of the corolla,
I
and some kinds of cloth but is not suit- and are inserted in the tube the ovary is
; ;
:
|
able for cordage, as it will not bear expo- four-celled, and bears a doubly-bifid style, !
|
sure to wet. Its most important use, with a stigmatic surface on each division. I
l
however, is for the manufacture of the The drupaceous fruit is ovate or globose,
|
I gunny-bags, so extensively used for packing pulpy, generally surrounded by the per-
|
cotton, rice, and other dry goods, enormous sistent calyx, and four-celled or one to
quantities of them being exported from three-celled from the abortion of one or
India to the United States for that pur- more cells there is a single seed in each ;
pose. Very good paper is made from the cell. This large unwieldy genus has been
refuse fibre, and also from worn-out guu- divided into the following sections from
! ny-bags and a kind of whisky, resembling characters obtained from the calyx and it
; ;
corn-spirit, has been distilled froni the would be well if these sections were raised
waste ends of the stems. into genera :—
ft olitorius, is a native of India, but is now Gerascanthus, having a cylindrical ten-
naturalised in all parts of the tropics, and grooved calyx.
extends as far north as the shores of the Pilicordia, with an oblong or cylindrical
Mediterranean. It is an annual plant much ten-striate calyx.
resembling ft capsularis, the principal dif- Physoclada, having a membranaceous
ference existing in the fruit, which in this calyx, hispid at the apex with sette, and at
species is two inches long, almost cylin- length irregularly torn.
drical, and about the thickness of a quill. Sebestenoides, having a cylindrical or |
The young shoots of this species are com- ovate smooth three to ten-toothed calyx.
monly used as a pot-herb in tropical coun- Myxa, the calyx not grooved, four to
tries, as are those of ft capsularis ;it is five-toothed, the teeth short or rarely awn-
(
much grown for this purpose in Egypt and shaped. I
Syria, and being used by the Jews, it has Cordiopsis, with an obovate or oblong
obtained the name of Jews' Mallow. It calyx terminating in five setaceous divi-
I
herbaceous plant about two or three feet which have succulent mucilaginous and
j
high; its leaves differ from those of the two emollient fruits. From their mucilaginous
! i
last in not having bristles on the two bot- Equalities, combined with some astringency, I
tom teeth, and there is usually a line of they have been employed as pectoral medi- I
minute hairs along the stem. The negroes cines, under the name of Sebestens. The
f
in the West Indies use it for making be- fruit of ft abyssinica is used in the same j
soms, and the inhabitants of Panama drink way in Abyssinia. The bark of ft Myxa is i
an infusion of the leaves as a substitute a mild tonic, and is used in India for astrin-
for tea hence they call it te.
: [A S.] gent gargles. Some species supply useful
j
CORCULUM. The embryo; and also, the Rumphii is brown, beautifully veined with j
small axis of growth in such dicotyledon- black, and smells of musk, ft Gerascanthus \
plants scattered over the tropical and sub- cymes, sometimes gyrate as in true Bora-
ginece-, or rarely solitary. The fruit is usu- often by abortion one or two-seeded.
ally more or less drupaceous. There are The species are found in tropical Africa,
above 150 species, natives of the tropical or in Madagascar, and the Mascarene Islands,
subtropical regions both of the New and and in the Malayan Archipelago. The typi-
the Old World, and have been distributed cal species, C. reflexa, a native of the Mauri-
into about twelve genera, most of which tius, St. Helena, and Madagascar, has a
have, however, been since reduced to Cor- naked simple stem, bearing a crowded
dia itself. head of numerous ensiform striated leaves,
six or seven inches long, and scarcely half
CORDICEPS. A fine genus of Spha?riace-
an inch wide. The flowers are fragrant,
ous Fungi distinguished by its fleshy tex- numerous, yellowish green, in a branched
ture, vertical stipitate stroma and filiform terminal raceme. C. fragrans, a "West
articulate spores, which separate at the
African species, has a tall stem with a
articulations. The species are the most terminal head of lanceolate leaves, two
remarkable amongst the very important to three feet long, and two to three inches
group to which they belong. A few grow broad, and divaricately-branched panicles
upon dead leaves, decaying branches, or of fragrant white flowers, collected into
ergoted grains, the rest upon pupae or dense umbellate heads. C. Sieboldii is a
larvas of insects. The New Zealand C.
compact growing species with oblong
Robertsii occurs on the caterpillar of a
leaves, four to six inches long, deep green,
species of Hepialus, and is frequently
ornamentally blotched with paler green,
brought home as an object of curiosity. and producing short terminal panicles of
"We have two or three fine species in this
greenish-white flowers. Some very orna-
country, of which C. militaris is remarkable
mental species formerly included in C'ordy-
for its brilliant scarlet hue. C. alutacea,
line, are now referred to the genera Cala-
which is of a pale tan, grows upon pine
dracon and Draccenopsis and others less
leaves, and a form of it, or distinct species, ;
dies. The wasps so attacked are known united into a tube, the upper edge of which
by the name of Guiipes vegetantes. The has six anthers on it and ten or twelve
peculiarities of the species which grow on teeth, while numerous other anthers are
ergot will be noticed under that head. C. attached to the inner surface of the tube
sinensis is supposed by the Chinese to have of the stamens style simple ovary seated
; ;
healing properties, and is sold as a drug in on a fleshy disc, which is adherent to the
little bundles. [M. J. B.] base of the calyx, with one many-seeded
CORDIFORM. "When a solid has the compartment. [M. T. M.]
form of cordate. CORDYLOGYNE. A genus of Asclepia-
CORDLEAFS. A name given by Lindley dacece, consisting of a single herbaceous
to the group of restiaceous plants. plant growing at a height of 4,000 feet on
the mountains of Southern Africa. The
CORDON DE CARDINAL. (Fr.) Poly- plant has many erect slender stems about
gonum orientate. a foot high, long linear leaves, and pale
CORDYLANTHUS. A genus of Homa- green flowers clustered in many-flowered
linacece from Java. It is allied to Black- long peduncles. The calyx consists of five
wellia, but with an elongate club-shaped small hairy sepals the corolla is five-
;
perianth tube, adhering to the ovary, the parted, the divisions erect, and at length
limb ten or twelve-par ted, and the segments spreading the staminal crown consists of
;
in two rows, the inner longer and petaloid five oblong leaves with angular processes
leaves alternate, shortly-stalked, leathery, on their lateral margins the anthers are
;
seed. [W. C]
shrubby palm-like Liliacece, bearing spread-
ing and very ornamental heads of narrow COREMA, Portugal Crakeberry. An
elongate striated leaves, and terminal erect much-branched low shrub of rigid
panicles of numerous small flowers. The habit, closely allied to JEmpetrum, from
perianth is deciduous, tubulosely bell- which it is distinguished by having no
shaped, with a six-cleft or six-parted spread- scales at the base of its calyx, and by its
ing limb of linear segments, inserted in white three-seeded globose berries. The
two rows and there are six stamens with
; branches are slightly downy; the leaves
linear filaments inserted in the mouth of obtuse, small, and narrow, with revolute
the tube. The ovary is three-celled with edges, and sprinkled with resinous dots
one ovule in each cell; and the style is flowers white, growing in terminal groups
filiform with a capitate three-lobed stigma. very like those of Empetrum, but larger.
The fruit is a globose three-celled berry, It is a native of Portugal and other coun-
J31 Efje CrcaSurii' of 28 a tang. [CORI
tries ofSouthern Europe, and is described pinnately divided into broad or wedge-
by some authors under the name of Empe- shaped deeply-cut segments, while the
trum lusitanicum. [C. A. J.] upper leaves are more finely cut. The
umbels have five to eight rays without a
COREOPSIS. A genus of American general involucre, and the partial ones
herbaceous composite plants remarkable consist of only a few small bracts; the
for the singular shape of its seeds, which j
flowers are whitish or pink. The most
are flat on one side, convex on the other, characteristic feature, however, is the
membranous at the edge, and having the globular fruit, which is crowned by the
pappus furnished with two horns not un- teeth of the calyx, and has no oil channels
like the antennae of an insect. Hence its on the outer surface, but two on the inner
name, which in Greet signifies 'bearing face of each half of the fruit ; the
resemblance to a bug.' Many species are ridges are five and rather indistinct. The
cultivated, among which C. diversifolia isa two carpels of which the fruit is composed
perennial with branching stems, small I
North America to dye cloth red. [C. A. J.] tute a distinct family under the name of
j
CORETTE POTAGE^RE. (Fr.) Corcho- shaped; petals five, fleshy, with a promi-
i rus olitorius. nent ridge internally stamens ten, arising ;
neriads, remarkable for the form of the solitary, pendulous, inverted. Fruit of
style, which is elongated and furnished five crustaceous indehiscent one-seeded
:
This curious appearance has suggested the natives of Southern Europe, the Mediter-
j
name. About seven species are known, ranean, Peru, Nepaul, and New Zealand.
all of them having their parts more or less
J
shaped, and either entire or notched. The to have proved fatal to some French
flowers are in branched racemes, which soldiers in Catalonia. The leaves have
arise from opposite the leaves, each flower also been used to adulterate senna—
I supported by a bract, and consisting of a dangerous fraud, as they are stated to have
five-parted petal-like calyx covered with caused tetanic convulsions, and subsequent
|
soft hairs; no petals; five stamens with coma. C. myrtifolia is also used in dyeing
;
short stalks, and anthers opening at the black. C.sarmentosa, theWine berry shrub of
;
apex by a small pore, surrounding a three- the settlers in New Zealand, has pendulous
!
lobed ovary, which, when ripe, becomes a branches, greenish white flowers in long
\
three-celled capsule with three seeds. C. slender clusters, and shining-black berry-
J
Vracteata is a pretty bush sometimes seen like fruits, full of a dark red juice of sweet
in greenhouses it has heart-shaped entire taste, and free from any deleterious pro-
:
leaves about an inch in length, covered perties, but the seeds if eaten are poison-
like all parts of the plant with rusty hairs. ous thenativesthereforehavingexpressed
;
The pink starry flowers, with pink bracts, the juice from the fruits, strain it before
appear in great profusion. [A. A. B.] they drink it, or soak their baked fern root
in it. The missionaries at the Bay of
'
CORIACEOES. Having the consistence Islands,' says Dr. Bennett, from whose
of leather. Wanderings in Australia this notice is
CORIANDER. Coriandrum sativum. taken, make an agreeable wine from the
'
with alternate linear coriaceous leaves, in the West Indies to several grain-bear-
and flowers in dense terminal spicate ra- ing species of Panic urn, as P.pyramidalc,
cemes. The calyx is campanulate with a scabrum, &c. —
INDIAN. The maize, Zea
double limb, the outer ray subbilabiate, Mays.
with the upper lip six-toothed and the
lower five-toothed, the inner portion being CORNACEiE. An inconsiderable natu-
cleft into five triangular lobes, of which ral order of polypetalous calycifloral dico-
the upper two are the largest the corolla tyledons, belonging to Lindley's umbellal
;
is tubular, with the limb bilabiate and cleft alliance. Trees or shrubs usually with op-
into five emarginate lobes, the two upper posite leaves having no stipules; flowers
of which are the smallest the stamens are in cyrnose clusters or in heads surrounded
;
scarcely exserted; the slender filaments by an involucre calyx adherent, its limb ;
have glands at their base on the corolla four-toothed petals four, valvate in bud
;
tube the ovary is obovate, and has a sub- stamens four, alternate with the petals
;
globose placenta the globose capsule has styles united into one ovary two-celled
; ;
five valves and five seeds. [W. C] ovules solitary, pendulous. Fruit a two-
celled drupe (like a cherry). Natives of the
CORISPERMUM. A genus of Clienopo- temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and Ame-
diacece, containing wiry-stemmed hairy an- rica. The plants of this order are used as
nual herbs from Eastern Europe and tem- tonics and in ague. Cornus mascula is the
perate Asia. Leaves narrow, sessile; flowers akenia of the Greeks, and the kizziljiek
very small, solitary in the axils of the or red-wood of the Turks. From the wood
leaves, forming spikes perianth of a vari- of this plant the Turks obtain the dye for
;
able number of small scales, rarely of one, or their red fez. The fruit stewed and mixed
absent stamens one to five, but generally with water forms a good drink in hot
;
tln-ee, the lateral ones often sterile ovary weather, and from its astringeucy it is
;
compressed with short style and two stig- useful in bowel-complaints. Various species
mas fruit compressed often margined. of Cornus or dogwood are used in America
;
Abundant in the marshy steppes of South- as substitutes for Peruvian bark. There
ern Russia. [J. T. S.] are nine known genera and forty species.
CORK, KORKER. The name in the Aucuba. Illustrative genera Cornus, Benthamia,
: —
[J. H. B.]
Scotch Highlands of Lccanora tartarea,
where, Dr. Lindsay informs us, it is made CORNARET. (Fr.) Martynia.
into a domestic dye by macerating the
powdered lichen for some weeks in putrid CORN CAMPION, CORN COCKLE. Agro-
urine, with the addition of kelp or salt,
stemma Githago.
and when the requisite crimson or purple CORNE-DE-CERF. (Fr.) Coronopus vul-
tint is obtained, forming the paste into garis.
balls or lumps with lime or burnt shells,
and hanging it in bags to dry. When used CORNEILLE. (Fr.) Lysimachia vul-
garis.
it is powdered, and then boiled in water
with a little alum. In the island of Shet- CORNEL. (CORNOUILLER, Fr.) The
land both the dye and the lichen are called Cornelian cherry, Cornus mascula. WILD —
Korkalett. [M. J. B.] or FEMALE. The dogwood, Cornus san-
guinea.
CORK-TREE. Quercus Suber, the bark
of which is cork. CORNEOUS. Horny; hard and very close
CORK- WOOD. Anona palustris. —NEW in texture, but; capable of being cut with-
out difficulty, the parts cut off not being
SOUTH WALES. Duboisia myoporoides. as the albumen of many plants.
— WEST INDIAN. Ochroma Lagopus. brittle :
rays : calyx-tube adhering to the ovary, parts of Germany, and eaten by children, or
the limb four or five-toothed petals four or
; made into sweetmeats and tarts. The
five ou an epigynous ring stamens eight
; Turks use the flowers in diarrhoea, and the
or ten; styles two to four capsule with two
; fruits against cholera, or for flavouring
or four imperfect partitions. [J .T. S.] sherbet. The wood is exceedingly hard
and durable, and also tough and flexible
CORN-SALAD. The Lamb's lettuce,
in central Europe it is used for making
Valerianella olitoria. forks and other implements, ladder-spokes,
CORNIJ (adj. CORNUTT7S). A horn-like &c, and the young branches for butcher's
process,commonly solid, and usually a me- skewers. C. sanguinea, which grows wild
tamorphosed state of some other organ. in England, is known under the names of
Also employed in the sense of Calcar. Dogwood, Dogberry tree, or Hound's tree,
in consequence of a decoction of its bark
CORNUCOPLE. A genus of grasses having formerly been used for washing
belonging to the tribe Phalaridece. It is mangy dogs. It is a shrub about six feet
distinguished chiefly by the involucre high with dark red branches and broadly
being large, one-leaved, cup-shaped or egg-shaped pointed leaves, which are hairy
funnel-shaped, many-flowered glumes ; when young; and bearing heads of dull white
two, united at the base, mitre-formed, and flowers without bracts, producing globular,
equal pales one, bladder-shaped, split on
; nearly black, and very bitter fruits, which
one side, with an awn below the middle yield an oil fit for lamps. Its hard wood is
stigmas long. Only one species is des- used like that of the other species, and its
cribed, C. cucullata, the Horn of Plenty young branches for skewers. C. suecica is
grass, a native of Greece and Asia Minor, a humble little plant not more than six
which is frequently cultivated in gardens inches high, native of Britain, Northern
amongst curious annuals. [JD. M.] Europe, Asia, and America. Its creeping
roots produce annual stems having a few
CORNUELLE. (Fr.) Trapa nutans. stalkless egg-shaped leaves, and termi-
CORNTJS. The typical genus of the nated by a head of very minute purple
order of cornels, consisting of twenty or flowers, surrounded by four large petal-
thirty species distributed throughout tem- like white bracts. The little red berries of
perate Europe, Asia, and America, generally this plant form part of the winter stock of
forming small trees or shrubs, some, how- food collected by the Esquimaux and in ;
ever, being humble herbs only a few inches the Scotch highlands they are a reputed
high. Their leaves are undivided and tonic, and are supposed to increase the
generally opposite ; their flowers have a appetite, the plant being called lus-a-
calyx composed of four minute teeth, and chrasis, or Plant of gluttony. [A. S.]
a corolla of four yellow or white petals Chemical analysis shows that the bark of
and their fruit contains a hard two-celled the root, stem, and branches of C. florida,
stone with two seeds, and is marked at the which are bitter, astringent and aromatic,
top with a scar from the remains of the contain, in different proportions, the same
calyx. substances as are found in Cinchona, except
G. florida, a deciduous tree about thirty- that there is more gum,mucilage,gallicacid,
feet high, is common in the woods in vari- and extractive matter, and less resin, qui-
ous parts of North America. It has shining nine, and tannin. The principle obtained
branches, and egg-shaped sharp-pointed from it is called comine, and its salts have,
leaves, clothed with closely-pressed hairs according to Dr. Blackie, all the properties
on both sides and its heads of yellowish of these of quinine, though not so strongly
;
flowers are surrounded by four large white marked; the principle is also difficult to
bracts. In the United States the bark of obtain in any quantity. The extract of Dog-
!
this tree is substituted for Peruvian bark wood, though inferior and less stringent
in intermittent fevers. Mixed with sul- than the best cinchona, is said to be better
j
phate of iron it makes a good black ink than the inferior kinds this extract con- ;
and the bark of the root dyes a scarlet tains all the tonic properties, while the
colour. Its wood is hard, heavy, and close- simple resin is merely a stimulant. In
grained, but being of small size it is only cases of debility, Dogwood is a valuable
!
used for handles of tools, &c. the young corroborant. Country people often use it
; !
branches stripped of their bark are used as a decoction, or chew the twigs as a
j
of olives, for which they are sometimes is universally acknowledged, use another
i
A coronet formed from transformed sta- C. ligneum, or lignosum, signifies the mass
mens. of the woody tissue of a plant, and G.
meduUare the mass of its cellular tissue in
CORONANS. Situated on the top or crown the pith.
I of anything. Thus, the limb of the calyx
may crown an ovary a gland at the apex
;
CORPUSCULES. The spore-cases of cer-
I
crown. The most natural group to com- mens attached beneath the ovary and four;
bine with the Rose Campion are the one-celled ovaries placed on a small eight-
remaining species of the discarded genus lobed disc, and covered with dense star-
Agrostemria, which have not the deeply- like hairs, the styles confluent into one.
bifid petals of Lychnis this is the arrange-
:
The fruit consists of four follicles bursting
ment of Fries. [J. T. S.] each by two valves, and one-seeded by
abortion. These shrubs are natives of the
CORONATE. Furnished with a coronet. Southern and Eastern parts of Australia,
Also used in the sense of Coronans. where they are sometimes called Native
Fuchsias, from the slight resemblance of
CORONILLA. A genus of pretty an- the blossoms to those of the fuchsia. It
nual or perennial plants of the pea family,
is said too that the leaves of some of the
characterised by the flowers being borne
species are used as tea. [M. T. M.]
on stalked umbels, as well as by the articu-
lated, round, and nearly straight pod. The CORRIGIOLA. A genus of Illecebracew,
plants of this genus are found in Europe, small herbs growing in Europe (especially
Asia Minor, and North Africa, and in the Mediterranean region), and at the Cape
greatest abundance in the countries bor- of Good Hope. They have numerous
dering on the Mediterranean Sea. Be- slender slightly-branched procumbent
tween twenty and thirty species are enu- stems, bearing linear and oblong fleshy
merated. The Scorpion Senna, C. Emerus, glaucous leaves stipules scarious, small
;
a plant not unfrequently seen in gardens flowers small, green and white striped,
is a much-branched pretty bush, about five forming compound corymbs or racemes at
feet high. Its leaves are alternate, pin- the end of the stem and branches calyx ;
nate, from one to three inches long, and five-parted, herbaceous, with a petaloid
composed of three or four pairs of small margin petals five, very small stamens
; ;
wedge-shaped leaflets of a pea-green colour five ; style very short, three-cleft fruit, a;
these are said to produce a dye like indigo hard nut enclosing a single seed. C. littor-
by proper fermentation, and are also re- alis, found in the extreme south-west of
ported as laxative. The yellow flowers, in England, is a small annual with narrow
their form and arrangement, are a good leaves extending to the tips of the stems,and
deal like those of the bird's-foot trefoil there intermixed with clusters of small
(Lotus convciilatus), and are produced in flowers which arise from the axils.and also
great abundance, making their appearance from a small terminal corymb. [J. T. S.]
iu May or June, and continuing in succes-
sion till the frost appears. The slender-
CORROYE\RE. (Fr.) Coriaria myrti-
folia.
jointed pod has been compared to a scor-
pion's tail. C. varia is a perennial plant CORRUGATED, CORRUGATIVE. When
335 Clje CrcaSttrw Df JSntang. [CORY
pean cookery, but in Bhotan one or two difference between the two consisting in the
are eaten. Many of the species are ex- petals of Corycium being saccate, and the
tremely beautiful in point of colour, es- lateral sepals connate.so as to form a narrow
pecially when young. They alter wonder- concave lower lip. Nine or ten species
fully in this respect in dry weather or as have been described, all inhabiting the
they pass maturity. [31. J. B.] Cape of Good Hope, and having close spikes
CORTINATE, CORTINARIOUS. Having of purplish or greenish flowers. One of
a cobweb-like texture. them, Corycium orobanchoides, has been in
cultivation.
CORTISIA. A
genus referred to FJire-
tiacece, consistingof a much-branched shrub CORTDALIS. A genus of Fumariacece,
from the Pampas of South America, hav- containing succulent-stemmed herbs, na-
ing alternate sessile wedge-shaped leaves tives of the Northern Hemisphere. They
trifid at the apex, and small white tuber- have ternate or twice ternate leaves, and
cles on both surfaces, from which tubercles racemose flowers, which are very irregular.
spring white hairs. Flowers solitary, ses- Calyx of two lateral sepals corolla of four
;
sile, generally terminal, with a tubular petals, the upper one spurred or gibbous at
calyx having ten small teeth corolla ;
its base; stamens six, in two bundles of
yellowish-white tubular, with a five-lobed three each, the filaments forming a ribbon
spreading limb; stamens five exserted; which is three-cleft at the end, the middle
style thread-like, cleft at the apex fruit, an ;
lobe with a two-celled, the others each
ovate drupe with two seeds. [J. T. S.] with a one-celled anther a spur-like process
;
|
Capvites with no thickened tuberous root-
is five-parted the corolla has a very short
;
j
stock. Bulbocapnos with a roundish or
tube, and a carnpanulate limb the five
:
ovoid enlarged rootstock and alternate
included stamens are inserted at the base leaves. Cryptoceras with a fusiform root-
of the limb with very short filaments and stock and opposite leaves. [J. T. S.]
obcordate anthers the capsule is five-
;
species of oak,which are well characterised the trees, and nibbles a round even hole, ex-
by their acorns. Liebman says that there tracting the contents piece-meal and the ;
are 230 species of oaks known, belonging nuthatch, a bird not much bigger than
chiefly to the Northern Hemisphere. To a sparrow, belonging to the tribe Scan-
the south of the Line they occur in the sores,which carries them off singly, and
Sunda Islands. They are not met with in fixing them in the crevice of an oak or
the temperate zone of the Southern Hemi- some other rough-barked tree takes his
sphere. Quercus pedunculata or Hobur is position above, and, head downwards, ham-
the common British oak, which has usually mers away with his strong beak until he
stalked acorns. Q. sessilifiora is the Dur- has made an irregular angular hole. Many
mast with sessile fruit, which by some is nuts are also rendered worthless by a beau-
reckoned only a variety of the former. tiful little beetle (Balaninus nucum), which
The Durmast furnishes the best timber. in early summer lays within the tender
In the common oak the medullary rays are shell of a nut a single egg, which when the
large and the wood is easily rent in the
; kernel is approaching maturity is hatched
Durmast the rays are small and the wood into a small grub. This, when the period
not easily rent. Common oak taken from of transformation to the pupa state is ap-
a ship broke under an average weight of proaching, eats its way through the shell,
931 lbs., only bending 4J inches while ; and falling to the ground buries itself and
Durmast from the same ship broke with constructs a cell from which it comes forth
an average weight of 1,032 lbs., and de- in the following season as a perfect insect.
flected 5| inches before breaking. Durmast The hazel is rarely found of sufficient size
grows faster than common oak, and it was to supply building materials, but the young
used in many
ancient buildings, as in rods being tough and flexible are much
Glasgow Cathedral. The cups of Quercus used for hoops,walking-sticks, fishing-rods,
Jdjihips are used by dyers under the name &c. and from their smoothness and pleas-
;
of valonia. The outer bark of Quercus Suber ing colour they are well adapted.f or making
supplies cork. Corylus Avellaiia, the com- rustic seats and tables for summer-houses
mon hazel, yields excellent charcoal for they are also good fire-wood. The. charcoal
drawing. Fag us sylvatica, the beech, and crayons used by artists for drawing outline
C«rtanea vulgaris, the Spanish chestnut, are are also prepared from hazel-wood. A purple-
cultivated for timber. Castanea chryso- leaved variety to be obtained at the nurse-
pjiylla is the golden chestnut from Oregon. ries is a great ornament to shrubberies.
There are eight or nine known genera, and Other species occasionally cultivated in
about 280 species. Illustrative genera:— England are C. tubulosa from Europe,
Corylus, Carpinus, Fagus, Castanea, Quer- C. americana and rostrata from America,
cus. [J. H. B.] and C. Colurna from Turkey. French,
Noisetier; German, Haselstande. [C. A. J.]
CORTLOPSIS. The name of a genus The name of Avellana is said by Pliny,
belonging to the order of Witch-hazels,
according to Prof. Targioni, to be derived
characterised by the calyx being adherent
from Abellina in Asia, supposed to be the
to the ovary, and divided above into five Valley of Damascus, its native country.
unequal pieces; corolla of five pieces, He adds that it had been brought into
broadest upwards filaments or stalks of
;
Greece from Pontus, hence it was also
the stamens awl-shaped and free five short
called Nux pontica. The nuts were called,
;
a great part of Asia in a wild indigenous berts, which have long tubular husks con-
state. It bears the common names of Hazel, tracted beyond the apex of the nuts. These
Hazle, or Hasel, not only in tins country, were formerly called Full-beards, whilst
but also in Germany, Holland, Sweden, and those with short husks were simply termed
Denmark. The plant is indigenous to all Nuts or Hazel-nuts.
these countries. Its habitat extends from There are numerous varieties, differing
the extreme south of Europe to the most in the form of the nuts, and in the relative
northern parts of Britain. According to length of their husks. The Red Filbert and
De CandoUe it is found wild in the moun- White Filbert are similar in external ap-
tains of the Island of Sardinia and he is
; pearance, but in the former the thin pel-
not certain whether its growth may not be licle which forms the immediate coating of
natural in some ravines near Algiers. It the kernel is red or crimson, that of the
is said to be not now found in Shetland; but latterwhite or pale-brown. Both these are
formerly it had existed there, for the shells esteemed because they admit of being kept
of its nuts are found plentifully in bogs, as fresh in the husks. Short roundish nuts
they are likewise in similar places through- with a strong thick shell are called Cob
out Scotland. The ancient nut-shells are nuts. Of this description are most of those
often met with in fragments, but many are imported frpm Spain. The Cosford nut is
found quite entire, at various depths below of an oblong form with a comparatively
the surface some of them are larger than
; thin tender shell, finely striated longitu-
those of the Wild Hazel, growing near dinally. The sorts above-named, together
the same localities at the present day. with the Downton large square nut, and
The Hazel generally forms large bushes, the large Spanish, are amongst the best
from its great disposition to produce sorts for cultivation.
suckers but if grown with a single stem it
; In this country, the neighbourhood of
assumes the form of a low tree. One at Maidstone in Kent is the most celebrated
Gordon North Britain, measured
Castle, for the cultivation of filberts. The foreign
thirty feet in height, with a trunk three feet supply is chiefly from Spain. Phillips states
in circumference. The plants often form a that from a single wood near Recus, 60,000
sort of jungle on precipitous banks of bushels have been gathered in one year,
rivers and streams, and may frequently be and shipped from Barcelona, whence they
seen growing out of crevices and fissures are called Barcelona nuts. • In the neigh-
of rocks, sometimes much confined for bourhood of Avelino in Italy,' says Swin-
root-space, yet in that case roots will ex- burn, the whole face of the neighbouring
'
tend far downwards, naked along the face valley is covered with nut trees, and in
of the rock, till they reach soil below. The good years they yield a profit of 60,000
wood when two years old and upwards is ducats.' According to French authors the
tough and elastic, and it is well adapted for nuts of Provence and Italy are preferable
hurdles, crates, hoops, walking-sticks, &c. to those of Spain and the Levant. [R. T.]
Its charcoal is esteemed for making gun- The common Hazel, C. Avellana, is the
powder. of the clan Colquhoun.
Nut leaves are large, roundish cordate,
and somewhat pointed. The same tree bears CORYMB (adj. CORYMBOSE >. A raceme,
male and female flowers, distinct from whose pedicles are gradually shorter as
each other, proceeding from different buds. they approach the summit, so that the re-
The male flowers begin to make their ap- sult is a flat-headed inflorescence, as in
pearance in autumn, and acquire their full candy-tuft. —
COMPOUND. A branched
developement early in spring; they are- at corymb, each, of whose divisions is corym-
first compact cylindrical bodies of a greyish bose.
colour, afterwards they become long pen-
dulous catkins of a yellow colour, giving CORYMBIFERiE. Corymb-bearing com-
the trees, then destitute of leaves, a con- posite plants . a sub-order of the natural
spicuous and rather ornamental appear- order Compositce or Asteracece, containing
ance. The female flowers do not appear plants with numerous flowers on a common
till spring. They exhibit a few crimson receptacle, forming a head surrounded by
thread-like styles issuing from the apex of a set of floral leaves or bracts called an
a bud. This bud elongates, and forms a small involucre. The heads of flowers are
branchlet, at the extremity of which the either placed singly on stalks or there are
;
cluster of nuts is borne. Until the nuts are several stalked heads supported on a com-
nearly full-sized their yet soft green shell mon axis, and so arranged as to have col-
is filled with a milky juice, but this does lectively the form of a corymb, the lower
not constitute the kernel. The latter may stalks being longer so as to bring the
be observed at the same time not larger heads to nearly the same level. The flowers
than the head of a pin. As it grows the in the circumference of the heads are
milky substance is absorbed, all except the usually ligulate and bear pistils only,
fibrous portion, which is deposited on the while those of the centre are tubular and
inside of the shell, forming a soft lining have both stamens and pistils. The style
for the kernel. The calyx or husk has a of the perfect flowers is not swollen below
fleshy base, to which the lower part of the the stigma. Such plants as chamomile,
nut is strongly attached until fully ripe, the daisy, the ox-eye, the dahlia, ever-
when the husk dries up and permits the lasting, sunflower, cineraria, ragwort,
nut to drop out, except in the case of some and groundsel belong to this sub-order.
varieties, more especially those called fil- The plants have bitter qualities ; some of
00 ry] IKfyt €rra£tirg at 2Sntango 338
them induce sleep, and they usually contain of a plum, pulpy in the interior and sweet.
more or less of a volatile oil. [J. H. B.] The seeds are used in times of scarcity,
CORYMBIS. Under this name, and and contain a tasteless farinaceous sub-
stance. The raw seeds, however, are poison-
those of Corymborchis, Centrosis, Rhyncan-
ous, and produce spasmodic pains, giddi-
thera, Macrostylis,and Hysteria, botanists ness, and partial paralysis, to obviate
have described a singular herbaceous plant which effects they are steamed for twenty-
found in the tropical parts of Africa and four hours, and then either buried in the
Asia, with the habit of a small bamboo,
ground, or allowed to soak in water for
and long slender white flowers. After
some days. [M. T. M.]
flowering the column grows to a great
length, with the remains of the other CORYNOSTYLIS. Tropical American
organs at the base. Only one species, C. climbing shrubs of the violet family, with
disticha, is well known ; two others very entire saw-toothed leaves, deciduous sti-
like it are described, pules, and large handsome flowers. The
sepals are nearly equal the five petals
CORYMBIUM. A genus of S. African ;
nual hydrophylls, closely allied to Eutoca or small tree, with leaves one to two feet in
and Phacelia, so closely in fact, that by length, oval in contour, with seven trian-
some botanists both Eutoca and Cosman- gular lobes, and having their surface
I thus are regarded as only sections of the clothed with short white down. The
genus Phacelia. It scarcely differs from flower heads have some resemblance to
the latter, but in its fringed corolla and those of the chamomile, and are disposed in
procumbent habit from Eutoca it is dis-
;
terminal corymbs the outer
; florets are
tinguished by the former character, and by white, strap-shaped and contain a pistil
its fewer and larger seeds. The only only ; the inner are yellow, tubular, and
species at all known in this country, C.fim- perfect. The four-sided achenes bear on
briatus, and which may serve as a type of their angles rough points, and are crowned
the genus, is a neat procumbent plant, with a hard short pappus composed of a
with rather succulent branched angular number of unequal-cut scales. [A. A. B.]
spreading stems, pinnatifid leaves, those of
the stem stalklessand stem-clasping, those COSMOS. A small genus of composites al-
at the root on long stalks, all with ovate lied to Bidens,v?ith large showy reddish-pur-
entire lobes ; it has very pale lilac purple ple'or yellow flower heads, and finely divided
flowers produced in a curled or crook-like or pinnate foliage. They are better known
raceme, the corolla wheel-shaped, and hav- in gardens by Willdenow'sname Of Cosmea,
ing at the base of each lobe a scale rolled but Cosmos has priority in its favour. The
into a tubular form five linear calyx, seg-
;
genus has a double involucre, as in Coreop-
ments," five stamens with hairy filaments, sis, each series composed of from eight to
a single style with a circle of hairs at it3 ten ovate leaflets, the outer ones spreading,
base, and a four-seeded pod, complete the the inner ones erect the receptacle is flat
;
description. The species are all natives of and set with membranous coloured scales,
North America, and appear to be destitute drawn out to a thread-like point ; and the
of any marked properties. [W. T.] fruit is four-angled, tapering to both
ends, and crowned with from two to four
COSMELIA, A genus of Epacridacem, deciduous barbed awns. C. bipinnatus is a
consisting of two species of erect marshy handsome annual, attaining in moist soil a
plants, with glossy leaves sheathing the height of four or five feet, with a smooth-
stem, and solitary reddish flowers at the ish erect furrowed stem, spreadingly-
termination of the short branches. The branched opposite bipinnate leaves, the
;
foliaceous calyx is surrounded with many segments of which are linear, pointed,
imbricated bracts; the corolla is five- and somewhat curled; and flower heads two
parted the anthers are exserted there are
; ; inches or more in diameter, on long pe-
Ave hypogynous scales; the capsule is duncles, the ray florets about eight in
five-valved and many-seeded The species number, of a bright red purple, the disk
are natives of New Holland. [W. C] being composed of yellow florets tubular.
cosm] Cljc Kxtttguvg at 28fltang. 340
The the species is smooth and
fruit of outer segments of the limb equal, the
usually furnished with three awns; but inner lateral ones (sterile stamens; want-
that of C. tenuifolhts, a dwarfer species ing, while the innermost or middle seg-
with more finely-divided foliage, and ment, called the lip or labellum, is large,
darker flowers, is rough, and more fre- bell-shaped, cleft at the back; the filaments
quently has hut a single awn. All the are petaloid, prolonged beyond the an-
species are natives of Mexico. Under the ther on all sides. Ovary with three com-
name of Dahlia Zimapani, a new species, partments the style thread-like, passing
;
C. diversifolius atropurpureus, has recently between the cells of the anther the stigma
;
been introduced, with pinnate dahlia-like two-cleft, with two small horns at the
foliage, and flower heads varying from base. Many of the species are highly
blackish-purple to red-purple, on very long ornamental as stove plants, such as C. specio-
peduncles, the disk being of the same sus, the roots of which are used by the na-
colour as the ray florets. [W. T.] tives in a kind of preserve. [M. T. M.]
pus. — , NATAL. A textile material re- during a great part of the winter. Of
sembling true cotton, obtained from the the foreign species several are natives of
pods of a species of Batatas. —
SILK. , the Cape of Good Hope these are ever-
;
A common name for Bombax. B. pentan- green under-shrubs, and are sometimes
druni is called the Indian cotton-tree. found in the green-houses of the curious.
C. orbiculata, which is the one most fre-
COTTONIA macrostachya is an orchide- quently cultivated, has thick and succulent
ous epiphyte from the Madras presidency leaves tinged at the edge with purple. The
'
and Ceylon, with a few greenish purple- flowers are large drooping, and have the di-
lipped flowers at the end of- a long lateral
j
visions revolute and of a reddish hue they :
slender peduncle. The foliage is that of a
|
given to Eriophorum.
COTTON-SEDGE. A name given by DU LEVANT. Corylus Colurna.
Bentham to Eriophorum. COUEPIA. A genus of the chrysobalan
COTTON-THISTLE. A common name family, whose distinguishing characters
for Onopordum. are its one-celled ovary, which adheres to
the calyx tube, and its numerous stamens
COTTON- WEED. Biotis maritima. (twenty to forty or more), which arise from
COTTON- WOOD. An American name for one side only of the mouth of the calyx,
Populus monilifera and P. angulata. or are disposed round it in a perfect ring.
COTTTLA. A genus of weedy compound The genus comprises upwards of a dozen
species, all of them trees of South America,
flowers allied to Anthemis, from which it is
generally small, but sometimes attaining a
distinguished by its hemispherical naked
height of fifty feet. Their leaves are en-
receptacle, four-cleft florets of the disk, and
tire, usually oblong, and very often covered
by the ray being almost wanting. There with short white down underneath. The
are numerous species, of which one only,
flowers, numerous and seldom more than
C. coronopifolia, is found in Europe. There
half an inch in diameter, are either white
is no British example. Cotula is a diminu-
or cream-coloured, and when in bud have
tive of Cota, the old name of some species
a shape exactly like that of a clove they ;
of Anthemis. [C. A. J.]
are disposed in terminal or axillary panicles
;
whence the origin of the generic name. C. stem, similarly cut and spiny, often have
bracteata, a Brazilian tree forty feet high their bases decurreut, which gives the stem
with leaves half a foot long, and panicles a winged appearance. Others have leaves,
of flowers furnished with large bracteas, which in and form are not unlike
size
is remarkable in the family, according to those of the holly. The flower-heads are
Mr. Spruce, for the fetid odour of its either large and few on the ends of the
cream-coloured flowers. [A. A. B.] branches, or numerous and small their in- ;
east as Kunawur in the Himalaya, having seed vessels five to ten, closely covered
their western limit in Asia Minor and with fine down, and when ripe, each
found in greatest numbers in Persia. They crowned with a feathery appendage, con-
are nearly allied to Carlina, but differ in sisting of the enlarged persistent style. The
having a simple-haired, not feathery, pap- genus was named by David Don in honour
pus. Upwards of thirty species are enume- of Mr. Cowan,who, in the course of visits to
rated, some of which are annual, others per- Mexico and Peru, introduced many plants
ennial some dwarf and prostrate, others
; of those countries into Britain. C. plicata
tall and erect. The root leaves of many or mexicana, the only species, is an inter- j
343 CI)e CrraSurg at ISntang. [CRAN
esting shrub, about two feet high when placed in the genus Tephrosia, from which
mature, with alternate small narrow leaves, they differ in having no cup-shaped disc
the edges turned down, covered with round the ovary. Six species are enume-
glands on the upper surface, and on the rated, all of them confined to tropical
lower, white with fine down. The flowers America. Their leaves are unequally
are numerous and of a yellow colour, very pinnate, with four to twelve pairs of small
much resembling those of certain species opposite leaflets mostly elliptical in form,
of Potentilla. [G. D.] and the flowers (about the size of those of
a vetch) are arranged in axillary racemes.
COTVB.AJE. Cicuta virosa; also an The straight narrow pods are thin, smooth,
American name for Archemora. and contain a number of seeds. [A. A. B.]
COWBERRY. Vaccinium Vitis idcea. CRAKE BERRY. Empetrum nigrum.—
j
The name Cowberry is also applied in some PORTUGAL. Corema alba.
parts of Scotland to the fruits of Coma-
1
or five-toothed, and by the tube of the co- consisting of follicles. Natives of dry places
rolla widening to ward the upper part, where in all parts of the world. They are found
it is hell-shaped and two-lipped, the upper on naked rocks, old walls, or hot sandy
lip of two pieces, the lower of three, the plains, alternately exposed to the heaviest
middle piece of the latter longer than the dews of night, and the fiercest rays of the
other two. The name of the genus was noon-day sun. Acridity prevails in many
given in allusion to some resemblance plants of this order. Some species are
which the ripe fruit has to the skull, in cooling in their properties, others are
Latin 'cranium.' The species are herba- astringent. Sedum acre is very acrid, and is
ceous, natives of the tropical parts of Ame- hence called Wall-pepper ; it is abundant on
rica, usually very hairy and viscid the ; sandy shores. Sempervivum tectorum, the
leaves are opposite angled or five-lobed, Houseleek, is so called from being grown
the flowers from the axils of the leaves or on the tops of houses. Bryophyllum caly-
terminal, the corolla being generally pale, cinum has the property of producing leaf-
with the throat variegated. The genus buds along the margin of its leaves. There
was originally formed to comprehend a are about 470 species, distributed among
plant known as the Martynia Craniolaria, twenty-four genera, of which Crassula,
first introduced in 1733, and which is now Bryophyllum, Sedum, Sempervivum, and
Craniolaria annua : a handsome green- Penthorum are examples. [J. H. B.]
house plant, easily cultivated, attaining a
height of two feet, with leaves somewhat CRASSTTL A. A well-known genus giving
heart-shaped, five-lobed and toothed, the its name to the order Crassulacea*. It con-
tube of the corolla longer than the calyx, sists of herbs or shrubs, with, for the most
which has at the base two leaflets or bracts. part, more or less fleshy leaves and stems,
Dr. Lindley states 'that its fleshy and and white or pink flowers in loose cymes
sweet root is preserved in sugar by the or compact heads. The form and disposi-
Creoles as a delicacy. In the dry state it is tion of the leaves vary in the different
said to be a hitter cooling medicine.' species frequently the two opposite leaves
;
CRANSOX. (Fr.) Cochlearia officinalis. The sepals are five, shorter than the Ave
— RUSTIQUE. Cochlearia Armoracia. petals the stamens are five, perigynous
;
I ins generally in having cut leaves, white i cantharides. Some of the species have a
fragrant flowers, and scarlet hemes, strong smell of garlic. [M. T. MJ
though there are exceptions to all these
characters. All are hardy and ripen their
CRATOXYLON. A genus of opposite-
leaved bushes or small trees of the St.
fruit in the climate of Great Britain, and
John's wort family, found in the Malayan
1
tinged with red, or, in some cultivated ovary crowned with three styles. About
varieties, are of a full pink or crimson,
ten species are known. C. Hornschuchii, a
The fruit or haw,' too, varies greatly in
' Javanese species, is said to be slightly as-
tringent and diuretic.
i
[A. A. B.]
;
size, shape, and colour, being sometimes
oblong, sometimes nearly globular, some- CRAWFURDIA. A genus of Nepalese
times downy, at other times smooth and
1
i
tion of almost any other species of cratas- CREAM-COLOUR. White, verging to
gus will suffice to assign it to its proper yellow, with little lustre.
genus. Most of the cultivated species CREAM FRUIT. Roupellia grata.
blossom in the month which has given to
the Common Hawthorn the name of May- CREAM OF TARTAR TREE. Adanso-
tree but no one of them is more worthy
; nia Gregorii.
of the title than that which has so long CREEPER, TRUMPET. An American
held it. Collections of thorns exist in
name for Tecoma radicans.
various places in Europe, some containing
from fifty to eighty sorts, including varie- CREMANIUM. A genus
of tropical
ties for a full account of which the reader
:
American shrubs or small trees belonging
should consult Loudon's Arboretum Britan- to Melastomacece. They have terminal
nicum. French, Aubepine German, Hage- ; panicles of small white flowers with the
dorn. The hawthorn is the badge of the parts in fours or fives the stamens twice
;
The flowers are produced upon the stem or and used as a poultice for bruises and in-
old branches, and are distinguished by flammations. The wood of the Calabash-
having a two-lipped calyx, with the lips tree is light, tough, and pliant, but is only
undivided; the corolla being somewhat obtainable in planks six or eight inches
bell-shaped, and having a long tube puffed broad. [A. SJ
out on one side. Their fruits have a hard
woody shell or rind, and contain numer- CRESCENTIACE^:. (Crescentiads.) A
ous seeds nestling in pulp. C. alata is a small family of corollifloral dictoyledons,
native of Western Mexico, growing mostly closely allied to Bignoniacece, and often as-
in the vicinity of the sea-coast but it is ; sociated with them as a tribe or suborder,
cultivated in the Philippine and Ladrone or but differing in their one-celled ovaries
Marianne Islands. It is called Tecomate with parietal placentas, and in their large
in Mexico, and forms a tree about thirty succulent fruits,with almond-like wingless
347 &§t Crnttfurg of SSfltang. [CRIN
seeds. They are usually trees with alter- common sublittoral undershrub in tropi-
nate or rarely opposite leaves, and rather cal and sub-tropical regions all over the
large flowers growing out of the old stems world. It has scattered entire leaves, and
or branches. Calyx at first undivided, but crowded flowers in the axils of the upper-
at length splitting into irregular pieces. most leaves. The calyx consists of four
Corolla gamopetalous, irregular, somewhat sepals; the corolla is funnel-shaped and
two-lipped; stamens four, inserted in the five-cleft; the ovary is two-celled with
corolla, two long and two short, often with two ovules in each cell; the capsule con-
the rudiment of a fifth; ovary free, one- tains from one to four seeds. [W. C.]
celled, with two or four parietal placentas
ovules numerous. Fruit woody, not split- CRESSON ALE'XOIS. (Fr/> Lepidium
ting, and containing large seeds immersed sativum. — AMER. Cardamine amara.
in pulp embryo without albumen. They — D'EAU or DE FONTAINE. Nasturtium
officinale. — DE PARA'. Spilanthes oleracea.
;
lum majus the name of Indian Cresses is manent, but the upper half partially shells
;
also given to the order Tropceolacea?. off, and leaves behind a complicated net- —
LAXD. Barbarea vulgaris. —.MEADOW. work. The species are confined to the
Cardamine pratensis.
—
—
MOUSE-EAR. northern temperate regions. Two species
,
CRESSA. A genus of Convolvulaceo?, con- anthers as long as their stalks, and a globu-
taining probably a single species, though lar ovary crowned with a single style. The
very variable from the different conditions fruit is a four or five-celled capsule about
under which the plant grows, as it is a the size of a cherry, and containing numer-
chin] l&fyt €rta£ury at botany. 348
ous seeds. Chequehue is the name given CRISTATE. The same as Crested.
by the Chilians to this plant, which is CRIST ATO-RUGOSE. When the wrinkles
known to botanists as Crinodendron H'ook- of a surface are deep and sharp-edged.
eri or G. Patagua. [A. A. BJ
CRISTE MARINE. (Fr.) Crithmum marir
CRINTTM. A genus of remarkably hand- timum.
some amaryllidaceous plants, well-known CRITHMUM. The Samphire, an umbelli-
in gardens. They are tropical or sub-tropi- ferous plant, easily distinguished from all
cal herbs, generally of large size, with co- others of the same order by its glaucous
lumnar or sphajrical bulbs, lorate-lanceolate twice-ternate leaves, the divisions of
leaves, and a solid scape bearing a many- which are very succulent and taper to-
flowered umbel. The perianth has a long wards either extremity. The flowers are
slender tube scarcely enlarged at the greenish-yellow and inconspicuous, except
mouth, and a six-parted limb of nearly from the contrast between their general
equal segments, which are erect, spreading hue and the blue tinge of the foliage. The
or reflexed. The six stamens are inserted whole plant is ' of a spicie taste with a cer-
in the mouth of the tube. The ovary is taine saltnesse,' on which account it has
three-celled, containing many ovules the ;
been long held in great repute as an ingre-
style filiform and inclined, and the stig- dient in salads, and was declared by Gerarde
ma obtuse or obsoletely three-lobed. There to be 'the pleasantest sauce, most familiar,
are numerous species of Asiatic, Austra- and best agreeing with man's bodie for
lasian, and South American origin, while digestion of meates.' For this purpose it
one or two are met with in Western is now nearly gone out of use, but it is still
Africa, and some of a hardier character so much valued as a pickle that other suc-
in South Africa. Many very fine cross- culent marine herbs are not unfrequently
bred varieties have also been obtained in offered for sale under the name of Sam-
gardens. One of the best known species phire, for example Salicornia and Sumda.
is C. amdbile, which Dr. Herbert regards as All these substitutes, which are worthless
a spontaneous cross, probably between G. for the purpose of pickling, may be in-
procerum andC. zeylanicum, also stati ng that fallibly detected on a simple examination
it is cultivated for its beauty in Sumatra. of the leaf. Samphire is exclusively con-
This plant has thick pyramidal bulbs, and fined to the rocky sea-shore, and, like many
sheathing strap-lance-shaped erect leaves, other marine plants, has an extensive geo-
three to six feet long and three to six inches graphical range, being found on most of
wide in the centre. The scape is much com- the shores of Europe, from the Crimea to
pressed, three to four feet high, and bears the Land's End, and extends even to the
an umbel of from twenty to thirty large Canaries. The best pickled Samphire is
rosy fragrant flowers, having a tube Ave or made from leaves which have been
six inches long, and a limb of lanceolate- gathered in May, before the appearance of
linear lobes as long as the tube, and pale the flower-stalk; otherwise it is apt to be
flesh-coloured within. TheSouth African, tough and stringy. The etymology of the
capense, is sufficiently hardy to grow in a name Samphire is somewhat curious; it
protected border out of doors in warm was formerly written Sampier, a corruption
situations. This has roundish ovate bulbs, of Saint Pierre and, more anciently still,
;
and lanceolate-linear glaucescent leaves, it was called by the French Perce-piierre ;
two to three feet long, ending in long nar- by the Italians, Herba cli San Pietro, and in
row points the flowers are pleasantly
;
Latin, Petrus crescentius. Thus a herb pro-
scented, flesh-coloured, and about six inches perly enough called Rock-cress from its
long. It is sometimes called C. longifolla. growing in the crevices of rocks, came to
Among the interesting hybrids is one called be known as Peter's cress (the name Peter
C. Mitch-amice, raised between australe and meaning a rock). The change to Saint
capense this is a very handsome plant,
;
Peter's Herb was an easy one the postfix
;
perfectly hardy in favourable positions, 'herb 'being dropped, San Pietro became
and produces a succession of flower-scapes Sampier and that Samphire. French, Ba-
till the winter. Another is G. Herbertii, cille; German, Meer/enchel. [C. A. J J
raised between scabrum and capense, a
plant of great beauty, bearing about a CRITHO. A genus of grasses belong-
dozen flowers on a scape three feet high, ing to the tribe Hordew, not considered
the tube four inches long, the limb three I by modern authors to be distinct from
and a half inches, the colour blush with Hordeum, under which it is described
deep-red stripes. See Plate 2, fig. d. by Steudel. The only species is the curi-
[T. M.] ous Nepal Barley, C. agiceras, which is cul-
tivated at great elevations on the Him-
CRISPATURE (adj. CRISPUS). When the alayas and Thibet. The grain has been
edge is excessively and irregularly divided frequently sent to Europe from those
and puckered also when the surface is
; countries, recommended as a very hardy
much puckered and crumpled. Good ex- kind, arriving at maturity within an
amples are afforded by 'curled' endive, unusually short period after sowing. It
'
curled' kale, and the like. Also a diminu- has not, however, been found of much
tive of Bullate. value in Britain, where it is chiefly culti-
vated in botanical gardens. [D. MJ
CRISTALLINE. (Fr.) Mesembryanthe-
mum crystallinum. I CRITHOPSIS. A genus of grasses be-
349 €f)e ttoagurj? of iSatany. [CROS
longing to the tribe Hordece, scarcely blooming species some of the most beau-
distinct from Ehjmus. One species is de- tiful are C. speciosus, pulchellus, Visianicus-
scribed, namely, C. rachitrichus, a native Cartivrightianus, cancellatus, medius, Bory,
of Syria and Persia. [D. M.] anus, byzantinus, and odorus. C. satirus,
CROCEOUS, CROCATUS. Saffron-co- which is a light-purple autumnal-flowering
species, formerly cultivated about Saffron
loured.
Walden, and partially naturalised, yields
CROCOSMIA. A beautiful genus of
the saffron of the shops, which consists
Iridacece, separated from Tritonia, and con- of the deep orange-coloured stigmas of the
sisting of one species, C. aurea, a native of flowers gathered with part of the style,
South Africa. It is a perennial Ixia-like and carefully dried. According to Dr.
herb, with fleshy corms, slender erect com- Pereira, a grain of good commercial saffron
pressed stems terminating in a branched contains the stigmas and styles of nine
flower-spike, the leaves narrowly sword-
flowers, and consequently 4,320 flowers are
shaped, and the flowers, sessile on the required to yield one ounce of saffron.
branches, large, deep orange-coloured, and
I
I
English grown saffron is now rarely, if
not inaptly compared to large crocus blos- ever, met with in commerce. The best
soms. The perianth has a longish curved comes from Spain, while that imported
slender tube, and a nearly regular six-part-
from France is usually considered of
ed limb of oblong segments spreading in a second-rate quality. The quantity imported
star-like form, which causes the long fila-
I
with its variety luteus. Of the autumnal- are larger than the sepals, more deeply
CROS] €3)e {feagurg of 3Sfltaug. 350
coloured, and three to five-nerved within
; hairs, and when young of a fine golden
them is a 'crown' consisting of one row colour. This plant is a common domestic
of filaments. The ovary is placed on a medicine in Venezuela ; a decoction of it is
short stalk which is expanded into a disc- a sudorific, and it is used in fevers.
like mass, with five short acute teeth at C. juncea, the Sunn-hemp of India, is
the margin, alternating with the five sta- a shrubby plant growing from eight to
mens which arise from the same place it ; twelve feet high, with a branching stem
is terminated by a slender style with a marked with longitudinal furrows; when
dilated stigma, and is internally one-celled cultivated, however, it is sown close, so as
with several ovules attached to the walls to prevent branching as much as possible.
of the ovary. [M. T. M.] Its leaves are on short stalks, and are
either bluntly lance-shaped, or very nar-
CROSSOSTYLIS. A genusof trees row and sharp-pointed, from two to six
placed by Lindley and others among Lecy- inches long, thickly covered with shining
thidacece, but by Bentham referred to silky white hairs, which give them a silvery
Rhizophoracece. The trees are natives of appearance. The flowers are of a beautiful
the Society and Feejee Islands. They have bright-yellow colour, resembling those of
opposite entire leaves ;flower-stalks ar- the common broom they are produced in
;
ranged somewhat umbel fashion, jointed long racemes at the ends of the branches,
in the middle flowers greenish with four
; and are succeeded by club-shaped stalk-
or five segments to the calyx, and as many less pods about two inches long, contain-
shortly-stalked petals ; stamens about ing numerous kidney-shaped seeds. This
twenty on a short disc alternating with an plant is extensively cultivated in different
equal number of sterile stamens ovary
;
parts of Southern Asia, particularly in
superior, with five to twelve compart- India, on account of the valuable fibre
ments, in each of which are two ovules yielded by its inner bark and which is
;
fruit fleshy, but ultimately opening by known by the names of Sunn-hemp, Bom-
two valves. [M. T. M.] bay-hemp, Madras-hemp, Brown-hemp, &c.
The stems after being cut are steeped in
CROSSOTOMA. The name of an Austra-
water for two or three days in order to
lian shrub, of the order Goodeniacece, sepa-
loosen the bark, they are then taken out
rated by Don from Sccevola, but by others
in handfuls and bent so as to break the
ranked with the latter,from which it differs interior wood without injuring the fibre
in the calyx being imperfectly developed
the operator then beats them upon the
or obsolete, and in the segments of the
surface of the water until the fibrous part
corolla being fringed. [M. T. M.] is entirely separated, when it is washed
CROSS-SPINE. Stauracanthus aphyllus. and hung upon bamboo poles to dry, and
afterwards combed to separate the fila-
CROSSWORT. The common name for ments from each other. The fibre thus
Crucianella also applied to Galium or
;
obtained is very strong, and is considered
VaiUantia cruciata, and to Eupatorium per-
to be equal if not superior to some kinds
foliatum. It is further sometimes applied
of Russian hemp it is employed for cord-
:
to the cruciferous family.
age, canvas, and all the ordinary purposes
CROTALARIA. A very extensive genus of hemp. A variety produced at Jubbul-
of papilionaceous leguminous plants, con- pore in Malwah, and called Jubbul pore-
taining between 250 and 300 species, na- hemp, has been supposed to be the produce
tives of the tropics and sub-tropics of both of a different species, C.tenuifolia, but that
hemispheres. They are either herbs or species is now united with the present.
small shrubs, some having simple and Besides its use as a fibrous plant, it is
others compound leaves. Their flowers are grown in the Madras territories as a food
I produced in racemes, either opposite the for milch cows, and is said to be very
leaves or at the ends of the branches, and nourishing.
are usually of a yellow colour. They have C. retusa, a native of the East Indies, but
a somewhat two-lipped calyx a papiliona-
; naturalised in the West Indies and Brazil,
ceous corolla, the upper petal or standard is an annual plant with smooth branching
being heart-shaped, and the lower or keel stems, from four to six feet high, and ob-
sickle-shaped and the stamens united into
; long wedge-shaped leaves notched at the
a column which is split down one side. top, smooth upon the upper surface, but
The legume or pod is curved inwards, covered with short silky hairs underneath.
and of an oblong form, with its sides This is cultivated for its fibre in the Ma-
puffed or swollen out. dras territory. [A. S.]
C. Burhia is a small shrub with nume-
rous spreading stiff branches, slightly CROTON. An important genus of Eu-
armed with spines, growing in arid sandy among which it may be known
plwrbiacece,
places in Sindh. Its leaves are of an ob- by the flowers being monoecious, with a
long form and wide apart on the branches five-parted calyx. The male flowers have
and the whole plant is covered with silky five petals,and ten stamens, and the fe-
hairs. The tough twiggy branches are used male flowers are destitute of petals, but
in Sindh for twisting into tough ropes. have three styles, divided into two or more
C. Espadilla, a harsh shrubby plant about branches. The fruit consists of three car-
a foot high, growing in sandy places in pels separating one from the other, and
Venezuela, has bluntly lance-shape leaves, each containing one seed. The species are
covered with stiff, close-pressed, shining numerous and vary very much in general
351 GTfjs Erea£urp of 33Dtang. CROW
appearance, some being herbs, others trees, bark having similar properties with the
and some having entire, others divided above, and which is used in Mexico in
leaves. place of cinchona. C. balsamiferum, a
Tiglium is the most important tree of
C. "West Indian shrub, furnishes a spirituous
this genus in a medicinal point of view, as liquor called Eau de Mantes, which is used
it produces the seeds whence croton oil is in irregular menstruation whilst others ;
hence the great value of this drug in cases CROTONOPSIS. A North American
where smallness of dose, speediness of herb of the euphorbiaceous family, scat-
action, and powerful effects are required, tered over with bran-like scales the fruit ;
as in mania, apoplexy, dropsy, &c. It is and calyx with stellate hairs. The flowers
so acrid that it is exhibited usually in are monoecious, the males having a five-
parted calyx, with five petals, and as many
stamens the females likewise have a five-
;
operation which affects the men engaged disc, with five styles fused into one. The
in it with irritation of the eyes, and air I
I
fruit consists of five dry segments, which
passages, and purging. Dr. Pereira gives burst into two pieces, each containing
the case of a workman who suffered very one seed. [M. T. M.]
severely from inhaling the dust of the
seeds, he having been occupied for some CROWFOOT. The common name for
time in emptying packages of them. The Ranunculus.
seeds of C. Pavana and C. polyandram,
Indian shrubs, are also used as purgatives.
CROW GARLIC. Allium vineale.
Many of the species have aromatic pro- CROWNBEARD. An American name
perties. Of these the most important are for Verbesina.
C. Eleutheria, the tree yielding Cascarilla
bark, which is chiefly collected on the
CROWN IMPERIAL. Fritillaria Im-
perialis.
island of Eleuthera, one of the Bahamas.
This bark is esteemed in this country as an CROWNWORTS. A name given hy
aromatic bitter tonic, without astringency, Lindley to the group Malesherbiacea.
in cases of simple indigestion. It has a
fragrant smell when burnt, on which ac-
CROW'S-FOOT. Echinochloa crus-corvi.
count it is said to have been at one time CROWSILK. A name sometimes given
mixed with tobacco for smoking. C. pseudo- to the Conferva and other delicate green-
China, called in Mexico Copalche, yields a spored Alga. [M. J. B.]
CROZ Qtf)t Creatfurj) of SSfltanij. 352
CROZOPHORA. A genus of Euphor- form of a cross, with equal arms, as the
biacexe found in tropical and northern flowers of radish or wallflower.
Africa, and extending eastwards as far as
India, It consists of annual or perennial
CRUCIBULUM. A genus of gasteromv-
cetous Fungi, belonging to the natural
low growing plants, having all their parts
order Nidulariei. It is distinguished from
densely clothed with starry hairs or shield-
Cyathus by its peridium being homogeneous
shaped scales. The stalked leaves have an and not composed of distinct strata, and
oval or heart-shaped blade with either
entire lobed or curled margins. The mi-
by the sporangia being supported by a
cord ending above in a globular swelling
nute green flowers are borne on terminal sunk in a pit of the sporangium, and in-
or axillary bracted racemes, the lower por-
cluding an elastic complicated thread.
tion of which is occupied by the females,
There is but one species which is common
the upper by the males. The latter have
all over Europe, and occurs in the north of
a calyx of five divisions, five petals and a
Africa, and New Zealand. It is especially
central column of five to ten stamens, but
fond of the old fronds of ferns, but oc-
most commonly eight,these being arranged curs also on sticks, old ropes, and various
in two whorls, the outer one of Ave short
other vegetable substances. [M. J. B.]
stamens, the inner of three longer, and all
of them opposite the calyx leaves. The CRUCIFERS. (Brassicacew, Crucifers,
number and disposition of these stamens the Cruciferous family.) A natural order
afford the chief distinguishing character of thalamifloral dicotyledons, belonging to
of the genus. The ripe capsule is about Lindley's cistal alliance. Herbs with alter-
the size of a pea, and covered with shield- nate leaves having no stipules, and flowers,
shaped scales. It contains three seeds. usually yeHow or white, arranged in ra-
C. tinctoria, which grows wild in the cemes or corymbs without bracts sepals ;
countries bordering the Mediterranean, is four, falling off petals four, arranged like
;
cultivated in the South of France for the a cross; stamens six, of which four are
sake of a dye which is obtained from it. long and two short. Fruit, a siliqua or
This dye is called Turnsole, and is obtained silicula, that is, a long or short pod open-
by grinding the plants, little herbs seldom ing by two valves, with a partition (sep-
more than a foot high, to a pulp in a mill, tum) in the centre; seeds without albu-
when they yield about half their weight men embryo with its radicle folded on
;
of a dark green coloured juice, which the cotyledons. The plants of this very
becomes purple by exposure to the air or natural order were included by Linnasus in
under the influence of ammonia. It is his class Tetradynamia. They are gene-
chiefly exported to Holland, and is pre- rally distributed,but most abound in cold
pared for exportation by soaking coarse and temperate regions, especially in Eu-
linen rags or sacking with it, the rags rope. This order has been divided into sub-
being previously washed clean. After orders and tribes according to the nature
soaking they are allowed to dry, and are of the fruit or the embryo. Considering
exposed to the influence of ammonia by the fruit we have these six divisions :—
being suspended over heaps of stable ma- 1. Siliquosce, a siliqua or long pod opening
nure. They are then packed in sacks, and by two valves from below upwards 2. ;
ready for shipping to Holland. Not much SMculosce latiseptce, a silicula or short
is known of the uses the Dutch put the pod opening with two flat or convex
dye to, but it is supposed to be chiefly valves, the replum (partition) being in the
employed as a colouring matter for cheese, broadest diameter; 3. Siliculoscc avguxti-
and perhaps confectionary, wine, &c. septce, a silicula with folded or keeled
This dye has been confounded by some valves, the replum in the narrow diameter;
authors with the litmus of our chemists. 4. Nucumentacece, a silicula whose valves
,[A. A. B.] do not open, one-celled, having no replum ;
is the origin of the cabbage, cauliflower, bushes, natives of S. Africa. They differ
broccoli, savoy and curled kale. Brassica from their allies in their tubular calyx
Bapa is the origin of the turnip. The bearing on its inner surface near the
Swede or Swedish turnip is by some said apex of the ovary eight anther-like glands.
to be a variety of Brassica campestris, by Their minute linear leaves are numerous,
others a hybrid between B. Bapa, the tur- opposite and smooth the pink flowers,
:
nip, and B. Xapus, the wild navew, rape single or in pairs at the apex of the twigs,
or coleseed. Crambe maritima supplies sea- or from the axils of the upper leaves, con-
kale, which is subjected to the process of j
sist of a coloured tubular calyx with a
blanching in order to fit it for the table. four-parted border, covered outside with
Among the pungent plants of the order short silky hairs, and bearing on its tube
are Sinapis nigra, the black seeds of which
:
Erysimum, Capsella, Isatis, Brassica, Bun- petals are inserted in the throat of the
\
wavy stems, and yellow flowers in terminal with a three-lobed stigma the capsule is
;
heads. Their calyx tube is globular, its covered with the persistent calyx. There
limb with four stalked roundish netted seg- are upwards of seventy species. [W. CJ
ments, having two stipules at the base of
each the corolla is salver-shaped. The
:
CRYPTANTHUS. A
Brazilian epiphyte
fruit is a membranous two-celled and two- belonging to the Bromeliacece. Its leaves
valved capsule. The most remarkable f ea are lanceolate, and conceal the flowers
ture in the genus is the curious condition hence the name. The flowers have the
of the calyx before mentioned. [M. T. MJ | arrangement and structure common to the
The upper surface of lichens,
CRXJ STA. order, with six stamens inserted on a
fleshy epigynous disc, three of them more-
j
CRrSTACEOUS. Hard, thin, and brittle; over are united to the base of the inner
as the seed-skin of asparagus, and the :
analogous organs in phasnogams often re- stricted, the sori are normally punctiform,
quire the assistance of the lens to make and therefore polypodioid. They simu-
out even their external form clearly. The late the Pteridece, in consequence of the
main point is that the reproductive organs reflexed herbaceous margin resembling an
are not true seeds containing an embryo, indusium. The aspect of the plants is quite
but mere cells consisting of one or two that of Allosorus crispus, being of dwarf
membranes inclosing a granular matter. and tufted habit, with dimorphous fronds,
These bodies, whether called spores or and having the fertile pinnules formed like
sporidia, produce by germination a thread a silicle or short pod. There are three
or mass of threads, a membrane, a cellular species, C. acrostichoides, found in Arctic
body, &c, as the case may be, which either America, G. sitkensis, found in Sitka, and
at once gives rise to the fruit or to a plant C. Brunoniana, found in India. [T. M.]
producing fruit. Indeed the differences
are so great that these spores seem rather CRYPTOMERIA. A lofty evergreen
to be relatives, or what is technically tree, forming a genus of Coni/erce of the
termed homologucs, of pollen grains, than tribe or suborder Cupressinece. The leaves
of true seeds. are shortly linear, falcate, rigid and acute,
The Cryptogams are divided into two crowded but spreading. The flowers are
great classes, Thallogens and Acro- monoecious, the males in axillary catkins,
gens, whose distinctive characters will be the peltate scales bearing five anther-cells
found under those heads. It is scarcely at their base. The fruits are in small ter-
possible to give any general character of minal globular cones, with palmately-lobed
the whole except that which we have indi- imbricate scales, each one covering four
cated above, as these two divisions are as to six winged seeds. C.japonica, the only
distinct from each other as Cryptogams species known, is a native of North China
355 Qfyz €rea£ttrg at 280tang. [cube
and Japan, and being hardy enough to sus- on the globose stigma. The large three-
tain our climate without injury, is now sided follicles are widely divaricate, with
very generally planted in collections of an incurved apex and comose seeds.
Conifers. It is not, however, suited to The plants of this genus abound in milky
heavy soil. juice, which when exposed for a short
CRYPTONEMATA. time to the sun is converted into pure
Small cellular
threads produced by cryptostomata.
caoutchouc. [w. CJ
CRYPTOSTOMATA. Little circular nu-
CRYPTOXEMIACE-E. One of the largest clei found on the surface of some algals.
natural orders amongst the rose-spored
Algce, belonging to the section Gongylos- CRYPTOSTYLIS. A
small genus of
permece, in which the inarticulate cartila- brown-flowered terrestrial orchids inhabit-
ginous frond consists of a number of ing New Holland, Java, and Ceylon. The
jointed threads compacted by gelatine. In main character consists in its having a
the membranous species it is sometimes great dorsal lip hollowed out at the base
formed of many-sided cells, decreasing in to receive the column. - The abolished
size towards the surface. The capsules are genus Zosterostylis is one of the species.
immersed and are sometimes compound, CRYPTOT^ENIA. A genus of Umbelli-
and the spores are congregated without fercB. The Honewort, C. canadensis, is the
order. These arise either from several only species, and is one of a goodly number
congregated fertile cells, which at length of plants common to North America and
enlarge their endochrome, giving rise to a Japan. It is a smooth perennial erect
multitude of spores, or from a single cell, herb, one to two feet high, having ternate
according as they are compound or simple ; stalked leaves with ovate coarsely-toothed
in the former case all trace of the original leaflets, and numerous umbels of small
structure is frequently lost when the fruit white flowers, curiously disposed in an
is perfected. The genera and species almost panicled manner, which is very
are numerous, and occur in all climates. unusual in the family. The fruit is linear-
Chondrns crispus with several species of oblong, contracted at both sides, each of
I
Iridcea and Gigartina belonging to this the carpels having five equal obtuse ribs,
i
order, abound in gelatine, and in conse- with an oil tube (vitta) in each furrow,
I
quence are useful for many domestic pur- and one under each rib. [A. A. B.]
!
poses. [M. J. B.]
CRTPTOPHYTES. A synonym of cryp-
CRYPTOTHECA. A genus of Lythracece,
togams. containing bog herbs or undershrubsfrom
[M. J. B.]
Japan with angular stems, opposite shortly
CRTPTOPUS electa (Beclardia of Rich.) stalked lanceolate or linear-lanceolate
is a handsome epiphytal orchid from the leaves, and axillary many-flowered pe-
Isle of Bourbon. It has the habit of Epi- duncles. The calyx is funnel-shaped, four-
dendrum elongatum, the double gland and cleft; corolla of four small petals or ab-
j
caudicle of an Angrcecum, and flowers with sent stamens two, with roundish anthers;
;
|
white dotted with purple. larly circumscissile, inclosed in the calyx
tube. [j. T. S.]
CRTPTOS. In Greek compounds=con-
cealed; thus Cryptogams are plants with CRYPTOTHECII. A small group of
concealed sexes. mosses, represented by Spiridens.
CRYPTOSANCS. Leochilus. CRYSTAL WORTS. A name given by
CRYPTOSEMA. A name Lindley to the Ricciacece.
sometimes
given to a "West Australian bush of the CTENOMERIA. A
genus of slender
pea family, also called Jaxsoxia which
: twiners of the spurgewort family, found in
see. [A. A. BJ South Africa. The slender cobwebby fila-
CRYPTOSORTTS. A very appropriate
ments of the male flowers, together with the
name proposed for pectinately-toothed calyx leaves of those of
a few species of small-
growing Ferns, having sunken punctiform the females, serve to distinguish it from
nonindusiate sori, but which are not gene- its allies. The wiry stems are furnished
rally considered sufficiently distinct from
with distant nettle-like heart-shaped leaves,
and the small green flowers are disposed
Polypodium. [T. MJ in racemes which arise from opposite the
CRYPTOSTEGIA. A genus of twining leaves. [A. A. BJ
shrubs, belonging to the natural order
Asclepiadacew, and containing a single CTENOPTERIS. A name originally pro-
species from India and another from Mada- posed as a sectional division of Polypodium
gascar. They have opposite leaves, and by Blume, a Dutch botanist, and subse-
large reddish-white flowers in terminal quently adopted as a genus, with various
cymes. The calyx consists of five lanceo- modifications by modern pteridologists. It
late sepals; in the tube of the corolla is,however, synonymous with the true or
there are five linear bipartite scales the typal species of Polypodium. [T. M.]
;
stamens are included, and have very short CUBEBA. A genus of Piperacece, the
i filaments inserted at the base of the tube, distinguishing features of which are, the
I
J
and the oval pollen masses are solitary dioecious flowers partially covered by ses-
j
and attached to the five glandular points sile bracts and the fruits elevated on a
sort of stalk, formed from the contraction SEEDED. A common name for Sicyos.
of the hase of the fruit itself, so that — SNAKE. Trichosanthes colubrina also
, ;
they are not really hut only apparently Cucumis flexuosus. — SPIRTING or,
day it is named Peponia. In Italy in 1539, June, and the common Musk or Scented
is
the names of Pepone, Melone, and Mel- Melon of India; the other ripens in July,
lone were applied to it. In Sardinia, where, and is the true Melon of Turkistan : in
it is remarked by De Candolle, Roman tra- appearance it is not unlike a water melon,
1
ditions are well preserved, it is called Me- and comes to maturity after being seven
lon!. From the Spaniards in the begin- :
that the species was originally confined to cious than the Melon of Bokhara, nor do I
the valleys in the south of the Caucasus, believe their flavour will be credited by
and chiefly to the southern coasts of the any one who has not tasted them. The
Caspian. But its cultivation in the open Melons of India, Cabool, and even Persia,
—
-
I
the first century, if not before, as it is kechu,andhas a green and yellow-coloured
mentioned by Pliny, who died from suffoca- '
tion caused by the great eruption of Vesu- means white sugar candy; it is yellow and
vius in a.d. 79. In his works he describes exceedingly rich. The Winter Melon is of a
the modes by which melons were grown or i dark green colour, called Kara koobuk,
forced, so as to be obtained for the Empe- !
and said to surpass all the others. Bokhara
ror Tiberius at all times of the year. Their appears to be the native country of the
cultivation, however, appears to have been Melon, having a dry climate, sandy soil,
very limited in Europe till within the last 1
and great facilities for irrigation.' {Burnes'
three centuries. According to M. Jacquin, j
Travels in Bokhara.)
Monographic complete du Melon, the Canta- Provided the soil is moist below, the
loup variety derives its name from Canta- 1
! authors,"it has been cultivated since 1570; in summer or before winter and the plant
;
but the precise time of its introduction is then dies off before cold weather sets
]
uncertain. Probably the cultivation of in. In the middle and southern states of
Melons had been attempted much earlier. America, Downing informs us, Melons are
Till lately they were called in this country raised as field crops by market gardeners,
Musk Melons to distinguish them from the seeds being sown in the open air in
water melons, which belong to a different May, and ripe fruit is obtained in August.
species. Persia is noted for the excellence In Australia likewise Melons are produced
of its Melons, and the extensive scale on with the greatest ease in extraordinary
which their cultivation is carried on. Some abundance. There are many varieties of
I
nobles and wealthy individuals keep, it is Melons, differing in size, form, and colour.
'
said, from 10,000 to 20,000 pigeons, chiefly Some are round or oblate, others oblong or
j
for manuring their melon beds, pigeon's oval; the surface of some is smooth, of
i
dung being there considered the best ma- : others ribbed, netted, or warted. The flesh
|
nurefor these plants. A collection of seeds is either white, greenish, salmon-coloured,
of the best Persian varieties was sent in or red. The green-fleshed varieties are
1824 to the Horticultural Society by Sir now generally preferred.
Henry Willock, ambassador at the court of The Water Melon, G. Citrullus, is stip-
Persia and some of the kinds when grown
; ! posed to be of more ancient introduction
under particular treatment in this country . to Europe than the foregoing. RauwOlf, in
proved excellent, but they are apt to de- ;
1574, found it in abundance in the gardens
generate. The melons of Bokhara are of of Tripoli, Rama, and Aleppo, under the
the highest excellence, although in our name of Bathieca, the root of which word
climate they are liable to the same objec- is from the Hebrew Abbattichim, one of
tion with regard to degeneration as those the fruits of Egypt which the Jews re-
of Persia. Burnes in his Travels says The '
gretted in the wilderness. It still forms
Melon is the choicest fruit of Bokhara. The chiefly the food and drink of the inhabi-
Emperor Baber tells us that he shed tears '
the fruit of Citrullus Colocynthis, the colo- flowers are large deep yellow. The fruit is
quintida, or bitter apple, is the colocynth oblong egg-shaped, varying both in form
of the shops this is supposed to be the
; and size, and is used for soups or stews,
wild gourd of Scripture. Ecbalium pur- but more frequently in this country it is
gans or agreste {Momordica JElaterium) is mixed with sliced apples, to which a little
called squirting cucumber on account of sugar and spice are added, and after being
the elastic force with which its seeds are baked is eaten with butter under the name
scattered the deposit from the fluid of
; of pumpkin pie. Until 1815, according to
the fruit constitutes the powerful purga- Loudon, this was the principal kind of
tive called elaterium. Cucumis sativus gourd cultivated in British gardens —
is the common cucumber, C. Melo the melon, in those of the rich chiefly for ornament,
and the water-melon.
C. Citrullus, Cucur- and in those of the poor, in some parts of
bita Pepo, the gourd, is a scrambling plant, England, as a culinary vegetable.
to which belong the vegetable marrows, The Egg-shaped or Succade Gourd, or
which are edible, the orange gourds, which Vegetable Marrow, C. ovifera succada, some-
are bitter, the egg-gourds, giraumons, times regarded as a variety of C. Pepo, is
crooknecks, Turks' caps.and warted gourds. believed to have been originally brought
C. maxima, the pumpkin, bears immense from Persia, but the date of its iutroduc-
fruit and C. Melopepo, the Squash, forms
;
j
tion is not exactly known. It is one of
a bush about 3 ft. high, and may be had 1
India. Lagenaria vulgaris supplies fruit, rough, middle-sized, and deeply-lobed. The
which after the pulp is removed is used fruit is of an uniform pale greenish yel-
for carrying water, under the name of low, of an elongated oval-shape, slightly
bottle-gourd. The fruit of Luffa .Egiipii- ribbed and about nine inches long. It is
aca is cut up when dry and used as a used in every stage of its growth, and is
flesh brush, under the name of towel-gourd. peculiarly tender and sweet when very
;
Scchium edule yields an edible fruit called young it is good if fried in batter, but it is
chocho or chacha. The species of Bryonia in the intermediate or half-grown state
are purgative. There are three divisions that it deserves the name of Vegetable
of this order 1. Kliandirobea, anthers not
: Marrow. It is then excellent when plain
wavy, placentas adhering in the axis of j
boiled and served with rich sauces. For
the fruit, seeds numerous 2. Cucurbitece, ;
I
many years this valuable esculent was
anthers wavy, placentas and seeds as in the only to be met with in the gardens of the
first 3. Sicyece, placentas not projecting
; wealthy, but it is now extensively culti-
into the cavy, seeds solitary from the top I
vated, and during the latter part of sum.
359 W$z CrcaSuri? of Bnfaitg. [cull
lence, as well as for the peculiar form of leaves only, and, lastly, another layer of
their fruit, which for culinary purposes pappus hairs. On this couch the traveller
are remarkably handsome and in great reposes after the toils of the day without
!
request. Many kinds of gourds are also fear of frozen limbs. The genus Espeletia
exceedingly ornamental. [W. B. B.J also belongs to this family, and growing
on the high Andes, bears much resem-
CUDBEAR. A name given in Scotland blance to this in the woolly clothing of the
'
to a crimson dye prepared from Lecanora leaves and stems, but the present is easily
I tartarea and some other lichens, by treat- distinguished from it, the florets being all
'
ing them with alkaline substances. The tubular, while in Espeletia there is an
collection of the lichen formerly employed outer row of strap-shaped florets in the
a great number of hands, but it is now
i
could earn fourteen shillings a week, the may be at once recognised by their appear-
lichen being sold at about three halfpence ance. About a dozen species are known,
j
a pound. It is now principally procured some attaining a height of five or six feet,
j
from Sweden and Norway, the manufac- and having lance-shaped root leaves from
ture being chiefly in the hands of the six inches to a foot in length clasping
English. The name was derived from Dr.
I
j
the stem with their sheathing bases these;
I
Cuthbert Gordon who first introduced the are sometimes called Lion's ear. [A. A. B.J
i manufacture in Glasgow. [M. J. B.]
natives of the Moluccas, Philippines, and CULILAWAN BARK. The barkof Cin-
India, and have entire dioecious flowers, namonium Culilawan, or Clove Bark.
the females in globose or oblong heads,
each with a four-leaved perianth, and a CULLUMIA. A genus of little Cape
pendulous ovule. bushes belonging to the composite family,
CM. T. M.J
and distinguished from its allies by the
CUDvTEED. The common name for achenes being destitute of pappus, as well
Gnciphalium. as by the curiously spinous margins of the
leaves. These are seldom more than an
CUTCHUNCHULLI. Ionidium micro- inch long (generally much shorter), oblong
'phyllura. in form, sessile, and often closely pressed
€f)t tErcajaitrj) of 28atang. 360
to the stem. In a great many the margins CUNEATE, CUNEIFORM. Wedge-
are bordered with a single row of slender shaped. Inversely triangular, with rounded
hristles about an eighth of an inch in length angles.
and in a few there is a double row of these CUNICULATE. Traversed by a long
bristles, one set pointing upwards, the
passage, open at one end, as the peduncle
other directed downwards. In all cases of Tropceolum.
the leaves are terminated by a bristle.
i
The yellow flower-heads are single on the CUNILA. A genus of Labiato?, contain-
ends of the branches, and half an inch or |
ing several species of perennial herbs or
more in diameter. The scales of the j
undershrubs, natives of N. America. They
involucre, in many rows, are furnished with ! have small white or purplish flowers, in co-
bristles like the leaves. The florets of the rymbed cymes or close clusters. The calyx
outer row are strap-shaped and barren, of i is ovate-tubular, equally five-toothed, and
the inner tubular and fertile. Abouttwenty 1 hairy in the throat the corolla is two-
;
CULVER'S ROOT or CULVER'S PHYSIC. the style is shortly bifid with subulate
American names for Veronica virginica. lobes. The nucule is smooth. [W. C]
CUMIN or CUMMIN. Cuminum Cymi- CUNIX. The separable space which in-
num. — BLACK. The pungent seeds of
, tervenes between the wood and bark of
Nigella — SWEET. The Anise, exogens
sativa. , an obsolete word.
Pimpinella Anisum. — WILD. Lagbecia
;
cumihoides. CUNNINGHAMIA. A
lofty evergreen
tree, forming a genus of Coniferce of the
CUMIN CORNU. (Fr.) Bypecoum pro- suborder or tribe Abietinece. The linear
cumbens. — , NOIR. Nigella sativa. falcate or lanceolate stiffly-pointed leaves
are nearly those of the American Arauca-
CUMINUM. Fennel-like plants, belong- rias, but of a brighter green and less rigid.
ing to the Umbellifera?, and botanically In the flowers and cones, the genus is
characterised by the presence of both
nearly related to Pinus, but there are three
general and partial involucres, the latter
or four anther-cells instead of two to each
one-sided by the calyx having five lance-
;
scale of the male catkins, and three instead
shaped teeth and by the elongated fruits,
;
of two ovules or seeds to each scale of
slightly contracted at the side, and each
the females. C. sinensis, the only species
half provided with five thread-like ridges,
known, is a native of South China, and too
and four intermediate ones more promi- tender for our climate without protection
nent and slightly prickly, beneath each of but it is occasionally to be seen in our
;
which there is an oil channel or vitta. conservatories, where, from the elegance
The cumin seeds or fruits are the produce of its habit, it is a welcome inmate when
of C. Cyminum. They are much like those
there is room for its development.
of caraway, but larger and of lighter
colour, and with nine in place of five CUNONIA. A genus of Cunoniacew, con-
ridges on each half of the fruit. They are sisting of a small tree from the Cape of
but little used, as caraways are more agree- Good Hope, where it is called Rood Eize by
able and more efficacious. The seeds of the Dutch colonists. It has reddish twigs,
cumin smoked were considered by the and opposite pinnate leaves with oblong
antients to produce pallor of the counten- coriaceous serrated leaflets, and ovate cadu-
ance. [M. T. M.] cous stipules. The dense racemes of small
white flowers are axillary and opposite,
CUMINGIA. A
genus of Liliacew, con- with the pedicels fascicled; calyx five-
sisting of bulbous Chilian herbs, with lin- parted, deciduous corolla of five oblong
;
ear-lanceolate nervose leaves, and branched petals stamens ten ovary free, with two
; ;
scapes bearing panicles of nodding blue diverging styles capsule conical, two-
;
flowers. The perianth is bell-shaped, the celled, separable into two many-celled car-
tube adhering to the base of the ovary, pels. [J. T. S.]
the limb six-parted with spreading seg-
ments. The six stamens are inserted in CUNONIACE^. {Ochranthacece, Cunoni-
the tube, and have short compressed fila- ads.) A
family of dicotyledons, closely
ments; the ovary is three-celled with allied to Saxifragacew, and very generally
many ovules, the style subulate and the considered as a tribe only of that family,
stigma simple. The genus is near Conan- differing more in their habit than in the
thera, but differs in having a less divided structure of their flowers or fruit. They
perianth, in the same way as Kyacinthus are shrubs or trees with opposite leaves,
differs from Scilla. C. campanulata is a simple or compound, and have stipules be-
very interesting plant, with linear-chan- tween the leaf-stalks. The calyx is half-
nelled leaves, and a stem from a span to superior or nearly inferior, the petals and
a foot high, bearing a racemose panicle stamens perigynous, the latter definite or
at top, the flowers violet, paler in the more rarely indefinite. The ovary is two-
throat around which they are spotted with celled, with two or more ovules in each
blackish purple. [T. M.] cell the styles usually distinct the fruit
; ;
361 djc ErcaSurg of 33ntano. [CUPE
tributed into about twenty genera, among flated below, and gibbous or spurred at the
which may be cited as the most generally base on the upper side, strongly nerved,
known, Wei7imannia, GaUicoma, Acrophyl- the limb plaited and six-toothed, often with
h/m, Ceratopetalum, Cunonia, Caldcluvia, six smaller intermediate teeth, the whole
Belangera, &c. coloured and often forming the most con-
spicuous part of the flower; petals six,
CUPANIA. Alarge genus of trees or shrubs rarely absent, unequal, the two uppermost
belonging to the Sapindacece, numbering generally much larger than the others
upwards of fifty species, more or less fre-
stamens about twelve, unequal, in two
quent in all tropical countries, but found in sets ovary free, one or two-celled, few
;
greatest numbers in South America. They ovuled, with a slender style and two-lobed
are distinguished from their near allies by
|
colour is not so dark. It is hardy enough five-lobed border and a double stamen-;
to bear well the climate of some parts of tube of ten stamens, the five inner longer
England, but in others suffers- much in than the others. The females have a simi-
severe winters. C. glauca, another East lar calyx and corolla, and a three-lobed
Indian species, is much more tender, and ovary crowned with a tripartite style, each
will seldom outlive our winters without branch forked at the apex.
protection, but it is much planted in Portu- Dr. Bennett in his Gatherings of a Natu-
gal, and has thence acquired the name of O. ralist, states that this tree '
contains a
lusitanica. C. fnnebris, from North China, milky acrid glutinous juice, which when
with its long branches, said to droop like dropped on white linen produces an indeli-
those of a Weeping Willow, promises to be ble stain, at first of a light blue colour, but
a valuable addition to oar hardy ever- after being washed, changing to a perma-
greens. To these must be added G. macro- nent brown it might therefore form a
:
car-pa and Goveniana, both Californian. The very excellent marking ink. The fruit is
first a noble tree with the habit of C. sem- globular and fleshy, about the size of a
pervirens, the second of much smaller di- filbert, and contains three seeds in distinct
mensions and with a less compact habit. cells. When immature, it is of a green
Of the section Chammcyparis, two spe- colour, and when ripe black. On removing
cies, G. thyoides and C. naikaensis (Thitjop- the husk from the oblong seeds, a white
sis nutkaensis of our garden catalogues), kernel remains, which contains much oil,
from North America, and C. squarrosa (Be- and has an agreeable almond-like taste.
tinospora squarrosa of our garden cata- The seeds are collected by the natives of
logues) from Japan, are to be met with in the Philippine Islands for the purpose of
our plantations of conifers. expressing the oil, which they use for
CUPTJLE. The cup or husk of the acorn,
Spanish chesnut, &c. a collection of
;
CURCAS. A
genus of Euphorbiaceai burning in their lamps, as well as for medi-
formed for the reception of the Phj sic-nut cinal purposes. The leaves are employed
tree, C. purgaiis, or, as it was formerly for fomentations, and the juice of the
called, Jatropha Curcas. It differs from young buds or other parts of the tree as a
Jatropha merely in having a bell-shaped beneficial application to the ulcerated sur-
corolla, while the latter has a corolla of face of wounds.' The seeds are employed
363 CTje Erca£uru af 23fltang. [CTTRT
by the native doctors of the Philippine Is- of alkalies, which change its yellow colour
lands, and are considered excellent and to a reddish brown. The young colourless
mild purgatives, in doses of from one to tubers of this plant furnish a sort of arrow-
four seeds. The effects which result from root ; another species, however, C. angusti-
an overdose are vomiting, purging, a burn- folia, furnishes East Indian arrowroot,
ing sensation in the stomach and bowels, which is prepared by bruising and powder-
with a determination of blood to the head. ing the tubers, and throwing the powder
The only antidote used by native prac- into water, which is frequently changed
titioners is cold water warm water they till the starch loses its originally bitter
;
affirm would be injurious. The kernels are taste. C. rubescens and C. leucorhiza also
administered entire, or are pounded in a furnish starch. C. aromatica and C. Zedo-
mortar with water, and after being strained aria furnish Zedoary tubers, which are used
given as a draught. Dr. Bennett has by the natives of India as aromatic tonics,
himself administered these seeds to Euro- and as a perfume. Several species with
peans, but has found their effects very yellow or reddish flowers are cultivated
irregular, and occasioning in all cases a in hot-houses. [M. T. MJ
burning sensation in the bowels, followed
with nausea and vomiting. CURL. A formidable disease in potatoes,
The oil is said to be sometimes boiled referrible to Chlorosis, in which the tubers
with oxide of iron, and used by the Chinese produce deformed curled shoots of a pallid
;
as a varnish. It is of a light colour, and tint, which are never perfectly developed,
j
has been imported into England and used and give rise to minute tubers. It is sup-
as a substitute for linseed oil, as well as for posed to arise from the tubers being over-
dressing cloth, burning in lamps, &c. Its ripe. It is, however, a local disease, and is
qualities differ little from those of castor quite unknown in many districts. It must
oil according to Dr. Christison, who says not be confounded with a curled state of
that twelve or fifteen drops of it are equal the foliage, which arises from the presence
to an ounce of castor oil. The white milky of aphides. [M. J. B.]
juice in which the plant abounds is re- CURLS, BLUE. An American name for
ported as having healing properties, and Trichostema.
a decoction of the leaves is used in the
Cape de Verd islands to excite secretion of CURRANT. The common name for .Kibes,
milk in women. but especially applied to Bibes rubrum, the
The only other species of the genus is red, and B. nigrum, the black currant of
C. spathulata, sometimes called Mozinna the gardens. The currants of the shops
spathulata, a low bush found in Mexico, are the dried berries of the Corinthian
with stout succulent stems, having olive- grape. — AUSTRALIAN. Leucopogon
,
the Marianne Islands. [T. M.] gynostegium is included the pollen masses
;
CURCUMA A genus of Zingiberacece, are slightly stalked and erect; and the
consisting of plants with perennial root- stigma is short. rw. C]
stocKs and annual stems. The flowers are CURRY-LEAF TREE. Bergera Ebnigii.
in spikes with concave bracts they have a
;
into the composition of curry powder, and The natives of the region where it abounds
is used as a chemical test for the presence employ it to form shafts for their javelins
j
CURV] 5Fi)e Creagttry ol 3Bfltang. 364
or assagays : hence the common name As- [
The extent of the mischief
Aiate the evil.
sagay Tree. [G. D.] may he judged from the fact that it Mas
„ TT „„ imT , T „ ,^ reported in the Agricultural Gazette for 1859
CURVATIVE. When ,
the margins are
.
I
to be more delicate, while the parasite is disk on the upper part of the seed vessel
preparing a series of aerial roots to pene- stamens five to seven, adherent to the
trate it it having done this, its position is
; petals fruit almost round, with little juice,
;
firmly established, its own natural root two to three-celled, one seed in each cell.
dies quite away, and thenceforward its The genus was named in honour of Cusson,
true parasitic growth is astonishingly rapid. a botanist of Montpelier. The species are
Experiments 3 and 4 were repeated during shrubs, natives of the Cape or of New Zea-
. the present summer, I860, as follows : land, having a soft stem, with leaves alter-
;
Exp. 3.— A plot of pure flax seed was nate, smooth, stalked, in three to seven
i sown in the botanical garden of the Ciren- large lobes the flowers are greenish.
:
cester Royal Agricultural College ; this Two species have been known in our
t
came up well, and afforded a good crop of collections since the end of the last cen-
i fine flax. tury they are chiefly interesting on ac-
;
i
Exp. 4.— A plot of flax seed and Dodder count of their peculiar aspect. C. thyrsi-
i
seed intermixed. In this the flax and flora has the leaflets sessile, wedge-shaped,
>
Dodder came up simultaneously, and the truncate, and three-toothed at the end.
thread-like germ of the latter soon twisted C. spicata has the leaflets wedge-shaped,
; round the flax stems, and in time sent out acuminate, and serrated at the end, the
branches in every direction, which in turn flowers in spikes. C. triptera is by some
twined about fresh flax stems until the considered to be a hybrid, having numerous
whole plot was borne down by the para- leaflets, like those of C. spicata, but without
i site, and both it and the crop went through stalks, as in C. thyrsiflora. [G. D.]
the processes of flowering and seeding
;
simultaneously so that in harvesting the
: CUSTARD-APPLE. The common name
\
crop both would be gathered together, and for Aiiona.
of course, unless carefully separated, such
CUTICLE.
i
shrubs. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, growing so far out in the sea that the
and simple or trifoliate, with petiolulate highest limit can only be approached at the
ovate acuminate and ciliate leaflets. The lowest stream tides, and from this it runs
flowers are in terminal panicles. The cup- out into the ocean as far as the eye can
shaped calyx is cut into five long cuspidate penetrate, and probably much farther
teeth the corolla tube is ventricose-cam-
;
while the tangle may be approached at
. panulate, and the limb is five-lobed one of
;
ordinary tides, and forms a belt between
the five stamens is sterile ; the stigma is the Cuvy and the beach. The general as-
bilamellate. with long acute lobes the four
; pect also differs the stems of the Cuvy
:
,
angles of the capsular fruit are produced stand up like a parcel of sticks, and the
into wings the seeds also are winged.
;
leaves wave from them like little flags
This genus is nearly related to Bignonia and while the tangle lies prostrate on the rocks,
!
Luadia. It is separated from the former the leaves mingle together and form a
by its ciliated anthers, from the latter by darker belt round the shore. Six or eight
its awn-like sepals, and from both by its feet is reckoned a good length for a Cuvy,
I
tetrapterous fruit. [W. C] while tangles may be found from twelve
This name has also been applied to a to twenty feet.' [M. J. B.]
genus of ferns, which have since been
called Dicranoglossum. [T. M.] CYAMIUM. A kind of follicle, resem-
bling a legume.
CUSPIDATE. Tapering gradually into a
CYANANTHUS. A genus of Polemonia-
rigid point; also abruptly acuminate, as
cece, containing a few species of annual
the leaflets of many Rvbi. procumbent or erect herbs, found on lofty
situations on the Himalayas. They have
CUSSO. The Abyssinian Bray era anthel-
mintica. alternate entire or lobed leaves, and few
solitary and generally terminal showy
CUSSOXIA. The name of a genus be- blue flowers. The calyx is inferior, tubular-
longing to the order of Ivyworts, distin- campanulate, and five-cleft the corolla is
;
guished by the top-shaped calyx, which is funnel-shaped, with a large five-cleft limb ;
adherent to the seed AT essel, its border the five stamens are inserted at the base of
having from five to seven short teeth the ; the corolla, alternate with its lobes, the an-
petals five to seven, adhering to a conical thers being adpressed to orconnate with the
ovary. The ovary is free and five-celled, with of the flowers. The species are showy
many ovules in each cell, and bears a simple plants, natives of Tropical Asia, annual or
style, and a five-lobed stigma. The capsule perennial, hairy or woolly, seldom naked
is oblong-conical, dehiscing loculiciclally. the stems trailing below, sometimes erect
Some botanists, overlooking the superior above. [G. D.]
ovary, have referred this genus to Cam-
pamllacece, because of its five-celied ovary CYATHEA. An extensive genus of ar-
and five-lobed stigma, but in every other borescent ferns representative of the Cy-
respect it appears more nearly connected atheinece. The genus belongs to that series
with Polemoniacece. [W. C] or subgroup which has an indusium or
involucre placed in the form of a cup be-
CYANELL A. A genus of herbs from the neath or so as to contain the spore-cases,
Cape of Good Hope, belonging to Liliacece, the fructification being seated on the under
and having lanceolate-elliptical or linear surface of the fronds. The species are nu-
radical leaves sheathing at the base, and merous, and rank amongst the most strik-
racemose blue or yellow flowers. Perianth ing features of tropical scenery. They are
coloured, six-parted; stamens six, with most abundant in South America and in
glabrous filaments the lower perianth seg-
: the West Indies, in India, the Eastern
ments, the lowest stamen, and the style Islands, and thePacific Islands a few are
;
declinate; capsule three-celled, with nu- met with in New Zealand and South Africa.
merous seeds. They are pretty greenhouse In some the trunk is short, but in others
plants. [J. T. S.] it reaches a height of forty or fifty feet or
even more, and is crowned with a magnifi-
CYANEOUS, CYAKffiTTS, CYALINUS. cent head of fronds, which, in many cases,
In composition Cyano. A clear bright blue. are of gigantic size, and are always large.
CYANOCHROTTS. Having a blue skin. The greater number have the fronds bipin-
nate.with the pinnas deeply pinnatifid but
CYANOPHYLLUM. A
;
mens numerous; and the ovary solitary, em- a bush or small tree, and has when
I
bedded in a hollow receptacle, with several young duplicato-pinnate, when old digi-
tate leaves. The bark of the younger
\
!
ovules attached to the line of union of the
,
margins of the carpels. The genus in- branches is considered, in Brazil, one of
i
eludes a Cingalese tree, with flowers oppo- the most powerful remedies against syphi-
site to the smooth shining leaves. [31. T. >[.] litic swellings of a malignant character.
The decoction is chiefly used, and also the
CYATHOCNBMIS. A genus of begoniads, bark dried and powdered and applied exter-
i consisting of succulent Peruvian plants. nally. In the Peruvian Andes, the tree is
i
The staminate and pistillate flowers have termed Yangua or Atunyangua, and the in-
I
each two sepals the anthers elongated with
: habitants dye the cotton cloths of theirown
;
slightly united filaments; the style per manufacture a permanent blue by simply
sistent, its branches furnished with a con- boiling them along with its leaves. About
tinuous papillose band, making two spiral every three months all the leaves that can
turns the seed-vessel margined with three
; be got at are stripped ofl,and the trees seem
equal wings. The peduncles at their dicho- not to suffer from being thus denuded
tomous divisions are surrounded by a but they rarely put forth flowers till they
large cup-like bract. There is one known grow beyond the reach of spoliating hands.
species, viz., C. dbliqua, found on rocks in The panicles are small, the calyx whitish,
the Andes of Peru. It was formerly a and the tubular corolla and the fruit of a
|
Begonia. [J. H. B.] greenish colour. In Brazil and Peru the
plant is cultivated ; it was also, at one
CYATHODES. A genus of Epacridacece, time, an inmate of our gardens. [B. S.]
consisting of fifteen species, natives not
only of Australia, but, like very few other CYCADEACEiE. (Cycads.) A natural or-
genera of this order, found also in New der of achlamydeous dicotyledons belong-
Zealand and the Pacific Islands. They are ing to the gymnospermous (naked-seeded)
small branching woody heath-like shrubs, alliance. Small palm-like trees or shrubs,
with small axillary white or yellow flowers. with unbranched sterns, occasionally di
The pedicles are covered with imbricated viding into two,marked with leaf-scars,and
bracts.which are gradually larger upwards, having large rays in the wood along with
,
and appear to pass into the sepals the ; punctated ligneous tubes. Leaves pinnate,
corolla is funnel-shaped, with a naked or and usually rolled up like a crozier while
|
bearded limb, and a smooth tube the sta- ;
in bud. Flowers staminate or pistillate,
mens are included or exserted the drupe ; and without any envelope (achlamydeous):
is more or less fleshy, with a bony five to staminate flowers in cones, the scales bear-
ten- celled and five to ten-seeded nut, seated ing one-celled anthers on their lower sur-
on a fleshy cup-shaped disc. [W. C] face pistillate flowers consisting only of
;
probably more nearly allied than to Sobra- in a cavity of the albumen cotyledons
;
lia, with which it has been usually com- unequal. Natives chiefly of the tropical and
pared. TwoAndine mentioned
species are :
temperate regions of America and Asia.
one with white, the other with yellow They are found also in southern Africa, and
flowers. in Australia. Cycads are mucilaginous and
starchy. Cycas revoluta, a native of Japan,
CYATHUS. The cup-like body which supplies a kind of starch which is used as
contains propagula, or the reproductive sago; and a similar kind of false sago is sup-
bodies of MarcJiantm. plied by Cycas circinalis in the Moluccas
Caff re-head is made from the starch of a ground, in which position the seeds are
Cape species of Encephalartos, many spe- ripened. The fleshy rootstocks, tinmen of a
cies of which genus exist in Australia. In highly acrid nature, are in Italy and'Sicily
the West Indies some species of Zamia greedily sought after by swine hence the
;
yield a kind of arrowroot. Cycads occur name Pane porcino, from which the English
in a fossil state after the coal epoch. name Sowbread is adopted, the plants not
There are seven known genera, and about being found in Great Britain in any situa-
fifty species. Examples: Cycas, Dion, Ence- tion to which swine have access. One spe-
phalartos, and Zamia. [J. H. B.] cies is, indeed, sometimes included in the
British Flora, but is in all probability an
CYCAS. A remarkable genus giving its
outcast from a garden. Most of the spe-
name to the order Cycadeacece. It consists cies are hardy, and as they flower early are
of trees of no great height, with cylindrical much prized as border flowers or for pot
usually unb ranched stems, terminated at cultivation. C. persicum, the handsomest
the top by a crown of handsome deeply-cut of all, requires artificial heat during the
pinnate leaves of thick texture. The male winter, but with care may be made to
flowers grow in cones, consisting of scales flower freely in the window garden.
bearing anthers on their under surface. French, Pain de Porceau: German Erd-
The female plants bear in the centre scheibe. [C. A. J.]
of the crown of leaves surmounting the
.
The perianth is bell-shaped or ventri cose, pinnate aspidiaceous ferns, with peltate
|
with the three outer segments about half |
indusia and free veins, now referred to
as large as the inner ones and there are
; Polystichum. [T. MJ
j
der of the pileus. The species originally deners say, of C. ventricosum. But what,
described was gathered in Mauritius, but again, ventricosum ? Who knows
is C. that
another occurs in North America, and a not another 'sport' of
it is G. Loddigesii,
third has been found in the Sikkim Hima- which has indeed been caught in the very
laya. [M. J. B.]
act of showing a false countenance, some-
CYCLOPELTIS. A name applied to two thing wonderfully suspicious, all things
considered, and justifying the idea that it to Drs. Roxburgh and Royle. De Candolle
-
is itself a mere Janus, whose face is green thinks its native country extends perhaps
and short on one side, and spotted and long as far as Hiudoo-Coosh but it is not culti-
;
on the other? Then, if such apparently vated in the north of China. In Imiretta,
honest species as C. Egertonianum, ventrico- a region in the interior of Mingrelia, a
sum, and Loddigesii are hut counterfeits, variety is said to have been found with
what warrant have we for regarding the fruit as big as the head of a child. It ap-
other so-called species as not being further pears from the above that the Quince is
examples of plants in masquerade? For indigenous over a great extent of Europe
ourselves we cannot answer the question : and Asia, and that it is likewise found in
nor should we be astonished at finding the north of Africa. Phillips says in his
some day a Cycnoches no longer a Cycnoches, Historical and Botanical Account of Fruits
hut something else perhaps a Catasetum.
: known in Great Britain, 'The learned Goro-
If one could accept the doctrine of the pius maintains that Quinces were the
author of the Vestiges, it might be said that golden apples of the Hesperides, and not
in this placewe have found plants actually oranges, as some commentators pretend.
undergoing the changes which he assumes In support of his argument, he states that
to be in progress throughout nature, and it was a fruit much revered by the ancients,
that they are thus subject to the most and he assures us that there has been dis-
startling conditions only because their new covered at Rome a statue of Hercules
forms have not yet acquired stability.' that held in its hand three Quinces this,' ;
The principal species of this curious ge- he says, agrees with the fable which states
'
nus are C. Loddigesii, ventricosum, and chloro- that Hercules stole the golden apples from
chilon, which have a sessile perfectly entire the gardens of the Hesperides.' Galesio,
fleshy lip and C. pentadactylon, aureum,
; in his treatise on the Orange, has shown
maculatum, and Egertonianum, with a that the orange tree was unknown to the
stalked flat lip, whose edges are broken up Greeks, and that it did not naturally grow
into numerous finger-like rays. These in those parts where the gardens of the
plants are all from Tropical America, and Hesperides were placed by them. The
chiefly from the central states. See Lr/D- Quince tree, according to the Hortus Kew-
DBMANNIA. ensis, was introduced into this country in
1573 but Gerarde, who was alive at that
;
CYDONIA. A genus of the pomaceous date, says it was often planted in hedges
division of the Rosacea?, allied to Pyrus, and fences to gardens in his time, and from
from which it is distinguished by its leafy this it may be concluded the tree was com-
calyx-lobes, and the many-seeded cells of mon long before the period above men-
its fruit, those of Pyrus being disper- tioned.
mous. It comprises a few species, one of The Quince is a hardy deciduous tree,
which the well-known Quince
is and
; twenty feet high, with numerous
fifteen to
another, C.japonica, one of the most orna- crooked branches, forming a bushy spread-
mental deciduous shrubs in our gardens. ing head; the leaves are roundish or
The latter reaches some five or six feet in ovate. The flower-buds push early in
height, and is clothed in summer with oval spring, and elongate into a branch, with
crenately serrated leaves having kidney- i
five or six leaves, and at the extremity a
shaped serrated stipules, and in spring ;
single flower, white or pale red and of
with a multitude of glowing red flowers, large size, is produced as late as May or June.
to which it owes its beauty. [T. M.] The fruit is large, roundish, turbinate,
The common Quince tree is called C. vul- I
pear-shaped, or irregularly oval, according
garis. The name of Cydonia was given to j
to the variety. On approaching maturity
this by the ancients from its growing it assumes a fine golden yellow -colour,
abundantly near Cydon, in the isle of Crete, giving the tree a very ornamental appear-
now Candia. It is stated by some authors ance. The Portugal Quince is considered
to have been introduced from Greece to the best, hut it does not bear so abundantly
Italy but this can only refer to a particular
; as the more common apple and pear-shaped
variety, for Pliny in his fifteenth book says, varieties. All the varieties have a strong
'
There are many kinds of this fruit in odour, with an austere flavour, so that they
Italy, some growing wild in the hedge- are unfit for eating raw but the fruit is
;
rows, others so large that they weiph the much esteemed along with apples in pies
boughs down to the ground.' Sir Joseph and tarts, and in confectionary it forms an
Banks [Trans. Hort.Soe.i. 153), referring to excellent marmalade and syrup. Indeed,
Martial (xiii.24), states that the Romans had the name of marmalade is said to be de-
three sorts of Quinces, one of which was rived from Marmelo, the Portugese name
called Chrysomela from its yellow colour of the Quince. The plants are much used
they boiled them with honey as we make as stocks for pear trees, especially those
marmalade. According to the best modern intended to be kept- dwarf. [R. TJ
botanists, the species grows spontaneously
on the hills and in the woods of Italy, i CYLINDRENCHYMA. Cylindrical cel-
in the south of France, in Spain, Sicily, lular tissue, such as that of Confervce, of
Sardinia, Algeria, Constantinople, the many hairs, &c.
Crimea, and in the south of the Caucasus CYLINDROLOBUS. Eria.
it also grows abundantly on the banks of
|
growing among bushes, with ternate four two-ovuled cells, placed on a fleshy
leaves, having oval, pointed, and entire disc a short style
; and a berry-like fruit.
;
leaflets with short white pubescence. The The species are natives of China, the East
yellow flowers, borne on erect bracted Indies, and Australia. [M. T. M.]
'
pod is completely enveloped in the peculiar anth, and consist of a pair of male flowers
calyx, which affords the most marked cha- each reduced to a single two-celled stamen,
racter in the genus. [A. A. B.] or a pair of female flowers reduced to a
single ovary, with a short style and two
j
CYMBALAIRE. (Fr.) Linaria Cyinba- stigmas, which are long and thread-like.
laria. The fruit is produced in pairs. [J. T. S.]
|
CYMBELLJE. Reproductive locomotive CYNANCHUM. A genus of South Euro-
1
bodies, of an elliptical form, found in some pean and Mediterranean herbs, belonging
;
algals. to the order Asclepiadacece, and character-
CYMBIDITJM. A name given by Swartz ised by its wheel-shaped corolla, and by the
|
to a large group of tropical orchids, grow- coronet of the stamens being tubular, with
ing in the ground.with simple fleshy hairy from five to ten divisions at its upper
, roots, throwing up tufts of sword-shaped margin, and with five inner segments ex-
leaves, and producing radical spikes of terior to, and parallel with, the anthers.
flowers, which are erect or pendulous, The fruit consists of two cylindrical folli-
many-flowered or few-flowered, and con- I
cles. The Arghel, the leaves of which are
spicuous for their beauty, or quite incon- used to adulterate Alexandrian Senna, was
spicuous. All have a pair of curved ridges
J
I
formerly considered to belong to this ge-
on the lower part of the lip an essential :
nus, but is now included in Solenostemma :
character. Many plants in which this see also Yincetoxicum. [M. T. M.]
character is absent, and which have been CYNARA. A genus of Compositcp., of
erroneously referred to the genus, are now | which many of the species are prickly
eliminated ; nevertheless some twenty or troublesome weeds, some are handsome,
thirty legitimate species remain. Of them
j
j
but scarcely any are useful besides the two
the most important are C. sinense, a strong familiarly known as the Artichoke and
Chinese species with erect spikes of brown Cardoon.
flowers emitting the most delicious fra-
j
tapering to each end, with a keel exter- vegetable of much excellence, and at the
nally, as the glumes of Phalaris .canari- present day it is only to be met with in a
few of our best gardens. On the conti-
|
ensis.
nent, however, the Cardoon is regarded as
|
|
CYMBOCARPA. genus of Burmannia-A a wholesome esculent, which in the hands
! cecz,consisting of a single slender leafless of a skilful cook forms an excellent dish.
j
annual, closely allied to Dictyostegia. The parts which are used are the stalks
! CYME. A kind of inflorescence, pro- of the inner leaves, rendered white, crisp,
! duced by the rays of an umbel forming and tender by blanching. These stalks
•
one terminal flower, and then producing are either stewed, or form an ingredient in
secondary pedicels from below it, in the soups and salads during autumn and win-
centrifugal manner, as in the laurustinus. ter. When permitted to flower, the plant
has a fine appearance, and attains a greater
CYMIXOSMA. Small trees with opposite height than the artichoke. The .flowers
or alternate entire dotted leaves on a have also the property of coagulating milk,
jointed stalk. They are of uncertain posi- for which purpose they are frequently used
tion, but are generally placed in Rutacece, by the French, after being gathered and
and by some authorities are included in dried in the shade.
Acronychia. The flowers are white or The Artichoke, C. Scolymus, is a hardy
greenish, in axillary or terminal corymbs, perennial, a native of Barbary and the
and have a four-parted calyx and corolla ; |
south of Europe. Although it is mentioned
cyna] Clje GTreaSttrii af Sootanp. 372
by Pliny as being a vegetable that was ages and the projecting stigma is hilnbed
;
much esteemed by the Romans, it does not or with a bifid linear apex. [W. C]
appear to have been known in this country
until introduced from Italy in 1548. The CYNODON. A genus of grasses belong-
plant has some resemblance to a large ing to the tribe Chloridece, distinguished
thistle. The leaves are numerous, ample, chiefly by the spikes of inflorescence being
pinnatifld, somewhat spiny, from three to in short spreading finger-like heads. The
four feet long, and covered with an ash- spikelets one-flowered, awnless ;theglumes
coloured cottony down. The flower stems nearly equal, spreading; pales equal; sta-
grow erect, and attain the height of from mens three ; and styles three. Fourteen
four to six feet. They are each terminated species are described, only one of which is
by a large globular head of imbricated a native of Britain, C. Dactylon, which
oval spiny scales of a purplish-green colour, inhabits the southern coasts of England.
which envelope a mass of flowers in the The creeping roots of this and some other
centre. These flower-heads in an im- grasses are said to possess some of the
mature state contain the parts that are medicinal properties of sarsaparilla. [D. M.]
eatable; which comprise the fleshy recep-
tacle usually called the ' bottom,' freed CYNOGLOSSUM. Houndstongue. A
from the bristles and seed-down, commonly
genus of Boraginacece, consisting of herbs
called the ' choke,' and the thick lower
from the temperate zones, especially of
the northern hemisphere. Leaves often
part of the imbricated scales or leaves of
the involucre. Although Artichokes are covered with silky-white hairs flowers in
;
nent, where by various modes of cooking shaped with the throat closed by five
they are made to form favourite dishes. obtuse scales, and the limb five-lobed
In Prance, the bottoms are often fried in stamens five, included nuts four, muri-
;
that spring in succession from the main C. montanum, a much more local plant,
stem, are generally preferred when about with green roughish leaves without soft
the size of a large egg. The Chard of hairs, blue-veined flowers, and nuts with-
Artichokes, or the tender central leaf-stalk out a prominent margin. [J. T. S.]
of the rose, in which many bony achamia a recent date the plant was gathered, and
are enclosed in a fleshy hollow enlarge- its growth secured by a person specially
ment of the apex of the flower-stalk. appointed to the office by the English
Government. [M. T. M.]
CYNOCTONUM. A genus of Asclepia-
containing more than thirty species
clacece, CYJSTORCHIS. A Mascaren genus of ter-
of perennial herbaceous plants or twining restrial orchids, differing from Habenaria
shrubs, natives of Africa, India, and tropi- in little except the lip being connate with
cal America. They have cordate leaves, the face of the column. The species have
and lateral peduncles springing from be- testiculate roots, like the orchids of Eu-
tween the petioles, and bearing many- rope. One, G. fastigiata, has been in culti-
flowered umbels. The calyx and corolla vation (see Bot. Register, t. 1998). Blume's
are five-parted ; the stamina! corona is genus, Mitostigma, is a synonym.
tubular and simple, with five or ten lobes,
and without any appendages in the in- CYNOSTJRUS. Agenus of grasses be-
terior the gynostegium short the anthers
; ; longing to the tribe Festucece, and distin-
surmounted by membranaceous append- guished chiefly by the inflorescence being
3~3 Cf)£ CrcaSurg cf Jacitaug. [CYPE
j
in crowded close thyrsoid panicles, with sands of the sea-shore. Their cellular tissue
I
flowers pointing to one side; glumes is sometimes used for paper. The under-
|
nearly equal, scarious.and strongly keeled, ground stems of several species of Cyperus
|
two or more-flowered; each spikelet with are used as food. Carices abound in moist
'<
a pectinated bract at its base. The genus temperate and cold regions. Carex aren-
comprises fire species, only one of which, aria is one of the sandy-shore plants; its
the Dog's Tail grass, C. cristatus, is truly underground stems are used for sarsapa-
. a native of Britain. This is considered an ex- rilla. The species of Eriophorum, or cotton
cellent species for permanent sheep-pasture. grass, have long white silky hairs sur-
The roots penetrate deep into tue earth, rounding the fruit. Papyrus antiquorum ap-
which enables the plant to withstand pears to be one of the plants called bulrush
droughts better than many of the other in scripture. It formerly grew abundantly
pasture-grasses ; hence it may often be seen at the mouth of the Kile, which was hence
looking quite fresh when they are partially called by Ovid papyriferous, but it is now
withered up. C. echinatus is an annual gone. The cellular tissue of its stems was
i
species, which is occasionally cultivated used in place of paper. Scirpus lacustris, the
'
in British collections of grasses. It is a bulrush, is used for making mats, baskets,
southern plant, but extends as far north and the bottoms of chairs. In South
as the Channel Islands. [D. MJ America it is used for making balsas or
boats; a similar use is referred to in
CYPELLA. A genus of beautiful Iri-
Isaiah (xviii. 1, 2). There are 120 known
dacece, consisting of a single species, C.
:
There are four or Ave calyx lohes and are two-celled; the stigma is obtuse and
petals, and as many or twice as many undivided. [W. C]
slightly perigynous stamens. The ovary is CYRTANTHUS. A
genus of handsome
two, three, or four-celled, with one pendu- AmaryllidacecB, consisting of bulbous
lous ovule in each cell, and bears as many herbs, with two-ranked narrow elongate
stigmas as cells. The fruit is usually suc- leaves, and many-flowered umbels of flow-
culent the seeds albuminous with anaxile
I
;
I
ers. The perianth has a curved narrow
embryo. There are about six species funnel-shaped tube, which is often a little
known from North or Tropical America, ventricose, and a limb of six short sub-
constituting four genera, Cyrilla, Mylo- equal segments; the filaments of the six
caryum, Elliottia, and. Purdicea. !
stamens straight, decurrent, inserted in
CYRILLA. A genus of Cyrillacece, con- the upper portion of the tube. They are
sisting of plantsfrom the warmer parts of |
South African plants, the type of the genus
North America, with the habit of some of j
being C. obliquus. This has globose bulbs
the larger shrubby species of Andromeda. as large as a man's fist, persistent lanceo-
Leaves alternate, wedge-shaped; racemes llate entire leaves an inch wide, and an
lateral, elongated, aggregated ; flowers I erect scape supporting a loose umbel of
sinall, white, with a five-cleft calyx, five j
numerous pendulous flowers, orange-col-
i
petals, and five stamens ; ovary two-celled ; our mixed with yellow and green, the tube
\
capsule fleshy, two-valved, two-seeded. C. sensibly widened upwards, an inch and a
! caroliniana is a handsome greenhouse half long, and the limb spreading, nearly
!
shrub. [J. T. SJ as long as the tube. In another group of
the species the leaves are deciduous. One
I CYRTANDRACEJE or CYRTANDRE^. |
'
number of caulescent undershrubsor herbs, five oblong carpels, gibbous at the top,
| j
natives of the Moluccas. They have oppo-' and ending in long styles. C. albiflora, a
site leaves, equal or frequently with one side
native of the Cape of Good Hope, is in cul- j
collected some species of terrestrial or- closed conical calyptra, which dehisces
chids from Tropical America, with long transversely a little above its base, the
fusiform fleshy stems, bearing membranous upper part falling away, and the lower be-
plaited leaves, and long racemes or pani- ing Very persistent the stamens are hy-
;
cles of showy yellow or spotted flowers, pogynous and persistent; the ovary is
whose scape rises from the base of the five-celled, each cell containing many
stem. They are very fine objects in culti- ovules, attached to a pendulous placenta.
vation, well grown specimens measuring The plants resemble Sprengelia and Pilitis
as much as five feet in height. The hand- in stature and habit from the first they
;
somest species are C. Andersoni and cardi- are separated by the structure of the
ochilum, brilliant yellow, and C.punctatum, corolla, and from the second by the ab-
yellow and brown. Tyloch ilusjlavus of the sence of hypogynous scales. [W. C]
Germans is the same as Cyrtopodium An- CYSTEA. A fanciful alteration, which
dersoni.
has not met with acceptance, of Cystopte-
CYRTOSIA. A remarkable genus of [
ris,the name of a genus of ferns. [T. MJ
37 CIjs Crsatfurg at 23atang.
CYSTIDIA. Salient cells, accompanying CYTINACEiE. The Cytinus Hypocistis,
the basids or asci of fungals ; by some re- either alone or in conjunction with two
garded as antherids. [M. J. B.] African root-parasites, Hydnora and Hy-
polepis, has been considered as constituting
CYSTIDI AXTHT7S. A genus of Asclepia- an independent family of very uncertain
dacecc, containing a few species of climb- affinities. It is a native of the Mediterra-
ing shrubs, natives of the Indian Archi- nean region, growing on the roots chiefly
pelago,with opposite leaves, and numerous of Cistus monspeliensis, and rises to a few
pedicellate flowers in interpetiolar and inches above ground in the form of a tuft
terminal umbels. The calyx is flve-parted ; of succulent stems covered with imbri-
•the corolla bell-shaped, five-toothed, and cated scales, and terminating in a head of
spreading the staminal corona consists of
; flowers, the whole plant of a rich yellow or
five fleshy leaves attached to the short gy- orange-red colour. The flowers are poly-
nostegium the anthers are terminated by
;
gamous, with a tubular four-lobed peri-
amerabraneadpressed to the stigma, which anth, and four two-celled anthers, sessile on
is convex, pentagonal, and smooth ; the a central column attached to the perianth-
follicles arc solitary, long and slender.with tube. The ovary is inferior, one-celled,
numerous comose seeds. This genus has with several parietal placentas, and nume-
the habit of Centrostema. [W. C] rous ovules. The plants contain gallic acid,
and have been used in consequence as as-
CYSTOCAPXOS. A genus of Fumariacece, tringents and styptics. [M. T. M.]
containing a glabrous climbing branched
herb from the Cape of Good Hope, with CYTISE A GRAPPES or AUBOERS or
v
i
CYSTOPUS. Under this name Blume i
'
low flowers. They are especially known by ,
deemed poisonous.
having the glands found inside the lip in
C. purpureas is an elegant procumbent
so many of these little plants enclosed in a
shrub, a native of Carniola. It seldom ex-
pair of cysts or pockets, whence the name
ceeds a foot in height, and is either used
has been formed. for ornamenting rockwork, or is grafted on
CYTHER-IS. Nephelaphyllum. |
the Laburnum. C. purpurascens (Fr. C.
CYTO] Ef)e &ttK3\ivt) flf 3Satau». 378
d'Adam), the purple Laburnum, is a hybrid DACHA. A Hottentot name for Canna-
between the two preceding. It was origi- bis sativa.
nated in Paris in 1828, by M. Adam, and
has since been much cultivated in England.
DACRYDIPM. A genus of Taxacece,
consisting of a few evergreen trees inhabit-
A peculiarity of this tree has often been ing the East Indies and New Zealand. The
noticed, which is interesting to the phy- distinguishing characteristics reside in the
siological botanist as showing the influence
female flower, which consists of? a boat-
exercised by the stock on the scion. ' This shaped bract, bearing an ovule which at
purple Laburnum is a hybrid between the first lies on the scale, but ultimately be-
common yellow Laburnum and C. purpu- comes erect, and when fully developed
reus. The branches below the graft pro- lias a short outer fleshy integument, from
duce the ordinary yellow Laburnum flow- which the inner bony investment of the
ers of large size those above often ex-
;
seed protrudes. D. cupressinum, which has
hibit a small purple Laburnum flower, as pendulous feathery branches and slender
well as l-eddish flowers, intermediate be- needle-like leaves, is a very graceful lofty
tween the two in size and colour. Occa- j
I
Fungi, of which B. stillatus is almost uni-
sale in spring in the streets of London, are versal in the form of small bright-orange
referrible to Genista. [C. A. J.] I
wasps' nest, from whence the genus takes fusarioides. [M. J. B.]
its name. There are three or four species,
all of which grow parasitically upon the DACTYL^NA. The name of a herb of
living branches of evergreen beeches, and the capparidaceous family, whose native
one in Tierra del Fuego for several months country is not known. It has a calyx of
affords the staple food of the inhabitants. four sepals, the anterior one longer than
It is, however, almost tasteless, and has I
the rest four petals, two longer than the
;
been compared to cow-heel. The species others six stamens, inserted into a hemi-
;
as it is
rounded by the upper scales.
genus of Ericacecc, distinguished chiefly by
its tetramerous instead of peutamerous DACTYLICAPNOS. A genus of Fuma-
structure, the calyx being four-cleft, the riacece, distinguished by having the two
corolla limb four-toothed, the stamens outer petals bulging out at the base, the
eight, and the capsule four-celled, with fruit berry-like, and the seeds crested. It
four valves. The plant called D. polifolia is considered by Drs. Hooker and Thomson
is the St. Dabeoc's Heath. [T. M .] as merely a section of Licentra, from which
379 CIjc Crcafiuvp of 23otaitin [D^MO
it differs only in having the wall? of the '
in which the root divides and becomes
fruit fleshy. It contains two Indian herbs hard and worthless. It is commonly called
with weak stems climbing by means of Fingers and Toes, and must be distin-
tendrils, compound triternate leaves, and guished from anbury, which arises from
racemes opposite the leaves. [J. T. S.] the attacks of insects. It is in fact not
properly a disease, but a tendency to a
DACTYLIS. A genus of grasses belong- reversion to the wild state, which can only
ing to the tribe Festucece, and distinguished be remedied by a careful selection of seed.
by the flowers being in very crowded It is sometimes thought that it arises f nun
panicles, and subsecund, i. e., pointing
an unequal distribution of manure, but
nearly all to one side. The glumes are
this is probably a mistake. [M. J. B.]
I
it does not grow on this sort of soil natu- near the base, the former entirely naked I
rally in great quantities, it produces a good or accompanied with one or more little j
crop when cultivated on it artificially scales which represent the calyx, the latter
Steudel describes twenty-nine species, also naked or having a calyx of three small
which have a wide' range of habitats over divisions. The fruit is a brown polished ;
from an insufficient knowledge of its In this genus the cavities, instead of being
structure, belongs essentially to this ge- circular or only slightly distorted, are sin-
nus, and is remarkable not only as being uous and intricate from the partial break-
one of the most widely-diffused species, ing-up of the cell-walls. B. quercina, a fun-
distinguished by its delicate pink hue, but gus of a hard corky texture, is not un-
as occurring not unfrequently in the closed common upon oak stumps or rails, and
cavities of nuts. The spawn of these deli- sometimes makes its appearance in build-
cate moulds will, however, soon penetrate ings or conservatories, where the wood
the firmest vegetable tissues if there be has been impregnated with its spawn be-
proper conditions of moisture. Another fore being felled. [M. J. B.]
species, B. oogenum, occurs in the inside of
eggs, where its presence is difficult to ac-
D.EDALETJS. Wlien a point has a large
count for without having recourse to the
circuit, but is truncated and ragged. Or,
wild and unphilosophical notion of equivo-
wavy and irregularly plaited as the hyme-
cal generation. In B. roseum, besides the
nium of some agarics.
common large spores, there are conidia of D^-EMONOROPS. A genus of palms
a small size, which may have greater power closely allied to Calamus, in which the
of penetration than the larger. The func- greater number of the forty species re-
tion, however, of these bodies is uncertain, ferred to it were formerly placed. Its dis-
and they may be spermatia rather than tinguishing peculiarities consist in the
conidia. [M. J. B.] flowers being loosely scattered along the
branches of the flower spikes, not collected
DACTYLOCTEXIUM. A genus of grasses into catkins as in Calamus, and also in the
belonging to the tribe Chloridece, distin-
spathes or bracts being complete, i.e.,
guished by the inflorescence being in i
:
daff] &f)C £r?a£urg of 3Sntani). 380
fruits are about the size of cherries, and, singular regularity, in others the florets
when ripe, are covered with a reddish were arranged in the form of a perfect
resinous substance, which is separated by rose. Finally, in the course of years, hoi - -
shaking them in a coarse canvass bag. ticulturists flatter themselves that they
The resin thus obtained forms the best have brought the Dahlia to the highest
kind of dragon's blood, while inferior point of beauty, though among the nume-
sorts are obtained by boiling the fruits rous seedlings raised every year, there are
after they have undergone the shaking constantly occurring individuals which are
process. Several varieties of dragon's considered as surpassing their predeces-
blood (sticks, reeds, tears, and lumps) sors in some point of floral excellence. A
are known in commerce, but some are race of pompons with remarkably small
yielded by plants belonging to widely flower-heads has been obtained. [C. A. J.]
different natural orders. It is chiefly used DAIS. A genus of Thymelacew or Dapli-
for colouring varnishes, for dyeing horn in nacece. Its characters are flowers sur-
:
imitation of tortoise shell, and in the com- rounded by an involucre calyx coloured,
position of tooth-powders and various
;
DAGGER PLANT. A name for Yucca. Cape of Good Hope and in the tropical and
subtropical parts of Asia. There are seven
DAHLIA. A well-known herbaceous known species. [J. H.B.]
plant belonging to the compound flowers,
and distinguished by its chaffy receptacle, DAISY. The common name for Bellis.
the absence of a pappus, and by the double — AFRICAN.
, Athanasia annua. —
involucre of which the outer is many- AUSTRALIAN. Vittadenia triloba. —,
leaved, the inner of one leaf divided into BLUE. Globularia vulgaris. , CHRIST- —
eight segments. The Dahlia is named MAS. A popular name for some of the
after Dr. Dahl, a pupil of Linnajus, but is species of Aster. — , MICHAELMAS. A
also known, especially on the continent, popular garden name for Aster, especially
by the name Georgina. Countless as are for A. Tradescanti. — OXEYE. Chrysanthe-
,
the varieties of this flower, there are, at the mum Leucanthemum. — , SWAN-RIVER.
most, only two species in cultivation, D. Brachycome iberidifolia.
superjlua, of which the outer involucre is
reflexed, and D. frustranea, in which it is
DAISY-STAR. Bellidiastrum.
spreading while under the name D. vari-
; DALBERGIA. A large genus of legu-
abilisboth these are united. The Dahlia minous forest? trees and climbing shrubs
is a native of Mexico, where it grows in principally inhabiting the tropics of the
sandy meadows at an elevation of 5,000 feet Eastern Hemisphere. Most of the species
above the sea, and from whence the first have pinnate leaves with numerous leaflets
plants introduced to England were brought arranged alternately, but sometimes re-
by way of Madrid in 1789, by the Mar- duced to three leaflets only. The flowers
chioness of Bute. These having been lost, are borne in axillary racemes, and have a
others were introduced, in 1804, by Lady bell-shaped calyx, the mouth of which is
Holland. These also having periled, a cut into five divisions, a papilionaceous
fresh importation was made from France, corolla, and nine to ten stamens, either all
when the continent was thrown open by joined together into a sheath, which is
the peace of 1814. The first introduction split along the upper side, or divided into
into France had taken place about 1800 ; two equal bundles of five each. The pods
and the plant was cultivated there for the are thin, very much flattened, not winged,
sake of its tubers, which were said to be and either long and straight, or short and
eatable. Owing, however, to their acrid crescent-shaped, containing one or several
and medicinal flavour, they found no fa- flatseeds
vour with the human species, and were re- D. latifolia, the Black-wood or East
jected by cattle. The roots are large, Indian Rose-wood tree, and the Sit-sal of
spindle-shaped, and assembled into bundles the Bengalese, is common on the Malabar
from the centre of which rises the stem. and Coromandel coasts, and forms a mag-
The flowers, in the examples first intro- nificent tree, yielding one of the most
duced, were single, with a yellow disk and valuable furniture woods. The timber is
dull scarlet rays having a velvety surface. procurable in planks four feet broad, ex-
The seeds of these soon produced flowers clusive of the sap-wood, and is of a dark
of various tints, some double, others varie- purplish colour, very heavy, close-grained,
gated. Flowers of a better colour and and susceptible of a fine polish. It comes
form were successively propagated; in to this country under the names of Black-
some the petals, or rather florets (for wood and East Indian Rosewood, but it
in what is called the 'double Dahlia 'the has not the agreeable perfume of the true
fulness of the flower is owing to the con- rosewood, nor is it marked with the black
version of disk into ray florets), as- lines of resinous matter which add so
sumed the shape of a horn or funnel with much to the beauty and value of the Brazi-
381 Ojc Crcasfuru at Maimy, [dama
]ian -wood.In India it is greatly used for DALECHAMPIA. A genus of spurge-
making the most expensive descriptions of worts found in the tropics of both hemi-
furniture. B. sissoides, is a smaller tree, spheres. Their slender stems are generally
but yields an equally valuable timber, found twining among bushes, but some-
which also goes by the names of Black- times scrambling to a great height amongst
wood and Rosewood in Madras, where it is trees.The leaves are alternate, stalked,
employed, in the construction of gun- heart-shaped, entire or three to five-lobed,
carriages. sometimes divided to the base. The small
D. Sissoo is an East Indian species, but green flowers are borne on stalked heads
found farther north than either of the pre- which proceed from the axils of the leaves,
ceding,abounding principally in Bengal and a circumstance that at once serves to dis-
the provinces as far north as the Punjab. tinguish the genus. The heads contain a
It is a large and very rapid-growing tree, number of flowers of both sexes, and are
yielding a strong tenacious compact tim- enveloped by an involucre of two leafy,
ber of a dark brown colour, but not so fine- beautifully veined green or coloured
grained as the Blackwood. This wood is bracts. The male flowers have a four or
called Sissoo or Sissum; and being very du- five-parted calyx, and very numerous sta-
rable it is included among those which are mens the females a calyx of five or six
;
authorised to be employed for the sleepers divisions which are often fringed with
of Indian lines of railway. In Bengal it hairs, and an ovary surmounted by a cy-
is used in the construction of gun-carri- lindrical or club-shaped style, which is en-
ages, and it also supplies the ship-builders tire, with a terminal or lateral stigmatic
of that presidency with crooked timbers opening. The fruit is a three-celled three-
and knees, besides which it is extensively lobed capsule about the size of a large pea.
employed for all the ordinary purposes The names Cremophylhtm and Rhopalostyiis
connected with house building. [A. S.] are given by some authors to plants of
this genus. [A. A. B.]
DALEA. A genus of sub-shrubby or
herbaceous plants of the pea family found DALHOUSIEA. A smooth simple-leaved
in America, appearing in greatest numbers shrub of the pea family found in Silhet,
in New Mexico, and having their northern where it bears its white blossoms in May,
limit in the United States, and their south- and ripens its pods in the end of the sea-
ern in Chili,very few being found in the son. Its beautifully veined glossy leaves
north-eastern part of the continent. Its are stalked, oval, and entire the pedun-
;
which the stamens are five, while here lar bracts, which completely hide the five-
they are generally ten, and never fewer toothed calyx. The upper petal or standard
is deeply notched, and the ten stamens are
j
! or oblong leaflets, which are often covered from three to four inches long, tapered at
with small glandular dots like those seen each end into a sharp point, and contain-
I in the St. John's-wort. The white, yellow, ;
ing two or three flat seeds. The simple
I
pink, or purple flowers are about the size of leaves, bracted peduncles, and free stamens,
I
those of a vetch, and arranged in terminal together with the nature of the pods, are
i
spikes or heads the calyx nearly equally
;
its most marked features. [A. A. B.]
j
:
DALIBARDA. A genus of herbs or
;
height of about six inches, and is alto- DAMASONIUM. A floating aquatic he-
gether covered with silky hairs it is also
; longing to the Alismacece, better known
I remarkable as being the only species with under the name of Actinocarpus Dama-
: trifoliolate leaves. Upwards of sixty spe- sonium. It is found, though somewhat
: cies are enumerated. The genus is named rarely, in our ponds and ditches, and forms
1 in honour of Thomas Dale, an English a tuft of radical floating long-stalked
I botanist of the last century. [A. A. B.] i leaves, from amongst which issues the
flower-stem bearing one or more whorls of solete; a monopetalous, two-lipped, blue
white flowers. They are each succeeded or purple corolla, the segments of the
by six or eight two-seeded carpels, ar- upper lip of which are auricled on the
ranged in the form of a star. [T. MJ inner margin five stamens with coherent
;
DAME D'ONZE HEURES. (Fr.) Omi- at the base of a cup, termed an indusium.
thogalum umbellatum. The flowers are axillary or terminal and ;
but referred to Oxalidacece by Planchon, best is strong and tough, is not liable to
who considers closely allied to Averrhoa.
it crack or break upon being folded, is not
The hypogynous flowers, and five-celled eaten by insects, and does not suffer from
fruit with pendulous exalbuminous seeds, damp. Prom its durability it is used in
are sufficient to distinguish it from the many parts of India for deeds and records.
Chrysobalanacece. [J. T. S.] Several kinds are cultivated in this
country as hardy shrubs or in greenhouses.
DAPHNACE.E. A natural order of mo- Among them are B. pontica, which resem-
nochlamydeous dicotyledonous plants, bles the common spurge laurel, but is of
synonymous with THYMELiEACE^: or Thy- larger growth, has more fragrant flowers,
melace^e which see.
: IJ. H. B.] and grows well under the shade of
trees B. alpina, a low growing shrub
DAPHXADS. A name used by Lindley
;
have a more or less stringy bark, and all has nine stamens in three rows, the three
are more or less acrid.
innermost having glands at each side of
B. Me-ereum, the Mezereon, a common their filaments. Fruit berry-like, one-
shrub in cottage gardens in this country, seeded, partly enclosed within the persis-
where it is also said to grow wild, is re- tent base of the perianth. [M. T. M.]
markable for the appearance of its fragrant DAPHNIDOSTAPHYLIS. small group A
pink flowers in early spring before the of shrubby plants, separated by some from
leaves expand. It forms a dwarf bush Arctostaphylos.
with erect branches, along the sides of
which the flowers are placed, while the DAPHNOPSIS. A genus of Thymelacece,
leaves occur in tufts at the extremity of consisting of dioecious Brazilian plants.
the twigs. The fruits are red and pulpy, The male flowers have a four-cleft peri-
of the size of a pea, and poisonous to anth, with eight stamens, and a rudimen-
human beings, though birds eat them with tary ovary. The perianth of thefemaleflow-
avidity. There is a variety with white er is persistent at the base of the drupe,
flowers and yellowish fruits. The bark of which is of a fibrous texture. [M. T. MJ
this species, and especially that of its DARBYA. A North American tree or
roots, has been used in medicine as a shrub, described by A. Gray as constituting
sudorific and alterative in scrofulous, ve- a distinct genus of Santalacece, but re
nerea!, and other diseases. It is extremely duced by A. De Candolle to a section of
acrid to the taste, and is now rarely em- Comandra,
ployed.
B. Laureola, the Spurge Laurel, occurs DAREA. A section of Asplenium, some-
in woods in this country. It is a smaller times called Ccenopteris, and characterised
plant than the preceding, and has bright by the prevalence of unisorlferous seg-
green oblong evergreen leaves, and green- ments to the fronds. [T. M.]
ish flowers which are scentless ; the fruits DARLINGTONIA. A remarkable genus
are oval and of a bluish-black colour. This of Sarraceniacece found in California. The
species participates in the acrid properties only species, B. californica, known as the
darn] QTf)e Ereajattrp of 23ataixn. 384
is narrowed at the base and deeply divided ten to fifteen, often joined in threes, in-
into two spreading nearly lance-shaped serted in the limb of the calyx, and hav-
lobes, which are curved downwards, and
J
I
ing very short flat glabrous filaments, and
also often backwards, resembling the lop- anthers inserted by their bases style ta-;
ears of some varieties of rabbit. The pering, bearded at the apex stigma a
;
pitcher inside the hood is furnished with pruinose dot ovary one-celled, single-
;
short conical hairs which point downwards, seeded seeds pentagonal pitted on the
;
and towards the base there are long slen- surface. Heath-like shrubs of lowly growth
der hairs also pointing downwards; re- found in the extra-tropical portions of
mains of insects are sometimes found at Australia. The leaves are marked with
the bottom. Dr. Torrey writes ' The orifice pellucid dots. [R. H.]
of the pitcher being placed directly under
DASYA. A lovely genus of rose-spored
A1cia>, allied to Polysiphonia, from which it
differs in its more compound stem, with
persistent coloured branchlets, which origi-
nate the pod-like receptacles of the tetra-
spores or stichidia. The species are far
more common in the Southern Ocean. We
have, however, a few fine species, of which
D. coccinea is well known to most col-
lectors of Algce from its bright scarlet
tint and there are representatives in the
;
furnished with straw-coloured scales, and the stem is continued bearing whorls of
varies from two to four feet in length. forked fibres, and as the fruit cells fall off
When fully expanded the flower is about below, new discs are formed above. Dasy-
two inches in diameter the calyx consists
;
cladus, the typical genus, has threads free
of five straw-coloured acute sepals the;
from any crust, and the axis is clothed
petals, of alike number, and pale purple in everywhere with whorls of jointed trifid
colour, are narrowed and concave at the branchlets. The thread-shaped forked dis-
apex and broad below the twelve to fifteen
;
tinctly jointed frond of Cymopolia, on the
stamens are nearly hidden by the project- contrary, is densely incrusted, the crust
ing summit of the ovary, which is top- being pierced with pores, and the nodes
shaped, slightly five-angled, and crowned fringed with byssoid multifld fibres. We
by a short style with a five-lobed stigma. have no representative of this curious
The fruit is a five-celled capsule about an order on our coasts. Both Dasycladece
inch in length, with numerous seeds. The and Valoniacea? were first separated by
forked blade of the leaf and the form of Kutzing from Siphonei, and are adopted by
the stigma distinguish the genus from Dr.Harvey in his admirable work on North
American Algce, to which we have been i margin flowers
; sessile in a gobular ter"
largely indebted, [M. J. B.] |
minal head. [J. T. S.]
Australian bushes of the Myoporum family, and the south-eastern part of Europe.
having their leaves and stems covered with They have bitter and purgative qualities. It
i
dense white wool. The forked style and is said that the ovary of Batisca canndbina
bracted flower-stalks, together with the can produce perfect seeds without the ap-
woolly nature of the stems and leaves, are plication of pollen to the pistil. Tetrameles
its chief distinguishing features. Thefour- Horsfleldii is a large tree of the order.
angled stems are furnished with opposite There are but three known genera, Batisca,
entire leaves, oblong obovate in form. In the Tetrameles, and Tricerastes, and these corn-
axils of these the flowers are found in little prise but four species. [J. H. B.]
bundles or cymes shorter than the leaves.
I
mens (two long and two short) are in- mens five to fifteen, collected in the
middle of the flower ovary united with
serted. The ovary is densely hairy and
;
the apex. It comprises two undershrubs while in small quantities they act as valu-
from South Australia, with simple leafy able remedial agents. They are known by
stems, and grass-like leaves rough at the their tubular calyx, the upper part of
daub] Cp t£rea£ttrg at 28fltanj?. 386
which the fruit ripens, while a
falls off as nevertheless occur from its narcotic pro-
small portion remains as a circular rim perties. See Brugmansia. [M. T. M.]
around the base of the fruit the corolla
is funnel-shaped and plaited.
;
The fruit is
DAUBENTONIA. A genus of bushy
plants of the pea family, comprising three
a capsule with four compartments and species found in Texas and Buenos Ayres.
four valves. They are chiefly remarkable for their curi-
The best known plant of this genus is ous quadrangular pods, which are three to
the common Thorn Apple, D. Stramonium, four inches long, stalked, pointed, and
which springs up in a half wild state on fivrnished with wings along the angles.
the borders of cultivated fields, rubbish The only other genus with four-angled
heaps, &c, in this country, and is found in
pods nearly related to this is Piseulia,
similar situations in all the warmer parts
which has unequally pinnate leaves while
;
of the globe. It is a coarse strong-smel-
here there is no odd leaflet, but the leaves
ling annual, growing one or two feet high,
are made up of ten to twelve pairs of ob-
with widely-spreading forked branches, long leaflets, each about an inch in length.
and large ovate leaves with irregularly- The red or yellow flowers, a good deal like
waved or sinuately-toothed margins. The those of the laburnum, are borne on axil-
flowers are large, placed on short stalks
lary racemes shorter than the leaves. D.
arising from the forks of the stem; the
jmnicea is a common plant on the banks
calyx is tubular and angular the corolla
of the Uraguay, and in various parts of
;
stramonium, and is employed by the na- capitate stigma. The genus is dedicated
tive doctors for the relief of rheumatic to Prof. Daubeny of Oxford. [T. M.]
and other painful affections. The seeds DAUCOSMA. A North American genus
are used in India and China to stupefy or of Umbelliferce, represented by an annual
even poison an enemy. D. alba or D. Met el, herb, with the odour of the wild carrot,
also an Indian plant, produces similar ef-
whence its name. Its distinguishing cha-
fects. The Rajpoot mothers are said to
racters are its petals, which are bent in-
smear their breasts with the juice of the wards ; its five-toothed calyx and its
;
leaves, so as to poison their newly-born
distinct carpophore or stalk bearing the
female infants. It has been conjectured two halves of the fruit. The first of these
that the seeds of D. Stramoniumwere used characters separates it from Cynosciadium,
by the priests of Apollo at Delphi to pro- the second from ^Ethusa, and the last from
duce those frantic ravings which were CEnanthe. [M. T. MJ
called prophecies, a suggestion which de-
rives some support from the fact that in ' DAUCUS. A genus of Umbelliferce, con-
the temple of the Sun, in the city of Sago- sisting of several species of dwarf weedy-
mozo (.Peru ?), the seeds of the Floripondio, looking plants, having thin deeply-cut
D. sanguinea, are used for a similar pur- pinnatifld leaves ; and flower-stems rising
pose.' The Peruvians also prepare an in- from two to three feet high, and bearing in
toxicating beverage from the seeds, which j
a terminal umbel a number of small white
induces stupefaction and furious delirium |
or rosy-coloured flowers. It is distinguish-
if partaken of in large quantities. The |
ed by the long prickles to its carpels, the
Arabs of central Africa are said by Lieut. prickles being long, flat, and straight.
Burton to dry the leaves, the flowers, and Of one of its species cultivated as a vege-
the rind of the rootlet, which is con- table, there are many varieties.
sidered the strongest preparation, and The Carrot, D. Carota, is a biennial, a
smoke them in a common bowl, or in a native of Britain, usually found, in its
water-pipe. It is esteemed by them a wild state, in light sandy soil. Notwith-
sovereign remedy for asthma and influ- standing the great difference between its
enza, and although they do not use it like dry sticky root, and that of the large suc-
the Indian Datura poisoners, accidents culent root of our garden Carrot, it is
387 Cfje Er«Htfur|} at Matmv. [davy
mens, which are eight to ten in number, Sikkim. The name is also a synonyme of
nearly equal in height and similar in form ;
Cnemidia. [J. H. BJ
the anthers linear or awl-shaped, curved
outwards and opening at top by a little DECAMALEE or DIKAMALI. A gum
pore the connective or point of junction
:
obtained in India from Gardenia lucida.
of the anther with its stalk produced be- DECANEMA. A genus of Asclepiadacece,
hind into an obtuse or acute horn, some- containing a single species from Madagas-
times forked at the point and parallel to
I
shaped, oval or elliptical, entire or toothed. in the structure of the flower. The flowers
j
The flowers are yellow, rose, or purple, dis- are small in terminal or lateral umbels
posed in terminal panicles or cymes, and the calyx is five-parted the corolla rotate
;
having an entire or five-toothed calyx; five and five-cleft the staminal crown consists
;
obovate petals, and a filiform style crown- of two series of five lobes, the outer be-
ing an ovary which becomes, when ripe, a ing opposite to, the inner alternating with,
five-celled capsule with numerous seeds. the lobes of the corolla, and its lobes are
The genus bears the name of Sir H. Davy, rounded and terminate in a long linear
the eminent chemist. [A. A. B.]
blade exceeding the corolla. The Ion ground
DAY-FLOWER. An American name for follicles contain comose seeds. [W. C]
Commelyna. A
DECASPORA. small Tasmanian genus
DEAL. The wood of various pine and of JSpacridacece, having small ovate or
fir trees. lanceolate leaves, and flowers in terminal
spikes of a reddish hue. The calyx with
DEALBATE. Covered with a very two bracts at the base corolla campanu-
;
opaque white powder. late, the limb slightly bearded stamens
;
DECA. In Greek composition = ten. exserted with five scales united at the
base a ten-celled ovary with a single seed
DECAISISTEA. A genus of plants named
;
Decaisnea insignis.
|
Paxiuba being a general term applied to DEERBERRY. Gcmltheria procumbens
i the Iriarteas), the Deckeria or Iriartea also an American name for Vaccinium sta-
ventricosa of botanists, a common palm in mineum.
the forests bordering the Amazon and Rio
Negro, where the natives take advantage
DEERINGIA. A genus of Amaranthacece,
distinguished, by its fruit being a many-
of its swollen trunks in the construction
of their canoes, its natural shape saving
seeded berry." They are smooth weak-
them much labour. They also use the stemmed shrubs from India and Australia,
hard black wood of the outer portion of with alternate leaves, and spikes of small
flowers, having a five-leaved calyx, five sta-
the trunk to make harpoons for spearing
mens united below into a cup, a short style,
!
j
DECLINATE. Bent downwards. celosioides, from New Holland, bears long
spikes of red berries, about the size of cur-
j DECODON. A genus of Lythracece, rants. [J. T. S.]
nearly related to Lythrum, and differing
: chiefly in the calyx-tube being shortly DEFERENT. Conveying anything down-
bell-shaped, instead of cylindrical. D. wards.
verticillata, the Swamp Loosestrife, grows
.
on the borders of swamps in the United DEFOLIATION. The casting off of
leaves.
States, and is the only known species. It
.
is a pretty bush six to eight feet high, DEFORMATION. An alteration in the
having slender recurved stems furnished usual form of an organ by accident or
with privet-like leaves, placed in whorls otherwise.
'
cations.
much smaller than the inner ones. Sta-
mens nine or twelve in three or four rows,
.
I
DECUMARIA. A climbing shrub of the the inner row sterile of the fertile sta-
;
Southern States of North America, form- mens, the two outer rows have their
ing a genus of Philadelphacece. The flowers anthers opening inwardly, while those of
are white, arranged in corymbs, sweet- the inner row open outwardly, the fila-
scented, and in gardens are observed to be ments of this latter series having glands on
sometimes unisexual, though this has not each side at the base. The fruit is a one-
I
been found to be the case in wild specimens. seeded berry placed upon a thickened fleshy
The calyx-tube is adherent to the ovary, flower stalk. [M. T. M.]
and is marked by from seven to ten pro-
! minent nerves the style is consolidated,
;
DEHISCENCE. The act of splitting into
regular parts, or in some manner depen-
I expanded above into a stigma, with seven
I
to ten rays. The capsule is divided into
dent upon organic structure.
1
and rising again from it. form of a barrel. The stem abounds in a
j
pinnatifld.
j
mous quantity of very large tubes of pitted
I
DECUSSATE. Arranged in pairs that tissue,some of which measure a line and
: alternately cross each other. a half across ; they form the whole inner
dela] Ki)t tEratfurg of SSotattg. 390
face of each woody zone. When boiling our coasts, a great part of their beauty aris-
water is poured on shavings of this wood, ing from the symmetry of the frond, and
a clear jelly resembling tragacanth is the contrast between the dark midrib and
formed, and becomes a thick viscid mass ;
the membranous border. The capsules con-
iodine stains it brown, but no trace of tain a placenta formed of branched threads
starch is indicated in it.' Usually the bearing short chains of spores, the ulti-
leaves are from two to four inches long, mate members of the chains being the
entire, stalked, and lance-shaped; some- first to ripen. The species are numerous,
times, however, they are digitate and com- and many of them are widely dispersed.
posed of seven to nine sessile leaflets of The beautiful ash-leaved seaweed formerly
the same form as the simple leaves. The called B. scmguinea, has fruit of a different
digitate leaves are probably found only on structure, and is nowreferred to a distinct
young plants. The flowers are inconspicu- genus, Wormslcioldia. [M. J. BJ
ous, and borne on short panicles arising
DELIMA. A small genus of Billenia-
with the exception of one Asiatic
cece, all,
West-
species, natives of the tropics of the
ern hemisphere. They have very small
flowers disposed in loose panicles at the
ends of the young branches the calyx :
species is J), integrifolium (Codazzia speci- able for its scarlet flowers. [M. T. M.]
osa),frequent in the Andes of Quindiu. D.
latifolium is identical with CallicMamys DELTOID. A solid, the transverse sec-
riparia, and JD. Stenolobium with Steiwlo- tion of which has a triangular outline, like
bium starts. Amphilophium is the only other the Greek a. Also applied to the outline
bianoniaceous eenus which has a double of thin bodies.
j
widely distributed orer the temperate re- pical species have an investing membrane.
gions of the Northern hemisphere. They Some of our common moulds, as Cladospo-
are herbaceous plants, with erect branch- rium lierbarum, belong here. [M. J. B.]
ing stems, and finely cut or palmately-
divided leaves. The flowers are in loose
j
are ordered to be used in the form of oint- and the Pacific Islands and one in New ;
extremely acrid bitter white powder pre- the habit of its species, some being little
I
pared from the seeds, and used externally larger than the mosses among which they
:
in cases of rheumatism and neuralgia. grow while others are surpassed in sta-
!
;
Numerous species and varieties of this ture by few in the order. Like the Onci-
genus are cultivated in gardens. D. Con- dia of the New World, there are some
solida, a common European plant, is occa- species of which the foliage is ancipitous,
sionally found in a half-wild state on. the others having it terete, while in the ma-
borders of fields. Its name was given in jority it is in the usual flat condition. A
reference to its power, real or imagin- few have no other stem than a wiry creep-
ary, of healing or consolidating wounds. ing rhizome others have small conical ;
D. Ajacis, a common garden plant, de- pseudo-bulbs many form clavate horny ;
rives its name from certain markings on stems, leafy only at the summit but the ;
the petals, presenting more or less resem- greater part produce long leafy branches.
blance to the letters A I A I hence also it
; In the majority the colour of the flowers
has been conjectured to be the hyacinth ' is some shade of purple a few are desti- ;
of the ancients, described as possessing tute of all colour except green; and a
similar markings. Dr. Daubeny, the latest rather considerable group is especially dis-
commentator on the plants mentioned in tinguishable by the rich yellow tint of
ancient Greek and Latin writers, con- their blossoms.'— Lindley. In arrangement,
eludes, ' that the term huakinthos was in the flowers are either solitary, fascicled, or
general applied to some plant of the lily in racemes. According to Dr. Lindley, all
tribe but that the poets confounded with
: agree in having a two-celled anther with
this the larkspur, which has upon it the four pollen masses, which have no caudicle
markings alluded to and that the name
; or separate stigmatic gland, -and are of
hyacinth was given, in the first instance, uniform breadth at either end the latter ;
to the plant which most distinctly ex- character separating them from Eria,
hibited them.' which bears pear-shaped pollen masses;
Some of the cultivated species, such as whilst, from the nearly-related genus Bol-
I). grorifJ/'florvm, I), chinense, D. sibiricum, b opt rij limn, they may be recognised by the
&c, are called Bee Larkspurs, from the re- sessile and not unguiculate (clawed) lip.
dend] El)t CDrca^ttrj) ai 300tanj). 392
Of cultivated species, with flowers in bracted spikes six to eight inches long
which purple predominates, we have B. the bracts arranged in a two-ranked man-
nobile, perhaps the most beautiful in the ner. The anther is two-celled, with four in-
genus. It has erect stems one to two cumbent pollen masses while the column
;
feet high, bearing at intervals two or has two short horns in front, and the lip
three-flowered peduncles, the flowers when is entire. About a dozen species are
expanded being two to three inches across. known of which one is B. glumaceum, a
;
The petals and sepals are fain tly rose-colour- very pretty Philippine Island plant, culti-
ed at the base, and bright purple towards vated in orchid houses for the sake -of its
apex the lip rolled up so as to be nearly
; graceful drooping spikes of ivory-white
trumpet-shaped, with a recurved border flowers, the leaves resembling those of the
which is greenish-yellow at the edges and lily of the valley and another is the grace-
;
purple at the end, while the tube is of a ful little B. filiforme, in which the flowers
deep blood-red colour. There are a number are bright yellow. [A. A. B.]
of fine varieties of this plant cultivated.
B. macranthum, from Manilla, has rich DENDROID. Divided at the top into a
rose-coloured flowers, sometimes five in- number of branches, so as to resemble the
ches across; the ovate lip is margined head of a tree ; only applied to small plants
with a delicate fringe of hairs, and marked like mosses.
at the base on either side with a deep purple DENDROLOBIUM. A genus of small
blotch. B. Macarthice, called in Ceylon leguminous trees found in the tropical
Wissak-mal, meaning rainy-month flower, countries of the eastern hemisphere, but
has slender stems one to two feet long, in greatest abundance in India. They only
and three to five-flowered racemes the ;
differ from Desmodium in their small joint-
flowers of a pale purple, three inches wide. ed pods, about an inch in length, being
B. Falconeri, from Bhotan, is readily re- somewhat rounded, and in the disposition
cognised by the markedly tumid joints of of the flowers. The leaves are made up
its slender stems ;the beautiful large soli- of three oblong or oval leaflets, usually
tary flowers have pale rose-coloured petals downy or covered underneath with silvery
and sepals tipped with dark purple, the hairs. The flowers, in little axillary fasci-
lip having a deep purple blotch at the base cles or umbels, are white and inconspicu-
bordered by a yellow ring. These are all ous. [A. A. B.]
lovely plants. In the yellow-flowered
group we have B.ftmbriatum from Nepal, DENDROMECON. A genus of shrubby
with racemes of fine yellow flowers from Papaveracece found in California, and hav-
near the apex of thenaked stems; avariety ing two ovate caducous sepals, fourpetals,
of this occurs with a deep red spot at the numerous stamens with filiform filaments
base of the beautifully fringed lip. B. and linear anthers, two short thick sessile
densiflorum has stout stems which end in a stigmas, and a siliquseform one-celled two-
tuft of glossy leaves, setting off to great valved pod, with a marginal placenta and
advantage the fine dense clusters of droop- numerous seeds. Bendromecon, literally
ing golden-yellow flowers this is one of
: Tree Poppy, is a most appropriate name,
the finest in the genus. Mr. Darwin, in the plant having all the aspect and charac-
his book on orchids, gives an account of ter of the poppy tribe, combined with a
the self-fertilisation of B. chrysantlmm, woody stem and branches. The species, B.
which belongs to this group. Amongst a rigidu.m, has lance-shaped glaucous leaves,
host of species with drooping stems, we and yellow flowers resembling those of
have B. Pierardi, with delicate pale lilac Meconopsis cambrica. [T. M.]
flowers and the beautiful little B. Bevo-
;
ous ferns of the group Bickfoniece, distin- is funnel-shaped with a dilated throat, its
guished from Bicksonia itself, chiefly by limb five-cleft, each of the petals having
having a cup-shaped instead of a two- on either side a small acute tooth-like pro-
valved indusium, this being reflexed so as cess the stamens are concealed within
;
to stand at a right angle to the plane of the corolla; and the fruit is a two-celled
the frond. They have creeping rhizomes, berry, surmounted by the lobes of the
and for the most part large herbaceous calyx. [M. T. M.]
bipinnate or decompound fronds. B. punc-
t'dohvla I), cicutaria, B. apiifolia, &c, are
, DENTICULATE. Having very fine mar-
familiar examples. The same group has ginal teeth.
been sometimes called Sitobolium, or by DENUDATE. When a surface which
error Sitolobium. [T. M.]
has once been hairy, downy, &c, becomes
DENS. A
toothing adj. DENTATE
; : naked.
having sharp teeth with concave edges. DEODAR. Abies, or Cedrus, Deodara.
When these teeth are themselves toothed,
the part is duplicato-dentate not bidentate,
: DEOPERCULATE. A term used in de-
which means two-toothed. scribing mosses, when the operculum will
depa] Clje Erea^urj? of 380tanp. 394
not separate spontaneously from the leaf-stalks are furnished with one or more
spore-cases. glands, and at their base are two small
setaceous stipules. The small green or
DEPAUPERATE. When some part is white flowers are numerous, and borne in
less perfectly developed than is usual in
round stalked heads which arise from the
plants of the same family thus, when the
;
axils of the leaves, and consist of a bell-
lower scales of the head of a cyperaceous
shaped calyx, five petals, and five or ten
plant produce no flowers, such scales are
stamens, though sometimes flowers are
said to be depauperated, or starved.
found in which there are neither stamens
DEPPEA. The name Mexican shrub
of a nor pistil. The pods are flat, smooth,
of the cinchona family, the wood and bark membranaceous, several-seeded, and about
of which are of a red colour. The flowers an inch in length when ripe they split
;
are yellow arranged in cymes the limb of; into two portions, while in Mimosa, to
the calyx has four small teeth the corolla ; which this genus is nearly allied, they break
is wheel-shaped the filaments are very
; up into as many portions as there are
short, nevertheless, the anthers project seeds. The little brown polished seeds
from the corolla the fruit is a capsule
; of B. virgatus are in Jamaica strung like
bursting by two valves. [M. T. M.] beads, and used for making bracelets,
= the work bags, &c. B. brachylobus is a Texan
DERMA. In Greek compounds plant, sometimes known as Darlingtmia;
bark or rind. but that name is now given to the Califor-
DERMIS. The skin of a plant. nian pitcher plant. [A. A. B.]
grooved or striate as in Biatomacece. Be- lar rotatory motion of the leaflets of this
sides the increase of the species by means plant renders it an object of great interest.
of cell division and spores, minute zoo- In the trembling poplar, the leaf-stalk is
spores with lash-like appendages have been so constructed that the least breath of
discovered in Pediastrum, a genus which wind causes the leaf to whirl in the sensi- ;
belongs to a small group in which the tive plant when the leaves are touched,
cells remain united so as to form a little
flat frond. In Closterium there is, more-
over, an organ at the extremity of the
frond consisting of a cell inclosing active
molecules. This is probably the male ap-
paratus. The armed spores are sometimes
found in a fossil state enclosed in flints
and other transparent minerals. Like Dia-
tomacece, Ehrenberg has attempted to re^
fer them to the animal kingdom, but all
good authorities seem now convinced that
the proper place is amongst the Algce. Mr.
Ralfs' beautiful work on Desmidiacece may
be consulted by those who wish for fuller
j
signate that group of ferns in which the air be quite still, and they are scarcely
fronds are produced terminally, that is, influenced by mechanical irritation. The
from the apex of the caudex, and are ad- leaflets move in nearly all conceivable
herent to it see Eremobrya.
: [T. M.] ways, but do not fold on themselves two
|
;
branches of the stem rigid, the barren gether. Sometimes one leaf or two on the
ones awl-shaped, the flowering ones with a plant only are affected, and at others the
single ovate few-flowered spike. [J. T. S.] movement is nearly simultaneous in all
the leaves. More commonly the lateral
DESMODITJM. An extensive genus of leaflets are seen to move up or down,
herbs, shrubs, or small trees, of the pea either steadily or by jerks. The move-
family, found more or less in all extra- ments are most evident if the plant be in a
i
European countries, but chiefly confined to close hothouse with a strong sun shining.
!
the tropics. They are easily recognised It is said that by arresting the AT ital action
by the form of their pods, which are flat, going on in the leaflets, by giving them
straight or curved, with two or many coating of gum, and thus preventing
[
joints, each jointed portion enclosing one transpiration and respiration, the move-
!
seed; in form, size, and thickness, they are men ts are stopped, but that they re-
much like the blade of a pen-knife, but commence when the gum is removed by
Iways notched, and wa ter. Upwards of 100 species are known,
occasionally the upper also. The leaves3 a great proportion natives of South Ame-
are commonly made up of three leaflets, ri ca an a India i
[A. A. B.]
but sometimes they are simple and lance-
shaped or linear. The flowers are white, DESMONCUS. A genus of palms in-
I
pink, purple, or blue, and usually disposed habiting the forests of tropical America.
:
in terminal or leaf-opposed racemes or They have long slender flexible stems, and
panicles they have a bell-shaped four or pinnate leaves with the leaf-stalks pro-
;
(
five-toothed calyx, five narrow petals, and longed into whip-like tails, resembling in
ten stamens, all inserted into a tube or one general appearance the calami of the East-
'
of them free. The most interesting, al- ern Hemisphere, and like them also, they
though by no means the most beautiful, climb over and amongst the branches of
plant in the genus is D. gyrans, the Moving trees, and support themselves by means of
j
plant, a native of India, and often found in the hooked or recurved spines attached to
cultivation in plant stoves ; its leaves are !
Madagascar, with alternate, ovate or lan- ferior, three to four-celled styles three or
;
ceolate smooth leathery stalked leaves, four, thread-shaped, erect stigmas club-
;
and several slender spicate racemes grow- shaped capsule leathery, surmounted by
;
ing out of each axil. The flowers are very the disc, bursting in the middle by three
small, bracteated,with a five-toothed calyx, or four slits. B. scabra is a hardy shrub,
five linearoblong thin petals, and Ave sta- whose clusters of white flowers give it a
mens. [J. T. SJ very ornamental character. Its leaves are
used by polishers in Japan on account of
DESVAUXIACEiE. (Centrolepidece, Bris-
their rigid star-shaped hairs these latter,
tleworts.) A
natural order of monocoty-
too, and especially those of B. staminea,
;
none or represented by one or two delicate DEVERRA. The generic name of plants
scales stamen one, rarely two ; ovaries
;
belonging to the umbelliferous order, cha-
one to eighteen, attached to a common racterised by the fruit being round or
axis, distinct or united partially, one- ovate and covered with scales or hairs.
celled, with a single stigma to each The species are natives of Africa, usually
ovules single orthotropal. Fruit consist- of small size and of a bare rigid aspect,
ing of one-seeded carpels, opening. length- broom-like; hence named Deverra, after
wise seed pendulous
; embryo having a
;
the ' goddess of brooms.' In the earlier
lens-like form. They are found in the stages the plants usually have small linear
South Sea Islands and in New Holland. leaves ; at more advanced periods of
There are about fifteen species described, growth few of these remain, hence the pe-
and four genera, of which Centrolepis and culiar habit of the species. [G. D.]
Aphelia are examples. [J. H. B.]
DEVILLEA. A genus of Podostemacece,
DETARIUM. A genus of West African comprising Brazilian herbaceous species,
Leguminosce, of which two species are with hermaphrodite flowers unprotected
known. The four-lobed calyx, absence of by a bract one stamen, whose anther
;
petals, and rounded succulent fruit dis- opens inwardly; small globular stigmas;
tinguish them from most genera and ; and smooth fruit, dividing by two unequal-
from Bialium to which they are most sized valves. B. flag elhfor mis has in its
nearly allied, they are readily recognised leaves somewhat the appearance of Panun-
by having ten stamens, five of which are culus aquatilis. [M. T. M.]
longer than the others. B. senegalense is a DEVIL IN A BUSH. Nigella.
tree of twenty to thirty feet high, with
pinnate leaves, having oval entire leaflets, DEVIL'S APRON. The American name
and numerous small white fragrant flowers for the very broad form of Laminar ia sac-
397 &f)Z ErcaSurB of 33ntanj?. DIAL
charina. Dr. Harvey says of the United Sphceropteris of some authors), from which
States plant, 'numerous varieties, which it isdistinguished by having the globose
perhaps demand future study, occur on the involucres, which enclose the spore-case«
American coast. L. Lamourouxii, which sessile instead of being stalked and on ;
has heen sent me from Boston Harbour the other to Woodsia, from which it may
and from Newfoundland, looks almost like be known by the hard texture of the in-
a species with its thick broadly-elliptical dusia, and by their irregular mode of burst-
scarcely waved frond and its slightly- ing. D.deparioides is a herbaceous species,
branching root.' The species, in fact, with finely divided decompound fronds,
and is found in Java and some parts of
j
DHAEE. The flowers of Grislea tomen- The chief distinguishing features of the
;
tosa, used in India, mixed with Jlorinda, genus are found in the flowers having but
for dyeing. two stamens (most leguminous plants
]
'
DHAK TREE. Butea frondosa, which have ten), and in the fruits being round ,
DHAL or DHOL. Cajanus indicus. have unequally pinnate leaves, and ter- i
DHAMNOO. The timber of Grewia elas- minal panicles of small white or rose-
tica. coloured flowers. These have a five-parted I
DHOONA-TIL. The Cinghalese name for form of a filbert, is covered with a beauti-
the balsam obtained from Dipterocarpus. ful black velvet down,while the farinaceous
pulp which surrounds the seeds has an
DHOOP. Vateria indica. agreeable acid taste,and is commonly eaten.
DHOURIA. An Indian name for worm- The fruits of D. ovoideum, a Ceylonalso
plant,
wood. are sold in the bazaars they have
; an
agreeable acid flavour. The wood of this
DHURRA DOERAH or DERRA. An plant is said to be strong, durable, and
Indian name for the grain-bearing Sorghum suitable for ornamental furniture. D.
vuk/are. floribundum, a Brazilian species, has round
DI. In Greek compounds = two. smooth fruits about the size of a marble,
containing one or two seeds surrounded
DIACHYMA. The green cellular matter with a pulp which has a taste and smell
of leaves. like that of currants. The Tamarind Plum
of the Ease Indies, D. indum, has a delici-
DIACALPE. A beautiful eastern fern ous pulp resembling that of the tamarind,
allied, on the one hand, to Peranema (the but not quite so acid. [A. A. B.]
dial] ®f)e CreaSurg ni 330tanj?. 398
DIALYPETALiE. Plants with distinct ovules seven or numerous style single.
;
and paniculate blue flowers on drooping former the stems are terminated by a
pedicels. The berries are blue, many- peduncle about an inch long bearing a soli-
seeded. [J. T. SJ
tary white bell-shaped flower-about half an
inch across, surrounded by a five-leaved
DIANTHUS. The Pink. An extensive calyx the border of the corolla has five
;
Rica. It is a slender hairy herbaceous stones of the Rhine,' says Dr. Hooker, and '
plant, with ovate serrate and petiolate the Tripoli stones, contain species identical
leaves, and flowers in axillary racemes. with what are now contributing to form a
The corolla is slightly oblique and ringent, sedimentary deposit, and perhaps at some
and the limb bilabiate, with the upper lip future period a bed of rock extending in
I two-lobed, and the lower one trifld. The one continuous stratum for 400 measured
four stamens are included, and with the miles. I allude to the shores of the
rudimentary fifth are inserted on the base Victoria barrier, along whose coasts
of the corolla. The capsular fruit is mem- the soundings examined were invariably
branaceous. [W. C] charged with diatomaceous remains con-
stituting a bank which stretches 200 miles
DIASTEMMA. A genus of Gesneracece, north from the base of the Victoria bar-
containing thirteen species natives of
rier, while the average depth of water
.
I
South America. They are perennial sto- above it is 300 fathoms or 1800 feet.
lonif erous scaly herbs with opposite leaves,
Vast quantities again occur in bed under
and small flowers in axillary corymbs. the guise of a white powder, which is
The calyx is adherent to the base of the called mountain meal, and is actually
ovary the corolla is oblique, erect in the
;
mixed with flour in some parts of Swe-
calyx, with a tube subcylindrical or in-
den, though it is perfectly inert, and can
creasing upwards, and a five-lobed spread- I
;
food, a circumstance of some importance
the fifth rudimentary the anthers are
;
fronds, as linear, flabelliform, circular, &c. ; on the contrary, several occur in springs of
but in a multitude of instances disarticu- high temperature. The striae on the walls
lation takes place with the formation of
each new individual. The separate joints * Experiments in cattle-feeding show that the
relative quantity of nutritious matter in food, in-
which have received the name of frustules dependent of the bulk, is not the only point worthy
exhibit frequently a totally different out- of observation. The stomach must be properly
line when seen dorsally and laterally, and filled, or, as it is termed in French, leste, or the
they are almost always adorned with deli- due effect of the nutriment -will not be obtained.
dibl] GHje Ereagury at ISatattg, 400
are often so regular that the frustules formosa, is often cultivated in gardens;
form admirable tests for ascertaining the but the best known and most beautiful is
comparative merit of microscopes. B. spectabilis, from Northern China, which
Though Diatomacece are for the most has a leafy stem, and flowers nearly an inch
part free or only attached for a time, there long, of a beautiful rose colour, with the
are a few genera in which an enormous narrow constricted inner petals white;
quantity of mucus is thrown out by the the leaves are like those of the Moutan
frustules, which accordingly, as in Scliizo- peony in miniature. [J. T. SJ
nema, Dickiea, &c, form variously shaped
filiform or alvoid fronds. In Cymbellece, a DICERANDRA. The name of a genus
suborder, the quantity of silex is compara- belonging to the labiate order, chiefly dis-
tively so small that the plants are more tinguished from its congeners by the
easily destructible than in the other sec- presence of two straight and pointed ap-
tions. The peculiar motions in the genus pendages on the upper part of each sta-
Bacillaria have been noticed above. In men, hence the name, derived from Greek
many other genera motion has been ob- words which together signify two-homed'
served, but it is now well known that even stamens.' B. carolinensis is a small shrub,
active motion is not incompatible with a native of the United States, having erect
the nature of vegetables. For full infor- stems and narrow entire leaves. [G. D.]
mation we refer to Mr. Smith's beautiful DICEROS. A name successively given by
work on Diatomacece. [M. J. B.]
different authors to species of Artanema,
DIBLBMMA. The name of a Philippine Limnophila, and Vandellia.
Island fern, in which the sori are of two
kinds : the first linear continuous, seated
DICHJEA. A genus of orchids found
growing on tree stems in the West Indies
on a submarginal receptacle the second ;
and the adjoining mainland. They are small
roundish or oblong, and irregularly scat-
tufted plants having short erect or creep-
tered. D. samarensis has simple fronds
ing stems, thickly clad with small ovate-
and uniformly reticulated venation, short oblong or linear leaves arranged in a two-
free veinlets being included in the unequal
ranked manner, and solitary inconspicuous
areoles. [T. M.]
axillary greenish flowers. About a dozen
j
DICALYX. The name given by Loureiro species are known. [A. A. B.]
to a few Asiatic bushes which were de-
scribed as belonging to the tea family.
DICH^ETA. Agenus of small annual
Californian composite herbs, of which two
Modern authors have shown, however, species are known. They seldom exceed
that they are genuine species of Syjiplo-
six inches in height, and are found on the
cos which see.
: [A. A. BJ
margins of pools or in wet places. The
DICELLA. A genus of Brazilian climb- stems and leaves are covered when young
ing shrubs belonging to the Mulpighiacece. with loose white wool. The lower leaves
The calyx has five segments each provided are generally pinnatifld with linear seg-
with two glands at its base the petals are
;
ments, and the upper entire; and the
stalked, unequal in size, and downy on the yellow flower-heads are single on the ends
outside the stamens are ten, united below
;
of the stems. The genus is nearly allied
into a tube, the anthers hairy the ovary is ; to Burrielia, but differs in the pappus be-
two-celled, surmounted by two hook-like ing composed of from four to eight ob-
styles. Drupe woody, one-celled, one- long-obtuse scales, with generally two
seeded. [M. T. M.] which are awl-shaped and awned. [A.A.B.]
DICENTRA. A
genus of Fumariacece, DICHASIUM. A name once given to an
the Bielytra or by mistake Bielytra of Indian fern which proves to be the same as
some authors. They are known by the two the English Lastrea Filix-mas paleacea.
outer petals being spurred or bulging at
the base, the seeds crested, and the capsule DICHERANTHUS. A genus of niece-
with two dry valves. The species are na- bracece allied to Pterantlms. Small shrubs
tives of the Northern Hemisphere, and are from the Canary Islands, with opposite or
fleshy linear-cylindrical leaves,
generally stemless herbs with ternately verticillate
compound leaves, and succulent stems dilated and clasping atcompound the base and ;
and the racemes compressed while Cucul- ; DICHILUS. A genus of slender erect
laria has the outer petals produced back- or prostrate South African leguminous
wards into two long spurs at the base, and herbs, nearly related to Argyrolubium,
its racemes are simple. The two most com- but differing in the keeled petal being
mon American species, which belong to the rather longer than the vexillum, and in
second group, have white flowers. D. Ou- the pods being swollen at intervals (tor-
cullaria is known in the United States as ulose), not flat, and clad with silky hairs.
Dutchman's Breeches, from the shape of The stalked leaves are made up of three
the spurred flower, and B. canadensis, narrow leaflets. The little yellow flowers
which is fragrant, as Squirrel Corn. A are either solitary or racemed in the axils
stemless species from Virginia and North of the leaves, their calyx distinctly two-
Carolina, with rose-coloured flowers, B. lipped, and the pod is smooth, narrow, an
401 EIjc Crcas'ttrp of USotanij.
inch or more in length. Three species are which are oblong ovate, coarsely serrated,
known. [A. A. B.] with the under surface (as well as the
branchlets and inflorescence) covered with
DICHLAMYDEOTJS. Having both calyx
stellate down. The stipules are large and
and corolla.
kidney-shaped. The flowers grow in
DICHOGAMOUS. When the florets of an axillary panicles.which are much branched
inflorescence are of two separate sexes. in a corymbose manner the calyx five or
;
which the stamens are ten in number and or shortly oblong, transverse, and marginal
quite free, and the pods have their mar-
I
similar cells, but with the one inserted two exterior like the calyx leaves, the
much below the other. [W. C] upper broadly orbicular at the point and
narrowed below into a claw, and the two
DICLIS. A genus of Scrophttlariacece, lateral obliquely orbicular and shorter;
consisting of slender herbaceous creepers two stamens with broad and thick fila-
resembling in habit Linaria Cymbalaria, ments of unequal length; and an ovary
and with very similar corollas, but the crowned by a curved style. The pods are
anthers have only one cell, and the capsule obliquely oval, thin, about one and a half
is nearly globular, opening loculicidally
inch long, and contain one or two seeds.
in two valves. There are three species Five species are known. [A. A. B.j"
known, all from south-eastern Africa or
Madagascar. DICORYPHE. A genus belonging to
DICLISODON. A name proposed for a the order of witch-hazels. The name in-
curious genus of ferns, in which the sori dicates one of its obvious characters, viz.,
occupy small projecting marginal teeth, the presence of two horn-like append-
and have scale-like covers. Hence it has ages on the upper part of the fruit. B.
been regarded as having a two-valved in- xtipiilnta is a native of Madagascar, having
dusium, and as associating with the Bick- slender branches with oblong, entire, and
soniece, the outer valve being described as shortly-stalked alternate leaves, and below
403 &\)t Crca£urg of 23fltanin DICT
each, a pair of unequal heart-shaped ap- Indian plant, with furcately-lobed fronds,
pendages, the stipules. [G. D.] is the only species. [T. MJ
by five or two, or multiples of these num- foot in height, and bear at the top two or
bers. The ovules are contained in an ovary, three golden-coloured flowers, with a flask-
or more rarely are naked ; and the em- shaped ovary, surmounted by thickened
bryo has two, sometimes more, cotyledons. stigmas with two erect awl-shaped arms
In De Candolle's system this class of Dico- alternating with the placentas. Its nearest
tyledons is divided into four sub-classes :— ally is Clielidonium, from which the form
1. Thalamiflorae, petals distinct; stamens of the ovary and stigmas abundantly dis-
hypogynous 2. Calyciflorce, petals distinct
;
tinguish it. [M. T. M.]
or united stamens perigynous or epigy-
;
opening by two equal valves, pi. T. MJ the male inflorescence of certain species;
but in D. scoparium the inflorescence may
DICRANODIUM. Gymnogramma lepto-
sometimes be traced from these radicular
phylla.
gemma? Up to the perfect development of
DICRANOGLOSSUM. A genus of poly- male plants. A somewhat analogous pro-
podiaceous ferns of the group Tom'di.da.e, cess is observable also in a few species of
in which the sori are naked, linear, con- Hypnum. [M. J. B.]
tinuous, and submarginal as in Tcenixrpsis;
DICTAME BLANC. (Fr.) Dictamnus di-
but the veins, instead of being straight
and free, or combined by the transverse
— DE CRETE. Origanum Dictam-
bits.
nus.
receptacle, describe a series of simple
elongated arcs, each one uniting with DICTAMNCS. A small genus of Buta-
the next, and thus forming a continuous ceo3,found in southern Europe, Asia
irregular curved sub-marginal receptacle !
Minor, &c. D. Fraxinella and D. allma are
to which the spore cases are affixed. I). sub- both cultivated in gardens for their fra-
p-innotifidum, a South American and West
j
Fungi allied to Cribraria, but distinguish- mens five, attached below to a two-cleft
ed by the outer coat of the peridium dis- scale. In the female flower there are five
appearing to the very base, and leaving ovaries, five styles, and a five-toothed
behind a beautiful net-work. In B. um- stigma. [M. T. M.]
biUcatum, which is not uncommon on de-
cayed fir stumps, the peridium is deeply
DICTYOPTERIS. A genus of ferns be-
longing to the reticulated division of the
umbilicate, and looks like an elegant bal- Poly podiem, and comprising a few species
loon. [M. J. B.]
found in the East and in Australia. They
DICTYMIA. Dictyopteris. have either simple or bipinnate fronds,
sometimes of large size and dot-like naked
;
wh ich have lash-like appendages. The cysts, blue. The fruit when mature is covered
which produce the large zoospores, are with small tubercles. Another species, D.
called Trichosporangia those which pro-
;
albiflorus, has no hairs, and the flowers are
duce the smaller, Oosporangia. [M. J. B.] white. [G. D.]
I
I
DICYRTA Agenus of Gesneraeece, con- calyx five-cleft; and the corolla funnel-
|
taining a single species, a native of Guate- shaped and unequally five-lobed. There
(
mala. It is a perennial stoloniferous are four stamens, two of which only are
j
herb, with opposite leaves on long petioles, generally fertile; the long capsule bursts
j
and solitary axillary flowers, the small co- longitudinally, and contains many naked
rollas of which have a slightly-curved sessile pendulous seeds. [W. C]
tube and an equally flve-lobed limb. There
are four didynamous stamens, with the
DIDYMOCHITON. A genus of Meliacece,
j
truncate at the mouth, which is, in fact, grows from six to eight feet long, and has I
an approach towards the two-valved in- a stem an inch and a half thick, bearing
volucre of Hymeno'phyllum. The group is green leaves about ten inches long by four
considered by some writers to form a dis- broad. When the leaves are pulled away
tinct genus. [T. M.] the stem has a cane-like appearance. [A. S.]
DIDYMOTHECA. A genus of Phytolac- DIELLIA. Schizoloma.
cacece, from Tasmania. A smooth-branched DIELYTRA. The name sometimes given
undershi-ub with scattered linear semicy-
to a very handsome genus of Fumariacece,
lindrical leaves and axillary divisions
flowers on short stalks the perianth four-
made familiar in gardens by the beauti-
;
ful Chinese perennial called D. spectabilis.
lobed, two of the lobes larger than the
It is sometimes called Diclytra, but more
others. [J. T. S.]
correctly referred to Dicentra. [T. M.]
DIDYMOTJS. Double growing in pairs,
as the fruit of umbellifers.
;
DIENIA. A
small genus of terrestrial
orchids, the species of which are found in
DIDYNAMOUS. Having two stamens the Himalayas, Siberia, and Mexico. They
longer than the two others. seldom exceed a foot in height the stems;
oblong form; inmost species they are green, DIERVILLA. A genus of caprifoils,
but some are marked or variegated with distinguished from the honeysuckle and
white or yellowish irregularly shaped spots, others allied to it, by its funnel-shaped
and all have numerous veins diverging three-cleft corolla, and one-celled fruit.
from the midrib, and running parallel The name was assigned by Tournefort in
with each other until near the margin, compliment to Dierville, a Frenchman,
where they curve upwards and unite. The who discovered a species in Acadia, and
spadix or flower spike is enclosed in a green sent it to that botanist. The species are
or yellowish spathe, which does not wither erect shrubs, natives of North America
like that ofsome allied genera, hut remains and of Japan. That best known in culti-
fresh until the fruit is ripe the lower
; vation is D. canadensis, a shrub from three
part of the spike bears female flowers only, to four feet high, with the leaves shortly
each consisting merely of an ovary sur- stalked, smooth, sharply ovate, the edges
mounted by a stalkless stigma, and sur- serrate the flowers are yellow and appear
;
rounded by from two to four rudimentary in early summer. In its wild state it is
or imperfect stamens the upper part is
; widely distributed in Canada, and is found
free and thickly covered with male flowers about Hudson's Bay and on part of the
only. Rocky Mountains.
D. seguina has acquired the name of Those which are natives of Japan are
Dumb Cane in the West Indies, in conse- reported by Siebold, in his account of the
quence of its fleshy cane-like stems render- plants of that country, as notable on ac-
ing speechless any person who may happen count of the beauty of their flowers. These
showy eastern species are the Weigelas of frequently repeated doses dangerous symp-
our modern gardens. [G. D.] toms accrue. Foxglove likewise acts as a
diuretic, and in large doses causes vomit-
DIFFUSE. Spreading widely. ing, purging, and fainting. It is now most
DIGITALIFORM. Like campanulate, frequently employed in certain cases of
hut longer and irregular, as the corolla of dropsy and of heart disease with great
Digitalis.
benefit, though its use demands care and
vigilance on the part of the practitioner.
DIGITALIS. A genvis of Scrophulariacece, Lately it has been recommended in large
represented in this country hy the well- doses in delirium tremens.
known Foxglove which is the badge of
; Several other species are grown in gar-
the Farquharsons. The genus consists of dens, such as D. grandiflora and P. lutea,
several species, which are biennials or with yellow flowers, and D.ferruginea with
perennials, with flowers having a calyx brown flowers, but none rival our indige-
deeply divided into five unequal segments nous foxglove in beauty, though they may
an irregular tubular corolla, the tube of do so in their poisonous qualities. [M.T.M.]
which is distended in the middle, the limb DIGITARIA. A genus of grasses belong-
four or five-lobed, the lowest lobe the ing to the tribe Panicew, distinguished by
longest four concealed stamens and the
; ;
the inflorescence being in fingered spikes
f ruit a capsule opening by two valves. spikelets in pairs, on one side of the flat-
D. purpurea, the common
foxglove, is a
tened rachis, awnless, one-flowered with
well-known ornament of woods and road- an inferior rudiment of a second ; seed
sides in this country and the central parts invested with the hardened pales. This
of Europe. It has an erect stem three to genus is nearly allied to Panicum, under
four feet high, marked with a few longitu- which all ' the species are described by
dinal ridges and covered with greyish
Steudel. They are mostly natives of the
down the leaves are alternate, ovate-
;
middle and south of Europe, one, P. humi-
lanceolate or oblong, covered with down, |
lobes, and the base tapered gradually into DIGITATE. When several distinct leaf-
the leafstalks. The raceme is at the ex- '
lian
are interspersed among a number of deli-
!
mediately on making a sudden effort to The veins too are arcuate, forming costal
change his posture. Theheart.enfeebledby areoles, with free marginal venules as in
i
the drug, has been unequal to the fulfll- Presl's figure. [T. M.]
; ment of its functions under the increased I
'
generally spinose and dentate leaves, five styles. According to Dr. Cleghorn, it
and showy bracteate flowers in leafless isprobable that this tree, and not the Calo-
spikes the corolla consisting of a single
; phyllnm Inophyllum, as generally supposed,
three-lobed lip enclosing four didynamous furnishes the valuable poon spars used for
stamens, with one-celled anthers, the mar- Indian shipping.
gins of which are ciliated. LW. C] D. speciosa is also a very handsome tree,
growing about forty feet high, and com-
DILL. Ayiethum graveolens.
monly cultivated in India on account of its
DILLENIACE^E natu-
(Dilleniads). A ornamental appearance. It is found in all
ral order of thalamifloral dicotyledons in- parts of tropical India, as well as in the Ma-
cluded in Lindley's ranal alliance, con- layan Islands and peninsula. The leaves are
sisting of trees, shrubs, or undershrubs from ten inches to a foot in length seated
with exstipulate alternate leaves five ;
upon broad foot-stalks and the flowers are
;
wards, the anthers opening by pores or are either smooth or slightly rough, and
holes at the top. The fruit consists of sometimes covered with a grey pubescence.
from five to twenty cells (or carpels) grow- The little yellow pea-flbvvers, scarcely half
ing together round a fleshy centre, and an inch across, make up for their minute-
surmounted by as many radiating styles ;
ness by their great profusion; they are
each cell containing numerous seeds, sur- arranged in axillary or terminal clusters
rounded by a gelatinous pulp. which seldom exceed the leaves. The
D. pentagyna is common throughout the minute pods, unless carefully searched for,
peninsula of India, Birmah, and Malaya, will be readily overlooked they are nearly
;
and forms a handsome forest tree, with a oval, ventricose, and one or two-seeded.
broad spreading head. Its leaves are of A number
of these plants have long
extraordinary size, averaging from one to been in cultivation in greenhouses, and
two feet long, but in young trees some- richly repay the attention of the cultivator
times as much as four or five feet they ; in the great profusion of their yellow
are pointed at the top, and gradually taper blossoms. One of the best is D. ericcr folia,
from the middle to the base, the edges which has solitary or twin bright yellow
being either toothed or waved. The flow- flowers, arranged so closely towards the
ers are yellow, about an inch in diameter, ends of the branches as nearly to hide the
and produced in clusters upon the naked leaves this plant is sometimes called D.
:
branches before the appearance of the floribunda from the abundance of its
409 &)t Crca^urn of 23flfcm». [dion
flowers. In B. parvifolia the leaves are bloom from June to September. These have
scarcely a quarter of an inch long, and the florets of the ray white above, violet
the flowers are in terminal clusters of four below, and those of the disk brown. B.
or five, of a pale-yellow colour, with the stan- pliivialis is so called because the florets
dard marked at the base by a reddish tint. of the ray fold together and close at the
One of the most desirable species, from its approach of rain. French, Souci pluvial or
flowering while not more than eight inches hygrometre. [C.A. J.]
high, is B. scabra, which has linear leaves
about half an inch long covered with
DINEMANDRA. A genus of heath-like
Peruvian shrubs, belonging to the Mal-
minute tubercles this is remarkable in pighiacecB. They bear
;
flowers in clusters,
having stalked corymbs of bright nearly
on small jointed stalks the calyx in five
;
scarlet flowers at the ends of the twigs.
divisions, each provided with one or
The genus is named after L. "W. Dillwyn, more glands at its base; the stamens
Esq., an English botanist. [A. A. BJ
ten, united below, eight being sterile and
DILOPHIA. A genus of Cruciferce from short. The fruits consist of three-winged
Thibet, a small annual with spathulate carpels. [M. T. MJ
leaves, and the flowering racemes con- DISTKEL. (Fr.) Triticum monococcum.
tracted into umbels pouch tuberculated
;
oblique except in degree also slit half-way feet, found in moist places in Fernando
;
formed flower,' indicating that there are DIODIA. A genus of Cinchonacece, con-
sisting of herbaceous plants or small
some flowers which are in every respect
shrubs, natives of Tropical America and
perfect and produce fruit, and others in
which no perfect seeds are 'formed. The Africa. They have small white flowers,
flowers of the first kind have the calyx
with a calyx divided into two or four equal
oblong and bell-shaped, or ovate and pent- or unequal segments; a funnel-shaped
corolla, the tube of which is lined with
,
upper part of the seed-vessel are more or hairs, and the limb divided into four lanceo-
;
of food, and its root, which is bitter, aro- DIOICO-POLYGAMOTTS. When some of
j
matic, and pleasant to the taste, is em- the flowers of a dioecious plant produce
I ployed by the Japanese in whiter, as we hermaphrodite flowers.
use Scorzonera.' [G. D.] DIOLENA. A genus of Melastomacece
found in Venezuela, and nearly allied to
DMORPHOLEPIS. An Australian genus Sonerila, but differing in having the parts
of the composite family represented by one of the flower in fives and also to Berto-
;
species, B. anstralis, an annual branching linia, from which it is recognised by the
herb one to three inches high, with linear form of the anthers, which are ten in
nearly smooth leaves, and stems clothed number, short obovate and open at top
with loose tawny hairs, and terminated by by two pores, while at the junction of the
small yellow flower-heads, which have an anther with its stalks there are tAvo slender
involucre of two sorts of scales, while the erect spur-like appendages. The only
florets are all tubular, and the few outer known species, B. hygrophila, is a dwarf
female ones three-toothed. [A. A. BJ unbranched herb, with opposite long-
stalked oval pointed entire leaves, and
DIMORPHOTHECA. The Cape Marigold,
known also under the names of Calendula terminal one-sided raceme of small white
pliivialis and Meteorina gracilipes. An flowers, succeeded by three-celled and
annual herbaceous plant with narrow sin- three-winged capsules. [A. A. BJ
uated and toothed leaves, very slender DION^E ATTRAPE-MOUCHE. (Fr.)
weak stems, and pretty flowers which Bioncea vmscipula.
DION] l&fyz Ercatfurp of 23d tang. 410
DI01SLEA. A singular plant
referred to by their whole base. The female cone is
in most works on structural and physio- about the size of a child's head, and con-
logical botany, as affording a striking in- sists of flat lance-shaped scales, covered
stance of vegetable irritability, B. musci- with wool, and two-lobed at the base each ;
pula, Venus's Flytrap, the only species, scale bears two large seeds of the size of
belongs to the order Droseracece, and is an chestnuts. The seeds of B. edule yield a
humble marsh plant bearing from the root, large quantity of starch which is used as
on a smooth leafless stalk a few inches high, arrowroot. [M. T. M.]
a corymb of white flowers. The root is
composed of scales almost like a bulb DIORYCTANDRA. This name, whicli
with a few fibres. From this proceed in a has but slender claims to euphony, is ap-
plied to a shrub of the violet family, in
radiating manner a number of leaves on
allusion to the passage of the style through
lougish stalks, which are winged like those
of the orange-tree. The lamina of the leaf
the anthers. The genus is closely allied
to Alsodeia from which it differs in the
itself is divided by the midrib into two
nearly semicircular halves, each of which greenish petals, which are stalked, not
is fringed with stiff hairs, and furnished
sessile and in the stamens which have
;
near the middle with three minute bristles slender filaments as long as the stalks of
arranged in a triangle, which bristles are the petals. [M. T. M.]
extremely irritable, and when touched by DIOSCOREACEiE. (Yams.) A natural
a fly or other insect cause the two sides of order of monocotyledonous or Endogenous
the leaf to collapse with a sudden spring, plants belonging to the subclass of Bictyo-
imprisoning the intruder until it is either gence. Twining shrubs or herbs with
tubers either above or below ground, usu-
ally alternate leaves with reticitlated vena-
tion, and small staminate and pistillate
flowers growing in spikes. Perianth six-
cleft, in two rows, herbaceous and adhe-
rent stamens six, inserted into the base
;
differences in the seeds and in the shape are usually produced alternately, but occa-
of the corolla. They are all small Alpine sionally opposite, and, except in a few spe-
tufted plants, with flowers intermediate cies where they are divided into several
between those of a Primula and of an radiating lobes, they are always entire,
Androsace. and have several strongly-marked veins
DION. A family of Mexican Oycadeacem running throughout their entire length.
with a simple Zamia-like stem clothed The flowers, which are very small and in-
with woolly hairs, and bearing light-green conspicuous, are produced in spikes from
pinnate leaves, whose leaflets are sword- the bases of the leaves, and consist of a
shaped, very sharp, attached to the petiole perianth of variable form, but usually
411 Cfjs STrcasurg af 33ntanp, [diot
fleshy tuberous roots of several species of tubular or bell-shaped. The fruit is fleshy
this genus are extensively used for food or pulpy, generally either globose or egg-
in many tropical and subtropical countries, shaped, and varies greatly in size.
where they are largely cultivated, and Ebony wood is obtained from several
take the place of our potatoes.. Among species of this genus. The best and most
the species most commonly employed for costly kind, with the blackest and finest
this purpose are B. sativa, which is a na-
: grain, is that imported from the Mauritius,
tive of Malabar, Java, and the Philippines ;
which is yielded by B. reticulata. East
B. alata of the Moluccas and Java, and B. Indian ebony is mostly procured from two
aculeata of Malabar, Cochin China, and species, B. Helanoxylon aud B. Ebeu aster ;
Java, all of which are cultivated in various while the best kind of Ceylon ebony is ob-
parts of tropical Asia, and likewise in the tained from B. Ebenum. It is only the
West Indies, where they have been intro- inner part of the trunk or heart-wood, as it
duced besides which, B. gldbosa, B. pur-
: is called, that yields the black ebony, the
purea, B. rubella, and D. fasiculata are outer portion or sap-wood being white and
cultivated in India, and other species else- soft. The chief uses of ebony are for fancy
where. Yams vary greatly iu size and colour, cabinet-making, mosaic work, and turnery,
according to the species or variety pro- and for making a vast number of small I
ducing them ; many attain a length of two articles, such as knife handles, door knobs !
or three feet, and weigh from 30 to 40 lbs. and plates, pianoforte keys, &c.
some are white, others purplish through- B. quwsita produces the beautiful wood
out, while some have a purple skin with called Calamander in Ceylon, and which i
whitish flesh, and others are pink, or even the Cinghalese use for making the finest i
black. Like potatoes they contain a large kinds of ornamental furniture. It is a very
quantity of starch and a nutritious meal,
; large tree, and the wood is so extremely
used for making cakes, puddings, &c, is hard that it is only worked with great dif- !
prepared from them in the West Indies, Acuity. B. JEmbryopteris is a tree called
where, also, they are commonly sliced and Gaub by the Hindus. Its fruit is power- |
dried in the sun in order to preserve fully astringent, and is employed for tan- !
this country, where it has been recom- are also coated with it to render them
mended for cultivation as a substitute for more durable.
the potato but although it succeeds very
; The fruit of the Kaki or Chinese Date
well when properly managed, it has not as Plum, B. Kaki, is as large as an ordinary
yet found much favour among agricul- apple, of a bright red colour, and contains
turists. The chief drawback connected a yellow semi-transparent pulp resembling
with it, is the great depth to which the the flesh of a plum, both in appearance and
roots penetrate into the earth, and the flavour. The Chinese dry them in the sun,
consequent difficulty of extracting them. and make them into sweetmeats. The tree
It isextensively grown and used for food is a native of China and Japan, but is culti-
in China and Japan. [A. S.] vated in India. B. virginiana is the Vir-
ginian Date Plum or Persiinon, a native
DIOSMA. A genus of heath-like plants, of the United States, where it attains a
natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and
height of fifty or sixty feet, with a trunk
belonging to Rutacea. It is nearly al-
about a foot and a half in diameter, the
lied to Barosma, but differs in that the
heart-wood of which is of a brown colour,
flowers have Ave fertile stamens, and no
hard and elastic, but liable to split. The
sterile ones, in the style being shorter than
fruit of the Persimon is an inch or more in
the stamens, in the more narrow leaves, and
diameter, nearly round, and of a yellowish
in other minor points. They possess a fra-
orange colour, very austere and astringent
grance not unlike that of the kinds of
even when quite ripe, but when bletted or
Bucku (Barosma), and many of them are softened by the action of frost it becorffes
cultivated for their white or pinkish flow-
eatable. In the Southern States, Persimons
ers, the most frequently met with being
are pounded and made into cakes with
B. capitate, and ericoides. [M. T. M.]
bran, and by adding yeast and hops to an
DIOSPYROS. Large hard-wooded'trees, infusion of the cakes a kind of beer is
or rarely shrubs, belonging to the Ebena- brewed or, by fermenting and distilling
;
of 100 species, the greater part of them successfully employed by American physi-
natives of Asia and the Mauritius, only i
cians in cases of cholera infantum and
about a dozen being found on the Ameri- ;
diarrhoea. [A. S.]
can continent, and three or four in Africa
for the most part they are confined to the I DIOTIS. A Siberian
shrub belonging to
tropics, but a few extend as far north as the Chenopodiaceee, deriving its name, sig-
dipe] €3)£ Evca^urw of SSotang. 412
nifyihg two-eared, from the calyx of the ing shrubs or undershrubs, natives of
female flower which is of one piece, but Central America, having opposite entire
deeply divided, and ending in two horns. B. leaves, and at their point of attachment
cemtoides, the only species, is a dwarf often provided with glands or bristles the
;
bushy hoary plant, plentifully furnished flowers are handsome, springing from near
with slender spreading branches. The the point of insertion of the leaves, or in
leaves are narrow tapering towards each terminal clusters. These plants are near
end and alternate. Neither male nor female allies of the well-known genus Eclntcs, in
flowers are showy, but the former from which indeed some of them were formerly
their number and the prominence of the included.
stamens, render the flowering of the plant The species of Bipladenia are divided
obvious. They have a slight scent of a into two sections: 1. Those in which the
honey-like sweetness. [C. A J.] glands at the base of the seed-vessel are
large and well developed, and the append-
DIPETALOUS. Consisting of two petals. ages at the insertion of the leaves, small
or wanting 2. Those having the glands
DIPHYLLEIA A genus of Berberidacece
.
|
;
i
species it is almost salver-shaped, the tube
large roundish peltate umbrella-like leaf slightly inflated at the top in others the
deeply-lobed, or a flowering stem with two ;
in mountainous districts. The leaves are larger than the others, all attached to the
narrow and linear, and resemble somewhat calyx and shorter than it. The name Bi-
those of Polytrichum. The plant looks plandra indicates another character, viz.
like a monstrous Phascum. [M. J. B.] the presence of two stamens only, opposite
to two pieces of the calyx. The only species,
DIPL ACTTS. A genus of Scrophulariacece, B. lopezoides, a native of Mexico, is a
closely allied to Mimulus, from which it branched hairy shrub, with opposite
chiefly differs in a shrubby habit, and in shortly-stalked leaves, which are oblong
the capsule which, on opening, cai'ries and narrow toward the end, almost entire,
away the seed-bearing placentas attached and hairy on both surfaces. The flowers
to the valves. There are three or four are purple, forming clusters. [G. D.]
species known, all natives of Mexico or
California. B. glutinosus, a native of North- DIPLANTHEBA. A scrophalariaceous
tree, native of tropical Australia, with
ern California, has long been cultivated in
our gardens under the names of Mimulus large f our-lobed stalked leaves, which have
glutinosus, M. aurantiacus, or B.puniceus. two glands at their base, and terminal
clusters of handsome flowers, with yellow
it is an erect branching plant, becoming
more two-lipped corolla, and four projecting sta-
or less shrubby at the base, the young
bran ches being often very viscid. The leaves mens. [M. T. M.]
are opposite, varying from broadly-oblong DIPLABCHE. A genus of Ericacea?, con-
to narrow-lanceolate. The flowers are sisting of evergreen, heath-like under-
rather large, solitary in the upper axils, shrubs, with prostrate stems, and small
and vary from a pale yellow to a rich orange rose-coloured flowers ai-ranged in terminal
or scarlet. heads. It is botanically characterised by
DIPLADENIA. The generic name of the presence of ten stamens in two rows,
plants belonging to the order of dogbanes,
the upper placed upon the corolla (perigy-
nous), the lower arising from beneath the
distinguished principally by the presence
of two blunt glands at the base of the seed-
ovary (hypogynous), a most unusual cir-
cumstance. These shrubs are natives of
vessel, each of which is apparently formed
the Himalayan mountains. [M. T. M.]
of two conjoined. The name Bipladenia,
"double gland," appropriately indicates DIPLASPIS. A genus of Umbelli/erce,
the chief character. The species are climb- consisting of two species, natives of the
413 &I)e €"rai£ury at 3Batattg. [dipl
South Eastern Alps of Australia and of neled leaves notched at the apex, and
Tasmania, They are small herbs with radi- axillary racemes, or panicles of small pink j
two groups have been reunited by some not of sufficient importance in the judg-
modern botanists. It is, however, more ment of those authors to constitute a new
convenient to keep them distinct. The genus. [M. T. M.]
species are rather numerous and very
varied in size, form, and habit, some bear-
DIPLOE. That part of the parenchyme
of a leaf which intervenes between the
ing simple fronds like Scolopenclrium,
others very large bipinnate or tripinnate two layers of epiderm.
fronds. There is a tendency in many of DIPLOGENEA. A genus of Melasto-
them to develope a short stem. [T. M.] viacece, nearly related to Medinilla. The
only known species, B. viscoides, is found
DIPLECOLOBE^E. A
subdivision of
in Madagascar, where it grows on trees, and
cruciferous plants, embracing those in
has somewhat the appearance of mistletoe,
which the cotyledons are twice folded, but is not like that, a parasite. It has fleshy
and the embryo,when cut across, presents
smooth three-nerved leaves, between oval
this appearance, II, in which O repre-
II II
cem), but incorrectly if Sprengel's descrip- in three rows, the outermost being woolly,
tion can be trusted and also to Convolvu-
; the inner petaloid. [M. T. M.]
lacece, with no genus of which, however,
does it seem to be allied. The genus is
DIPLOLOMA. A
genus of Boraginaceaz
a,lliedto Cynoglossum and more nearly to
founded on a twining plant, without a
Solenanthus. It has a tubular corolla with
locality, having the appearance of a Con-
five bosses at the throat and an erect five-
volculvus. It is described as possessing a
double calyx, the outer two-valved and cleft limb ; stamens longer than the co-
rolla nuts adhering to a central column by
the inner ten-toothed the corolla infundi- ;
;
their inner angle, crowned and margined
bulifonn, and subplicate; the anthers
sagittate and included the stigma urceo- ;
by a ring. A
native of the Altai. [J. T. S.]
the inner of capillary bristles as long as styles two, joined at the base; stigmas
the disk florets whilst in Aster the pappus
; feathery. B. setaceus, the only species,
is single. About twenty species are known, is a native of New Holland. [D. M.]
some found in South Africa, others in DIPLOPTERYS. A
genus of Malpighia-
China and the Himalayas, and the re- cece,consisting of climbing shrubs natives
mainder chiefly in North America. The of Guiana, with yellow flowers disposed in
most of the Cape species are smooth an umbellate manner, and surrounded by
bushes with small linear or oblong leaves, a series of bracts. The calyx has five seg-
and solitary stalked flower-heads terminat- ments, four of which are provided with two
ing the twigs. B. asper, of the same glands stamens ten, slightly coherent at
country, is an herb about a foot high, with
;
those found in the Himalayas are hand- from a spathe split at the apex. The peri-
some Alpine plants.with short unbranched anth tube is twice as long as the spathe,
stems, furnished with oblong toothed or the three outer segments of the limb herb-
entire leaves, and terminated by single aceous, the three inner larger, petaloid,
flower-heads one to two inches in diameter, white stamens three style long, adhering
; ;
the outer florets strap-shaped and violet, to the perianth tube; fruit membranous,
the inner yellow and tubular. The North many-seeded. [J. T. S.]
American species are mostly shrubby, with
linear or lanceolate leaves, and terminal DIPLOSPORA. A Chinese shrub of the
corymbs of flower-heads of which the ray cinchona family, but imperfectly known.
florets are either blue, purple, or white. The calyx tube is obovate, its limb some-
Almost the only species found in South what bell-shaped, four-toothed the corolla :
America is B. larunduUfolia, a large hand- with a wide tube, hairy at the throat, and
some bush found on the Peruvian Andes with a limb divided into four fleshy
at an elevation of 11,000 to 12,000 feet; its spreading segments the anthers four,
;
closely packed leaves are covered under- sessile, projecting. B. dubia or Canthium
neath with white down, and the numerous da,l>ium is a shrub with axillary tufts of
little twigs are each terminated by a purple- white flowers. [M. T. M.]
rayed flower-head. This plant and a few DIPLOSTEMONOTTS. Having twice as
of the North American species are also many stamens as petals.
known under the generic name of Biploste-
pliium, and some of the former are known DIPLOSTEPHIUM. Biplopappus.
also by the name Eucephalus. [A. A. B.] DIPLOTAXIS. A family of unimportant
herbaceous plants, belonging to the Cruci-
DIPLOPELTIS. A genus of Sapindacece ferceand allied to Sinapis, distinguished
composed of a few West Australian herbs by having the seeds arranged in two
from one to three feet high.with alternate rows in a long compressed pod. B. tenui-
wedge-shaped and toothed, or sometimes, folia is a slender glabrous perennial plant
pinnatifld leaves, and terminal panicles of
with a branched stem shrubby at the base,
numerous pretty pink flowers, each about bluntly divided leaves, and rather large
half an inch across. All the parts of the
light-yellow flowers. It grows in quarries,
plant are usually covered with a short
on rubbish and walls, near large towns.
white glandular pubescence. The flowers
B. muralis is a smaller and much rarer spe-
are male and female on the same plant, the cies, an annual whose stems and leaves are
former with a calyx of five leaves, five ob- rough with scattered hairs. [C. A. JJ
long petals, and usually eight stamens;
the latter with a similar calyx and corolla, DIPLOTEGIA. An inferior capsule.
and a three-lobed ovary crowned with a
simple twisted style. The herbaceous na- DIPLUSODON. A genus of Lythracece,
ture of the plants is almost enough to dis- consisting of Brazilian herbs and shrubs
tinguish them in the family, which is for with opposite often four-angled branches,
the most part composed of bushes or trees opposite or verticillate entire leaves, and
with pinnate or trifoliolate evergreen solitary axillary nearly sessile flowers, ar-
leaves. [A. A. B.] ranged in a racemose or even capitate
manner. They have a bell-shaped twelve-
DIPLOPHTLLTJM. A name at one time toothed calyx, with the teeth arranged in
given to Veronica crista galli, a species two rows six petals, and from twelve to
:
stems one to two feet high furnished at variety of the preceding, from which it
intervals -with brown scales, and terminat- only differs in the scales of the flower-
ing in large racemes of numerous rose- heads being hooked instead of straight,
coloured nearly regular flowers about an and the involucral bracts being shorter
inch across. The oblong clawed lip is and spreading. The flower-heads of this
|
two-eared at the base and slightly bearded plant, under the name of Teazels, form an
I at the apex. There are two pollen masses article of considerable importance to the
each with a separate caudicle, whence the cloth manufacturer, who employs them
generic name signifying two feet. There for raising the nap on cloth, no machine
1
are three known species. A beautiful having yet been invented to supplant
figure of B. punctatum will be found among them. For this purpose they are fixed in
'
the illustrations to Dr. Hooker's Flora of regular order upon cylinders, which are
j
Tasmania. [A. A. B.] made to revolve in such a manner that the
hooks of the Teazels come in contact with
I DIPSACACE.E. (Teazelworts.) A natural the surface of the cloth, and thus raise a
'
order of gamopetalous calycifloral dicoty- nap, which is afterwards cut level. The
ledons or Exogens, belonging to Lindley's plant is cultivated in some parts of this
campanal alliance, embracing herbs or country, also in France, Austria, and other
undershrubs with opposite or whorled ex- parts of Europe. In 1859 the enormous
stipulate leaves, and flowers in heads sur-
number of 18,907,120 teazel-heads were im-
rounded by an involucre calyx adherent,
;
ported, all of which came from France,
membranous, surrounded by a separate and were valued at five shillings per
covering or involucel ; corolla tubular,
thousand. [A. S.]
with an oblique four to five-lobed limb;
stamens four anthers distinct ovary one-
; ; DIPTERACANTHUS. A large genus of
celled ovule pendulous. Fruit dry, not
; Acanthacece, containing nearly 100 de-
opening, crowned by the pappus-like scribed species, chiefly from Central and
calyx seed albuminous. Natives chiefly
; South America and Asia, with a few from
of the south of Europe, Barbary, the Le- Africa and Australia. They are creeping
vant and the Cape of Good Hope. Astrin- or erect herbs or rarely shrubs, with soli-
|
gent qualities reside in some of the spe- tary or fasciculate flowers, collected at the
!
cies. Some are used in dressing cloth. ends of the stem and branches into ra-
Bipsacus Fullonum is the fuller's teazel, cemes. The lower flowers have large leafy
the dried heads of which,with their hooked bracts, which become small and narrow in
I
i
spiny bracts, are used in fulling cloth, the crowded racemes the calyx is more or
;
i
The opposite leaves of the wild teazel, B. less deeply five-cleft, and the corolla is fun-
i
eylvestris, unite at their bases so as to form nel-shaped with a five-cleft limb the four
;
I
long or globular heads of flowers, sur- mens above twenty, distinct or united
rounded by an involucre of several narrow in several bundles. Fruit leathery, one-
bracts, the individual flowers separated by celled, surrounded by the calyx, the en-
long prickly scales, and inserted into a larged divisions of which form winged ap-
small angular outer calyx (involucel). The pendages seeds single, without albumen.
;
true calyx has a small cup-shaped border Tropical Indian trees found especially in
surmounting the involucel, and the corolla the islands of the Indian Archipelago.
,
is divided into four unequal lobes. They yield a resinous balsamic juice. Bip-
B. sylvestris, the common Teazel, is a terocarpus Irnvis or turbinatus, the gur-
i native of the southern parts of England jun of Chittagong, yields wood-oil which
and Ireland, also of central and south exudes from the trunk, and is used as pitch,
Europe, and Russian Asia. It grows from varnish, and medicine. Bryabalanops
four to six feet high, and is very prickly Camphora or aromatica, a tree from 100 to
in all parts the leaves long, lance-shaped,
; 130 feet high, supplies the hard cam-
and stalked, those on the upper part of phor of Sumatra, which exists in a solid
the stem growing together by their bases, state in the interior of the stem, some-
and forming a cup, which is generally times in pieces weighing from 10 to 12 lbs.
found full of clear water. The heads of It also yields by incision a resinous oily
flowers are cylindrical, and between two fluid called the liquid camphor or camphor-
and three inches long, by one and a half oil of Borneo. Sometimes five gallons of
broad, having an involucre of from eight the liquid are found in a cavity in the
to twelve stiff prickly bracts curved up- trunk. The wood of Vateria or Shorea ro-
wards, and the scales separating the flow- busta is used in India under the name of
ers terminate in a long straight sharp sal. Dhoona pitch is also procured from
point. the plant. Vateria indica yields the piney
:
B. Fullonum, the Fuller's Teazel, is by resin or piney dammer of India, which is
most botanists supposed to be merely a used as a varnish, and for lighting. There
dipt] €tyz Etratfurg of 230tati£. 416
are seven known genera and forty-seven lofty trees, abounding in resinous juice,
species, including Dipterocarpus, Dryoba- with leathery leaves, covered in some
lanops, Vateria, and Shorea. [J. H. B.] instances with star-shaped hairs. The
flowers are in clusters, large, white or
DIPTERIS. A beautiful genus of poly- pink, fragrant the calyx divided into Ave
;
leaves, alternate on the stems, and often usually much larger than the petals, and
arranged in bundles of four or five. The the posterior sepal instead of the labellum,
twigs terminated by a loose spike of tubu- I as in Habenaria and other allied genera,
lar sweet-scented flowers resembling those I is furnished with a more or less evident
of the Verbenas so commonly seen in our j
hood-like spur. D. grandiflora is perhaps
flower-beds. Indeed the plant would be a I
the most beautiful of all terrestrial or-
Verbena were it not that the fruit is com- :
chids, and is spoken of by Dr. Harvey as
posed of two little nuts or pyrena? (whence ]
the pride of Table Mountain, where it
the name) instead of four. A
still closer l grows in great profusion on the borders of
relationship exists between this plant and streams and water pools which are dry in
Priva the latter, however, has an herba-
;
summer, producing its gorgeous flowers
ceous stem. [A. A. B.] I in February and March. The stems grow
two and a half feet high, and are furnished
DIPYRENOUS. Containing two stones I
|
with a number of broad grassy leaves, and
or pyrenae. terminated by from one to four splendid
j
DIRCA. A
genus of Thymelacece, I flowers, measuring from three to five
with hermaphrodite flowers, the perianth inches across. The lateral sepals are of a
coloured, somewhat bell-shaped and ob- bright crimson, the dorsal one paler on
lique the stamens eight, inserted in two
;
!
the outside, and blush-coloured and deli-
rows in the tube of the perianth the ovary ; cately veined with crimson within. Un-
one-celled, with a single pendulous ovule. fortunately this plant is very difficult to
The fruit is drupaceous. There is one cultivate, and is therefore not so fre-
snecies, D. palustris, a North American quently seen in our gardens as it deserves
shrub called Leather-wood, Moose-wood, to be. It is beautifully represented in
and Wicopy the twigs are used as thongs
; Lindlei/s Sertum Orchidaceum, t. 49. D.
fruit poisonous leaves alternate entire;
;
spathulata is a most remarkable species
flowers pale yellow. [J. H. B.] from the long and slender stalk of the lip,
which much exceeds the flower in length,
DIRCJEA. A genus
of Gesneracece, con- and has a trowel-shaped more or less
sisting of Brazilian herbs with tuberous lacerated apex. Many species have rose-
rhizomes, and herbaceous stems bearing coloured flowers, but in a goodly number
large opposite leaves, and long-tubed there is a charming mixtm e of blue,
-
showy panicled flowers, often of a rich white, green, and purple, in the same
scarlet colour. The group is typified by flower. [A. A. BJ
the species formerly known as Gesnera
foudaUs, bulbosa, &c, and is distinguished
DISANDRA. A
trailing plant often seen
in greenhouses, referred by some botanists
bv the great development of the upper lip to Sibthorpia.
of the corolla. [T.M.]
DIS. An Algerian name for the fibrous
DISCANTHUS. A palm-like plant from
the Andes of Eastern Peru, forming a
stems of Festuca patula and Arundo tenax,
which are used for cordage. genus of Cyclanthacece. It has the long
radical trifid leaves, and the inflorescence
DISA. A numerous genus of terrestrial of a Carludovica or of a Cyclanthus, and
orchids peculiar to South Africa and most of the characters of the latter genus;
but it differs chiefly in the perianth con-
sisting of distinct disks embracing the
spadix, and in the ovules being naked from
their first appearance. The lobes of the
leaves have also only one strong rib, and
are not plicate as in Cyclanthus.
DISCARIA. A genus of Bhamnacece,
nearly allied to Colletia, but differing in
having no petals. One species, D. a.us-
tralis, is common to Tasmania, New Zea-
land,and Australia, and the others are
found in extra-tropical South America.
All of the six known species are spiny
undershrubs of no beauty, some almost
leafless, and others with minute oblong
or spathulate smooth leaves. The small
opposite secondary branches terminate in
a sharp spine, and towards their base are
found, in twos or threes, the little flowers,
which have a short bell-shaped calyx tube,
and from four to five small scale-like hooded
petals. [A. A. B.]
colour. Also any green colour altered by a of metamorphosed stamens. Also the re-
mixture of purple. ceptacle of certain fungals, or the hyme-
DISCOPHORA. A genus of Icacinacece,
nium of others.
containing a shrub from Guiana, with large DISOCACTUS. A genus of Cactacece, of
smooth leathery shortly-stalked leaves, and which only one species is known. This
axillary racemes of small flowers articulat- plant, B. biformis, is a native of Honduras,
ed with the flower-stalks. [J. T. SJ and forms a weak trailing shrub or bush,
with stem and older branches nearly cylin-
DISCOPODIUM. The foot or stalk on
drical, gradually tapering upwards, and
which some kinds of disks are elevated.
woody while the younger branches are
;
DISCOSTEGIA. A name proposed for a broad and flat, with blunt teeth, resem-
few marattiaceous ferns including Ma- bling leaves in appearance, but of a succu-
rattia alata. [T. M.] lent or fleshy nature. Like most plants of
the order, it has no i eal leaves. The flowers
-
growing so close together for the greater hiscent, seeds few by abortion. [M. T. M.]
part of their length as to form a tube.
The fruit is of a beautiful shining deep j
DISSOTHRIX. A genus of the composite
family found in Brazil. B. Gardner!, the
crimson colour, shaped like a little flo-
only species, is a slender annual herb, a
rence-flask it contains numerous seeds,
,
;
foot and a half high, with erect stems
imbedded in a soft pinkish pulp, which has
terminating in a loose panicle of small
a sweetish sub-acid taste.
i
[A. S.]
j
flower-heads, and furnished with stalked
DISOCARPUS. A genus of the spurge- j
nearly oval leaves toothed at the margin,
wort family, composed of a few tropical j opposite on the lower part of the stem and
South American trees, with smooth oval alternate above. Each flower-head has
entire leaves two or three inches long, a from five to eight tubular five-toothed
good deal like those of the Portugal laurel, j
florets, enclosed in an involucre formed
!
and axillary bundles of small sessile j
of two series of lance-shaped scales. The
i
flowers of which the male and female are I
achenes are five-angled, and crowned with
on different plants. The males have a cup- a pappus of numerous hairs of two sorts,
'
shaped calyx of five unequal divisions, no !
the greater proportion capillary, but five
i
petals, and Ave stamens while the females
;
longer than the rest, more rigid, and cor-
have five petals, five rudimentary stamens, responding to the angles of the achenes.
The nature of the pappus serves to distin-
:
:
in South-eastern Australia. It has alter- with opposite lance-shaped three to five-
i nate linear leaves, and a great profusion of nerved leaves, which as well as the four-
little bell-shaped flowers arranged in axil- sided stems, are clothed with soft-spread-
j
;
lary clusters,and having a five-toothed ing hairs. The rosy or purple flowers
: calyx which does noc grow larger after the generally in threes at the ends of the
'
flower withers, a five-toothed border to twigs, and about an inch across, have the
the corollas, and four protruding sta- tube of the calyx beset with hairy tuber-
mens. The fruit is a little two-celled cles, and its border five-toothed five;
drupe with two seeds. The nature of the rounded petals and ten stamens, the latter
;
fruit,and the calyx not enlarging after of two sorts, the five opposite the petals
the fading of the flower, are the most having their anthers joined to the filament
marked characters. [A. A. B.] by a long slender connective, while those
opposite the calyx teeth have a very short or
DISPHEXIA. A small set of cyathea- almost obsolete connective. B. Irvingiana,
ceous ferns, now generally included in a pretty species found in Abbeokuta, is
Cyathea itself, but separated by some now cultivated in England. [A. A. B.]
authors on account of the elevated recep-
tacle being split into two wedge-shaped DISTEGANTHUS. The name of a para-
divisions. [T.M.] sitical bromeliaeeous plant, with yellow
flowers, which have a six-parted perianth,
DISPORUM. A genus of Melanthacece, the three inner divisions of which form a
belonging to the group connecting that kind of spiral tube below, while above
order with Liliacece, of which Uvularia is they are petal-like and somewhat concave
the type. The species which occur in stamens six, thick, hidden by the scales of
India are herbs with subsessile leaves and the inner divisions of the perianth style;
few-flowered axillary peduncles, the peri- twisted at the base, divided above into
anth six-cleft, with each division keeled papillose convolute stigmas. [M. T.M.]
and bulging at the base, the whole forming
an angular tube. [J. T. SJ
DISTEGOCARPUS. A name sometimes
given to a few Japanese species of horn-
DISSECTED. Cut into many deep lobe3. beam, Carpinus, which differ from the
others in having the bracts of the male
DISSEPIMENTS. The partitions in a catkins narrowed into a stalk. In other
fruit caused by the adhesion of the sides respects they are very like the common
of carpellary leaves.— SPURIOUS. Any
,
hornbeam of our shrubberies. [A. A. B.]
partitions in fruit which have not the
origin just explained. DISTEPHANUS. A
genus of shrubs of
the composite family from Mauritius and
DISSOMERIA. A genus of Womaliacece, Madagascar, nearly related toVernonia, and
represented by a shrub native of Western differing in having appendiculate apices to
tropical Africa, the parts of whose flowers the scales of the involucre. Of the three
are arranged in fours, the eight petals known species, the most common is B.
alternate with as many glands the sta-
; populifolius, a bush with stalked oval
mens numerous, in eight bundles opposite pointed leaves covered on both surfaces
to the petals, the anther-lobes separated with soft white pubescence. The flower-
by a thick fleshy connective ovary one-
: heads, each about half an inch in diameter.
dist] GTfje STreagurg of SSciang. 420
are numerous, and disposed in terminal DITAXIS. A
genus of Euplwrbiacecr.,
corymbs ; the florets being numerous and comprising about seven species, which
all tubular. [A. A. B.] are found in various parts of America,
south of Mexico. They are white-barked
DISTICHIA. A genus of Juncacece, from shrubs, with alternate entire or finely-
elevated table-land in Peru, forming small toothed lance-shaped or oboval leaves, and
tufted plants with dichotomous stems, have small green flowers, either male and
subulate distichous leaves sheathing at female on the same, or on different plants,
the base, and a six-parted perianth with and arranged in little axillary racemes or
three stamens. [J. T. S.] cymes The males have a calyx of five deep
divisions, five fringed petals, and ten sta-
DISTICHTS. A
name at one time applied mens arranged in a candelabra-like manner
to a few terrestrial orchids of India and
in two tiers, their filaments united below
Mauritius, now shown by Dr. Lindley to
[A. A. B.]
into a column, round the base of which is
belong to Liparis.
a disk of five glands the females are nearly
;
DISTICHOUS. When parts are arranged similar, having calyx and corolla; and a
in two rows, the one opposite to the other, three-lobed hairy or nearly smooth ovary,
as the florets of many grasses. crowned with a three-forked style. pur-A
plish colouring matter is found in the
DISTICTIS. A genus of Bignoniacece,
leaves and flowers of some species. The
containing a few species, natives of Ame-
calyx-leaves do not overlap in the buds
rica and the West Indies. They are slen- ,
tinguished by having a five-parted calyx rarely white or purple. The two lateral
adnate to the ovary a five-parted spread-
; sepals are long and narrow, suggesting the
ing somewhat bilabiate coi-olla, the seg- generic name— from the Greek, signifying
ments of which have winged margins and two tails. The lip is trilobed, and the
the tube cleft behind. There are five dis- column is furnished on either side with a
tinct stamens and a bipartite style. The short erect petal-like appendage. Four of
fruit is a capsule, which is crowned by the the species are well represented in Dr.
permanent calyx. D. Berardiana is an an- Hooker's Flora of Tasmania. [A. A. B.]
nual plant, with alternate toothed leaves,
and yellow axillary solitary flowers on DIVAR ICATE, DIVARICATING. Strag-
long footstalks. [R. H.]
gling, spreading abruptly, and at an obtuse
angle, such as 140.°
DISTYLIUM. An evergreen tree, native
of Japan, belonging to the order of witch-
DIVERSIFLOROUS. When a plant or
hazels. The flowers are sometimes per- inflorescence bears flowers of two or more
sorts.
fect, having stamens and pistils while ;
others have stamens only or pistils only. DIVIDIVI. The astringent pods of Cas-
One marked character implied by the name, alpinia coriaria.
isthe presence of two cylindrical erect ap-
pendages, the styles, which remain at- DIVI LADNER. A Cinghalese tree, Ta-
tached to the fruit. [G. DJ bernaiinontana dicliotoma.
DITASSA. A
considerable genus of
D'JURNANG. A natural secretion of the
fruit of Calamus Draco, commonly known
Asclepiadacece, containing nearly forty
as Dragon's-blood.
species of small twining or erect under-,
shrubs, natives of tropical America. They DOBERA. latinised form of an
The
have opposite coriaceous leaves, and small Arabic name for a tree with opposite-
whitish interpetiolar flowers, either solitary stalked leaves, whose stalks are thickened,
or umbellate.with rotate five-cleft corollas and of a yellow colour, and whose flowers
the staminal crown double, its outer whorl grow in terminal panicles, and have a four-
consisting of Ave linear or ovate-acuminate toothed calyx, four petals, and four sta-
lobes and its inner of five generally shorter
; mens with the filaments combined below
leaflets opposite the outer lobes the folli-:
and having four little scales
into a tube,
cles are loug, round, and smooth. [W. C] between them and the petals the ovary is
;
superior, and becomes an ovate fleshy one- ,
of the order Sapijidacec?, comprising about
seeded edible warted fruit. The genus is : ninety species, the greater proportion of
referred to the Salvadoracece. [M. T. M.] which are found in extratropical Australia,
and the remainder are thinly scattered
DOBINEA. An Eastern Himalayan bush J
grows in woods in the warmer parts of and straight, the other enlarged, convex,
North America In the Western States, and thin.
where it is more common, it is called
; the Shooting Star. The name, signifying DOLIA. A
genus of Nolanacece, con-
twelve divinities, is one of fanciful appli- taining a few South American littoral
cation. plants with the habit of some of the
[J. T. S.]
smaller maritime Chenopodiacea?. Heath-
DODOX.EA. A genus of viscous shrubs ,
like branched shrubs with fleshy linear
DOLl] &l)t 3Trea£urg of Botaiun 422
leaves and small flowers, with salver- berous root, which the inhabitants cook
shaped corollas, and eight or ten ovaries as an article of food, and they also vise the
variously united. [J. T. S.] pulse for the same purpose. It has a
shrubby stem, with twining branches, and
DOLICHANDRA. A small genus of leaves with l-oundish-pointed leaflets. B.
Biijrimiiacece, inhabiting extratropical parts imifloriis is an annual plant having an
of Brazil, and remarkable as the only erect stem and twining branches, with
known climber of the order having a cap- leaves composed of three egg-shaped leaf-
sule the partition of which runs in a con- lets, and yellow flowers, which produce
trary direction to that of the valves. In narrow flat pods curved something like a
habit it much resembles Macfadyena, the reaper's sickle, and covered with soft hairs.
branches being climbing, the leaves either This plant is a native of the East Indies,
trifoliate or conjugate, and furnished where it is grown for food under the name
with tendrils, and the flowers in the axils of Horse Gram. [A. S.]
of the leaves; the calyx is spathaceous;
the corolla is long and tubular, whilst the DOLIOCARPUS. A small genus of dille-
stamens (four in number with the rudi- niads, consisting of about half a-dozen
ment of a fifth), as well as the stigma, pro- species, nearly all of which are climbing
ject beyond the corolla. The typical spe- shrubs, inhabitants of tropical South Ame-
cies is B. cynmiclioides. [B. S.] rica. It is closely allied to Belima, but the
leaves are not rough, and the flowers are
DOLICHANDRONE. A small genus of produced from the sides instead of the
bignoniaceous trees, inhabiting tropical ends of the branches besides which, the
:
Asia and Australia. Their leaves are either fruit is pulpy and does not burst open
simple or impari-pinnate, and the leaflets when ripe. B. Calinea is a climbing shrub
either ovate, lanceolate, or, in B. flliformis with woody stems, having oblong pointed
of New Holland, reduced to very narrow leaves, and small white flowers collected
linear bodies. The flowers are white and into dense heads, a portion only perfect,
arranged in panicles the calyx is spatha-
;
the rest being male or female. The fruit
ceous, and the corolla has a tube twice or is a small fleshy shining berry. [A. SJ
thrice the length of the calyx; the sta-
mens are four in number, with the rudi- DOLOMIiEA. A genus of Composites,
ment of a fifth ; the fruit is a flat cap- nearly related to Saussurea, but differing
sule opening at the margin, but being divi- in the pappus-hairs being rough instead of
ded by a partition, which runs contrary feathery. B. macrocephala,the only known
to the direction of the valves. Some of the species, is a perennial stemless herb found
Asiatic species yield timber. [B. S.] at elevations of 10,000 to 13,000 feet in
f
N. W. India it has pinnately parted much-
DOLICHOS. A genus of leguminous ;
B. sesquipedalis is a native of the West forty, united at their base, usually some
Indies and tropical South America, but is of them sterile. Ovary with five or many
cultivated in warm sheltered places in cells, having two or more ovules in
France, and some parts of the south of each. Fruit a capsule embryo within
;
Europe. The French call it Bolic asperge. fleshy albumen. Trees or shrubs growing
It has smooth twining stems, six or eight
in tropical regions of the Old World.
feet in height, with large egg-shaped
In this tribe are included the genera,
Pentapetes, Brotera, Bombeya, Me'lhauia,
pointed leaflets, and yellowish-green
flowers. Its pods are from a foot to a foot
Astrapcea, and a.few others. [J. H. B.]
table, and, being without the tough parch- I are found in the greatest number in Mada-
ment-like skin of the common pea-pod, I gascar and Mauritius, and extend as far
they form an excellent dish. B. tuberosus, \
north as Abyssinia. The leaves are often
a native of Martinique, has a fleshy tu- like those of the maple or the plane, but
423 CI;c Crca£ttr» at SSntamt. [dore
in some are much smaller, heart-shaped DOODIA. A group of polypodiaceous
and nearly entire while the flowers are
; ferns related to Woodicardia, with which
borne in axillary cymes or umbels, each they are incorporated by many modern bot-
flower being supported by an involucre of anists notwithstanding considerable differ-
three small leaves which fall early. It ences of size, habit, and aspect. They differ
has a five-parted calyx, five petals, and from Woodivardia chiefly in having super-
fifteen to twenty stamens, accompanied ficial instead of sunken sori, and in having
by five filiform or strap-shaped sterile ones, the indusia less convex or vaulted, and
all slightly united at the base into a ring. more lunate. These differences seem rather
The fruits are little hairy five-celled cap- ! to indicate sectional than generic distinc-
sules. Ropes and various sorts of cordage tion. [T. M.]
are made in Madagascar from the bark: of DOOGHAN'. Myristica spuria.
D. platanifolia, as well as from some other
of the species. D. mollis has large heart- DOOLOO. A kind of rhubarb.
shaped leaves, three-lobed at the apex, DOONA seylanica is a large resinous
covered with a soft dense down, and its dipteraceous tree with rose-coloured flow-
rose-coloured flowers with narrow petals, ers in panicles. Three of the five sepals
are disposed in dense stalked umbels, and of its flowers are larger than the other
smell like hawthorn. The genus bears the two, and increase in size after the fall of
name of M. Dombey, a French botanist the corolla the petals are united at the
;
and traveller in S. America. [A. A. B.] base; there are sixteen stamens in two
DOMPTE-VENIS". (Fr.) Vincetoxicum rows with dilated filaments, and four-sided
officinale.
anthers with a club-shaped appendage
ovary three-celled, six-seeded. [M. T. M.]
DOXALDIA. A genus of S. American be- DOOPADA. Indian Copal or Piney Var-
goniads whose staminate flowers have two,
nish, a resin obtained from Vateria indica.
|
and pistillate five sepals; anthers elongated,
:
!
resembling Saxifraga grcenlandica, with
I tufted stems, and thick linear lanceolate lections of drupes form six-sided conical
I
obtuse glabrous leaves having wool in masses on a common stalk. [M. T. M.]
their axils flowers, terminal, sessile,
; DOORWA. Cynodon Dactylon, a fodder
j
white, with the calyx tube adhering to grass of India.
the ovary, and the limb four or five-toothed,
I
oil channels four, on the inner surface of ches: while the human experimentalist
each half of the fruit. D. ammoniucum found the powdered root of the latter
furnishes the drug now known as ammo- plant inert. Leopard's-bane is a robust
niacum. It is a native of Persia, and plant, with large roughish leaves and con-
abounds in a milky juice which exudes spicuous yellow flower-heads. There are
upon the slightest puncture being made, several species natives of Europe or Asia,
and dries upon the stem in little rounded some of which are cultivated as orna-
lumps, or tears as they are called. This mental plants. French, JDoronic German, ;
the leopards and other 'fower-footed stamens, having long erect anthers, are in-
beasts' were poisoned with aconite, one serted into the base of the perianth seg.
425 &f)z STrca^iin? nt 23otan». [dott
raents; the style is three-furrowed, with a which belongs to the Atherospermaeece, and
three-cornered stigma; and the ovary grows is somewhat nearly related to the Sassafras
into a three-celled turbinately oval capsule. of Tasmania, Atherospermum moschatum.
It differs, however, in having the anthers
prolonged into a tail-like process. D.
Sassafras, the only species of its genus,
grows to a fine symmetrical pyramidal
tree of sixty or one hundred feet high, with
a diameter of two to three feet and is fur-
;
DORYOPTERIS. A name proposed for and structure from the stroma. D. ribesia
a group of ferns belonging to the Pteridecc, is one of our commonest Fungi, forming
and having uniformly reticulated venation, little black spots on the dead stems of
which is sunk in the substance of the frond, currants, &c. the sporidia in Dothidea sel-
;
and is on that account generally obscure. dom acquire complicated forms like those
The genus is not, however, materially dif- which make Sphceria so abundant a source
ferent from Litobrochia, with which it is of objects for the microscopist. [M. J. B.]
now frequently united. [T. M.]
DOTTED. Furnished with transparent
DORYPHORA. The generic name of receptacles of oil, looking like dots
the Sassafras tree of Sew South Wales, marked with punctures.
GTIje Crca^ttrj) at 2Sfltang. 426
DOURA, or DURRA. The great Millet, D. Draco has a tree-like stem, simple or
Sorghum vulgare. divided at the top, and often when old
becoming much branched, each branch ter-
DOUVE, GRANDE. (Fr.) Ranunculus minated by a crowded head of lanceolate
Lingua. — , PETITE. B. Flammula. linear entire leaves of a glaucous green
colour, which leaves embrace the stem by
DOUX-GUILLAUME, — also DOUX- their base, and on falling off at maturity
JEAN. (Fr.) Dianthus barbatus. leave a ring-like cicatrix or scar." The flow-
ers form a large terminal panicle, and are
DOUZE DIEUX. (Fr.) DodecatheonMeadia. individually small and of a greenisb-white
colour. As seen in our stoves and green-
DOVEA. A genus of Bestiacece, consist-
houses, the plant is usually unbranched,
ing of South African sedge-like plants,
being in its '
first age ' or Infancy, which
distinguished by their simple one-celled
lasts in its native country from twenty-five
anthers, three-celled capsule opening at
to thirty years. The ' second age,' or period
the angles, and three (rarely two) sessile
of maturity and reproduction, and the
stigmas. The rhizome is creeping, scaly ; '
third age,' or period of decay, are of in-
the stems wand-like with remote sheaths
definite extent. During the former of-
They grow to the height of from six inches applied to the orontiaceous genus Bracon-
to three feet, and in habit somewhat re- tium. —
, GREEN. Ariscema Bracontium.
semble Salvia. B. canariense or Cedronella DRAGONNE. (Fr.) Tulipa turcica.
triphylla is better known as Balm of Gilead,
a designation which it hardly merits, being DRAGONNIER. (Fr.) Braccena Braco.
a native of America and the Canaries, and DRAGON ROOT. Ariscema atrorubens;
having no healing properties, though the also an American name for Ariscema Bra-
foliage is fragrant. It is distinguished by contium.
its pinkish spiked flowers, and ternate
leaves. B. Moldavifa is an annual with DRAGON TREE. Braccena Braco.
reddish stems, oblong blunt leaves, and DRAGON'S-BLOOD. A dark-red astrin-
whorled purplish blue or white flowers, gent resinous secretion of the fruit of
forming a leafy spike. B. virginianum, Calamus Braco; another kind is obtained
also called PJiysostegia, bears numerous from Braccena Braco. Ecastaphyllum mone-
large light blush flowers, arranged in four taria yields a similar resinous product.
ranks, of which, it is said, 'the position
may be altered at pleasure, and as they DRAGON'S-EYE. Nephelium Longanum.
are placed, so they will remain for several DRAGON'S-HEAD. A common name for
hours.'
kopf.
Fr. Bracocephale Ger. Brachen-
;
[C. A. J.]
Bracocephalum.— FALSE. Physostegia.
,
parts of India, Japan, &c, possesses power- arm with a moveable joint in the middle,
I) rap] €fyz Crca^uru af 3Botan». 428
and is stated by Mr. Drummond to re- which are bell-shaped, and have six equal
semble an insect suspended in the air stamens inserted on the perianth seg-
moving with every toreeze.' This is the ments. B. maculata is a greenhouse bulb
only species known. [A. A. B.] with spotted leaves. [J. T. SJ
and legs of insects on one or more of the solitary; no albumen. The plants are
leaves." The viscid fluid with which the found in cold and temperate climates of the
hairs are furnished, is said to be acrid and northern hemisphere. The leaves, flowers
caustic, to curdle milk, and to remove and seeds yield hydrocyanic or prussic
warts, corns, freckles, and sunburns. It is acid. The bark is astringent, and yields
also said to cause the rot in sheep. The sani- gum. The fruit is in many cases edible.
tary virtues ascribed to it may be real or Amygdalus communis, the almond-tree, a
imaginary: but with respect to its mis- native of Asia and Barbary, is cultivated in
chievous effects on sheep, there can be no the South of Europe. There are two varie-
doubt that where Sundew grows, there ties, one producing sweet, the other bitter
flocks are not likely to fatten, for the almonds. The kernels of the former con-
herbage with which it is associated is tain a fixed oil and emulsin, while those
mostly moss, rushes, cotton-grass, and of the latter contain also amygdalin, which
other juiceless weeds. There are three by combination with emulsin produces
species of Sundew indigenqus to Britain, prussic acid. Cerasus communis yields the
which differ in the shape and size of their common cherry. C. Lauro-cerasus, the
leaves, and agree in having small incon- cherry-laurel or bay-laurel, yields a hydro-
spicuous flowers on a leafless wiry scape. cyanated oil. The kernels of species of
Some of the foreign species have leafy Cerasus impart flavour to noyeau, ratafia,
stems. The hairs of B. lunata are said cherry-brandy, and maraschino. Primus
to close upon insects which alight upon communis furnishes the common plum,
them. French, Rossolis ; German, Sonven- and P. Armeniaca, the apricot. Amygdalus
thau. [C. A. J.] persica supplies the peach, and a variety
DROSOPHYLLUM. A singular half- gives the nectarine. There are five known
shrubby plant belonging to the Broseracea?, genera, and 110 species. [J. H. BJ
distinguished by its ten stamens, and one- DRUPARIA. A Brazilian herbaceous
celled capsule opening with five valves,
plant of the gourd family, with a furrowed
which bend inwards so as almost to make stem, and branching tendrils; female flow-
the capsule five-celled. B. hisitanicum,
ers in clusters. The fruit is four-celled,
the only species, a native of the sandy |
:
phor. Camphor oil, which is obtained by
the usual way, and bearing sori the other
;
]
j
the genus are all eastern, being found transversely to the veins and parallel with
'
in India, and in the islands of the Pacific, j the costa, thus indicating a technical re-
i
extending as far as Australia and the lationship with Meniscium. It has a com-
Feejee Islands. In one species, D. coro- | pound form of venation, the pinnate veins
: nans, the two forms of frond become com- !
primary veins, and in that state are very placed parallel to the costa. The only
[
similar to those of Selliguea, [T. M.] species, D.menisciicarpon of the Philippine
DRTOBALAXOPS. A tree, native of the Islands, is a rather coarse-growing fern
island of Sumatra, yielding a kind of cam- with broad fronds, becoming taller and
phor. It constitutes a genus of Diptera- contracted with a less copious venation
cece, characterised by the calyx having a when fertile. It is sometimes associated
cup-shaped tube, and a limb divided into with the Polypodiecn. [T. MJ
five leafy erect segments. The fruit is a
|
ser v loo. that thr- ralvpa <vf 'the frnit in Nephrodium by others, who, irrespective
:
diece group of true ferns, hut on account may have remained dormant in the wood
of the sori being seated on a broad recep- altogether, or may have existed in the
tacle, consisting not of a point on one shape of minute spawn. The foxy oak,
vein, but of a crowded network of fine ;
which is grown on old stools, owes its
veinlets or little veins, they have been colour to incipient decomposition accom-
sometimes placed along with Platy cerium, panied by delicate spawn, and when ex-
in a small group called Platyceriece, in ;
posed to circumstances favourable to fun-
which the same feature occurs. The fronds !
gal development, the perfect form of the
are leathery in texture, with prominent ,
fungus by which it was injured will soon
veins, merely pinnatifid, with the parts !
make its appearance. Elm trees are often
broad at the base, but in the upper part I
strongly impregnated with spawn before
deeply divided into narrow or contracted .
they are felled, and we have lately seen
segments, which are fertile. The parts are Polyporus ulmarms bursting forth from
all articulated so as to separate spontane- the cut surface of an elm tree which
ously from the mamrib or rachis. The i fell a sacrifice to the spring gales of
sori are large and generally quadrangular, I 1860, the whole wood being evidently af-
closely set along each side of the costa, fected.
each of them covering or seated on a flue i When the fungus attacks the surface, it
network of veins. They are without !
soon runs over it, and its spawn penetrates
indusia. The venation is very compound, j
the wood, destroying all before it. The
the veins and venules in the sterile parts best remedy against Dry Rot consists in
anastomosing freely in almost equal-sided careful selection of wood, perfect ventila-
areoles, and enclosing free veinlets in the tion, and patient seasoning, added to the
ultimate spaces. There are only two spe- employment of such kinds of wood for
I
cies known, both of which are natives of particular purposes as may be most suit;
I the Philippine Islands. [T. MJ |
able to the situation they are intended to
occupy. Mineral salts may also be em-
DRTPETES. A genus of Euphorbiacea? ployed, but the remedy on which autho-
comprising a few West Indian and South rities in the present day insist the most is
American trees or shrubs, which have al- creosote, which has the property of coagu-
ternate oval or elliptical pointed leathery lating albumen, and making it enter into
leaves, and inconspicuous flowers arranged combinations unfit for vegetation. It is,
in axillary fascicles, the males and females however, found that where the proper
on different plants. The males have a conditions have been secured, it is quite as
calyx of four to six divisions, no petals, economical to do nothing, for even with
and two to six free stamens; the females bad materials Dry Rot is not universal, and
have an ovary of one or two cells seated with good, attended by proper precautions,
in a fleshy disk. The fruit is a hard ellip- there will be little or no Dry Rot except
tical dry drupe. The genus is nearly allied under accidental circumstances which are
to Hemicyclia, but the latter has numerous favourable to its progress. In damp situa-
stamens. [A A. B.]
i
[
tions with imperfect ventilation, even
DRTPIS. A should no fungus be present, decomposi-
genus of Caryopliyllacea>,
tion is sure to take place, destructive to
distinguished by having a one-seeded utri-
cular capsule, which breaks across trans-
the wood, and prejudicial to the health of
those who are constantly in its neighbour-
versely. D. spinosa, a Mediterranean
herb, has branched rigid fragile stems,
hood. In cellars and domestic buildings
with opposite subulate leaves ending in where the fungus has not already com-
spines, and small rose-caloured flowers in
mitted too much mischief, it may be
effectually checked by washing it with a
dense corymbose cymes, with only Ave sta-
strong solution of corrosive sublimate.
mens in each. [J. T. S.]
Where fungus does not exist, the remedy
DRY ROT. "We are concerned with this is scarcely applicable when decay has com-
subject only so far as it may be the effect menced, though it may be useful in the
of Fungi, or as calling those Fungi into first instance. [M. J. BJ
especial notice. As, however, Dry Rot may
be the effect of slow chemical combustion DUBOISIA. A name
applied to an Aus-
tralian shrub, placed by Miers in Atropacea,
as well as of Fungi, and the results are
but by others referred to Scrophulariaccce.
much the same in either case, it is well Its flowers are in axillary clusters, white,
that any mycologist who may attempt with a two-lipped calyx corolla funnel-
the investigation of the subject should be ;
I
433 Cf)e CrcaSttrj) at ISotang, [dxjme
somewhat like a dandelion, is found in sexual the calyx limb has three unequal
;
funnel-shaped corolla, within which are ing to Dr. A. Gray, this character is here
Ave included stamens, with short subulate of little importance, and he would unite
filaments. The two-celled ovary is sur- the genus to Perezia along with Clarionea
mounted by two styles or a single one and Homoianthus. The roots of the two
deeply-cleft, with capitate stigmas. [W. C] known species are stringy, and the stem
at the base is furnished with a tuft of
DUFRESXEA. A Persian annual of the rusty hairs. From the roots of D. Ala-
order Yalerianaceo>. The leaves are entire ; mani, a eurious chemical production
the flowers in close cymes, sometimes uni- known as Pipitzahuac is prepared; it resem-
DUMU Wfyz Ersatfurj) oi MaUnv. 434
bles flakes of gold, and is said to be power- next the centre in Exogens, and next the
fully drastic, with an odour of valerian, circumference in Endogens.
and useful as a dye. The plant is also
known as Perezia fruticosa and sometimes DURANTA. A genus of S. American
Acourtia rigida. [A. A. B.] bushes of the vervain family, easily dis-
tinguished by the racemed flowers, and by
DTJMUS (adj. DUMOSE). A low branch- the nature of the fruits, which are com-
ing shrub. posed of four nuts enclosed in the calyx
tube, which is contracted at top; they
DUNBARIA. A small genus of twining are hard and about the size of a pea,
plants of the pea family, the species of each nut with two one-seeded cells.
which are found in India, Java, and the Some are spiny, others unarmed; but
surrounding Islands. In foliage and habit all are straggling bushes with four-an-
they are somewhat like Phaseolns, but the gled grey twigs, and opposite or whorled
leaves are smaller. The large flowers are stalked leaves, in some like those of the
generally bright-yellow, and disposed in privet, in others toothed. The pretty blue
loose axillary racemes. The calyx is four- flowers are borne in great profusion in
cleft to the middle the corolla remarkable
;
racemes towards the ends of the branches,
for the large membranous standard, much each about half an inch long, and having a
longer than the calyx, which embraces tubular five-ribbed five-toothed calyx, aiid
and hides the other petals, and has two a corolla about three times the length of
callosities at its base. In some species it is the calyx, with a flat border of five unequal
an inch long. The pod is flattened and rounded lobes, nearly half an inch across.
hairy, strongly compressed between the Some of them are said to be poisonous,
seeds. The genus is nearly related to and the seeds are not eaten by birds. D.
Cylista, which, however, has a large mem- Plumieri is in cultivation, and may often
branous calyx completely hiding the co- be seen in plant-stoves. About six species
rolla. It is named in honour of Prof. are known. [A. A, BJ
Dunbar of Edinburgh. [A. A. B.]
DURELIN. (Fr.) Quercus sessiliflora.
DUNGAN. Myristica spuria.
DUODENI. Growing twelve together. DURREA. A genus of Ricciacece.
part of the timber of a tree which becomes numerous collected into five bundles, and
hardened by matter deposited in it. It is have twisted or uneven anthers and the;
i d 3 €*f)c €rca£uni of 23 a tan ti. [dtso
scaly ovary issurmounted by along thread- [
posed by Dr. Mueller for an Australian com-
like style, and a simple round stigma. The posite plant/winch proved to be the same as
fruit varies in shape, being either globular !
Bimorpholepis; and afterwards applied by
or oval, and measures as much as ten inches |
him to a myoporaceous shrub from South
in length it has a thick hard rind, entirely
:
j
Australia, which he published as a new
covered with very strong sharp prickles, genus, but which he has more recently re-
and is divided into five cells, each of which duced to EremopMla.
contains from one to four seeds rather
I
mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry mens are united below into a tube adhe-
wine, aud other incongruous dishes. Tben rent to the inner segments of the peri-
there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the anth the ovary is free, three-lobed, with
;
pulp which nothing else possesses, but three spreading forked stigmas. B. rari-
which adds to its delicacy. It is neither flora is a very showy plant with orange-
acid, nor sweet, nor juicy; yet it wants coloured flowers. [M. T. M.]
none of these qualities, for it is in itself
DTER'S-WEED. Reseda Luteola; also
perfect. It produces no nausea or other
Genista tinctoriafand Isatis tinctoria.
bad effect, and the more you eat of it the
less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to DYNAMIS. power. A figurative
A
j
eat Durians is a new sensation worth a term employed by Linnaeus to express,
voyage to the East to experience.' The the degrees of development of stamens.
unripe Durians are cooked as a vegetable, Thus his Bidynamia signified stamens of
and the pulp of the ripe fruit is salted and two different lengths, or of two different
preserved in jars while the seeds are
; degrees of development.
roasted and eaten like chestnuts. [A. S.] DTSOPHYLLA. A genus belonging to
DURMAST. Quercus sessiliflora pubes- the labiate order, distinguished from its
cens.
congeners by the corolla having a short
tube, the border divided into four nearly
DURRA. Sorghum vulgare. equal pieces, the upper division entire or
slightly notched. The few species belong-
DUST BRAND. UstUago. ing to it are herbs, natives of India and
DUTCHMAN'S BREECHES. Bicentra Java the leaves opposite or in whorls
;
species, two are found in the United States hermaphrodite, or staminate and pistil-
and the others in Mexico. Some have linear late calyx three to seven-cleft, persistent
;
in others they are pinnatisect. The yel- ally twice or quadruple the number of the
low flower-heads are disposed in loose corolline segments. Ovary three or several-
corymbs, or panicles at the ends of the celled, with one or two pendulous ovules
branches, and have an involucre of one in each cell. Fruit a round or oval berry
series of scales, more or less united by seeds albuminous. Chiefly Indian and
their edges, and often surrounded by an tropical. A few are found in Europe,
outer series of bracts. In a few species North America, the Cape of Good Hope,
the florets are all tubular and perfect, but and New Holland. The trees of this order
in most of them the outer ones are strap- yield hard and durable timber. The bark
shaped and contain a pistil only. Most of of some is astringent, and the fruit is
these herbs emit an unpleasant odour sometimes eatable. The heartwood of
from the presence of oily matter se- different species of Diospyros constitute
creted by the glandular dots of the leaves. the ebony of commerce, of which there are
D. chrysanihemoid.es, a dwarf annual with many varieties, e. g. D. Ebenum, Mauritius,
pinnatisect leaves, grows in great profu- ebony, D. Melanoxylon, the ebony of Coro-
sion over the western prairies of Illinois, mandel, and D.Ebenaster, the bastard ebony
and in autumn exhales so unpleasant an of Ceylon. Diospyros hirsuta yields the
odour as to sicken travellers. [A. A. B.] variegated calamander wood of Ceylon
E, EX. In compositions without thus ;
and the coasts of India, which is shipped
ex-albuminous signifies without albumen. from Bombay and Madras. The keg-fig of
Japan is the edible fruit of Diospyros
EAGLE-WOOD. The timber of Aloexy- Kaki while the persimmon is the fruit of
;
lon Agallochum ; and also of Aquilaria D. virginiana. There are fifteen known
ovata, and A. Ag allodia. genera and about 180 species. Illustrative
genera Diospyros, Maba, Cargillia, Holo-
EARAIHAU. Ascarina polystackya. cUlus.
:
[J. H. B.]
EARCOCKLE. The name of a curious EBE'NIER. (Fr.) Diospyros Ebenum.
disease in wheat, in which the grain be-
comes blackened and contracted, and mealy EBENUS. A genus of the pea family,
within from the presence of myriads of numbering about a dozen species, nearly
worms belonging to the genus Vibrio. The related to Onobrychis, but the pods are
little animals are extremely tenacious of smaller, and not toothed or crested. They
life, and though apparently reduced to are elegant little shrubs or biennial plants,
dust, when steeped in warm water for a chiefly confined to the high mountainous
short time, after being dry for many regions of Eastern Europe and Asia Minor,
months, they recover their former activity. though E. pinnata is found in Algeria, and
The disease not only impairs the value of another as far east as Beloochistan. All
the wheat, but the little worms are very their parts are commonly crowned with
annoying to the miller from filling up the silky hairs and the leaves are usually un-
;
bear dense spikes or round heads of pink strong cathartic effects it is, however,
:
or violet, blossoms, in which the deeply- rarely obtained pure. It is of great value
lipped calyx is conspicuous, and densely in certain cases of dropsy and of cerebral
clothed frith silky hairs. The keel of the disease, where an active remedy is re-
corolla has the very minute triangular quired; but as its action is violent it
wings adhering to its claw near the base,
and of the ten stamens, nine are united
into a tube, and one is free. [A. A, B.]
stamens being furnished above with short ous and keeled, the lowest with two awns
obtuse recurved teeth. The six known at the tip, shorter than the superior one,
species, which extend from Mexico south- which has only one awn at the apex; pales
wards to Brazil, are perennial herbs, with or inner glumes two, the lowest flve-nerved
roots consisting of fascicles of fleshy fibres, and cleft at the tip. Of this small genus
grassy root leaves six inches to a foot or only two species are described, namely,
more in length, and rising from the midst E. capitula, which is a native of Africa as
of these a branching flower-stem, six well as Syria, and E. pumila, a native of
inches to four feet high, with narrow, Spain. [D. M.] .
succulent often fruticose plants belonging a hedgehog, and kaktos, a prickly plant, in
to the Crassulacece, and chiefly natives of allusion to many of the species being
Mexico. The leaves, which are generally globular and thickly beset with spines,
glaucous, and sometimes excessively so, resembling a rolled-up hedgehog. There
are not uncommonly spathulate in form, are hosts of species enumerated in botani-
sometimes disposed alternately along the cal works, more than half of them natives
stem, sometimes collected into rosulate of Mexico, and the rest distributed
tufts. The flowers are in racemes or cymes, throughout South America, extending as
often secund, and generally of a bright far south as Buenos Ayres and Mendoza.
scarlet or yellow colour, and very orna- Like the generality of the order, they
mental they have a five-parted calyx, a
;
delight in hot, dry, sandy, or stony places,
perigynous five-parted corolla, whose erect exposed to the full power of the sun.
segments close up into a pitcher-like form, They consist merely of a fleshy stem,
ten included stamens, with short hypogy- without leaves, and are either of a globular
nous scales, and five free one-celled ova- form slightly flattened at the top, or ob-
ries, which become man} -seeded follicular long, or cylindrical, and only attain a large
capsules. Many of the species are in cul- size when they are very old. Whatever
tivation, and they are esteemed as including their shape or size, the stems are always
some of the most interesting and beautiful either more or less fluted and ribbed, or
of greenhouse succulents. E. secunda and covered with tubercular swellings, the
glauca are particularly ornamental dwarf number of the ribs varying in the different
herbaceous species, well adapted for indoor species, being numerous and sharply de-
window gardens. [T. M.] fined in some, while in others they are
ECHIALES. One of Lindley's alliances,
fewer and merge into each other. Nearly
all the species are armed with stiff sharp
which includes the Boraginacea, LabiaUe,
spines, arranged in clusters, and seated
&c,
upon little woolly cushions placed at inter-
ECHINACANTHTTS. A small genus of vals along the edges of the ridges, or on
Acanthacece, containing four species, na- the tips of the tubercles. The flowers are !
tivesof India. They are herbs with denticu- generally large and showy, and are pro-
late leaves, and small flowers which grow in duced at or near the top of the plant,
secund axillary cymes running into a ter- growing from the upper side of the
minal panicle, and furnished with narrow younger fascicles of spines; but in some
bracts and no bracteoles. The calyx is species the top of the plant is densely
deeply flve-cleft, the corolla funnel-shaped, covered with light brown wool, from out
the stamens four, included, didynamous, of which the flowers proceed. The calyx
united in pairs at the base of the filaments, has a broad generally short tube, the lower
and the stigma simple. The round two-
j
celled capsule bears many seeds. [W. C] character, and the upper ones more like i
India. The leaves and flower-heads are fixed to the inside of the calyx-tube, and
j
very like those of our own Corduus arven- are shorter than the petals. The style is
j
sis. The chief characters which separate columnar, and separates into from five to
these plants from Carduus are the thin and
i
short lacerated tails seen at the base of the with the withered remains of the flowers.
anther lobes. [A. A. B.]
E. Yisnaga, which is perhaps the largest |
longing to the tribe Pappophorece. The Potosi, in Mexico. Large plants of this j
inflorescence is in simple globose spikes have from forty to fifty sharp ridges, with i
439 QLl)t ©rratftirg at 33otang. [echi
the clusters of spines sunk into their sharp spines. E. pectinatus grows about
edges at short intervals. The aggregate eight inches high, and two inches thick,
number of these spines upon a single and has about twenty ridges bearing at
plane is something enormous a compara-
; short intervals dense clusters of very
tively small plant in Kew Gardens was small yellowish and rose-coloured spines.
The fruit, like that of several other species,
is of a purplish colour, and very good
eating, resembling a gooseberry. The
Mexicans, who call the plant Cabeza del
Viego, eat the fleshy part of the stem as a
vegetable first carefully freeing it of the
spines. [A. SJ
ECHINOCHLOA. A
genus of grasses
of the tribe Panicem. The species are now
generally included under Panicum. [D. MJ
ECHIKOCYSTIS. A North American
cucurbitaceous annual with climbing
stems, palmate leaves, branching tendinis,
and small greenish flowers ; the males in
clusters, the females in juxtaposition,
either solitary or in tufts upon a short
stalk. The calyx segments and petals are
Ecliinocactus Yisnaga. six in number, the stamens three, in two
parcels, with connate wavy anthers. In
estimated to have 17,600, and a larger the female flower there are three abortive
specimen, at the same place, could not have
stamens. The two-celled fruit is some-
had less than 51,000. The Mexicans com- what globular, spiny, at first juicy, but
monly use them for toothpicks, hence the subsequently dry and fibrous. [M. T. MJ
specific name Visnaga, which means a
toothpick. The flowers are bright yellow. ECHLNOLiENA. A genus of grasses
Some years ago a plant of this species, belonging to the tribe Panicece, now in-
weighing one ton, and measuring nine cluded in Panicum. [D. MJ
feet in height by three in diameter, was
forwarded to Kew, where, however, it lived ECHINOPE DE RUSSIE. (Fr.) Echi-
nops sphcerocephalus.
only a short time. [A. SJ
ECHINOPHORA. A genus of umbellifers
ECHINOCARPUS. Asmall genus of distinguished by the prickly character of
Tiliacea>, found in India, Java, and Eastern the parts which surround the flowers and
Tropical Australia. They are most nearly re- fruit. The species are perennial herbs,
;
lated to Sloanea,~b\it differ in having petals. having generally a rigid habit, and, as the
All are large trees with alternate stalked name implies, partly covered with spines.
I
oval oblong or lance-shaped leaves. The They are chiefly found on the borders of
j
flowers are arranged in short axillary the Mediterranean, and are more of interest
i
racemes or fascicles, seldom in terminal owing to their peculiar appearance than
i panicles and each is about half an inch in
; on account of any useful or economical
diameter ,with a five-parted calyx ,five lacer- property which they possess. E. tenuifolia,
,
ated petals, numerous stamens with point- found on some parts of the Mediterranean
ed anthers, and a five-celled ovary crowned shore, is, however, reported as acting mod-
with a simple style. In some species the erately upon the kidneys. One species,
i
fruits are beset with straight prickles, and E. spinosa, still holds a place in the British
i
resemble those of the vSpanish chestnut; Flora, having been reported as found on
:
in others the outer covering of the fruit the sandy sea-shores of Lancashire and
;
consists of short crisp closely-packed rigid Kent ; but it is now extinct. [G. DJ
: hairs. In all they are five-celled with Ave
: seeds, and split when ripe into five woody ECHINOPOGOK A small genus of
i portions. This prickly covering of the curious grasses belonging to the tribe
fruit has suggested the name. [A. A. B.] Agrostidece, having the inflorescence in
crowded ovate panicles ; stamens three
I
:
sometimes combined with Cereus, but in obloner-lanceolate, awned. The species are
;
the latter the tube of the flowers is very all natives of Kew Holland. [D. MJ
,
long, while in Echinocereus it is always
; short, besides which the fruit is crowned ECHINOPS. A genus of the composite
with the withered remains of the flower, family, numbering upwards of thirty spe-
and the seeds are always rough or warted, cies, many of them known as Globe
not smooth, as in true Cereus. The species Thistles. They are remarkable for having
number between twenty and thirty, and the heads one-flowered and arranged in
are natives of the hot dry regions of
all dense round clusters at the ends of the
Mexico and Texas. They seldom exceed a branches, so that each cluster of flower-
;
foot in height, the stems being simple or heads has the appearance of a single head
\ branched, and either divided into very containing many florets. They are found as
j
numerous ridees, or with only from four far eastward as Kumaon in the Himalayas,
to ten, all being formidably armed with extend westward to Spain, and appear in
ECHl] Ei)e Creagurg af botany. 440
greatest numbers in Asia Minor. Some by five small scales and three-edged nuts,
;
are annuals, but most of them are biennial with the anterior face margined and often
or perennial erect simple or branching bordered with one or more rows of hooked
herbs from two to six feet or more high, prickles and by the inner angle of each of
;
furnished with large thistle-like spiny the four carpels adhering by its whole
leaves, once, twice, or thrice pinnately- extent to a central column. They are
parted, the lower surface usually covered, hairy herbs resembling Myosotis, with
like the stems, with loose white wool. narrow leaves and small blue flowers, in
The flowers are white or pale blue, and bracteated scorpioid racemes. The species
the compound heads one to three inches are most abundant in the temperate re-
in diameter, surrounded by a common gions of the northern hemisphere. E.
involucre of narrow scales, while each Lappula, which is one of the erect-fruited
separate single-flowered head has an in- species, has been found in England at
volucre of numerous scales, the outer Southwold, but doubtless an accidental
hair-like, the inner broader and spiny- introduction. [J. T. S.]
pointed. The silky cylindrical achenes are
crowned with a pappus of numerous short ECHIUM. A genus of Boraginacece,
bristles. E. strigosiis, an annual species, distinguished by its tubular bell-shaped
native of Spain, is said to yield the sub- corolla, open at the throat (without scales
stance known as Spanish tinder. Three or plaits), and with an irregular limb,
sorts of it are prepared, one from the pu- bearing some resemblance to that of some
bescence of the flower-heads, another from of the labiates. They are bristly or hairy
that of the leaves, and a third from that plants, generally distributed, especially
of the stems. [A. A. BJ abundant in the Mediterranean region,
where most of the species are herbaceous,
ECHINOPSIS. A genus of Indian figs, and in the Canaries, where the greater
formerly combined with Echinocactus, but number are shrubby. The flowers are
now separated and placed with the Cereidce, usually large, in small curled spikes, ar-
distinguished by the flowers being pro- ranged in a compound spike or panicle.
duced from the side of the stem, instead E.vulgare, the common Viper's Bugloss, isa
of at the top, as in the Echinocactidce. very rough plant with strap-shaped leaves,
They have fleshy stems of a flattened narrow at the base, and bright blue
globular or cylindrical form, divided into flowers whose stamens exceed the corolla
numerous ridges, which either run unin- this occurs throughout Britain. E. viola-
terruptedly from the apex to the base and ceum is not found in Britain proper, but is
bear clusters of spines at intervals, or are common in Jersey its flowers are much
;
waved or notched, and have the spines larger, more purple, with shorter stamens,
placed in the depressions. In some species and the leaves clasp the stem by a broad
the spines are of great length. The flowers base. [J. T. S.]
are very large, and in many species exceed-
ingly handsome, forming a striking con- ECLAIRE, or ECLAIRE GRANDE.
trast with the ungainly appearance of the (Fr.) Chelidonium majus. — PETITE, or
plants themselves they have a very long
:
ECLAIRETTE. (Fr.) Ranunculus Fica-
tube, more or less covered with bristly or ria.
hairy scales, which increase in size towards ECLIPTA. Agenus of erect or pros-
the upper end of the tube, and at length trate annual or biennial weeds of the
merge into sepals, the sepals in their turn composite family, approaching dahlias in
passing into petals. The stamens are the structure of their flowers, but widely
arranged in two series, the inner attached different in habit, and pretty equally dis-
to the bottom of the tube, and the outer tributed over all tropical countries. The
growing to the tube throughout its whole leaves are usually opposite and lance-
length, and becoming free at the orifice, shaped, with entire or toothed margins,
forming a circle around, it. The thread- and the white stalked flower-heads, grow-
like style, scarcely longer than the sta- ing one to three together, proceed from the
mens, is surmounted by a many-rayed axils of the leaves, and are about half an
stigma. Between twenty and thirty spe- inch across. The receptacle is flat and
cies, natives of Bolivia, Chili, Mexico, furnished with bristle-like scales, between
Brazil,and Texas, are described. [A. S.] the florets. The achenes of the ray-florets
are triangular, those of the disc com-
ECHINOPTERYS. The name of a Mexi-
pressed and the pappus is either absent
can shrub, constituting a genus of Malpi- ;
shaped corolla, which has the throat closed i lanceolate included scales the stamens in-
;
eluded, free, their anthers densely hairy atlonging to the Tliymelacere, named by C. A.
the back and the pollen-masses adpressed
;
Meyer in honour of Mr. Edgworth, an
to an oblong truncate corpuscle. The Indian botanist. The flowers have a single
stigma is pentagonal and apiculate. The perianth, the limb of which is divided into
follicles are smooth, slender, obtuse, and four ovate blunt lobes. There are no
divaricate, with comose seeds. [W. C] perigynous scales, but one emarginate
hypogynous one; stamens eight, nearly
ECTOCARPE.E. A natural order of sessile, arranged in two distinct lines, one
dark-spored Algce, consisting of olive- above the other ovary
covered with hairs,
jointed threadlike seavreeds, whose spores
;
They are most abundant in temperate leaves hairs closely pressed to the surface and
regions, though several are found in warm ;
ECTOZOMA. A genus of
Atropacece, fined from Greek words signifying ' sessile
;
represented by a shrub, native of Ecuador, or stalkless flower.' The species are natives
: of somewhat climbing habit, and with of Southern Europe, and usually in the
flowers in terminal panicles. The calyx is form of small tufted herbs with narrow
i
thick, bell-shaped, with Ave triangular alternate leaves, which are often furnished
|
erect divisions corolla fleshy, tubular,
;
with stiff hairs the individual flowers
;
somewhat dilated in the middle, its lobes are stalkless but grouped in heads. [G. D.]
!
roundish, and overlapping before ex- EFFLORESCENT. The action of begin-
j
pansion; stamens five, with very short ning to flower.
filaments attached to a thin hairy ring
surrounding: the ovary ; stigma globular. EFFOLIATION. The removal of leaves.
The fruit is unknown. [M. T. H.] EFULCRATE. Said of buds from below
ECFELLE D'EATJ. (Fr.) Hydrocotyle which the customary leaf has fallen.
EGENOLFIA. Pohjbotrya.
EDDOES. The tuberous stems of various EGER1A. A genus of ffydrocharidacece
araceous plants, as Colocasia esculenta, from South America, consisting of water
antiquorurn, &c, Caladium bicolor, violace- plants with the habit of Anacharis, having
um, and others. dicbotomous branches and verticillate
EDDYA. A genus of Boraginacece from linear leaves with finely serrated margins.
Texas and Jew Mexico, containing a The spathe of male flowers is axillary and
small much-branched very hispid prostrate sessile, the flowers themselves resem-
undershrub with crowded leaves and soli- bling those of Hydrocharis ; female flowers
tary axillary white flowers corolla salver-
;
unknown. [J. T. SJ
shaped, naked at the throat stamens ;
EGG-PLANT. Solatium esculentum (Me-
inserted at the apex of the tube of corolla longena) and ovigerum.
nuts ovate, cohering by their internal
angles, muricate. [J. T. S.] EGG-SHAPED. The same as Ovate.
EDENTATE. Not having teeth. E'GILOPE. (Fr.) Mgilops.
EDGED. When one colour is surrounded E'GILOPS. (Fr.) Quercus ^Egilops.
by a very narrow rim of another.
E'GLANTIER. (Fr.) Rosa Er/lavteria.
EDGWORTHIA. A genus of plants be- — JAUNE. Rosa lutea. — ODORANT, or j
egla] Ojc Creature of 2Satanp. 442
ties. j
carpus, and on the other to Chordaria. In
and alterative. The Peruvian heliotrope,
E. scutulata the threads are so intimately
cultivated since 1740, has a delightful combined with the tissue of HimantltaUa
odour. There are fifteen known, genera lorea that it is impossible to say where the
and about 330 species in the order. Illus- one begins and the other ends. Indeed,
trative genera: Ehretia, Tournefortia, He-
did not the species produce distinct fruit,
Uotropium. [J. H. L\]
they might justly be reckoned as mere
EHRETIA. A genus of Eliretiacece, con- transformations of the cells of the mother
sisting of tropical trees or shrubs with
|
>
plant. [M. J. BJ
paniculate or corymbose flowers which are ELJEAGIA. A genus of lofty cinehona-
usually white. The calyx is deeply five- I
ceous trees, natives of the Cordilleras.
parted, the corolla salver-shaped with a The flowers are arranged in terminal
five-parted limb, the stamens five, the I
Tarnish tree. M. Triana, to whose account Olivier de Bolieme; Gen Wilde OeU
in the Bulletin de la Soc. Bot. de France, baume. [C. A. J.]
1858, p. 500, we are indebted for these
EL.EIS. A genus of palms comprising
paiticulars, dwells with justice on the ira-
the Oil Palm of Africa, and another closely
!
height of from fifteen to twenty feet. introduced into the West Indies. It grows
The leaves are long and narrow, covered, as twenty or thirtyfeet high, the trunk being
I
well as the young shoots, with stars of covered with the remains of the stalks of
;
hairs of a hoary colour. The branches are dead leaves. The fruits are borne in
brown and smooth, more or less spiny. dense heads, measuring a foot and a half
The flowers are of two kinds, some con- or two feet Ions, and from two to three
taining stamens and pistils, which are four- feet in circumference, the individual
cleft, pale yellow within the others, with
; fruits being about an inch and a half
stamens and an abortive pistil, are five to long, by an inch in diameter. The part
eight-cleft, and of a golden yellow within ;
yielding the palm oil is the outer fleshy
all are axillary, two or three together on coating of the fruit, but the seed, which
short stalks, and fragrant. It flowers in is enclosed in a hard shell, likewise affords
May, and ripens its fruit, which is of a red- an oil, small quantities of which occa-
brown colour, something like a small date, sionally come to this country. Commer-
in August. The blossoms, which are pro- cial palm oil is about the consistence of
duced in great abundance, perfume the butter, of a bright orange-red colour, and
air for a considerable distance round. has a rather pleasant violet-like odour
For this reason it is a most desirable when perfectly fresh. It is obtained by
tree for a lawn or shrubbery. French, boiling the fruits in water and skimming
off the oil as it rises to the surfare ; and margin of the fleshy ring in which the
as its production and preparation is carried ovary, crowned with a short style and a
on solely by the negro population, who rounded stigma, is immersed. The fruits
bring it to the merchants in small quanti- are green fleshy drupes, sometimes about
ties for sale, it is anticipated that ere long the size of a hazel-nut, but often much
the Negro kings will find th-3 trade in palm smaller, with a thin fleshy outer covering,
oil more profitable than that in human surrounding a hard three to five-celled nut.
beings. In 1860 the imports of palm oil E. australe furnishes a close-grained firm
into the United Kingdom amounted to wood, which is used in N. S. Wales for
804,326 cwts., representing a money value tm-ning and cabinet work this tree attains
;
of 1,786,S95L The chief use to which this a height of thirty to forty feet, with a dia-
substance is applied is for the manufacture meter of eight to fourteen inches. The
of candles, and it is the principal article drupes of E. Kabu are eaten at the Cape.
used for that purpose in the extensive The bark and roots of E. Boxburghii, an
works of Price's Patent Candle Company ;
Indian species, are considered efficacious
besides which it is greatly employed in in all cases of swelling, and are used exter-
soap-making, and likewise for greasing the nally rubbed with water. The root is also
wheels of railway carriages. In Africa it said to be powerfully astringent and useful
is eaten as butter, and a kind of soup is in snake bites. [A. A. B.]
made by boiling the fruits. The hard black EL^EOSELINUM. The generic name of
shell of the nut takes a fine polish, and is
plants belonging to the order of umbelli-
frequently made into rings and other orna-
fers, distinguished from their allies by
mental articles by the negroes. [A. S.]
having each half of the fruit with five
EL.EOCARPUS. A genus of Tiliacece, principal and four secondary ribs, two of
natives mostly of tropical parts, princi- the latter being wing-like. E. meoides is a
pally of India and Java, a few occurring native of Sicily, and occurs also in Algiers ;
in Australia and New Zealand. They either its leaves are twice pinnate, rough on the
form trees, attaining sometimes the height stalks and nerves, the leaflets numerous
of fifty or sixty feet, or large shrubs and very narrow. [G. D.]
they have simple leaves, and racemes of ELAIO. In Greek compounds = olive
small flowers, with a calyx of five sepals,
colour, a mixture of green and brown.
and five petals either toothed or beautifully
fringed, the stamens indefinite, inserted ELAPHOGLOSSUM. A genus of poly-
upon a swollen lobed disk, and having long podiaceous ferns of the tribe Acrostichec?,
downy unequal-celled anthers usually ter- distinguished by their simple fronds, and
minating in a bristle. The ovary is from simple or parallel forked free veins, which
two to five-celled, and the fruit contains a are club-shaped at the apex. Thus defined
very hard rough-shelled nut, divided into the genus includes a large proportion of
as many one-seeded cells as the ovary, or the species formerly referred to Acrosti-
sometimes all but one cell imperfect. E. chum. In some of them the fronds are
Qanitrus, a tree, growing forty or fifty smooth and naked, but in others they are
feet high, is native of India and the Malay clothed with variously shaped and often
Islands, where the hard stones of the fruit strongly coloured scales which form pretty
are commonly used for stringing into rosa- objects for microscopical examination.
ries, or for making necklaces, bracelets, Upwards of 150 species are admitted, the
buttons, heads of pins, and similar articles. larger proportion of them occurring in the
E. Hinau, the Hinau of the New Zealand- "West Indies and South America, a con-
ers, is a tree fifty or sixty feet high, with a siderable number in India and the East,
trunk three or four feet thick, producing and others extending to the Mascaren
a very hard white timber, Avhich, however, Islands, Madagascar, the Cape, and Sierra
is not very valuable, being apt to split when Leone, and to Australia and the islands of
exposed to wet or heat. The bark affords the Pacific. The fertilefronds are distinct
an excellent and permanent dye, varying from the sterile ones, generally more or
from light brown, to puce, or deep black it; less often very much contracted, and not
is greatly used by the natives for dyeing unfrequently elevated on longer stalks,
their garments. The pulp surrounding the their under surface being entirely covered
stone of the fruit of this and other species with spore-cases. [T. M.]
is eatable; and in India the fruits of
several are either used in curries or pickled
ELAPHOMTCES. Underground Fungi,
[A. S.]
from truffles by reason of the
differing
like olives.
contents of the thick peridium being ulti-
EL^EODENERON. A genus of trees or mately resolved into a mass of dusty
shrubs belonging to the Celastracece, oc- sporidia from the absorption of the asci.
curring in greatest numbers in S. Africa, They were, in consequence, for along time
but also represented in Australia, India, associated with puffballs. We have three
and the W. Indies. The leaves are oppo- wild species in this country, two of which
site or alternate, elliptical or lanceolate are pretty generally diffused. The peridium
and smooth and the inconspicuous green is either smooth or rough with warts. Of
;
or white flowers are disposed in axillary our more common species, E. granulatus is
cymes, and have a four or five-parted calyx, far less rough externally, and has a thinner
a four or five petaled corolla, inserted under peridium, which is not variegated within
a fleshy ring and longer than the calyx, like E. variegatus. All the species appear to
a like number of stamens inserted on the be involved in an intricate mass of rootlets
and spawn. They had once the reputa- species, called Waterworts, both of unusual
tion of being aphrodisiac, arising from a occurrence. E. hexandra is a minute plant
and they are
false norion as to their origin, barely an inch high, which grows on the
still kept by the herbalists in Covent
margins of lakes, forming a moss-like mat
Garden under the name of lycoperdon sometimes extending under the water, and
j
'
nuts. Several species have been found in in dry seasons when it is left by the re-
France which at present have not rewarded ceding water assuming a crimson hue.
the researches of British mycologists. E. The flowers, which are minute and flesh-
aramdatus gives rise occasionally to Cor- coloured, grow in the axils of the opposite
"dieeps capitatas, as does E. variegatus to C, leaves. E. Hydropiper scarcely differs
ophioglossoides. [M. J. B.] from the preceding except that the flowers
are octandrous. They might be sown with
ELAPHRIUM. The name of a genus of advantage on the shelving banks of arti-
trees or shrubs belonging to the Amyri- ficial water to conceal the unsightliness of
dacece, abounding in resinous juice, and mud. [C. A. J.]
natives of tropical America. The character-
ELCATJA, ARABIAN. Trichilia emetica.
I
Elemi, a greenish resin. E. tomentosum nearly an inch across, are disposed in ter-
also yields a resin. [M. T. MJ minal corymbs. Each head is surrounded
ELATERIEM. A drug prepared from by an involucre of two series of scales, the
the pulp of the fruits of Ecbalium agreste, outer very narrow, the inner broader and
membranaceous the strap-shaped ray
formerly known as Jlomordica Elaterium.
;
ing in marshes with opposite leaves, having MANILLA. The gum-resin of Canariiim
interpetiolar stipules, and minute axillary
commune. — MEXICAN. The gum-resin
,
j
j
stamens as many or double the number ELEOCHARIS. A genus of cyperaceous
: styles three to five stigmas capitate.
; plants, belonging to the tribe Scirpece, dis-
Fruit a three to five-celled capsule, opening tinguished by one or two of the lowest
at the partitions. Seeds numerous, exal- glumes being larger than the others, and
;
buminous attached to a central placenta. empty; bristles three to six, or wanting ;
The family is nearly allied to the chickweed nut compressed, crowned with the persis-
order, but differs in the stigmas, the mode tent dilated base of the jointed style. The
i
in which the fruit opens, and the straight, species have a wide geographical range,
1
not curved, embryo. Lindley thinks that some Of them growing within the torrid
the affinities are chiefly with the rue zone and others reaching nearly to the
In Steudel's Synopsis Plantarum
j
making brooms. [A. A. B.] scales truncate, fimbriate styles two, con-
;
ELETTARIA. A genus of Zingiberacece, Brownea they are more numerous, and all
consisting of plants having much the ap- fertile. The uneq ually pinnate leaves of E.
pearance of Amomum, from which genus princeps are made up of twenty to forty
the present is distinguished by the elon- pairs of narrow leaflets, while those of E.
gated filiform tube of the corolla, by the coccinea have fewer and larger leaflets. The
presence of the internal lateral lobes in rose or scarlet flowers are arranged in
the shape of very small tooth-like pro- dense terminal bracted spikes from two to
cesses, and by the filaments not being pro- four inches long. The tubular calyx is five-
longed beyond the anther. They are na- toothed, the upper tooth broader than the
tives of the tropical parts of India. E. others the five narrow petals are nearly
;
Cardamomum furnishes the fruits known of equal length and the nine stamens are
;
as the Small or Malabar Cardamoms of free or shortly united at the base. The
commerce. These are collected either in broadly linear pod is compressed and
their wild state or from cultivated plants. thickened on the upper edge, from three
In the forests of Travancore the Cardamom to five inches long, velvety, and contain-
springs up spontaneously when the trees ing a number of seeds. The genus was de-
U7 CIjc €rea£urp a( ^Dtang. [eltt
dicated by Schomburgk to the Princess is said to be prepared from the leaves of
Royal of Prussia. [A. A. BJ E. virginica. [A. A. B.]
ELLEANTHUS. Evelyna. ELONGATE. Lengthened or stretched
out, as it were.
ELLEBORE BLANC. (Fr.) Teratrum
album. ELS, ROOD. Cunonia capensis. —,WIT.
ELLEETONIA. A Malabar climber, Weinmannia -trifoliata.
forming a genus of Apocynacece, distin- ELSHOLTZIA. A
genus of labiate
guished from Alstonia and Blaberopus plants, distinguished by having the calyx
chiefly in having peltate seeds expanded ovate or bell-shaped (changing its form
at each end into a broad membranous wing. and becoming longer as the fruit ripens),
and having five equal teeth the tube of the
ELLIOTTIA. A genus of Cyrillaceoz con- ;
containing six species of North American three together; glumes two, both on the
branching annual herbs, with opposite or same side of the spikelet,without awns, en-
alternate oblong and pinnatisectleaves.and closing one to seven florets. In SteudeTs
white flowers on solitary peduncles, oppo- Synopsis there are forty-nine species de-
site the leaves below, and in loose racemes scribed. These have an extensive geo-
above. The calyx is five-parted, without graphical range nearly all are inhabitants
;
reflexed appendages to the sinuses the ; of the temperate zones, but some extend
corolla tubular, campanulate and caducous, even to the Arctic circle. Only two species
with ten small scales in the tube; the are natives of Britain, E. geniculatus and E.
stamens included the nectary surrounding
; arenarius the latter, Sea Lyme-grass, is
;
the ovary, and rising into five gland-like useful for binding with its long creeping
teeth and the capsule ovoid-globose with
; roots the land where it grows. They are
four seeds. This genus scarcely differs from all coarse grasses, and of little importance
Xemophila, except in wanting the appen- for agricultural purposes. [D. M.]
dages to the calycine sinuses. [W. CJ
ELYN A. A genus of cyperaceous plants
ELLOBOCARPUS. Ceratopteris. belonging to the tribe Caricince, distin-
guished by the scales being imbricated or
ELM. The common name for Ulmus. slightly lapping over each other by their
— of New South Wales. Epicarpurus edges, covering a spikelet of two flowers
orientalis. — SPANISH. Cordia Geras-
,
lower floret fertile, upper barren. Small
clirrnthHs, or Geraschanthus vulgaris; also
grass-like plants, having the habit of some
said to be applied to Hamelia ventricosa. carices. They are mostly natives of Alpine
— WYCH or WITCH. Ulmus montana. countries, and rarely met with. [D. M.]
ELODE A. A genus of Hypericaceee, differ- ELYNANTHUS. A genus of cypera-
ing from Hypericum only in having scale- ceous plants, belonging to the tribe Rhyn-
like glands alternating with the bundles of clwsporece, and distinguished by the in-
stamens. Hypericum Elodes,'srhieh isfound florescence being in close bundled spikes
in various parts of Britain, is referred to flowers polygamous, the terminal one her-
this genus and there are a few European
;
maphrodite styles three-cleft, thickened
;
and Western Asiatic species, and two found and bulbous at the base seeds triangular.
;
in the United States. Most of these are The species are mostly natives of the
perennial smooth pea-green herbs, with Southern Hemisphere, South Africa, and
opposite shortly stalked or sessile ellipti- New Holland. [D. M.]
cal or lance-shaped leaves, furnished with
transparent dots, and yellow or purplish ELYTRANTHE. A genus of Lorantha-
flowers disposed in axillary or terminal containing Indian parasitical shrubs
cece,
few-flowered cymes. A stomachic tincture with compact abbreviated spikes of few
ELYTJ {£!)£ Creature of 25atang. 448
whitish purple or orange flowers, which is found wild and cultivated in various
are inserted in the rachis, and each fur- parts of India and the Indian Archipelago.
nished with three bracts petals cohering
;
It is a tree sometimes of large growth, but
in a tube at the base stamens six. [J. T. SJ
;
more generally of twenty to thirty feet,
with an abundance of simple alternate
ELYTRARIA. A genus of Acanthacem, linear leaves, which are smooth, and ar-
containing a few species scattered over the ranged on slender branches in a distichous
tropical regions of America, Africa, and manner, so that they appear like leaflets of
India. They are stemless herbs, with pinnate leaves ; in their axils the little
entire dentate or repand radical leaves and green flowers are found in cymes, the
small flowers. The calyx is four or five- females mixed singly with the males. The
parted. The corolla is two-lipped or latter have a six-parted calyx, no petals,
ringent; there are two fertile and two six glands, and three to five stamens united
barren stamens, all included and the cap-
; into a short column. The females, with a
sule contains many pitted seeds in each similar calyx, have a cup-shaped disc, and
cell, attached to the placenta without any an ovary crowned with a style which has
retinacula. [W. C.J three thick recurved two-lohed branches.
EMARCID. Flaccid, wilted. In Borneo, the bark and young shoots are
used to dye cotton black, for which pur-
EMARGINATE. Having a notch at the pose they are boiled with alum. The fruits
end, as if a piece had been taken out. are often made into a sweatmeat with
EMBELIA. A genus of Myrsinacece, sugar, or eaten raw as a condiment, but
nearly allied to Mccsa, from which it differs they are exceedingly acid. The wood is
hard and valuable, as it resists damp well.
|
in the family with free petals in its slender In India the bark is used in tanning, and
! racemes of flowers, which usually form a the root-bark mixed with honey is applied
terminal panicle. It is composed of about to inflammation of the mouth. The fruits
! twenty species of straggling shrubs, found also are used as a pickle, or preserved in
in India and the islands of the Indian sugar when ripe and dry they are given in
;
I
is also used in dysentery. The natives
pound racemes towards the ends of the i
of Travancore have a notion that the plant
branches they have a five-parted calyx,
;
imparts a pleasant flavour to water, and
five free spreading petals, opposite to therefore place branches of the tree in
their wells, especially when the water is
;
and either red or black when ripe. Those j EMBOLUS. A plug; a process which
of E. Ribes, one of the most common Indian projects downwards from the upper part
species, with ovate-lanceolate smooth of the cavity of the ovary in Armeria, and
leaves, are gathered and sold to traders, \
closes up the foramen of the ovule.
who use them for adulterating black pep-
per, which they somewhat resemble, and
j
which covers over the radicle of some chiefly of the northern parts of Europe
kinds of embryo. It is the hardened apex and America. A few are found in the
of the nucleus. South of Europe, and even at the Strait of
Magalhaens. The order is represented in
EMERICELLA. A most curious genus, Britain by Empetrum nigrum, the black
connecting, apparently like Coniocybe and crowberry, the fruit of which is eaten in
some others, the myxogastrous Fungiwith northern countries, and is used by the
Caliciei. The stem consists of a spongy
}
been found on decaying leaves of Euphorbia with six imbricated scales at the base;
neriifolia at Secunderabad. A figure will !
EMILIA. A
small group of composite where it affords abundant food to the moor-
plants, separated from Cacalia, and con- game, and is also found in the moorland
sisting mostly of annuals, represented by districts of the north of England. Its
E. sagittata, the Cacalia coccinea of gar- berries are eaten by the Highlanders and
I dens. They are natives of India, China, Russian peasants, and are considered
and the South African islands. The flower- wholesome. Boiled in alum-water, they
heads are subcorymbose, the florets being furnish a dingy purple dye, and Linnaaus
all tubulose, and in the common garden
states that they are used by the Laplanders
forms either orange, scarlet, or yellowish. for dyeing otter and sable skins black. E.
The lobes of the florets are linear elongate, rubrum, a native of the extreme south of
and the pentagonal achenes are ciliated at South America, has red berries, which are
the angles, and crowned with a many- said to be pleasant to eat. It is most
rowed pappus of filiform hairs. [T. M.] abundant along the sandy coast. Both
species are easy of cultivation as bog plants,
EMMEXAXTHE. A
genus of Eydro- but are slow growers. French Camarine :
threes. They have a four-cleft calyx, like, with a thick rind. The roots of E.
thickened at the base, no corolla, and viiijiuculata and E. glaucescens are used
four stamens, opposite to, and longer than medicinally in Brazil. [M. T. MJ
the lobes of the calyx, with anthers having
a gland at the top. The ovary is solitary, ENDECA. In Greek compounds=eleven.
one-celled, terminating at top in a long
horn, the style lateral, as long as the horn-
ENDIVE. Cichorium
like extremity of the ovary ovules two. ; ENDIVE PETITE. (Fr.) Cichorium En-
The horned capsule is one-seeded. E. divia angustifolia.
serrulatum is a pretty greenhouse shrub
with pinkish flowers. [M. T. M.j
ENDOCARP. The lining
of a carpel
the inner surface of a fruit, representing
ENAItTHROCARPUS. A genus of Cru- at that time the upper surface of a carpel-
ciferce from the coasts of the Mediter- lary leaf. The stone of a cherry is its en-
ranean it is allied to Baphanus but with
; do carp.
a different pod, which breaks across into
only two parts, the lowermost of which is ENDOCARPEI. A natural order of
persistent, short, obconical with one to
lichens, in which the capsule-like fruit is
three seeds, the uppermost long and constantly immersed in the foliaceous or
crust-like frond. The walls of the fruit
knotty, with numerous seeds. Rough
annuals with lyrate-pinnatifid root leaves, moreover are pale and never carbonised as
toothed stem leaves, and elongate racemes in Verrucariei. The best known species
of yellow or purplish flowers. are Endocarpon miniatum, which is so
[J. T. S.]
common about waterfalls, presenting a
ENCALYPTA. A genus of mosses peltate leathery greenish frond tinged with
belonging to the natural order Encalyptei, red below and Pertusaria communis,\vhich
;
parate their bases leave marks or scars name refers to the wings on the inner face
at definite intervals on the stem, as seen of the achene. [A. A. B.]
in palms. The stems of endogens are often ENDOPTILE. Said of an embryo whose
subterranean, in the form of cornis, plumule is
rolled up by the cotyledon, as in
j
rhizomes, or bulbs. The leaves have sto- endogens.
niates, and their venation is usually paral-
lel, though in a few cases it is slightly re- EXDORRTZAL. That kind of germina-
ticulated. The flowers have stamens and tion in which the original radicle forms a
I
pistil, and three-membered symmetry. The sheath round the first root which comes
ovules are contained in an ovary, and the from within the former.
embryo has one cotyledon or seed-lobe,
whence they are called monocotyledonous. EKDORHIZEiE. A name applied by
to endogenous or monocotyledon-
The class has been divided into two Richard
subclasses: 1. Petaloidece or Florida, in
ous plants, on account of the mode in which
which the flowers consist either of a co- the young root is developed. The embryo
of these plants, when it germinates or
loured perianth or of scales arranged in a
sprouts, iisually sends out from a definite
whorl; 2. Glumiferce, in which the flowers,
point a bundle of rootlets, which pierce
in place of sepals and petals, have im-
bricated bracts or scales called glumes.
through the integument, and are covered
Lindley has added a third subclass called each by a sheath called coleorhiza. This is
Dictyogence, on account of the net-veined
well seen in the sprouting of the grains of
grasses. The embryo is hence called endor-
leaves. Among the Petaloidece there are
liizal, meaning root within. [J. H. B.]
three sections 1. Epigynce, having perfect
:
'•
|
with a coloured tubular
axillary, solitary,
perianth divided into four short lobes, and veins visible.
four stamens, inserted into the top of the
perianth tube, alternately with its lobes. ENGELHARDTIA. A genus of Juglan-
The ovary has four compartments, each dacece,numbering about ten species, found
containing four ovules, the upper pair as- in India, Java and the Philippine islands.
cending, the lower pendulous. [31. T. M.] They are trees with pinnate leaves a good
deal like those of the walnut, and inconspi-
EXDOPELOEUM. The liber of bark ; the cuous flowers disposed in drooping spicate
inner layer, containing woody tissue, lying panicles, the outer and shorter branches
next the wood. of which bear sterile flowers, the inner
EXDOPHYLLOTJ8. Formed from within fertile. These are succeeded by the little
a sheathing leaf young leaves fruits, which are about the size of a pea,
; as the of
each seated on the base of a three-lobed
endogenous plants.
beautifully veined and coloured bract.
EXDOPLEPRA. The innermost skin of The beautiful catkin-like spikes of these
a seed-coat. bracted fruits are often more than a foot
lonp:, and hang very gracefully among the
EXDOPTERA. A genus of Compositce, foliage. [A. A. B.]
nearly related to Crepis, but differing in
the achenes of the ray florets having a ENGELIA. A genus of Acanthacece, con-
I
wing on their inner face. There are but taining two species, natives of Columbia.
j ' two species, E. Dioscoridis and E. aspera, They are climbing undershrubs, with one-
both annual branching weeds of S. Europe flowered axillary peduncles. The calyx is
ENGE Ef)e Crea^urg of 23otanj). 452
reduced to a mere ring. The corolla tube compartments. Fruit berry-like, of the
is bent, and the limb fissured in front and form of a pea. [M. T. M.]
parted into five roundish lobes; there are
four didynamous stamens, with a rudi-
ENNEA. In Greek compounds = nine.
mentary fifth. The ovary is one-celled, ENSATJE. A name given by Linnaeus to
with one ovule in each cell and the fruit
; a natural order of monocotyledonous or en-
is a fleshy one-celled drupe with a single dogenous plants, including Iris, Gladiolus,
seed. [W. C] Antholyza, Ixia, Sisyrinchium, Commcbjna,
Xyris, Eriocaulon, and Aphyllanthes. These
ENGELMANNIA. A genus of Euplwrbi-
plants are now distributed over five sepa-
acece, found in Texas and the neighbouring
rate orders. [J. H. B.]
states. It is nearly allied to Croton, but
differs in having fewer stamens, and in its ENSIAO. Sempervivum glutinosum.
little capsular fruit, about the size of an
orange-pip, being composed of two not
ENSIFORM, ENSATE. Quite straight,
with the point acute, like the blade of a
three cocci. E. Nuttalliana, the only spe-
broad-sword, or the leaf of an Iris.
cies, is an erect branching herb one to two
feet high,with alternate stalked ovalleaves, ENTADA. A genus of leguminous plants
silvery-white underneath. The minute containing about half-a-dozen species of
flowers are disposed in little clusters in the climbing tropical shrubs, which have twice-
forks of the branches, the males and fe- pinnated leaves, and flowers produced
males together. The genus bears the name either in spikes at the bases of the leaves,
of Dr. Engelmann, of St. Louis, an Ame- or in bunches at the ends of the branches;
rican botanist. A composite plant has also these flowers have a bell-shaped calyx, five
been dedicated to him, but that now bears white or yellow petals, and ten stamens.
the name Angelandra. [A. A. B.] The most remarkable feature of the genus is
The name is also applied to a section of the extraordinary length of its pods, which
Cuscuta, elevated into a genus by Pfeiffer, are flat and woody, divided into numerous
containing those species which have a four joints, each containing one large flat po-
or five-cleft monosepalous calyx, and a capi- lished seed. In E. scandens, a native of the
tate stigma, and in which the capsule de- tropics of both hemispheres, the pods often
hisces at the apex. [W. C] measure six or eight feet in length. The
ENGLISH MERCURY. Chenopodium seeds are about two inches across, by half an
Bonus-Henricus. inch thick, and have a hard woody and beau-
tifully polished shell, of a dark brown or
ENGRAIN. (Fr.) Triticum monococcum. purplish colour. In the tropiGs the natives
ENHALTJS. A genus of Hydrocharidacem, convert these seeds into snuff-boxes, scent-
allied to Stratiotes, from which it differs
bottles, spoons, &c, and in the Indian
chiefly in having the inner segments of the
bazaars they are used as weights. Occa-
perianth linear. It is found in the estuaries sionally they are sent to this country and
of the rivers, in Ceylon and other Indian are hawked about the streets of London
Islands. The leaves are radical, linear, under the name of West Indian Filberts,
serrated at the apex, and the spathe of the but they are not eatable. Sometimes they
female flowers is two-leaved with a bearded are conveyed by the great oceanic currents
[J. T. S.]
to the shores of the west of Scotland and
keel.
the Orkneys, and they are occasionally
ENKYANTHTJS. An elegant glabrous carried as far as the Lofiioden Isles and the
shrub, with deciduous leaves and showy Norway coast. [A. SJ
red flowers, often tipped with white. It is a
native of South China, and has been intro- ENTANGLED. Intermixed in so irregu-
duced into our gardens. It forms a genus lar a manner
as not to be readily disen-
of Ericacece of the tribe Andromedece, dis- tangled, such as the hairs, roots, and
tinguished by a campanulate flve-lobed branches of many plants.
corolla, ten stamens having the anther-cells ENTELEA. A genus of Tiliacece, pecu-
tipped with awn-like points and opening New Zealand, and represented by a
liar to
longitudinally to the base, and a free hard single species, E. arborescens, a small
five-celled capsule opening loculicidally branching tree from five to ten feet high,
in as many valves. The flowers are termi- with large alternate heart-shaped or three-
nal, pedicellate and drooping, issuing, seve- lobed leaves, and white flowers, some-
ral together, from a tuft of coloured bracts. what like those of a small dog-rose, dis-
E. quinquejlorus is probably the only posed in little umbels which terminate the
species known, for E. reticulatus appears to branches of an axillary or terminal panicle.
be only a slight variety of it. They have a four or five-leaved calyx, a
like -number of somewhat crumpled pe-
ENKYLIA. A genus of Cucurbitacece,
tals, and numerous fertile stamens. The
consisting of Indian climbing herbaceous
four to six-celled capsular fruits are about
plants, with pedate downy leaves, having
the size of a hazel nut. In New Zealand
somewhat spiny margins, and small flowers the light wood is used by the natives as
arranged in panicles. The male flowers have floats for their nets. Sparmannia, to which
a five-fold calyx and corolla, and five sta- the plant most nearly
is allied, differs in
mens completely united into one parcel having numerous sterile stamens' inter-
the female flowers have a similar calyx and
mixed with the fertile ones. [A. A. B.]
corolla, and an inferior ovary, with a single
pendulous ovule in each of the two or three EXTEROMORPHA. A . genus of green-
453 Efje Cms'urjj of 3BDtaii|i. [epee
spored Alga?, comprising those species of their flowers, are deservedly great favour
Ulva which have a tubular frond, whether ites in the greenhouse. There is very much
simple or more or less branched. The diversity in the habits of the plants. In E.
most general species, E. intestinalis. known pulchella, E.rigida, and E. microphylla, the
by its bullate crisped fronds, occurs in fresh leaves are very small, and the flowers white.
as well as salt water, E. compressa being
the more common species on tidal rocks,
and having simple or branched narrower
fronds, dilated above. The species run
closely into each other, and are probably
too much multiplied. [M. J. B.]
I
and E tomentosa the flowers are of a deep
base. Fruit either fleshy or capsular em- ;
rose-colour while in E.nivea,E. obtusifolia,
;
bryo with albumen and very small cotyle-
!
j
the Indian Archipelago and Australia, and
I represent the hoaths in those countries EPEAUTRE. (Fr.) Triticum Spelta.
j
but they differ from true heaths (Erica) in
;
their pentamerous symmetry, their anthers EPERUA. Th e Wallaba, E.falcata, a very
;
being one-celled without appendages, and large timber tree, is the only member of
in the attachment of the stamens and the this genus of leguminous plants. It has
|
corolla. pinnate leaves composed of two or three
They are cultivated in greenhouses for pairs of leaflets; and its red flowers are
I the beauty of their flowers. Some yield borne in drooping long-stalked bunches.
edible fruits. The berries of Leucopogcm The calyx consists of four thick concave
sepals with their bases connected, the
I
i
Bichei, called native currants, are said to
I
have supported the French naturalist upper sepal being broader than the others ;
Hi che, who was lost for three days on the the corolla is a solitary roundish fringed
south coast of New Holland. Astroloma petal, inserted into the middle of the
humifusum is called the Tasmanian cran- calyx and there are ten stamens. The
;
berry. There are 32 known genera, and 336 curiously curved flat pod bears some re-
species. Examples:— Epacris, Dracophyl- semblance to a hatchet, and generally
f ontains from three to four very flat seeds.
lurn, Styphelia,Leucopogon. [J. H. BJ
The tree is abundant in the forests of
EPACRIS. A large
genus typical of the British Guiana, where it attains a height
Epacridacece, distinguished by having a of fifty feet, with a girth of about six
coloured calyx with many bracts, a tubular feet. The timber is of a bright red-brown
corolla with a smooth limb, stamens affixed colour, marked with whitish streaks, hard
to the corolla, and a flve-valved many- and heavy, but rather coarse-grained. In
seeded capsule. They are branched shrubs consequence of the readiness with which
with the leaves lanceolate or cordate, it splits, it is commonly employed in
generally sharp-pointed, and the flowers Demerara for shingles, palings, &c, and
axillary, white red, or purple, usually in being impregnated with a resinous oil,
leafy spikes. The species are distributed it is very durable. The bark of the tree
over the extra- tropical portions of Austra- is bitter, and the Indians employ a decoc-
lia,Tasmania and New Zealand, and many tion of it as an emetic. They also use the
of them, from the abundanceand beauty of gum as an application to cuts. [A. SJ
eper] Efye ErsajSurg of 280tang. 454
EPERVIERE. (Fr.) Hieracium. — do bulbs at intervals, and a solitary flower
ORANGEE. Hieracium aurantiacum. and leaf the flower, borne on a stalk, is
;
having three leaflets on the outside of the having applied to the outer surface of each |
Spinacia inermis. —
DU MALABAR.
brush-like fruit berry-like. [M. T. M.J Basella rubra. —
FRAISE. Blitum virga-
;
tum. —IMMORTEL. Eumex Patientia. —
EPILOBITTM. A somewhat extensive SAUVAGE. Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus.
genus of mostly perennial herbaceous
plants belonging to the order Onagracece, EPIPACTIS. A
genus of terrestrial
orchids, consisting of erect herbs with
among which they are distinguished by
fibrous roots, and a leafy stem, bearing a
their flowers having eight stamens, and by
bearing numerous cottony seeds in an loose simple raceme of purplish-brown or
elongated pod-like seed-vessel. They are whitish flowers occasionally tinged with
red. The perianth is spreading, without
found in all situations, by rivers, in woods,
or on waste ground, and some are Alpine. any spur the petals and sepals are nearly
:
In habit they are mostly erect and but similar; the lip free from the column,
little, if at all, branched
thick and concave at the base, the termi-
the leaves are
;
narrow and opposite, frequently toothed nal portion broad and petal-like, with two
at the base and the flowers, which are protuberances at the base; the column
;
either axillary or in terminal spikes, are short with a terminal anther. There are
generally of a purple hue, apparently but few species, natives of the temperate
stalked, but in reality supported on the regions of the northern hemisphere. Two
slender rudimentary capsule. There are only are British E. latifolia, not unfre-
:
several British species, most of which are quent in woods and shady places, but
unpretending weeds but E. hirsutum, a tall usually singly, attaining two feet in height
;
species growing from four to six feet high, or even more, the lower leaves ovate, the
is frequently ornamental to the banks of
upper ones small and narrow, the flowers
rivers and ponds. The flowers of this varying from green to a dingy brown, and
plant are large and of a delicate pale pink, hanging in a long loose one-sided raceme
with a conspicuous four-cleft white stigma. and E. palustris, which is more local,
The whole plant is downy, soft and although abundant in particular spots,
and is not so tall, but a more showy plant,
clammy, exhaling a peculiar acidulous
scent, which has gained for it the popular
the leaves narrower, the racemes more
name of Codlins and Cream. E. angusti- compact, with larger slightly drooping
flowers, the sepals pale greenish-purple,
folium is not often found truly wild, but
is a common ornament of cottage gardens,
the petals and lip white, more or less
when, if suffered to range at its will, it streaked with pink.
soon overpowers all other herbaceous ve- EPIPETALOUS. Inserted or growing
getation. It is sometimes planted with on a petal.
advan tage in shrubberies when luxuriant
undergrowth is desired, but should not EPIPHEGUS. A
genus of Oroban-
be admitted into a small garden, as it is chacem, containing a single species from
most difficult of eradication. In this plant North America. It is a brownish fleshy
the leaves are scattered and destitute of herb, parasitic only upon the roots of the
all pubescence, and the flowers are irregu- beech, andfurnished with a branched stem,
lar, large, rose-red, and grow in a terminal and small remote scales, from the axils of
spike. French, Epilobe, Laurier St. Antoine, which spring root fibres as well as flowers.
Osier fleuri German, Weiderich. [C.A. J.]
;
The flowers on the upper portion of the
branches are hermaphrodite and have a
EPIMEDIUM, Barrenwort. A genus of large corolla, but are generally barren,
Berber idacece, known by having the parts while those on the lower parts of the
of the flower in fours, there being four branches are small, have a short corolla,
sepals, eight petals and four stamens. and are always fructiferous. In the
They are Alpine herbs, found in Europe, hermaphrodite flowers, the corolla is
Middle Asia, and Japan. E. alpinum, the ringent, compressed and four-cleft with
only European species, is a low herb with a the lower lip flat while in the female
;
creeping rhizome, and long-stalked triter- flowers the corolla is short, obsoletely
nate leaves, with large ovate-cordate four-toothed and deciduous. The capsule
serrated leaflets, and panicles opposite the is small, roundish, imperfectly two-valved,
leaves bearing rather small dull purplish with numerous ovate seeds. [W. 0.]
flowers, with the inner petals bulging at
the base it has been stated to grow in
;
EPIPHORA pubescens is a South African
Scotland and the north of England, but epiphytal orchid about a span high, with
only where planted. [J. T. S.] short ovate pseudo-bulbs bearing two or
three oblong linear leaves a little oblique
EPIXE BLANCHE. (Fr.) Crataegus at the apex, and a erminal erect raceme of
!457 K\)Z Crra^urg at 38fltang. [equi
long hairs. There is only one species I short, with a shortly stalked terminal
known. [A. A. B.] |
anther. The species has a very wide range
in Europe, and temperate Asia, but is
EPIPHLCEUM. The layer of hark ira- |
generally very scarce, growing here and
mediately below the epiderm. The cellu- ;
there among rotten leaves, in woods, and
lar integument of the hark. shady places. In Britain it has only been
EPIPHRAGM. A membrane drawn over found in a single locality, near Tedstone
the mouth of the spore-case in urn-mosses, Delamere in Herefordshire.
and closing it up.
EPIPTEROUS. Having a wing at the
EPIPHYLLOTTS. Inserted upon a leaf. summit.
EPIPHYLLUM. A
small genus of EPIRHIZOUS. Growing on a root.
Cactacece, commonly cultivated in conser-
vatories in this country on account of the EPISCIA. A small genus of Oesneracece,
showy pink or crimson flowers. Only containing six species, natives of America.
three species are known, all natives of They are fleshy, creeping, and rooting
Brazil, where they are generally found herbs, with opposite petiolate leaves, and
upon the trunks of trees. They grow two solitary or aggregated axillary flowers,
or three feet high, and have thin cylindri- whose small calyx is free and five-parted,
cal stems, and branches composed of and the corolla erect within the calyx,
numerous short leaf-like joints growing then obliquely salver-shaped, with the
out of one another, and resembling leaves limb five-lobed. The ovary is surrounded
joined together by their ends. The flowers at the base by a disc, which swells behind
are produced singly at the extremities of into a gland. The capsule is membrana-
these branches, and are upright and ceous, two-celled, with numerous oblong
regular in one species, but bent down wards seeds. [W. C]
and somewhat two-lipped in the others. EPISCOPEA. Tliemistoclesia.
The sepals and petals are numerous and
coloured alike, so that they are scarcely EPISPERM. The skin of a seed.
distinguishable, though the innermost have
their bases united into atube the stamens
EPISPORANGIUM. The indusium of a
fern when it overlies the spore-cases, as in
;
parts of the world, though they are want- ed; pales imbricated in two ranks, the
ing in Australia and New Zealand. In the upper reflexed with the edges turned
temperate regions they are mostly inhabi- back stamens two or three styles two,
; ;
tants of fields and wet places, and some- with feathery stigmas seeds loose, two-
;
times of loose sands, which they tend to horned, not furrowed. In Steudel's Synop-
sis there are 243 species described these
bind together by their delicate rootlets, and ;
have stiff erect stems capable of support- range more or less over the whole surface
ing themselves. But in warmer regions, of the globe, Asia being the quarter where
and even in Lisbon, as E. debile and elonga- they mostly abound. Europe has only six
species, all of which are natives of the
tum, they require the support of bushes
which they cling. southern portion only. The appellation is
to They sometimes derived from two Greek words, signifying
attain a considerable size, as E. giganteum,
though never reaching the dimensions of when combined Love-grass. Most of the
undoubted fossil Equisetacece. An immense kinds are handsome, and some of them are
quantity of silica, amounting sometimes to hardy for being cultivated as
sufficiently
half their weight when consumed, is taken
ornamental grasses in Britain. [D.M.]
up into their substance and, according to
: ERANTHEMUM. A considerable genus
the observations of Brewster, the par- of Acanthacece, containing nearly fifty
ticles, each of which has a double axis of species, widely distributed over the tropi-
refraction, are disposed in rows parallel to cal and subtropical regions of the Old and
the axis, and occasionally forming ovals K"ewWorlds,chiefly growing, at a greater or
connected together like the jewels of a less height, on mountains. They are shrubs
necklace. In consequence of this abund- i or under-shrubs, with entire or serrated
ance of silica, like Tripoli, some of the leaves, and showy often spicate flowers,
whose corolla is salver-shaped, with along
j
in any soil. E. hyemalis, the species most corolla has an incurved tube, and an un-
generally cultivated, is a native of central equally five-lobed limb. The ovary is ;
and southern Europe, in moist shady places, ovoid-oblong, compressed, and two-celled. ;
and on hills. E. sibiricus, a native of Eastern This genus is scarcely separable from Ere- i
'
Siberia, a plant of precisely similar habit, mophila, except by the peculiar lobes of
has five sepals; whereas E. hyemalis has calyx. [W. C] I
ERASMIA A genus of Piperacece, com- flowers are dioecious, and have no petals
prising a low-growing Mexican herb, with I the staminate flowers have a tripartite
lance-shaped leaves, and branching spikes calyx, with three stamens which are insert-
ed opposite to the calycine segments and
|
'
the filaments of the stamens are rather the pistillate flowers have a tripartite calyx,
thick, short anthers globular ovary ses-
; ; an inferior ovary, a short style, and a simple
sile, cylindrical stigma conical. The fruit
;
stiarma. They are parasitic shrubby plants,
is an elongated smooth berry. [M- T. M.] |
with alternate leaves destitute of a termi-
nal scale, the staminate flowers in catkins,
EREMJEA. A genus of shrubs of the the pistillate in clusters. The genus is
myrtle family, natives of Swan River, and allied to the Eubrachion of Hooker. Two j
nearly allied to Melaleuca, but distinguish- species, natives of South America, have |
ed from it by the stamens, which are either been described, E. punctulata and E. verru-
entirely detached, or more or less united cosa. [J. H. B.]
into groups. The anthers are fixed more- I
was assigned for the purpose of indicating narrow below, and hairy on the outside,
1
i
fruit. The species have the general aspect
is derived from two Greek words signify-
of heaths, with leaves three or four in a
ing solitary and spike.' The species are
I
'
'
whorl, spreading or bent down, and having
'
[G.D.]
hardy plants of little importance. One of
stiff hairs.
I
them, E. laciniata, has been long known in
EREMOBTRA. A term proposed to de- cultivation as a hardy perennial, a native
signate that group of ferns in which the of dry hills in the eastern part of the Cau-
fronds are produced laterally on the rhi- casian range it has large spindle-shaped
;
zome, and articulated with it. See also fleshy roots well adapted to resist the
Eesmobrya. [T. 3L] drought to which, in its native wilds, it is
sometimes subjected. [G. D.]
EREMOCARPUS. A genus of Euphorbia-
cem, remarkable for having its little hairy EREMOSYNE. A genus of Saxifragacece
fruit, about the size of an orange-seed, from New Holland, with rosettes of obovate
composed of a single carpel, not of three, entire root leaves, and pectinate-pinnate
which is the usual number in the family. stem leaves the flowers -small, white, in
;
E. setigerus, so named from the bristle-like compact dichotomous cymes with a hemi-
:
hairs on the stems, is peculiar to California, J spherical calyx-tube adhering to the ovary,
&!)e CrsaSurg at 2Sntang. 460
and Are linear petals; ovary two-celled, leaves, and axillary or terminal racemes or
with solitary ovules. [J. T. S.] panicles. None of the species are remark-
able for their beauty, though many have
EKEMURUS. A genus of Liliacece fragrant flowers. The genus is nearly re-
closely allied to Asphodelus, but differing lated to DendroMum, but has eight instead
by having the filaments not dilated at the of four pollen masses. It takes its name
base and the seeds smooth. They are herbs from the Greek erion, wool, the flowers of
from the Caucasus, Siberia, and Asia Minor, many of the species being clad with soft
with fasciculate roots, linear radical leaves, white down. The lip is usually trilobed,
and a naked scape terminating in an elon- with a crested disc, and jointed to the much
gated raceme' of yellow or white flowers produced base of the column [A. A. B.]
with narrow spreading perianth segments,
and exserted stamens. [J. T. S.] ERIACHNE. A genus of grasses belong-
ing to the tribe Avenece. The inflorescence
EREMUS. A ripe carpel separating from of the species i&panicled, the spikelets two-
its neighbours, and standing apart. flowered, sessile or stalked, and hermaphro-
dite glumes two, membranaceous, about
ERGOT. An affection of the seeds of ;
|
the hands of the regular practitioner, but four to five-cleft corolla four to five-cleft
;
a most formidable one in those of the stamens eight to ten or twice those num-
quack, by whom it is often given to produce bers, hypogynous anthers two-ceiled,with
;
forms a considerable portion in bread-corn, albuminous. There are two sections of the
or is taken medicinally for a continuance. order: —
1. Ericece, fruit opening loculici-
Instances are on record where the most dally, rarely septicidally; buds naked; 2.
frightful gangrene has ensued from its lihudodendrece, fruit capsular, septicidal
use, sometimes affecting a whole district. buds scaly, resembling cones.
Ergot is often extremely abundant in our The genus Leiophyllum is remarkable on
pastures, and causes sheep and cows to slip account of its having a polypetalous corolla.
their young. No doubt many cases of gan- The common heath (Calluna) is separated
grene* in our flocks and herds are attribut- from the heaths {Erica) by its capsules
able to its prevalence. [M. J. B.] having a septicidal and not a loculicidal
dehiscence. The genus Erica reaches its
ERGOT DE COQ. (Fr.) Crataegus Crus-
maximum at the Cape of Good Hope. Some
galli.
of the heathworts are astringent, others
ERIA A genus of epiphytal orchids have edible fruit, and others, such as
peculiar to India and the adjacent islands, species of Rhododendron, Kalmia, and
and numbering about seventy species. '
pseudobulbs and short spikes or racemes at the elevation of 16,000 to 18,000 feet in
of small white or greenish flowers whilst ; the Himalayas. Rhododendron hirsutum and
not a few have erect or drooping terete ferrugineum grow on the Alps and Py-
steins, with lance-shaped often plaited i
renees at an elevation of 4,000 to 6,000
feet,and are called the Roses of the Alps. ing any active property. In our own
Andromeda fastigiata is called Himalayan country the two more common species
heather. Gaultheria Shallon and other spe- above mentioned are used for brooms and
cies yield edible baccate fruits. Azalea pro- for bedding cattle their buds and tender
;
cumbens grows on the Scotch mountains, shoots constitute part of the food of some
and is also a native of the Arctic regions, of of our native birds and they often contri-
;
the Alps, of Northern and Southern Europe, bute largely to the formation of peat. The
Siberia, and North America, There are Scotch Heath, E. cinerea, is the badge of
about fifty known genera and nine hun- the M'Alisters, and E. Tetralix that of the
dred species. Examples Erica, Clethra,
: M'Donalds. [G. D.]
Arbutus, Azalea, Kalmia, Rhododendron,
Bejaria, Ledum. [J. H. B.]
ERICAMERIA. A small genus of the
composite family, found in Oregon and
California, related to Linosyris, but differ-
ERICA. The generic name of shrubby ing in having rayed as well as tubular
plants belonging to the heath-wort order,
and also in having smooth achenes.
florets,
from which, indeed, the scientific designa-
They are dwarf resinous shrubby plants,
tion of it, Ericaceae, is derived. They are
distinguished from their congeners by the
much branched and leafy, with the aspect
of heaths, the leaves awl-shaped and nu-
four-leaved calyx,andfour-lobed corolla, the
merous, and the small yellow flower heads
lower part of which is either globular or
in corymbs at the ends of the branches.
tubular and dilated the stamens have the
;
I
the best method of growing them has been top of the seed vessel, ending in a shield-
; found out, and in this much credit is due like surface. The name Ericinella is the
I to the late Mr. M'Nab of Edinburgh. There diminutive of Erica, the species having
|
is a marked tendency to repetition of the the general aspect of heaths leaves three;
j
number four in the different parts of the in a whorl, flowers small and terminal,
flower, viz. calyx, corolla, stamens, and without bracts or leaflets at their base.
j
fruit and this is true even of the grouping
; They are small shrubs, natives of Madagas-
1 of the leaves and of the flowers. The usual car, Tropical Africa, or Caff raria. [G. DJ
absence of any odour is compensated for
!
which combine to render most of the longing to the ComposUce. The flowers
are radiate, the florets of the ray in several
species worthy of a place in collections.
I
cially they abound, and the Cape of Good- ERINEUM. A name given to numerous
Hope the main source whence we have
is productions which appear upon the leaves
derived those now so well known as orna- of trees and shrubs, and very rarely on
ments of our horticultural collections, those of herbaceous plants, which were
where, under skilful treatment, they even formerly referred by authors to Fungi, but
far surpass in luxuriance those which are now almost universally acknowledged
occur in the wild state. In Britain six to be merely diseased states of the cuticu-
species are usually counted as indigenous, lar cells. The spongy spots on the leaves
only two of which are, however, widely of vines and lime trees afford a good ex-
diffused and cover immense tracts, viz. E. ample. The forms which these diseased
Tetralix and E. cvnerrea the remaining four
; cells assume are extremely various and ;
are more local and confined to the southern they are interesting to the physiologist,
and western parts of the United Kingdom. as showing the alteration to which the
The true Heaths are of little importance component cells of plants are subject when
in a medical point of view, none possess- free from the pressure of neighbouring
ERINJ Wfyz Ereatfurg nfSSataitg. 462
cojum vernum, an early spring-flowering quence, of the tree naturally producing its
herb, with ovate bulbs, linear-lorate leaves, flowers at the commencement of winter,
and one-flowered scapes. The flowers are it is not adapted for bearing fruit in the
fragrant, and differ from those of the snow- open air in this country, the blossoms
drop in having petals like the sepals, being either cut off by frost, or so much
white.with a yellowish-green spot outside ; checked by cold that the growth of the
and from those of the snowflake in hav- embryo fruit cannot go on. There is,
ing a club-shaped style. [T. M.] however, no difficulty in fruiting it under
glass. This was done at Blithfield in
ERINUS. Low herbaceous Alpine plants Staffordshire in 1818 and an account of
;
belonging to the Scrophidariacere, distin- the means adopted is given by Lord Bagot
guished by having a five-leaved calyx, a co- in the Transactions of the Horticultural
rolla with a five-clef t equal limb, and short
Society (iii. 299) accompanied by a coloured
reflexed upper lip, and a two-celled capsule.
plate. The plant was fruited in a pot kept
They are pretty little plants, with tufted in a stove during winter, the fruit ripen-
foliage and simple racemes of purple or
ing in March or April, two months earlier
yellow flowers, and are therefore desirable than its period of ripening in its native
for the decoration of rock work or old walls,
country. We may therefore conclude, that
for which purpose no plants can be more the amount of heat to which the plant was
fitted, as they produce their numerous
subjected in the stove was greater than
blossoms during most of the summer that which prevails between the time of
months The species most frequently cul- flowering and the ripening of the fruit in
tivated, is E. alpinus (French, Erine des
Japan. It appears, however, that the fruit
Alpes), a native of the European moun-
artificially produced at Blithfield was of
tains. E. hispanicus is smaller than the
excellent quality. [R. T.]
preceding, and has downy leaves. [C. A. J.]
ERIC-CAUL ACE^l. (Pipeworts). A natu-
ERIOBOTRYA. The Loquat, or Japanese
ral order of incomplete monocotyledons
Medlar, E. japonica (Mespilus japonica of included in Lindley's glumal alliance
Linna?us), one of the Pomacece, is a native among the Endogens. Marsh plants, with
of Japan and the southern parts of China, narrow cellular spongy leaves, sheathingat
and is cultivated as an edible fruit in many the base, and a capitateinfiorescence. The
parts of India. It was first made known flowers are very minute, some having
to us by Krempfer, who saw it growing in stamens, others pistils. Glumes two to
Japan, which he visited in 1690. It was three. Ovary superior, three, rarely two-
more fully described in 1712 by Thunberg, celled? surrounded by a membranous tube
who met with it growing near Nagasaki,
ovules solitary, orthotropal style very
;
;
Yedo, and elsewhere commonly in Japan. short stamens two or three. Capsule with
In that country it is called Bywa and
;
leaves are evergreen, large, oblong, rugose caulon, Philodice. [J. H. B.]
like those of the medlar, bright green
above, somewhat downy beneath. The ERIOCAULON. The typical genus of
flowers are produced in October and No- The name is derived from
Eriocaulacece.
vember, in spikes at the ends of the two Greek words, meaning 'wool' and
branches their petals are like those of
; 'stem,' on account of the woolly character of
the hawthorn, but larger and perfectly the stalks of some of the species. Flowers
white. The fruit is oval, of the size of j
dioecious, in a compact scaly head, the
a small apple, pale orange with a faint !
staminate ones in the centre, and the
blush of red, the flesh pale yellow, with a pistillate ones in the circumference of the
sharp subacid flavour resembling that of head. The species are found in the prin-
an apple. It ripens in spring, or early in cipal parts of Asia, America, and New
summer. The tree is hardy enough to bear Holland. They are rare in North America.
the cold of our ordinary winters, but it One species, E. septangular e, occurs in Bri-
has been killed when exposed to frosts of tain, being found in the Isle of Skye and in
unusual severity, such as that which oc- Galway. One hundred species have been
curred in 1814, 1838, and 1860. We are not described. Some of those found in Brazil
aware of its having fruited in this country attain a height of six feet. [J. H. B.]
except under glass, and with the aid of
artificial heat. It has not fruited at Paris I ERIOCEPHALUS. A genus of S.African
in the open air but it is successfully cul-
;
I
Compositx, comprising nearly twenty spe-
163 Cfje €rca£ury of 23otang. EEIO
cies, which form much branched bushes, filaments bearing single anthers. They
usually with linear, somewhat fleshy leaves, have digitate leaves, and one-flowered ax-
covered with silky hairs, but sometimes illary or subterminal peduncles, which are
large and variously toothed, a good deal either solitary or fasciculate, the flowers
like those of some wormwoods, and like being rather large, white or rose-coloured.
them with an aromatic odour. The white The habit of E. indicium is represented in
flower-heads, sometimes solitary but usu- plate 13 b. [T. M.]
ally arranged in corymbs or umbels, are a
good deal like those of the milfoils in size ERIOGLOSSUM. A genus of Sapindacece,
and appearance. They are remarkable for nearly related to Sapindus, but differing
having the inner scales of the involucre iu the nature of its fruits. These in Sa-
clothed with long woolly hairs these are pindus are made up of two or three one-
:
not very perceptible when the plant is in seeded carpels, which are united their whole
flower, but after the flowers wither, and length, or slightly separate at top, so that
the anthers approach to ripeness, the heads they form one berry, while here the ellip-
are completely enveloped in the hairs, and tical berried carpels, which are two or three
look like little balls of cotton about the in number, are quite free to the base. E.
size of a pea. The hairs when fresh are edule is a* common tree in the Malayan
white, but at length become rust-coloured, peninsula and the neighbouring islands,
and are used by various birds for building extending to North Australia; it has alter-
their nests. [A. A. B.] nate unequally-pinnate ash-like velvety
leaves, about one foot long, and the small
ERIOCHLOA A genus of grasses be- greenish-white flowers are disposed in
longing to the tribe Panicece, now referred branching panicles. The four petals are
to Helopus. [D. M.] each furnished with a strap-shaped and
ERIOCHOSMA. Nothochlcena. bilobed woolly appendage on the inside
near the base, the name of the genus, which
ERIOCXEMA. A genus of Melastomacew, signifies woolly tongue,' having reference
'
vided at top into an indefinite number of thers, the others are erect,and adhere to
the inner series. This genus agrees in rennial shrub, with the divisions of the
habit with Microstemma, but differs in the leaves long and narrow the flowers yellow.
;
form of the staminal crown on the other: It is a native of Siberia, along the course
hand, it resembles Boucerosia in the crown, of the Volga. [G. D.]
but has a widely different habit. [W. C]
ERISMA. A curious genus of tropical
ERIOPHORUM. A genus of cyperaceous American trees, belonging to the Vochy-
plants belonging to the tribe Scirpece, acece, and remarkable for the enlarged
distinguished by the inflorescence being calyx segments which crown the somewhat
either in single or compound spikes pear-shaped ripe fruit. The species are
glumes nearly equal, the lowest sometimes some of them upwards of 100 feet high,
empty :bristles ultimately silky nut, ; with smooth, opposite or whorled laurel-
trigonous. The British species all grow on like leaves of a leathery texture ; some are
wet logs or turfy moors, where they fre- oval, pointed and entire, others oblong,
quently form very conspicuous masses of attenuate below into a stalk, and notched
vegetation, in consequence of the long at the apex. The pretty blue or yellow
showy silky bristles of the flowers. The flowers, disposed in terminal panicles, smell
English name Cotton Grass is very ex- like primroses, in some species. They are
pressive, the flowers of some of the species like the others in the family, very unsym-
appearing like tufts of cotton. [D. M.] metrical, having a calyx of four or five
teeth a single nearly fan-shaped petal
ERIOSOLENA. A genus of Thymelacece, ;
pedun-
in solitary axillary heads with long
cles,and a two to four-leaved involucre. I came up the Rio Negro from the mouth
of the Uaupes to San Carlos, in March 1853,
There are three species. By De Candolle
.the large heads of the Japura, clad with
they ar% included under Daphne. [J. H. B.]
/red fruits, were observed dotted every-
ERIOSORUS. Gymnogramma. where about the forest. The kernels are
pleasant eating both raw and boiled they
ERIOSPH.ERA. A genus of Composite?,
l :
is a slender suffruticose hairy herb, with i The seeds are in two rows, as in Biplotaxis. <
\
rjravii. — MOIRA. A Brazilian name for
Solanum nigrum.
ERODIUM. Stork's Bill. A genus of
Geraniaceoe, known by having five of the I
ERVALENTA. The same as Revalenta,
ten stamens without anthers, and the tails : a meal prepared from the seeds of Ervum
of the carpels bearded on the inside they ; Lens.
coil up spirally when they split away from
I
There are several different kinds, the most there is, in truth, no doubt that they act
common being the French and Egyptian. as a mild deobstruent on the entire of the
The former is of an ash-grey colour, large digestive organs, producing an increased
and very flat, resembling a lens in shape : in flow of gastric juice, bile, and other secre-
fact, the lens derives its name from the tions. But it should be distinctly under-
resemblance it bears to the lentil seed ; stood, that these beneficial effects can only
while the latter is much smaller and round- be secured by selecting lentils of the best
er, with a dark skin, and of an orange-red quality, and completely depriving them of
the various extraneous substances and de-
cayed and injured seeds which they always
contain, as well as of their outer skin.
The proper mode of cooking Lentils as a
remedy for indigestion, &c, is boiling
them for twenty minutes, or till they are
quite soft (but never more than half an
hour), in soup or beef-tea, to which a small
quantity of salt has been previously added.
In this mode of cooking them, the peculiar
vegetable principles on which the remedial
powers depend, a great part of which are
extracted by the liquid during the boiling,
are eaten with the soup, beef -tea, or other
convenient vehicle ; and it is probable
that Lentil-powder owes part of its repu-
tation to its being taken entire, the direc-
tion given being to mix it with milk.
Peas possess in some degree the same
qualities, and haricot beans in almost an
equal degree, but this is for the most part
destroyed by the length of time required
Ervum Lens. in boiling them. As an article of diet Len-
tils are extensively used in various parts
colour inside. On the Continent, and also of the world, and are a favourite food in
in India and other eastern countries, Len- the East, where the Hindoo adds them to
tilsare largely employed as an article of his rice, making doubtless a salubrious
human food, but in this country their use mixture. Like other leguminous seeds,
is not so general, although considerable they contain much caseine, and constitute
quantities are annually imported. Thus, one of the most nutritious of vegetable
in 1859, the imports into the United King- products, 100 parts by analysis yielding
dom amounted to 131,892 bushels, valued Water, 14'0; caseine, 26'0 starch, 35"0; su-
;
form is less common, but it is not unfre- (at first corymbs) of very rarely
yellovr, or
quent in
clays. [J. BJ . white, flowers. E. cheiranthoides, with nar-
row-based leaves and small yellow flow-
ERYCIBE. A genus of climbing shrubs, ers, is not uncommon in England and
;
containing seven species, natives of tro- E. orientate, with the stem leaves amplexi-
pical Asia. They have entire leaves, and caul, and the flowers small and white, has
flowers in terminal panicles the calyx
;
occurred in some of the eastern counties,
consisting of five sepals, the corolla deeply but scarcely even naturalised. E. Perof-
five-cleft, with large bifid lobes, having a
skianum and E.arkansauum, are handsome
triangular sericeous part on the middle of cultivated species, the former with rich
the back, the five stamens inserted on orange-coloured flowers. [J. T. SJ
the tube of the corolla, and the ovary cy- ,
plants.
in England, but has recently become ex-
tinct. Of the foreign species of Eryngium,
In an early stage, the species, which are
which are numerous, the most worthy of then described as Oidia, constitute the
notice are E. amethyst inum, so called from
white mildew so destructive to various
plants, as vines, hops, peaches, &c. In this
the brilliant blue tint, not of its flowers
state they are easily checked by the ap-
only, but of the bracts and upper part of
plication of sublimed sulphur, which seems
the stem it is a native of Dalmatia and
;
to combine with the nascent oxygen to
Croatia, but is frequently cultivated in
English gardens. E. alpinum, a smaller
form sulphurous acid. [M. J. B.]
plant of a still more brilliant colour, is a ERYTHR.3EA. Herbaceous plants, grow-
native of the Swiss Alps. French, Panir ing in many parts of the world, with simple
caut German Krausdistel.
; [C. A. J.]
or branched stems, and pink or pale yellow
flowers in cymose panicles they differ
ERYXGO. Eryngium maritimum and from those of the allied Gentiana, by their
;
campestre.
calyx being divided to the base, by their
ERYSIMUM. A genus of Cruciferw, dis- anthers, which become spirally twisted as
tinguished from the other long-podded they wither, and by the greater length of
genera, which have the radicle of the seed the style. E. Centaurium is a common
bent round and lying on the back of one of English plant, in dry, sandy, or chalky
the cotyledons, by having the pods four- soils especially and found also throughout
;
angled and elongated. The species are Europe and Central Asia. It is an annual,
usually biennials, found in Europe and tem- with erect square generally branched
perate Asia, with narrow leaves often at- stems, broad egg-shaped leaves at the base,
tenuated at the base, and terminal racemes and flowers of a pale pink colour in
ERYT Ef)£ Erta^urjj at 23otang» 468
a much branched cyme. This plant varies tivated in India and the Malayan penin"
very much in the size of the flowers, the sula and islands, for supporting the weak
size of the leaves, and the degree of branch- stems of the pepper plant, for which pur-
ing, so that it may be found as a simple pose it is kept dwarf. It affords a very
stem half an inch high, with only a single soft porous wood, greatly used in India for
flower, or one or two feet in height, with making toys, light boxes, and similar
very numerous blossoms : hence some articles, which are usually overlaid with a
of the more marked varieties have been thick coating of varnish or lacquer. In
considered to form distinct species. The Ceylon the young tender leaves are eaten
plant partakes of the bitter qualities of the in curries. E. umbrosa, which attains a
order, and might be used in place of gentian. height of fifty or sixty feet, is a native of
Besides the English species, others from tropical South America, and is commonly
the south of Europe, the Azores, &c, with cultivated there, as well as in some of the
yellow or pink flowers, are occasionally West India Islands, for the purpose of
grown in gardens. [M. T. M.] protecting the cocoa plantations from the
effects of high winds, and at the same time
ERYTHRINA. A genus of handsome j
to induce a proper degree of moisture in
leguminous trees or shrubs, popularly j
their neighbourhood. [A. S.]
known as Coral trees. They are pretty
j ERYTHRINE. A colouring matter found
generally distributed through the tropics
in lichens.
of both hemispheres. Some attain great
dimensions, while others are dwarf bushes ERYTHROCHITON. A small Brazilian
with woody rootstocks; a few have the rutaceous tree with long alternate simple J
stems and leaf-stalks beset with prickles. fragrant leaves, and flowers placed on I
The leaves are trifoliate, with long stalks, short jointed stalks arising from the leaf I
the leaflets oval lanceolate elliptical or axils, in groups of two or more the calyx; I
triangular. Many of the species are culti- is red, large, tubular; the corolla white, I
Southern Europe aud temperate Asia, and markable for being covered with red dots
'
is an exceedingly ornamental garden the leaves are unequally pinnate the five-
;
plant, as well as an early flowerer. The parted flowers are arranged on a much-
most common American species, E. ame- branched panicle the five hair-like fila-
;
ricanum, has narrow perianth segments of ments are united together at their bases ;
a pale yellow colour. [J. T. S.] the ovary is stalked, and contains a single
ovule ; and the fruit is a kidney-shaped
ERTTHRO. In Greek compounds = any drupe. [M. T. MJ
pure red.
ERYTHROSTOMUM. Any aggregate
ERYTHROPHYLL. The red colouring fruit like that of a strawberry or Ranun-
matter of plants. culus.
ERYTHROPHYSA. A genus of Sapin- ERYTHROXYLACE^E. (Erythroxyls.) A
dacea>, nearly related to Cardiospermum, but
natural order of thalamifloral dicotyledons
differing in its five-lobed bell-shaped and
belonging to Lindley's sapindal alliance
petal-like calyx. The only known species,
of hypogynous Exogens. Shrubs or trees
E. undulata, is a smooth stunted South
African bush, with rigid stems, furnished with alternate smooth stipulate leaves,
near the apex with unequally pinnate
and small whitish or greenish flowers on
axillary peduncles, covered at the base
leaves, composed of four to six pairs of
with imbricated scaly bracts. Sepals five,
!
j
equal, with plaited scales at their broad
scarlet, are disposed in little clusters at the
bases; stamens ten, monadelphous; an-
I
S. African bushes form this genus of Com- others have a tonic bark. The bark of E.
posite, which differs from its nearest ally, suberosum supplies a reddish-brown dye.
Metalasia, in having stalked flower-heads There is only one genus, Erythroxylon, and
and sessile achenes. In E. umbellata the above seventy species. [J. H. B.]
minute heath-like leaves are of a silvery
white colour, rounded, linear, curiously ERYTHROXYLON. This genus contains
spirally twisted, and disposed in numerous numerous species, the majority natives of
crowded bundles. In E. imbricata they are tropical South America and the West Indian
fewer and nearly lance-shaped. In both Islands, but some occurring in Madagascar
the top-shaped flower-heads, with white or and the Mauritius. They are mostly bushy
purple florets, are few and disposed in shrubs, or occasionally they form small
little umbels on the ends of the twigs. trees.
The smooth beakless achenes are crowned E. Coca is the most interesting of the
with a pappus of one series of rough hairs, species, on account of its being extensively
of an intense purple colour. [A. A. B.] cultivated, and its leaves largely employed
as a masticatory, under the name of Cocft,
ERYTHRORCHIS. A remarkable genus by the inhabitants of countries on the
of leafless terrestrial orchids found in the Pacific side of South America. It is a
Birman empire and adjacent islands. They shrub of six or eight feet high, somewhat
are perhaps the most gigantic plants in the resembling a blackthorn bush. The Coca
family. The stems of E. scandens are from leaves are of a thin texture, but opaque,
fifty to a hundred feet long, scrambling oval, tapering towards both extremities,
over trees in dense wet jungles. They are their upper surface dark green, the lower
of a pale dull red, furnished with brown paler and strongly marked with veins, of
scales which supply the place of the leaves ; which two, in addition to the'midrib, run
and the flowers are disposed in panicles or parallel with the margin. Small white
racemes, the sepals and petals whitish- flowers are produced in little clusters upon
yellow, and the lip tinged with pale blue. the branches, in places where the leaves
It differs from Vanilla in the lip being free have fallen away, and stand upon little
instead of connate with the column and ; stalks about as long as themselves.
from Cyrtosia in the capsular not berried The use of Coca in Peru is a custom of
fruit, with winged seeds. [A. A. B.] very great antiquity, and is said to have
originated with the Incas. At the present
ERYTHROSPERMOL A genus of bix-
day it is common throughout the greater
ads, composed of a few Mauritian and one part of Peru, Quito, and New Grenada and ;
Ceylon tree, and differing from the others
also on the banks of the Rio Negro, where
in the family in having a definite number
it is known as Spadic. Coca forms an
of stamens. They have smooth oval lance-
article of commerce among the Indians,
shaped or oblong leaves, either alternate, and wherever they go they carry with them
opposite or whorled and the white myrtle-
;
a bag of the carefully dried leaves, and also
like flowers are arranged in racemes or
a little bottle-gourd filled with finely
panicles. [A. A. B.]
powdered lime, and having a wooden or
ERYTHROSTIGMA. A Japanese tree, metal needle attached to its stopper. Pour
belonging to the Anacardiacea?, and re- times a day, whatever the nature of his
esca] STtje Crea£ttrp af SSotattji. 470
occupation, whether employed in the Australia and New Zealand. On the moun-
mines, the fields, as a muleteer, or do- tains of South America they grow at an
mestic servant, the Indian resigns him- elevation varying from 6,600 to 14,760 feet,
self to the pleasures of Coca chewing, and form a marked region of vegetation.
mixing the leaves with lime or the ashes There are seven known genera and about
of Cecropia. "When used in moderation sixty species. Examples : Escallonia, Itea,
Coca exerts a pleasurable influence upon and Carpodetus. [J. H. B.]
the imagination, and induces a forgetful-
ness of all care; it is also a powerful ESCALLONIA. A genus of Escallonia-
stimulant of thenervous system, and when named in honour of a Spanish travel-
cece,
under its influence Indians are able to per- ler, the companion and friend of the bo-
form long and rapid journeys, and carry tanist Mutis. It consists of trees or shrubs,
heavy loads, without requiring any other natives of South America, Chili, &c. They
sustenance. But when taken in excess it have simple leaves, covered with resinous
produces intoxication, of a character re- dots; flowers variously arranged, white,
sembling that of opium rather than alco- pink, or red, with five-parted whorls and ;
hol, but not so violent, although the con- petals and stamens attached to the margin
sequences of its prolonged use are quite of a cup-like disc which surmounts the
as injurious, and very few of those who ovary. The fruit is a capsule. Several
become slaves to the habit attain an old species are in cultivation as greenhouse or
half-hardy shrubs. E. rubra has tubular
red flowers, and is very handsome when
trained against a wall. E. macrantha is
even more beautiful. [M. T. M.]
natives chiefly of South America ; but a broad spreading limb the capsule is
;
some are found in the southern parts of two-valved, included in the persistent
471 &!)£ Crratfurg of 3&atm$. [eubo
calyx. Neither of the species has been as resinous substance present in most of
is
yet introduced into our gardens, although them, but is produced in greatest quantity
both are said to he handsome. They may, by E. grandiflora it is of a beautiful yel-
;
however, possibly be parasitical on the low colour, and is valued by the printers
roots of other plants, in which case their of Santa Fe de Bogota, who use it in the
cultivation would be very difficult. composition of their ink, and give to it the
name of treminthina (terebinthine),though
ESCORZONERA A Chilian name for it has neither the odour nor the consistence
Achyrophorus apargioides and A. Scorzo- of the turpentine of commerce. The ge-
nus was named by Mutis in compliment to
ESENBECKIA. A genus of arboreous M. Espeleta, who rendered him much ser-
Butacece remarkable for their bark, which vice in his botanical labours about Santa
1 1
contains tonic properties. In one of the Fe. [A. A. B.]
Brazilian species cinchonin has even been ESPRIT D'lVA. An aromatic liqueur of
detected. The flowers have five-parted which Ptarmica moschata is the basis.
whorls, the five stamens ultimately bent
downwards, and, like the petals, inserted at ESQUINANCIE. (Fr.) Asperula cynan-
the base of a cup-shaped disc, in which the chica.
ovary is placed the latter is warty on the
;
ever, quite at variance with those of the shrubs, with opposite or scattered entire
family. E. amcena is described by M. Ri- leaves, and large, very showy flowers of a
chard as a much branched bush, with rusty rich red or pink colour, forming short ter-
down on its twigs, which are furnished minal leafy racemes. Notwithstanding
with oboval and obtuse smooth leathery their beauty, they have not been introduced
leaves, narrowed towards the base the
;
into our gardens, and perhaps, like the
solitary flowers in the axils of the leaves Gcrardias, their cultivation may be very
are stalked, and have a bell-shaped calyx, a difficult.
funnel-shaped arched corolla, with an ob- ESTIVATION. The manner in which the
lique border of Ave erect unequal lobes, parts are arranged in a flower-bud.
and four stamens, two long and two short.
The fruits are globose drupes, with two ESTRAGON. (Fr.) Artemisia Dracun-
culus.
cells, and one seed in each. [A. A. B.]
which forms for them an admirable pro- about se^en species, all of them branching
tection from the cold, their thick texture weeds of no beauty, found in various tro-
and warm woolly covering no doubt sug- pical and subtropical countries of the east-
gesting the name 'Lion's ear' which is ern hemisphere, extending as far west as
sometimes given to them by the Spa- Syria in Asia, and Senegambia in Africa.
niards. The stems terminate either in a The little purple or white flower-heads are
single flower-head, or more commonly in numerous, about the size of a small pea.
a corymb of yellow flower-heads, some an disposed in a corymb at the end of the
inch or more across, and surrounded with twigs. [A. A. B.]
an involucre, which, like all parts of the ETIOLATED. Deprived of colour by be-
plant, is clothed with wooL
ing kept in the dark ; blanched.
These plants bear much resemblance to
C'-'lciti.um, which is found in the same re- EUBOTRTS. A genus of deciduous eri-
gions, and the Spanish appellation Frale-' caceous shrubs, better known under their
'
jon '
is common to both. They differ abun- former name of Lyonia. The main charac-
dantly, however, in having strap-shaped ters of the genus are a five-parted calyx :
ray florets, and achenes destitute of pap- with two small bracts at the base, a more
i
Tasmania, where they form extensive of the swamp-gum, forwarded to the Inter-
forests and a few extend as far north as
;
national Exhibition of 1863, measured 230
Timor and the Molucca Islands. The ma- j
able for thick-walled capsules, containing little white flowers, disposed in racemes
a central placenta, which at length be- shorter than the leaves, are a good deal
comes hollow in the middle and bears neck- like those of some whortleberries, having a
laces of spores. E. speciosicm is the Jelly- bell-shaped corolla with five to seven
plant of Australia, and is one of the best teeth. The fruit is globular, fleshy, and
species for making jelly, size, cement, &c. juicy, sometimes as large as a cherry.
A very fine species, possessing doubtless Those of many of the species, known
similar properties, occurs in the United by the colonists as Guarry, are eaten,
States. [M. J. BJ and are sweet and slightly astringent.
ETTCHILES. A genus of mitch branched The wood of E. Pseudo-Ebenus, a species
Australian under-shrubs of the leguminous
with narrow lance-shaped leaves, is said
to be extremely hard and black. [A. A. B.]
family, and nearly allied to Pultencea, but
differing in having a disproportionately EUCLIDIUM. A genus of Cmciferce,
large upper lip to the calyx, instead of two found in South-eastern Europe and West-
nearly equal lips, and a stalked instead of a ern Asia. It is known from the other
sessile pod. They have slender twiggy genera in which the radicle of the seed is
stems, separately or densely clothed with bent round and lies along the edges of the
leaves, which are sometimes juniper-like, cotyledons, by havinga smooth subglobular
and sometimes small, round, or inversely indehiscent pouch, with a complete parti-
heart-shaped; while the little yellow pea- tion, and a single seed in each cell. E. sy-
flowers are solitary in the axils of the riacum, the only European species, is a
leaves, and either few, distant, and stalk- small annual with rigid branches, runci-
ed, or numerous at the ends of the twigs, nate root-leaves, and lateral spikes of small
and nearly sessile. About ten species are white flowers. [J. T. SJ
known. [A. A. B.]
EUCHRESTA. A genus of Leguminosce,
ETJGNTDA. An annual belonging to the
order Loasacea?, and often cultivated under
nearly allied. to the W. Indian cabbage the name of Microsperma. E. bartonioides,
trees (Andira), but differing in having the
base of the tubular five-toothed calyx the only species, a native of Mexico,whence
it was introduced in 1849, grows to the
slightly projecting above, and in the
standard or upper petal being very narrow, height of about a foot, with bristly stems,
not broad and rounded. E. Rorsfleldii, the ovate, lobed, and denticulated leaves,
only known species, grows in mountain and axillary, very large yellow flowers,
districts in Java and Formosa, and is an
consisting of five spreading petals, at the
elegant smooth shrub with unequally pin- base of which is a distinct tuft of long
I
nate leaves the slender branches termi- golden stamens, exceeding the petals in
length. The style is slender the stigma
;
waxy, vetch-like flowers, succeeded by five-furrowed, but not divided the capsule
;
powdered fruits mixed with food are re- stamens, a membranaceous entire glandu-
garded as having the power of preventing lar ring, and a bilobed stigma. The plant,
diseases and giving tone to the stomach. which is cultivated for the sake of its
EUCO] Wfyt ErtK^ury at 28otang. 474
sometimes called Scheeria lanata
flowers, is with an abundance of white cistus-like
and Mandirola lanata. [T. M.] flowers, one to two inches across. These
are solitary and stalked in the axils of the
ETJCOMIS. Agenus of Liliacece, con- narrow obtuse leaves, which are gummy
sisting of South African bulbs, with broad above, and white underneath. E. pinnati-
root-leaves, and a simple raceme of rather folia, one of the Chilian species, is remark-
large usually greenish flowers, surmounted able in the family, as well as in the genus,
by a tuft of empty leaf-like bracts, called for having pinnate leaves, which are made
a coma. The perianth is six-parted and up of two pairs of smooth serrated leaflets,
spreading, the stamens inserted in its seg- and an odd one the single white flowers
;
ments, with the filaments dilated at the themselves are a good deal like those of a
base. The capsule is three-winged, the few wild dog-rose, and solitary near the ends
seeds with a hard black seed-coat. Several of the branches. The name Carpodontos is
handsome half-hardy species are in culti- sometimes given to the Tasmanian species,
vation. E. bifolia has only two leaves lying which differ from the Chilian ones in hav-
flat on the ground, and a short raceme of ing five-celled fruits. [A. A. B.]
pale green flowers. [J. T. S.]
ETJCYCLA. A genus of Polygonacew,
ETTCOSIA carnea is a terrestrial orchid allied to Eriogonum, having the plicate
of Java, with a stem about a span high, coloured perianth salver-shaped, the three
bearing four to six ovate leaves, and ter- outer divisions diverging and orbicular, and
minating in a downy spike of about three the three inner linear oblong, forming a
small flesh-coloured flowers, each support- cylinder. The flowers are yellow or pur-
ed by a long narrow bract. The plant has ple. The species are natives of the Rocky
the habit of some Goodyeras, but the in- Mountains. [J. T. S.]
ternal structure of the flower is quite dif-
ferent. The remarkable thing is, that the ETJDESMIA. A handsome Swan River
anther is attached to a filament which myrtaceous shrub. The branches are four-
grows out quite distinctly from the base of cornered, with lance-shaped thick leaves ;
the column, whereas in most orchids the the flowers red, disposed in umbels, with
anther has no filament, but rests in a niche four-parted stamens, united into four bun-
at the apex of the column. The plant is dles capsule four-celled.
; E. tetraaona is
beautifully represented by Blume in his in cultivation. [M. T. M.]
splendid folio work on the orchids of the
Indian Archipelago. ETJDI ANTHE. A section of Lychnis, com-
[A. A. B.]
prising those species which have the calyx
ETJCRINUM. A subgenus of Fritillaria, tube contracted at the top. The pretty
proposed by Nuttall to include a few spe- lilac-flowered L'. Cwli-rosa, which is often
cies which approach to Lilium, but differ cultivated as an ornamental annual, under
from both genera, in having an undivided the name of Viscaria, belongs to this sec-
stigma, and the cup formed by the perianth tion. [J. T. S.]
segments broadly funnel-shaped. The ha-
bit is that of Fritillaria. The
F. tulipifolia
EUDOXIA. Peruvian herbs belonging to
Gentianacece, with large handsome drooping
from the Caucasus, and the American F. flowers, in a terminal panicle. They have
pudica, belong to this section. [J. T. S.]
a bell-shaped membranous calyx a bell- ;
EUCROSIA. A genus of stove bulbs of shaped five-cleft corolla, having the seg-
the order Amaryllidacew. E. bicolor, the ments convolute before expansion ; and
only species, a native of S. America, has the filaments of the stamens are channelled
round bulbs, wide petiolated leaves, and a on the inner surface. Ovary two-celled,
tapering scape, supporting an umbel of two-valved stigma sessile, with two di-
;
ripe, and dried in the sun. The Allspice tree helmet-shaped anther-case, enclosing the
is cultivated in the West Indies and Ja- two pollen masses with their very short
maica, where the trees are planted in rows caudicle, attached to a rather large diverg-
called pimento walks the produce is some-
; ing gland. A few of the species have been
times very large. The Allspice or Pimento in cultivation. Cyrtopera, Galeandra, and
hemes of commerce are of the size of a Zygopetalum, have all been referred to this |
small pea, of a dark colour, and surmounted genus by Dr. Blume. [A. A. B.]
hy the remains of the calyx. The odour
and flavour are supposed to resemble a EUMORPHIA. The name of a pretty
combination of those of cinnamon, cloves, little South African bush of the composite
and nutmeg, hence the name allspice they ;
family, nearly related to, and having
are due to a volatile oil, which is obtained flower-heads like those of the chamomile.
by Allspice is largely used for
distillation. It differs, however, in the achenes, which
flavouring purposes, being cheap. The oil are four or five-angled, and destitute of
is occasionally employed as a carminative. pappus. The leaves also are very different,
Many of the species yield agreeably being minute, heath-like, and closely j
tasting fruits, such as E. cauliflora, which packed on the twigs, which are terminated
'
described as being of the size of a green- plant was first gathered by Mr. Drege, a :
in some parts of Brazil. The Rose Apples after him E. Bregeana. [A. A. B.] j
Prickwood. It be discriminated in
highly esteemed in Chili. Those grown in j
and have an agreeable flavour and per- leaves, and by its small pale green flowers,
each composed of four petals, issuing
fume. Numerous other species are grown
cross-wise from a whitish disk. These are
'
ETTKYLISTA Spruceana, the only spe- lobes, and as many cells, each containing
cies of the genus, is described as a tree a solitary seed. Towards autumn these [
attaining the height of fifty to seventy become more conspicuous among the \
feet,with bark which scales off like that of leaves (now turning yellow) by their as-
the plane tree its flowers show it to be
;
suming a pink hue and when the tree has
: i
one of the Cinclwnacece. The flower buds entirely lost its foliage, they are highly i
are at first enclosed within membranous ornamental. Each of the lobes of the
bracts, which ultimately fall off the limb ;
capsule, which has by this time acquired a \
divided into six to eight lobes, and its ped in an orange-coloured arillus. The j
CEnothera chiefly by its long slender charcoal made from the young shoots is
linear capsules incompletely divided into also much approved by artists for its
four cells. smoothness, and the ease with which it
EULOPHlA. A numerous genus of may be erased. Among foreign species
cultivated in British gardens, E. lat ifalius
epiphytal or terrestrial orchids, natives of
isthe handsomest, from its broad shining
tropical Asia, Africa, and America, but oc-
leaves and its large red pendulous seed-
curring in greatest numbers at the Cape.
vessels, with orange-coloured seeds, which,
They have either pseudobulbs with one or
two leaves,or tuberous rhizomes of the size when the capsules open, are highly orna-
mental. E. japonicus is an evergreen
of potatos or larger, with the leaves and
species with rounded ovate-toothed leaves.
flower-scapes arising laterally from near
French, Fusain German, Spindelbaum.
the base. The leaves are grassy, or lance- ;
furnished with a long branched style, and elastica, lutea, brevifolia, brasiliensis,. and
in colour either purple, pink, or white, Spruceana and the poisonous manchineel
;
never yellow. They are mostly natives of by Hippom ane Mancinella. Janipha Manilwt
America but one species, E. cannabi.num,
;
or Manihot utilissima furnishes cassava and
Hemp Agrimony, a tall plant with un- tapioca, which consist of the starchy matter
branched stems, downy leaves, and ter- from its root. Aleurites triloba yields eboe
minal crowded corymbs of dull pale pur- oil ; Anisophyllum laurinum bears an acid
plish flowers, inhabits watery places and fruit called monkey-apple in Sierra Leone.
damp hedges in Britain. E. perfoliatum has Colliguaja odorifera has peculiar jumpingor
some reputation in America as a tonic moving seeds, owing to their becoming the
stimulant, and is administered in the form habitation of the larva of an insect. Box-
of a decoction of the leaves it is em-
; wood is the produce of Buxus sempervirens.
ployed also as a remedy in intermittent Hura crepitans,the sandbox tree, has a fruit
fevers. French Ewpatoire German Ab-
; consisting of numerous carpels which,
kraut. [C. A. J.] when dry, separate with a loud report.
The leaves of E. glutinosum have heen Species of Euphorbia abound in Africa, and
considered to be the Matico of the Peru- some of them attain a height of thirty or
vians, a substance that is used as a styptic forty feet, with a diameter of two feet at
and for other medicinal purposes. It is the base of tfhe stem. There are 230 known
possible that more than one plant bears genera, and about 2,600 species. Examples
the name Matico, but the leaves brought Euphorbia, Hura, Mercurialis, Acalypha,
to this country under that name are those Siphonia, Jatropha, Ricinus, Andrachne,
of Artanthe elongala. [M. T. M.] Xylophylla, Phyllanthus. [J. H. B.]
starch, others oils and caoutchouc. Euphor- not really so, as each stamen represents a
bia Latliyris,the caper spurge, has purgative single male flower, because it is jointed in
seeds, and a resinous matter having similar the middle, and has at its base a separate
qualities is procured from other species, scale. There are really several monan-
such as E. offlcinarum, antiquormnariA cana- drous male flowers surrounding a central
riensis. Cattimandoo, a kind of caoutchouc, stalked female, which latter consists of
is got from another species in India. Castor a three-celled ovary, with a three-cleft
oil procured from Ricinus communis
is style. The fruit consists of three single-
seeds; eroton oil from those of Croton Tig- seeded carpels.
Hum. The seeds of Jatropha Curcas, or A comparatively small number of kinds
physic-nut, are purgatives. Stillingia sebifera are cultivated in this country, either for
is the tallow tree of China— the fatty matter their beauty or as objects of curiosity :
being procured from the fruit. Dyes are of the former E. punicea, E. splendens,
supplied by Crozoplmra tinctorui, the turn- E. fvlgens, E. pruvifolia, and E. Bojeri may
sole, and Rottlera tinctorial the latter plant be mentioned. These are all remarkable
also yields kauiila, a powder from its cap- for the brillianS scarlet colour of the bracts
477 Cfje Crca£urp of 3Sotan», ETJPH
of the involucre, and as they flower in I them, as they produce incessant sneezing.
winter time and remain long in bloom, Euphorbium is an intensely acrid sub-
they are deservedly great favourites. I
stance, which severely affects the eyes,
Those cultivated for their singular and nose, and lungs of those who come in
grotesque appearance are such as have suc- i contact with the drug in its powdered
culent prickly cactus-like stems, and are state, if the greatest precautions be not
for the most part without leaves. Among taken. It is said also to induce delirium.
the hest known are E. grandldens, a tall- From its violent action, it is now rarely if
growing kind, sending out whorls of ever used in medicine, but it was employed
branches like those of a candelabrum E. ; as a n emetic, purgative, etc., and externally
officinarum, E. antiquorum, and E. canari- as a rubefacient.
ensis, all somewhat similar; E. Mystrix, The natives of India are said to use the
which has long spines and lance-shaped juice of E. antiquorum as an external ap-
leaves at the top part of the stem, the plication in rheumatism and neuralgia,
lower portion being destitute of them and
; and when diluted as apurgative. E. Nivulia
E. melo/ormis, a dwarf species, in shape is used for similar purposes. The juice of
like a melon or an Echinocactiis, but with- E. heptagona and other African species is
out spines. Several of them are so like cac- employed by the natives to poison their
tuses that they are frequently mistaken for arrows, while the same purpose is effected
them, especially as the flowers are com- in Brazil by the juice of E. cotinifolia that
;
however, immediately decide the matter, the Indian species first named is em-
as, should the plant be a Euphorbia, a ployed both internally and externally in
milky fluid will ooze out. cases of snake-bite. So also many of the
In some districts the succulent Spurges leafy species in which the stem is not
are found in great abundance, as they fleshy, are considered valuable as purga-
are able to thrive where little else can tives in many parts of the world. Others
grow. Thus in the Canary Islands and are esteemed for the cure of syphilis while
;
and no shade or genial moisture.' In some are astringent and aromatic, properties I
parts of South Africa, too, the tall columnar wanting, for E. thymifolia, an Indian plant,
species constitute the characteristic fea- has these qualities, as also E. hypericifolia,
—
ture of the landscape E. grandidens for a native of tropical America.
one, being said to attain a height of The poisonous principle pervading these
thirty feet and upwards. plants is more or less dissipated by heat,
The milky juice, which forms one of the and hence we hear of a few of them form-
constant characteristics of these plants, ing articles of diet thus E. edulis is men-
;
ones, which furnish the drug known as mentions the natives of Teneriffe as being
Euphorbium. The exact kind which sup- ;
in the habit of removing the bark from
plies this resinous substance is not pre- E. canariensis, and then sucking the inner
J
milky juice exudes. This is so acrid, that it on in the Jury Reports of the Great Exhi-
|
excoriates the hand when applied to it. bition of 1851. Dr. "Wight, in his Icones
! The juice is allowed to dry and harden on Plantarum Indice orientalis, gives the fol-
the stem, and after a time the lumps fall lowing information on the authority of Mr.
;
I
collectors being obliged, says Mr. Jackson offthe branches, when it flows freely. It
i
in his account of Morocco, to tie a cloth is and boiled on the spot, at which
collected
over their mouth and nostrils, to prevent time it is very elastic, but after being
the small dusty particles from annoying . formed into cakes or cylinders, it becomes
ettph] Cfje ®vtH$uxv ai SSntang. 478
resinous or brittle, in which state it is semblance to Ambrosia, but differ in hav-
sold in the bazaars, and employed as a ing male and female flowers in the same
cement for fixing knives into handles, and capitulum. [A. A. B.]
other similar purposes, which are effected
by heating it. It is also employed medi- EUPLOCA. A North American genus of
cinally as an outward application in cases Ehretmcea;-, probably not distinct from
of rheumatism. The gum has not the valu- Messerschmidtia, and consisting of herbs
able property, like gutta percha, of being furnished with rough leaves, and funnel-
ductile at all times. It can be moulded to shaped flowers. [j. t. S,]
any shape when first boiled, but as far as ETJPOMATIA. A genus of laurel-like
we know not afterwards, though some shrubs, natives of the eastern extratro-
plan may be found for rendering it sub- pical parts of New Holland. It forms at
sequently pliable.' Dr. Wight further present a kind of botanical puzzle, being
remarks that when exposed to the heat of evidently allied to Anonacece, and yet dif-
a Are or lamp it rapidly softens, and be-
;
'
discovered by the late Robert Brown, and
time in warm water, it slowly softens, though it is cultivated in conservatories, it
becomes pliable and plastic, and in that has not produced its flowers. The stamens
state takes any required form. Another are perigynous, and the inner ones sterile,
of the Indian species, E. Tirucalli, is fre- petal-like; the tube of the calyx is co-
quently used in Coromandel, for making herent with the ovaries, while the limb
hedges, as animals for the most part will separates by a transverse slit, like a lid,
not touch it, though goats will eat it in from the tube. In these flowers the ac-
spite of the acrid juice, which latter is used cess of the pollen to the stigmas appears
medicinally by the natives. It goes by the to be completely cut off by the number
name of Milk Hedge. E.phosphorea derives and disposition of the internal barren
the name from the fact of its sap emitting petal-like stamens; but the communica-
a phosphorescent light on a warm night tion is restored, says the learned botanist
in the Brazilian forests. There are several who first described the plant, by certain
British species, which partake more or less minute insects eating the petal-like fila-
of the acrid properties so general in this ments, while the antheriferous stamens,
group. [M. T. M.] which are either expanded or reflected,
EUPHORBIALES. One of Lindley's al- and appear to be even slightly irritable,
liances, including Euphorbiacece, and a few remain untouched. Recently a second
small related groups. species has been discovered, and named
by Dr. Mueller E. Bennettii, in compliment
EUPHORBIUM. A gum resin obtained to Dr. Bennett, the well-known Australian
from certain succulent species of Euphor- naturalist. This species has produced
bia. flowers in this country, and is figured in
EUPHRASIA. The Eye-bright is a small the Botanical Magazine (t. 4848), under the
annual belonging to the Scrophulariacece, name of E. laurina, its distinctness from
distinguished" by a tubular four-cleft calyx, that species not having been at first de-
a two-lipped corolla, the upper lip two- tected. [M. T. M.]
lobed, the lower three-lobed, and an oblong
compressed capsule, containing numerous
EUPTERIS. A sectional name applied
by Agardh to the normal forms of Pteris,
pendulous ribbed seeds. Eye-bright is a
as distinguished from the groups repre-
common plant in heaths and dry mea- sented by P. aquilina and Litobrochia ves-
dows, growing to the height jof six to
pertilionis. It is applied by Newman as a
twelve inches, with small sessile leaves
generic name to the common Bracken,
arranged in opposite pairs, and several
Pteris aquilina.
flowers near the ends of the branches,
white spotted with yellow and purple. EUROTIA. A genus of Chenopodiaceo?,
From the frequent mention of Euphrasy found in Russia and Siberia, and consisting
by the poets, it would appear to have been of annuals with numerous branches, nar-
formerly held in high repute for its medi- j
row entire leaves, and male flowers four
cal virtues, a view which is confirmed by or five together at the apices of small
the statements of the old herbalists, who branches. The female flowers are solitary
recommended its use both outwardly and J
in the axils of the leaves, with the fruiting
inwardly, in powder and in decoction, for |
perianth limb growing out in the shape of
complaints of the eyes. It is still a rustic two horns. [J. T. S.J
remedy as an eye-water, but is said by
some to be injurious rather than bene-
EURYA. A genus of Ternstromiace&,
composed of a number of evergreen
ficial. French, Eufraise ; German, Augen- shrubs or small trees found in India,
trost. [C. A. J.]
China, and the adjacent islands, one spe-
EUPHROSYNE. A genus of Composite, cies extending to theFeejee Islands. Their
composed of two annual Mexican weeds, very minute and unisexual flowers, toge-
which grow from one to two feet high, |
ther with their small berried fruits, serve
and have alternate twice or thrice pinnati- j
to distinguish them. The leaves are not
sected leaves, and terminal panicles of unlike those of the teaplant, and the small
little white flower-heads, each about the white flowers are arranged in bundles in
size of a pea. The flowers have much re- [
their axils. [A. A. BJ
479 djc £~rca£ttro ai 3Sotanp. [eusc
ELRYALE. Before the discovery of the scarcely precedes the leaves, supports a
Victoria re-gia, the Indian aquatic herb many-flowered umbel of flowers, of which
bearing the above name took rank, per- the tube is cylindrical, the limb regular,
haps, as the noblest aquatic plant in cul- with equal segments, and the cup fre-
tivation, at least as to its leaves, which quently imperfect. E. ambohtensis is a
are much like those of the Victoria, but stove bulb. E. australasica, or Cuuning-
smaller, of a circular form, with very pro- liami, a smaller species from Australia, is
minent and spiny veins on the rich purple called the Brisbane Lily. [T. M.]
under-surface the upper surface being
:
hemisphere, but the flower-heads do not ly allied to Senecio, but differing in the
i
contain nearly so many florets. The genus nature of the involucre, which is com-
! Olearia is their closest relationship, but posed of one series of scales having their
;
there the pappus is double, while here it is margins more or less united, so that the
single. They are very variable in appear- involucre has the appearance of a toothed
, ance, some being large trees, others cup while in Senecio the scales are free.
;
I
mary, from its resemblance to that plant.
'
EUSCAPHIS staphyleoidcs represents
The name Daisy-tree is given to E. lirata a genus of Staphyleacece, found in Japan,
the Corea, and the Loo Choo islands. It
in Tasmania. The name of the genus is
that of the mother of the stars in Greek resembles the common Staphylea pinnata,
mythology. but it is easily recognised by its fruits,
[A. A. B.]
which are composed of three distinct
ET7RYCLES. A genus of amaryllids, of bladdery carpels; while in Staphylea the
the pancratiform group, found in the carpels are united so as to form one blad-
Eastern Archipelago and in New Holland. dery capsule. The plant grows to a bush
The bulbs are ovate the leaves are broad
; of about twelve feet high, and is furnished
and petiolated; and the scape, which with opposite pinnate smooth leaves, which
eust] Elje &rea£ur£) of f&ataiw, 480
are a good deal like those of the elder EUTAXIA. A genus of pretty legumi-
and so also are the little white or yellowish nous bushes found in Australia, but chiefly
flowers, which are numerous and disposed confined to the western portions. There
in terminal panicles. According to Sie- are about a dozen species. They have
holt, the plant is a favourite in Japanese much the appearance of Pultencea or Dill-
gardens from its neat habit and its pretty wynia, so well known as greenhouse
bladdery fruits, which are of a red colour plants, and differ from the former in the
when ripe, and remain on the bush till standard being about as broad as it is long,
winter approaches. It is prized also for not broader ; from the latter in the wings
its medical properties. The inner bark of being shorter than the keel, not equal to
the root is bitter and astringent, and is it in length ; and from both in having op-
given in infusion in cases of dysentery posite leaves. They are for the most part
and chronic diarrhoea. The leaves are not much-branched low-growing bushes, with
so efficacious, and have when fresh a dis- small often heath-like leaves, and axillary
agreeable fishy smell. The name of the golden-yellow pea-flowers, two or three to-
genus has reference to the pretty fruits, gether. E. myrtifolia is a well-known
which open along the inner surface into greenhouse plant, whose slender stems
the form of a little boat. [A. A. BJ are often seen thickly covered in the
spring and summer months with the
EUSTACHYS. A genus of grasses be- pretty yellow blossoms. [A. A. B.]
longing to the tribe Chloridece; now in-
cluded in Chloris. [D. M.] EUTERPE. A genus of palms of ex-
EUSTEGIA. A
genus of South African tremely graceful habit, having slender
few species of almost cylindrical stems, sometimes neai'ly
Asclepiadacece, containing a
a hundred feet in height, surmounted by a
decumbent branching perennial herbs,'with
tuft of pinnate leaves, the leaflets of which
opposite hastate leaves, and sub-umbellate
are narrow, very regular and close together,
flowers, the calyx of which is five-parted,
and the corolla rotate and five-cleft, with a and generally hang downwards. The bases
of the leaf-stalks are dilated, and form
triple stamina! crown the divisions of the
:
forming a beautiful network of veinlets. Mat i qui, with lance-shaped leaves, is called
The flowers are white or tinged with pur- Matiqui. In both the leaves have a plea-
ple, and disposed in axillary or terminal sant aromatic scent. [A. A. B.]
compound racemes. [A. A. B.]
EVANESCENTI-VENOSE. When lateral
EUTHYSTACHYS. A genus of Stilbacece, veins disappear within the margin.
entirely confined toS. Africa, and differing EVAX. A genus of Composites, found
from its nearest ally, Campylostachys, in its in the Mediterranean region and in Cali-
straight, not curved, flower-spikes, whence fornia, and composed of a few minute
the name of the genus, and in the little tufted annual herbs, having all their parts
funnel-shaped corollas, which have a five- clothed with white wool like many of the
lobed instead of a four-lobed border. The cudweeds. In some species, as in E. erio-
only known species, E. abbreviata, is a sphcera, the whole plant does not exceed a
smooth shrub, with heath-like four-ranked quarter of an inch in diameter, and looks
leaves thickly set on the stems, which ter- like a little ball of wool, whence the spe-
minate in a bracted spike of flowers. From cific name. None of them exceed four
the other genera this differs in having a inches in height, and if branched the
calyx two of whose narrow segments are branches are not more than two inches
free, and three are united by their margins long, and terminate in a sessile flower-
nearly to the summit. [A. A. B.] head surrounded by a rosette of oblong
woolly leaves. The genus is chiefly dis-
ETTTOCA. Annual herbs belonging to tinguished among its allies by the elonga-
the Hydrophyllacece, of an erect habit, with ted cone-shaped receptacle on which the
rough leaves, and clusters of showy flowers. florets are seated, and by the achenes
They are natives of North America, especi- being destitute of pappus. [A. A. B.]
ally California, and are often grown in
European gardens. The species mostly EVELYNA. A numerous genus of South
cultivated are E. Menziesii or multiflora, American epiphytal orchids, found grow-
about eighteen inches high, with downy ing on stems and trunks of trees, and
narrow leaves, either entire or lobed, and readily known by their habit. They have
blue flowers. E. viscida is much branched, erect wiry stems, one to three feet high,
with heart-shaped deeply-cut toothed furnished with lance-shaped strongly rib-
clammy leaves, and elongated racemes of bed leaves, and terminating in a few-
blue flowers with a rose-coloured tube. flowered spike, the flowers enveloped by
even] €f)£ Ereagur^ at Matmxy, 482
long coloured bracts. The anther is two- what four-cornered, the limb very short
celled, with eight pollen masses attached and divided into several lobes, which are
in lours to a very short caudicle with a arranged in two rows, those of the outer
triangular gland. E. Caravata, from the row detached one from the other, those
West Indies and French Guiana, is in cul- of the inner confluent, and provided with
tivation. It has hispid stems a foot high, two teeth. The species are natives of
hearing long lance-shaped rough leaves, i
Costa Rica, and greatly resemble those of
and bright yellow flowers with a beauti- j
Carludovica. [M. T. M.]
fully fringed lip, almost hidden from view.
by long pink bracts. The genus bears the
EVOLUTIO. The act of developement.
name of John Evelyn, an eminent patriot |
EVOLVULTTS. A considerable genus of
of the seventeenth century. Elleanthns is j
Convolvulacece, containing nearly sixty de-
a synonym. [A. A. B.] i
scribed species, natives chiefly of tropical
America, but with one or two species from
EVENING FLOWER. Hespcrantha.
!
the warmer regions of the Old World.
EVENNESS. An absence of elevations or They are annual herbs, or have a perennial
depressions of the surface of any part or sometimes woody stock, and bear entire
organ. usually small nearly sessile leaves, and
small flowers on axillary peduncles, or in
EVERGREEN. Continuing to bear green
terminal spikes or racemes, with the
leaves all the year round. |
bracts. The perianth of the male flower, EXADENTTS. Tropical American annuals
in which the distinguishing characters of of the gentian family, with linear leaves
the genus reside, is tubular, funnel-shaped and four-parted flowers, the corolla wheel-
and curved, the lower portion fleshy and tri- shaped, four-cleft, persistent, and each of
angular, the upper part bell-shaped, some- its four segments provided on the outside
I
483 £!)C &xca,£uvy of JSntang.
near the base with a sessile or stalked other parts being regularly disposed round
gland capsule two-seeded.
; [M. T. M.] it,as in the stem of a fir tree.
EXEMBRYONATE. A name given to
EXALBUMINOSE. Having no albumen. cryptogams in consequence of their spores
EXANTHEMATA. Skin diseases, not containing an embryo like the seeds of
blotches of leaves, &c. phamogams. Though, however, the spores
contain no embryo in the higher crypto-
EXAREOLATE. Not spaced out. gams, the archegonia contain a cell which
goes through the same process of cell-
EXARISTATE. Destitute of an arista, division as the embryonic cell in phasno-
awn, or beard. gams, sometimes producing a distinct
plant, sometimes only fruit. [M. J. B.]
EXASPERATE. Covered with hard
I
gals.
EXOCARPUS. A genus of Thymelacece
EXCCECARIA. A small genus of spurge- j
or Daphnacece, though some refer it to a
worts consisting of about eighteen spe- separate order, Anthobolece. The flowers
cies, five or six of which belong to India, '
are woody shrubs, but a few form small the base of the perianth, the filaments
trees. Their leaves are usually alternate,
J
and either entire or with their margins very short, and the stigma capitate. Fruit,
toothed. The flowers are produced in cat- |
a single-seeded nut, supported on an en-
kins, some species having the males and i
larged berried peduncle. Trees and shrubs
females on distinct trees, and others bear- i of New Holland found also sparingly at
;
ing them in different parts of the same ! the Moluccas. They have scattered, often
catkin. The individual flowers have minute, leaves, which have no stipules
neither calyx nor corolla, but their place is I
flowers small in axillary spikes, with
occupied by a variable number of little caducous bracts, the flower-stalk enlarging
bracts. The fruit is three-celled. I
after fertilisation. There are four known
E. AgaUochitmwsLS atone time supposed j
species. [J. H. B.]
to yield the fragrant resinous Indian wood
called Agallochum, Aloes or Eagle wood, EXOCHORDA. A beautiful Chinese
which is now, however, known to be the bush of the rose family, cultivated in Eng-
produce of Aquilaria Agallochum, a plant land and quite hardy. It is remarkable
belonging to a totally different natural for the structure of its fruits, which con-
sist of five small compressed bony carpels
order. It is a native of India, where it is
commonly found growing in salt marshes, adhering round a central axis in a star-like
and is sometimes employed for strengthen- manner. From the axis or growing point
ing the banks of rivers in places within stand five erect placentary cords, which
the influence of the sea water. It forms a enter the carpels on their inner face near
small crooked tree or large branching the top, suspending from the apex two
shrub, with egg-shaped leaves, having thin seeds. These cords remain after the
round blunt teeth along their edges. The carpels have fallen, and have suggested
different sexes of the flowers are borne the name of the genus. The only species,
on distinct trees, the male catkins being E. grandifiord, is a smooth bush with al-
very long, and either solitary or in pairs, ternate nearly lance-shaped entire leaves,
while the females are much shorter, and the stems terminated byracemes of hand-
sometimes three together. "When the tree some white flowers, which appear in May,
is wounded, a white milky juice flowsf rom
and are nearly as large as those of the
it, which is of a very acrid nature, produc-
mock-orange they have a bell-shaped
;
very closely allied to Convolvulus and two-seeded some of the kinds are in culti-
:
are more valued than sound ones, as the as Extra- axillaris, beyond the axil; Extra-
foliarius, beyond a leaf; Extra-medianus,
insects eat the farinaceous and woody por-
tions of the tuber and leave the resin. Vari- beyond the middle.
ous species of Ipomcea are also said to fur- EXTRORSE. Turned outwards from
nish a spurious kind of jalap. [M. T. M.] the axis of growth of the series of organs
to which it belongs.
EXORHIZ.E. A name given to exoge-
nous or iicotyledonous plants, from the EYE. A term in gardening for a leaf-
mode in which the young root sprouts bud also for the centre or the central
:
viscid fluid lying on the outside of an ash-coloured branches are furnished with
485 £1)C €i'ca£ur» of 23 a tang, [fady
an abundance of pinnate leaves, and the pilionaceous (pea-like) flowers, or by their
little white pea-flowers are very numerous, fruit being a legume in other words, a pod
:
and disposed in dense racemes at the ends like that of the pea or bean. [J. H. BJ
of the twigs, succeeded by thin sabre-
shaped pods. The only other species, E. FABAGELLE. (Fr.) Zygophyllum.
spinosa, also a Mexican bush, has the ends
FABIAjSTA. A genus of South American
of its flower spikes hardened into spiny shrubs, belonging to the Solanacece. They
points after the flowers have fallen. The
have alternate scattered or overlapping
genus bears the name of C. W. Eysenhardt, leaves, and extra-axillary flower-stalks,
once professor in the university of Ko- bearing a single flower, with a tubular five-
nigsberg. [A. A. B.]
cleft calyx, andj funnel-like corolla, whose
FAAM, or FAHAM. Angrcecum fragrans. tube gradually dilated upwards, and
is
whose limb is divided into five short lobes.
FABA. The typical genus of the order The five stamens are included, and of un-
Fabacece or Leguminosce. It consists of an- equal length the anthers open by slits
;
nual plants rising from two to four feet the capsule is two-celled, included within
high, having smooth quadrangular hollow the persistent calyx, and divided by two
stems alternate pinnated leaves, formed
; valves. F. imbricata is a neat half-hardy
of from two to four pairs of entire oval leaf- shrub, of fastigiate habit, with white
lets :and numerous large white or violet flowers, and has much of the general ap-
highly fragrant blossoms, marked with dark pearance of a heath. [M. T. M.]
violet-coloured veins and blotches on the
petals. The seeds are produced within a FABRICIA. A genus of Myrtacem, con-
long green pod, or legume, and are round- sisting ofNew Holland shrubs, with broad
ish kidney-shaped, and more or less de- oblong glaucous dotted leaves, and solitary
pressed or flattened. axillary white or yellow flowers, with a
The common Bean, F. vulgaris, is a hardy bell-shaped adherent calyx-tube, and a five-
annual, generally believed to be a native cleft deciduous limb the five petals
;
of the shores of the Caspian Sea, as well as roundish, attached to the throat of the
of Egypt and other parts of the East. It is calyx numerous stamens, inserted with
;
a vegetable of very great antiquity, and isj the petals, and shorter than they and a ;
enii of Hooker. !
of the Arabian of !
dacece, consisting of certain shrubs, natives five, rarely six to seven-lobed, the Jobes
of the Cape of Good Hope and of tropical twisted in the bud and in the fruit being
;
Africa, having hermaphrodite flowers with a two-celled berry. From most genera in
a short three to four-parted calyx, three to the family they are readily recognised by
four petals, and twice as many stamens, the the remarkably thick and leathery texture
alternate ones shorter than the rest, the of their smooth and entire, usually ellipti-
filaments thickened above the base, and cal or lance-shaped leaves. The flowers
the anthers large. Both petals and stamen s are white or cream-coloured, and often
are inserted into a kind of stalk, support- fragrant; in some very large, and thick
ing the three to four-celled ovary, in each in texture, with a trumpet-like tube, two
compartment of which are two ovules sus- to five inches long (in F. auriculata, one of
pended from the top. The fruit is as yet the largest-flowered species, with a border
unknown. [M, T. MJ six inches across) in others, where the
;
origin, are included in this genus of Polij- its timber is not of the best quality, it is
gonacece. They are herbaceous plants, with found extremely useful for aA'ariety of pur-
erect branching stems, and heart-shaped'or poses, and is also one of the best kinds of
halbert-shaped leaves. The perianth is cut wood for fuel. The nuts or mast are, like
into five equal divisions, and does not acorns, much sought after by swine and in ;
increase in size along with the fruit, like some parts, where the tree abounds, the
that of some allied plants and the eight
; animals are driven into the beech-woods
stamens alternate with eight round glands. in autumn. A useful oil is also expressed
The fruit is three-sided, and not enveloped from the nuts. For a full account of the
in the perianth, like that of Polygonum uses of the Beech, the reader is referred to
the seed is mealy. Loudon's Arboretum Britannicum.
The common Buckwheat, or Brank as it There are some very ornamental varieties
is sometimes called, F. esculentum, is an of the common Beech to be met with in
annual plant with a branched stem, grow- cultivation as, for example, the Purple
:
ing two or three feet high. It is a native Beech, with purple leaves Copper Beech,
;
of central Asia, but has been so long ex- with copper-coloured leaves and Fern-
;
tensively cultivated, that it has become leaved Beech, with the leaves variously cut
naturalised in various parts of Europe. into narrow segments resembling the
In this country it is only grown to a small fronds of a fern. [T. M.J
extent, and principally for the purpose of
affording food for pheasants. On the con- FAIR MAID OF FRANCE. Ranuncu-
tinent, however, and also in some parts of lus aconitifolius fl. plena.
the United States, Buckwheat is largely FAIRY RINGS. Green circles or parts
employed for human food and the thin ;
of circles in pastures produced by various
cakes made of it are said to be very deli-
species of agarics and other Fungi. They
cious. As a food, its nutritious properties
appear to be generated in the following
are greatly inferior to wheat, but it ranks manner:-— A patch of spawn, according to
much higher than rice. In France it is the fashion of many Fungi, spreads centri-
called Sarrasin and Ble noir. The plant is
fugally in every direction, and produces
still sometimes called Polygonum Fagopy-
a crop at its extreme edge. The soil in
rum. [A. S.J
the inner part of the disc is exhausted,
FAGR.23A. A genus of Asiatic or Polyne- and the spawn there dies or becomes
effete. The crop of fungi meanwhile '
seaweeds, &c.
diameter till it attains dimensions of many i
t
are seldom observed by any except pro- I FARIAM. In rows : thus bifariam, in
j
fessed mycologists. Marasmiiis oreades, i
two rows ; trifariam, in three rows, &c.
Agaricus ganibosus, and A. arvensis are
amongst the most prominent inhabitants
j
;
FARINACEOUS. Having the texture
of Fairy Rings. [M. J. B.]
albumen of wheat.
of flour, as the
|
cum.
Indian trees of the spurgewort family,
very nearly related to Sapium, and chiefly
j
j
FARSETIA. A genus of Gruciferae, al-
differing in having the male and female lied to Alyssum, differing by the oblong
flowers on different instead of on the |
pouch containing numerous seeds which !
same tree. The species are trees of con- have the funic! e free from the body of
siderable dimensions, sometimes attaining the seed. They are natives of the Medi- ;
a height of sixty feet, the stems abound- terranean region and temperate Asia. ;
ing in a milky juice, the branches fur- Berteroa is scarcely different, the chief
nished with stalked smooth leaves, and distinction being that the partition of the \
the inconspicuous green flowers arranged pouch is destitute of the nerve which
in axillary tufted, erect or drooping spikes. I
occurs in Farsetia and Aubrietia has as
;
The fruits are about the size of a pea. The little claim to be separated on account of
genus bears the name of Dr. H. Falconer, its seeds not being margined. Small plants,
an English botanist and zoologist, distin- often shrubby at the base, with white,
guished for his discoveries in fossil yellow, or purple flowers. [J. T. S.]
zoology. It is referred to the Stiloginacece
by Lindley, but that family is now pretty
FASCIA (adj. FASCIATE). A cross band
of colour.
generally acknowledged to be a mere group
of Euphvrbiaceoe. [A. A. B.] FASCIATED. When
a stem becomes
FALKIA A genus of Convolvulacece,
much flattened instead of retaining its
usual cylindrical figure, as in the cocks-
containing two species, one of which is I
comb, &c.
scattered pretty generally over the world,
and the other confined to Mexico. They FASCIARIUS. Narrow; very long, with |
are small creeping pubescent herbs, with- the two opposite margins parallel, as the '
out milky juice, and have reniform petio- leaves of the seawrack.
late entire leaves, and ebracteate one-
flowered axillary peduncles. The calyx is FASCICLE, FASCICLED, FASCICU-
LATED. When several similar- things
|
of fairies in the following lines, more fan- point, pyramidal ; as the branches of the
ciful than truly poetical :— Lombardy poplar.
And lest our leap from the sky prove too
FAT PORK. Clusiaflava.
far, FAU. (Fr.) Fagus sylvatica.
"We slide on the back of a new falling
star,
FAUR.EA. A genus of Proteacece, con-
taining a single species, F. saligna, distin-
And drop from above
guished by having a club-shaped tubular
In a jelly of love. [M. J. B.]
silky calyx with a four-cleft limb; four
FALL POISON. Amianthium rnuscce- ! stamens, with short filaments, attached to
j
tox-icum. i the segments of the calyx and an ovary
; .
,
FAUS] ®l)C $nr£a£ur|) at Botanu. 4S8
covered with silky hairs, and crowned with FAYARD. (Fr.) Fagus sylvatica.
a filiform style and oblong stigma. The FEA-BERRY. The Gooseberry, Ribes
fruit is a hearded nut, tipped with the per- Grossularia.
manent style. It is a small tree of South
Africa, with alternate lanceolate acute FEATHERFOIL. An American name
subfalcate shining leaves, and bearing for Hottonia.
its flowers in solitary terminal densely FEATHER-YEINED. Having veins
crowded spikes. [R. H.]
which proceed from a midrib at an acute
angle.
FAUSSE-AIRELLE. (Fr.) Gaylussacia.
OAMPANULE. Michauxia campanu- FEATHERY. Consisting of long hairs
loides. — -GESSE. Vicia lathyroides. — which are themselves hairy, as the pappus
-IRIS. Morcea iridioides. —
-JOUBARBE. of Leontodon Taraxacum.
Gregoria Vitaliana. —
-LYCHNIDE. Nyc-
PAQUERETTE. FEDIA. A genus of small succulent
terinia Lychnidea. annuals belonging to the Valerianacea?,
Bellium bellidioides. RENOXCULE. distinguished from Valeriana by having
Anemone ranunculoides. VIPERINE. the fruit crowned with unequal teeth in-
Onosma echioides. stead of a feathery pappus. There are
FAUX. The orifice of a calyx or corolla, several British species all of similar habit,
FAUX-ACACIA. (Fr.) Robinia. — -AR-
growing from six to eight inches high.with
Armeria Pseudo-Armeria. —
slender repeatedly-forked stems, oblone
MERIA.
-BAGUENAUDIER. Coronilla Emerus. —
spathulateleaves, and very minute whitish
flowers, some few of which are solitary in
-COTONNIER. Gomphocarpus fruticosus.
DRAGONNIER. Yucca Braconis. — the upper forks of the stem, the rest
crowded into terminal leafy heads. F.
-EBENIER. Cytisus Laburnum. FRA- olitoria, Corn Salad, or Lamb's Lettuce, is
SIER. Potentiila Fragariastrum. HE- the most frequent, and is a common weed
LIOTROPE. Toumefortia. — -INDIGO. in cornfields and other cultivated ground.
Amorpha fruticosa. JALAP. Hirabilis
Under the names of Mache, Bour.vAtc,
Jalapa. — -LISERON. Polygonum Convol- Doucette,K\\6. Blanch ette, this species is still
vulus. —--MUSCARI. Muscari monstrositm. commonly cultivated on the continent; as
— -NARCISSE. Narcissus Pseudo-Narcis- well as another species with large leaves
sus. NEFLIER. Pyrus Chamcemes- called Mache d' Italic or Regeuce. The genus
pilus. NERPRUN. Hippophae rham- Fedia is included by some botanists under
noides. — -PARTHENIUM. Anthemis Valerianella. [C. A. J.]
partlienioides. — -PERSIL. sEthusa Cy-
napium. — -PIMEXT. Solanum Pseudo- FEEA. A small genus of hymenophylloid
capsicum. P1STACHIER. Staphylea ferns, separated from Trichomanes by their
pinvata. PLATANE. Acer Pseudo- dimorphous fronds, and from Hymeno-
Platanus. SAFRAN. Carthamus tinc- stachys, which has dimorphous fronds, by
their free veins. They are dwarf tropical
torius. SAPIN. Abies excelsa. — SlSXE. subpellucid plants, with the sterile fronds
Colutea arboresceus. TETTCRIUM. Ver- pinnatifld or pinnate, and the fertile ones
bena teucrioides. — -THUIA. Cupressus reduced to a mere spike with marginal
thum'des. TREMBLE. Pnpulus tremu- cyolis containing the spore-cases. [T. MJ
loides. TURBITH. Thapsia villosa.
FAVA DE IGNACIO. Anisosperma
FEELER-WORT. Catasetum.
S.
Passijiora. FELICIA. A genus of Composites, sepa-
rated from Aster chiefly by its short uni-
FAVEOLATE. Honeycombed. The same serial withering pappus, the hairs of which
as Pavose. are filiform, flexuose, and serrulate. They
FAVILL^F. A
term applied by algolo- are herbs orsuffruticose plants of the Cape
gists to those capsules in Algce in which of Good Hope, with branching stems, nar-
the nucleus, consisting of many spores, is row alternate leaves, and flower-heads
formed within a single mother-cell, as in with usually white or blue rays. One of
Ceramium. When several contiguous cells the species, F. Unella, is sometimes cul-
are fertile, the group is called afavillidium. tivated among annuals under the name of
Sometimes a coccidium, when enclosing a Aster tenellus. [T. M.]
multitude of nuclei, or favilla?, is called a
favillidium. [M. J. B.]
FELLEUS. Bitter as gall.
opening through a membrane, like a win- tropical America. They differ more in
dow in a wall. habit than character from Oncidium; and
FENNEL. Fceniculum vulgare. — AZO- have slender stems thickly covered with
,
niculum dulce.
and disposed in axillary racemes or panicles
from the axils of the upper leaves the ;
scales, and have thick entire leaves, and The fruit is a two-celled capsule bursting
rose-coloured flowers on short axillary by two valves, which separate also from
the calyx, which is cleft lengthwise; the
i
in gardens to a beautiful dwarf Calif ornian Athyriwn Filix-foemina also Lastrea The- ;
fied spreading tuft, bearing a profusion of da, and also Anemia. — HARD. Blechnum ,
coloured dots. These flowers have a tubu- chitis. — , LADY. Athyrium Filix-fwmina.
lose-campanulate deeply five-cleft calyx, -,LIP. Cheilanthes. —, MAIDEN-HAIR.
and a funnel-shaped corolla, with broad Adiantum Capillus Veneris. MALE. — ,
FER, FERPS.
ris. — OSTRICH. Struthiopteris. —,
A Latin termination PARSLEY. Allosorus crispus also some- ;
signifying the carrying of something, as times applied to Athyrium Filix-fosmina
florifer, the carrier of flowers. crispum. — , POD. Ceratopteris tlialic-
corymbs at the ends of the branches, in- Xiphopteris. — , TARA. Pteris esculenta.
stead of single and large flower-heads. — WALKING. Camptosorus rhizophyllus.
,
fruit, which is about the size of an apple, stigmas feathery. The genus embraces
has a very hard, rough, woody rind, and about 200 species, which have a wide geo-
contains a pulpy flesh with numerous graphical range over nearly the whole sur-
seeds imbedded in it. This pulp is eat- face of the globe, and are divided into four
able, and, like that of the Bengal quince, sections, namely, Nardurus, Schlerochloa,
which is the fruit of a closely allied tree, it Yulpia, and true Festucece. There are nine
exerts a beneficial action in cases of dys- of the species natives of Britain, and among
entery and diarrhoea a jelly resembling
; them some of our most valuable meadow
black currant jelly is also prepared from and pasture grasses. F. pratensis, the
it. The leaves have an odour like that of Meadow Fescue, and F. duriuscula, the
anise, and the native Indian doctors em- Hard Fescue, are both excellent kinds, and
ploy them as a stomachic and carmina- highly prized for agricultural purposes.
tive. [A. S.] F. ovina, the Sheep's Fescue, is important
for subalpine pastures, whene it grows
FERRARIA. A genus of Cape Iridaceo?, freely, and is much relished by sheep. It
with tuberous rhizomes, simple or panicu-
is also useful for forming lawns, where
lately branched stems, two-ranked ensi-
the grass is required to be kept short and
form thick nervose glaucous leaves, and
neatly dressed- Many of the foreign spe-
very fleeting flowers, which consist of a
cies are also useful for the same purposes,
six-parted perianth, with oblong undulated v
especially F, heterophylla, Halleri, and
spreading or reflexed segments, the ex-
terior ones being broader than the others
valesiaca. Although the Fescue grasses
;
are rather remarkable among the family,
three stamens, with the filaments connate
for the large quantity of saccharine matter
into a tube and a three-celled many-
;
in their composition, one species, F. qua-
seeded ovary, surmounted by a filiform
dridentata, is said to be poisonous in Quito,
style, and three dilated petaloid multifid
stigmas. The flowers ai'e highly curious,
where it is called Pigonil. See Lindleifs
Vegetable Kingdom, p. 113, [D. MJ
but dingy, and very fugacious. [T. M.]
the enlarged calyx and the shell of the and nine petals instead of five ; in
other all
fruit it contains a number of large fiat
; respects it is a true crowfoot indeed, ;
seeds embedded in solid flesh, and does our native species, F. ranunculoides, is
not split open when ripe. notunfrequently described under the name
F. cordifolia is the Sequa or Cacoon An- i
of Ranunculus Ficaria. Though called
tidote of Jamaica, where it is a common :
Small Celandine and Lesser Celandine,
plant in shady woods, climbing to a great it is totally distinct from the true celan-
height up the trunks of trees. The fruits dine (Chelldonium). Being one of the i
properties and have an intensely bitter ral favourite. Its roots consist of a num- j
taste. In Jamaica the negroes- employ ber of small fleshy tubers, which store up
them as a remedy in a variety of diseases, nourishment like bulbs during the whole
j
of the seed and stringing them upon a life of man. The young leaves of Ficaria, \
thin piece of stick, the point of which is according to Linnaeus, are sometimes used
lighted. The candles thus rudely con- as greens in Sweden. A
variety with
structed, burn well, with a tolerably clear double flowers is occasionally cultivated.
light, and, not being readily extinguished French, Petite Chelidoine German, Feigen-
;
RIQUE. Gleditschia triacanthos. for their uses. With this I cured my own j
which is turned round the interior of the plant is all but discontinued in the present
I
tubes that are called spiral vessels, or of day,' medical practitioners very properly
any similar kind of tissue. looking for sounder principles than those
derived from the doctrine of similitudes.
FIBRILL.E (adj. FIBRILLOSE). The In Green's Universal Herbal we find the
!
;
following observations :—' The particular
shaped root also applied occasionally j
;
form of the roots probably recommended
among fungals to the stipe. this plant as a cure for the piles and this ;
FIBROUS. Containing a great propor- fancied quality was the origin of the Eng-
lish name. The roots are sometimes wash-
j
from Ranunculus by its having three de- present looked upon principally as a weed
ciduous instead of five persistent sepals, I which can best be got rid of, when trouble-
some, by opening drains and thinning: out lobed, and rough. The fruit is generally
trees or thickets. [J. B.] shortly turbinate, but some varieties are of
an elongated pyriform shape the skin soft,
FICINIA. A genus of cyperaceous plants with
;
of perigynal Exogens, represented by Me- and female, the former situated near the
sembryanthemum. orifice, the latter in that part of the con-
cavity next the stalk. On cutting open a
|
FICOIDE. (Pr.) Mesembryanthemum. fig, when it has attained little more than
FICOIDE.E, or Fig-Marigold family. A one-third its size, the flowers will be seen
natural order of calycifloral dicotyledons, in full development, and, pi-ovided the
the type of Lindley's ficoidal alliance. The stamens are perfect, fertilisation takes
order is better known as Mesembryacece or place at that stage of growth. But it often
Mesembryanthemacece. [J. H. B.] happens that the stamens are imperfect,
and no seeds are formed nevertheless the
;
FICUS. A
genus of Moracece, including fruit swells and ripens.
the cultivated Fig. The flowers are usually Under favourable circumstances, a fruit
incomplete, collected on axillary recep- or two is formed along the shoots at the
tacles, which are either stalked or sessile, base of almost every leaf. Of these the
pear-shaped or globular, with three bracts quantity that sometimes attains maturity
at the base. There is a four to six-leaved is enormous; but frequently, from vicissi-
perigone in the staminate flowers one to
; tudes of cold in some climates and heat in
six stamens; and in the pistillate a one- others, much of the fruit drops prema-
celled ovary. The fruit consists of gjobose turely. It may not do so at the time when
or angular achenes, with a dry thin rarely dryness prevails, but at some future period
pulpy pericarp. They are erect or creep- when moisture is sufficiently abundant in :
ing trees or shrubs, found in Southern fact, the injury caused by drought to this
Europe and Africa, and in large numbers fruit becomes most apparent after moisture
in the warm parts of India, and in the is- has started the tree into vigorous growth,
lands of the Indian Sea and of the South- and hence the true but remote cause of
ern Ocean. They have alternate rarely op- failure in the crop is apt to be overlooked.
posite entire or lobed leaves. There are And if this be sometimes the case now, it
nearly 160 known species. Of the cultivat- was much more likely to be generally so in
ed Fig there are a vast number of varieties. former times, when there was among cul-
The part eaten is the hollow receptacle tivators but little intelligence as regards
which contains the flowers. The achenes, tracing effects to their causes. Accord-
or, as they are commonly called, seeds, are ingly, to prevent the fruit of the Fig tree
ultimately immersed in the pulpy mass of from dropping prematurely, and to hasten
the receptacle. Turkey figs are imported its ripening, the process of caprification
from Smyrna in small boxes called drums. was resorted to. This consisted in placing
From the old genus Ficus, Miquel has the fruit of a wild sort, called the Caprifig,
separated the genus Urostigma, Pharma- amongst the cultivated ones. An insect
cosycea, Pogonotrophe, Sycomorus, Covillia, of the gnat family infests the former,
and Syncecia. See Plate 6, figs, a, f; and which it leaves to attack the latter, en-
Plate 10, fig. b. [J. H. B.] tering to the interior of the fruit by the ori-
The Fig of our gardens is the F. Carica fice. It is a very ancient practice, for it is
of botanists. The name Ficus applied to mentioned by the earliest Greek writers
this very anciently known fruit, is most on natural history, and is even minutely
probably derived from Feg, its Hebrew described by Theophrastus. It appears to
name; that of Carica is from Caria in Asia have originated in Greece. Pliny remarks
Minor, where fine varieties of it have long that it was only used in the islands of
existed. According to various authors, it the Archipelago ; that, in his time, it was
is a native of Western Asia, Northern entirely unknown to the Italians and ;
Africa, and the south of Europe, including that there was no tradition of its ever
Greece and Italy. It is certainly indige- having been introduced to Syria or Pales-
nous to Asia Minor but it may have been
; tine. Its utilitywas doubted by some
thence introduced and naturalised in the authors, and among others by the celebrat-
islands of the Mediterranean, and the coun- ed Duhamel. He thought it' questionable
tries near its shores, both in Europe and whether by caprification the maturity of
Africa. the fruit was hastened, except in the same
The Fig is a deciduous tree, fifteen to way as apples and pears are when attacked
twenty or even thirty feet high in favour- by the grub. Professor Gasparrini, in an
able cfimates. The alternate leaves are cor- essay written for the Roval Academy of
date, more or less deeply three to five- Sciences of Naples, details a number of
experiments which he had made, and which was that Carthage, the rival of i
! fruit, and instead of making the figs re- troduced from Negropont and Scio, ac-
j
|
main on the tree, it either causes or facili- cording to Pliny, who gives a catalogue of
tates their fall, especially when the insect thirty sorts. The fig may have been in-
I
1
'
has penetrated into the inside, and pro- troduced into Britain, along with the vine,
|
duced decay by its own death. According by the Romans, or subsequently by the
;
:
ought to be abolished, as it entails expense, disappeared till brought from Italy by
I
and deteriorates the flavour of the figs. Cardinal Pole, either when he returned
[
The French naturalist, Oliver, says it is from that country in 1525, or after his
i
. being abandoned in some islands of the second residence abroad in 1548. In either
|
Archipelago where it was formerly prac- case the identical trees which he brought,
I
tised, but in which excellent figs are still and which were planted in the garden of the
produced. We have thought it necessary Archiepiscopal Palace at Lambeth, have
j
;
to briefly notice the operation, as so much certainly existed for more than 300 years.
has been written with regard to its pre- This proves that the fig lives to a great
sumed advantageous effects ;but from age, even under less favourable circum-
what has been stated, it will be seen that, stances than it enjoys in its native country.
according to the investigations of modern Another tree, brought from Aleppo by
science, it is proved to be not only unne- Dr. Pocock, was planted in the garden of
cessary, but positively injurious. one of the colleges at Oxford in 1648.
Figs have been used in the east as an Having been injured by fire in 1809, the
article of food from time immemorial. old trunk decayed and was removed, but
They were amongst the fruits brought fresh shoots sprang up, some of which in
back from Canaan by the Israelites sent 1819 were twenty-one feet high. In this
by Moses to report on the productions of country a chalk subsoil, and a climate like
that land. "We read of a present having that near the south coast, appear to suit
been made to David of 200 cakes of figs. the fig best. There the trees grow and
They were probably used chiefly in the bear as standards. They are liable, how-
dried state. The drying is easily effected ever, to be killed to the ground in winters
in a warm climate by exposure to the sun's of excessive severity but they spring up ;
rays, in the same way as those grapes are afresh from the roots. There was an
dried, which are called from that circum- orchard, not exceeding three-quarters of
stance raisins of the sun. Like the grape, an acre, at Tarring, near Worthing, in |
the substance of the fig abounds in what Sussex, containing 100 standard fig-trees.
is termed grape sugar. Tn drying, some of About 100 dozen of ripe figs were usually
this exudes and forms that soft white gathered daily from these trees during
powder which we see on the imported August, September, and October. By
dried figs. They are thus preserved in selecting similarly favourable spots, it
their own sugar, and rendered fit for stor- may be fairly concluded that this country
ing up as an article of food. could supply itself with abundance of
Figs were considered of such necessity fresh figs. As for dry ones, they are ob-
by the Athenians that their exportation tained in large quantities from Turkey,
from Attica was prohibited. Those who the Mediterranean, and other countries;
,
informed against persons violating this but the supply for centuries back has
law were called Sycophantai,' from two chiefly been from Turkey. The import has
'
Greek words signifying the discoverers of been as much as 1,000 tons a year; and
figs. These informers appear to have been now that the duty is taken off, the quantity
especially disliked, for their name gave imported will doubtless be much greater.
rise to the term sycophant, used for de- The wood of the Fig is soft and spongy ;
Rurnex pulcher.
I
to grow figs in Africa.' Cato, in order to
stimulate the Roman senators to declare FIDDLEWOOD. Citharexylon.
war against Carthage, showed them a fig
brought from thence. It was fresh and in FIDTJS, FISSTIS. Divided half-way into
|
,
of the city we have a mortal enemy.' This corolla, with a five-parted slightly two-
I
argument determined the senate to com- lipped limb five stamens, four of which
;
J
mence the third Punic war, the result of are fertile ; and a style scarcely as long as
, 1 ;
ceoe. of -which the two first, sometimes spore-cases (two or four to ten or twelve)
called pseudo-Ferns, are very limited, while situated at the back of the frond, sessile
the latter, containing the true Ferns, in- or nearly so, and bursting vertically;
cludes the greater portion of all the known fronds rigid and opaque, and usually di-
species. chotomously-branched. Trichomanineae,
The three groups just named are distin- with the ring resembling that of the Glei-
guished from each other by the nature and cheninece, but the spore-cases lenticular,
structure of their spore-cases. The pre- clustered on an often exserted recep-
sence of the annulus or ring around the tacle, which is a prolongation of the vein
spore-case, in some form, either completely beyond the ordinary margin of the frond,
surrounding it, or in a more or less rudi- so that the sori become extrorse margi-
mentary condition, is the distinctive pecu- nal or projected outwards, as well as open-
liarity of the Polypodiacece while the Ma-
; ing outwardly fronds pellucid-membra-
;
rattiacece and the Ophioglossacece are sepa- naceous. Schizmnece, with the ring hori-
rated from it by the absence of any such zontal or transverse, situated quite at the
ring, rudimentaiw or otherwise, and are apex of the oval spore-case, which is, in
distinguished from each other by the ob- consequence, said to be radiate-striate at
vious characters that the Marattiacece have the apex the spore-case also sometimes
;
their sori dorsiferous, that is, on the back resupinate, or turned upside down, so that
or under surface of their fronds, as is com- the true apex is below habit sometimes ;
monly the case among true Ferns, while scandent. Ceratopteridinece, one or two
the Ophioglossacece have their sori margi- aquatic species, the spore-cases sometimes
nal, the spore-bearing or fertile fronds furnished with a very rudimentary ring,
being contracted. The Ophioglossacece are reduced, as in Osmundinece, to a few
few in number, and present little differ- parallel stria?, sometimes furnished with
ence of structure the Marattiacece, how-
; a very broad and more lengthened ring ;
ever, form three small tribes, of which spores bluntly triangular, marked with
the Marattinece have their sori ranged in three series of concentric lines. Osmun-
two lines facing each other, forming dis- dinece, with the spore-cases two-valved,
tinct oblong masses ;the Kaulfussinece bursting vertically at the apex, the ring
have distinct circular sori, the spore-cases very rudimentary, reduced to a few parallel
I of each sorus being concrete into a sin- vertical stria? on one side near the apex
gle annular series, and furnished with of the spore-case. In all but the last of
openings towards the centre and the ; these groups, the spore-cases are not val-
Danceinem have their sori connate over vate, and consequently, when they open
thewholeunder surface, which then shows for the liberation of the spores, they burst
long parallel lines of small round cavities. partially or irregularly, and do not split at
The Polypodiacece offer so much variety the top in two equal divisions, as occurs
of structure that it becomes necessary to in the Osmundinece.
subdivide them, and for this purpose the These primary and secondary groups
peculiarities in the form of the spore- will be more readily comparable in the
eases, or in their number and position, or following summary :
—
in the structure and development of the
annulus or ring, are most relied on. This Spore-cases ringless.
gives t'ae following groups: —
Polypodi- 1. Ophioglossace^s— Fructifications mar-
nem, the most extensive of all, with spore- ginal on rachiform fronds.
! cases almost equally convex, having a 2. aIarattiace^—-Fructifications dorsal
vertical and nearly complete ring, and on flat leafy fronds.
bursting transversely at a part on the an- § Marattinece— Sori oblong, distinct, lon-
terior side, called the stoma, where the gitudinally biserial.
stria? of the ring become dilated into § Kaulfussinece—Sori circular, distinct;
elongate parallel cells. Cyatheinece, with spore-cases annularly concrete.
spore-cases sessile or nearly so, seated on § Danosinem— Sori connate throughout.
an elevated receptacle, oblique-laterally
compressed, the nearly complete ring be- Spore-cases having a jointed ring.
ing, in consequence, more or less ob- 3. Poltpodiace^: — Spore-cases not val-
liquely vertical, that is, vertical below, vate rarely somewhat two-valved
: ver-
curving laterally towards the top, burst- tically.
ing transversely; they approach very near § Polypodinece — Ring vertical, nearly
the Polypodinece, through some species complete spore-cases usually stalked,
;
with the ring complete transverse, either sile, gibbous sori oligocarpous.
;
§ Schizceinem— Ring apical, complete, long as the glumes pales rigid, the lower ;
horizontally transverse spore-cases
;
rather the longest, keeled, with a short
sessile or subsessile, oval, crowned by bristle at the point, five to seven nerved,
the convergent striae of the ring, the upper shorter and slightly compressed;
sometimes resupinate. stamens three, with bearded anthers styles ;
the leaves three or four together and the divisions having a curled indentation
hairy corolla hairy and about as long as
; at their apices the staminal crown is
;
f. Sjg* /'^uh^LX^
497 Cfje €tcziuxy of botany. FITC
covers the pollen-masses ; and the follicles at their apex, distinct from the proper
are ovoid and fleshy. [W. C.J fruit. These are occasionally close to the
male organs. [M. J. BJ
FISH-POISOX. Lepidium Piscidium.
— , JAMAICA. Piscidia Erythrina. FISSIDENTE.E. A natural order of
mosses which are remarkable for their
FISSE2STIA. A
genus of Loasacece, peristome being like that of Dicranum or
found in Arabia and the interior of South almost rudimentary, accompanied by a
Africa, remarkable as being the only re- totally different habit due to the flat
presentative of the family in the eastern broad-keeled sheathing leaves. Fissidens
hemisphere. It differs from other genera has already been noticed. Brepanophyllum,
in having a three-celled fruit, with one from which the order is sometimes called
seed in each cell. The only species, jP. spa- DrepanophyUece, is a magnificent moss
thulata, is a branching bush with straw- abounding in Cayenne, with a tawny tint,
the habit of a Jungermannia, and a nearly
naked peristome. The tips of the male
plants bear, in close connection with the
antheridia, tufts of jointed fusiform pur-
plish gemmas. Conomitrium is an aquatic
genus, and has irregular unequally split
often truncate teeth without any central
line, and a mitrasforrn veil. The species
grow in running water, and one only has at
present been found in Europe. [M. J. B.]
FISSIPAROUS. Propagating by a sub-
division of the interior of a cell into two
or more other cells, by the production of a
membranous partition or septum, from the
lining of the mother cell.
FISSUS. Divided halfway usually into
;
and vary from a line to two inches in length. The filaments and style are very much ex
They occur in both hemispheres and in serted. The achenes are compressed,
various climates, the species of very distant clothed with silky hairs, and terminated
countries being frequently identical. The by a pair of elongated hairy seta?. It is
shoots sometimes bear reproductive bodies named in compliment to Mr. W. Fitch, a
W$z CrcasJttrg of 3Sotang. 498
clever botanical artist, by whom the draw- all are armed with thorns. TBey are found
ings of the plants figured in this work in tropical Asia, Africa, and America.
have been executed. [T. M.] The young shoots and leaves of F. cata-
phracta are used medicinally by the native
FITTWEED. Eryngium fcetidum. Indian doctors, who prescribe them in
diarrhoea, and also as an infusion to remove
FITZROYA. A genus of coniferous or hoarseness they are astringent and sto-
cone-bearing plants belonging to the sub- ;
as petals or a multiple
FLAGELLIFORM. Long, taper, and
thereof; ovules attached to parietal pla-
supple, like the thong of a whip, as the
centas. Fruit one-celled, either fleshy and
runners of many plants.
indehiscent, or a four to five valved cap- FLAGELLUM. A twig, or small branch;
sule containing pulp, in which numerous also a runner like that of the strawberry.
albuminous seeds are enveloped. The plants —
are natives of the East and West Indies, FLAM BE. (Fr.) Iris germanica.
and of Africa. Two or three species are PETITE. Iris pumila.
found at the Cape of Good Hope, and one FLAMBOYANTE. (Fr.) Tulip a turcica.
or two in New Zealand. Some of the plants
are bitter and astringent others yield
;
FLAME-COLOURED, FLAMMEUS. Very
edible fruits. Arnotto is the orange-red lively scarlet ; fiery red.
pulp of the fruit of Bixa Orellana; it is FLAME TREE. Bracliychiton acerifolium.
used as a dye, for staining cheese, and in
the manufacture of chocolate. Some Fla- FLAMME. (Fr.) Iris germanica.
courtias yield subacid fruit. There are FLAVEDO. Yellowness ; a disease in
thirty-five known genera, including Fla- plants in which the green parts assume
courtia, Prockia, Bixa, Azara, Eri/throsper- that colour.
inum and about 100 species.
; [J. H. B.]
FLAVESCENS, FLAVIDUS, FLAVUS.
FLACOURTIA. The typical genus of A pure pale yellow.
Flacourtiacea, characterised by having a FLAVO-VIRENS. Green, much stained
succulent fruit and several stigmas. It with yellow.
has distinct male and female apetalous
flowers, usually borne on different plants ;
FLAVERIA. An herbaceous biennial
the males have a great number of sta- composite, distinguished by having the
mens crowded together upon the dilated re- common involucre imbricated with un-
ceptacle, but not surrounded by glands like equal scales, and the partial of two to five
those of Roumea the females have an ovary
;
leaves containing as many florets, a
crowned with from four to nine narrow naked receptacle, and no pappus. F. Con-
radiating stigmas. The species are mostly trayerba is a native of Peru, and derives
shrubs, but some few, however, attain a its name from its being used to dye yellow.
height of twenty or thirty feet, and nearly It grows to the height of eighteen inches,
with lanceolate serrated sharp-pointed FLESH of vegetable bodies. The soft
leaves, and terminal heads of yellow parts.
flowers. [C. A. J J
FLEUR DE COUCOU. (Fr.) Lychnis
FLAX. The common name for Linum Flos-cuculi also Primula veris, and Nar-
— DE CRAPAUD.
;
;
anthemum vulgare.
FLOCCI. Woolly threads, found mixed tanthera Susannce. — TRINITATIS.
with sporules in fungals also any wool-
;
Viola tricolor.
like hairs.
FLOCCOSE. Covered with close woolly moreFLOSCOPA. A genus of Commelynacem
-usually known under the name of
hairs, which fall away in little tufts.
Dithyrocarpus, and distinguished by having
FLORAL. Of or belonging to the nearly regular flowers, with six stamens,
flower. — ENVELOPES. The calyx and all fertile, with parallel anther-cells ; and
corolla, one or both. a two-celled ovary and capsule, with one
ovule and seed in each cell. There are but
FLOR DE AROMA. Acacia Farnesiana.
— DE ISABEL. Barkeria spectabilis. — very few species, natives of the tropical
regions both of the new and the old world.
DE JESUS. Lcelia acuminata. — DE The most common species, F. paniculata, is
MAYO. Lalia majalis. abundant in Asia, and is also found in
FLORESTINA. A genus of Mexican South Africa and Brazil. It is a herb of
composite herbaceous plants, with the ha- two or three feet in height, with acuminate
which they were formerly
bit of Stevia, to leaves, and a dense hirsute terminal panicle
referred. They are covered with small of small blue flowers.
appressed white hairs, and have entire or
pedately divided leaves, and flowers borne
FLOSCTJLI (adj. FLOSCULOSE). The
in loose corymbs surrounded by an invo-
same as Florets.
lucre of eight short bracts. The corollas FLOTOVTA. A genus of spiny S. Ame-
have all a short tube, and a whitish or rican bushes belonging to the Compositce,
purple limb divided into five segments. and nearly related to Barnadesia, from
The achenes are somewhat four-cornered, which it differs in its regularly five-parted,
surmounted by a pappus of eight or twelve not two-lipped corollas. The numerous
membranous scales. [M. T. M.J florets of the flower-heads, and the insertion
of the stamens on the middle of the corolla
FLORETS. When many small flowers tube, are the characters which separate
are collected in clusters or heads, each the genus from its other allies. Upwards
flower is called a floret. The florets of the of twenty species are known, the greater
disk are those which occupy the centre of portion found in Brazil, a few in the Peru-
the head of a composite; while florets of vian Andes, and one or two in Chili. For
the ray occupy the circumference. the most part they are bushes of four to
six feet, with alternate leaves, accompanied
FLORIDE^E. A name given to the rose- by two straight slender spines. The pink
spored Algce, in consequence of many of
flower-heads in some are solitary at the
them exhibiting the rosy tints of flowers. ends of the branches, but more commonly
They are now more generally known as
Rhodosperms. [M. J. B.J
numerous and small ; the silky achenes are
crowned with a pappus of one series of
FLORIFER, Flower-bearing. beautiful feathery awns. F. argentea, a
pretty Andean species, is by some referred
FLORIPAROUS. Producing flowers
to Dasyphyllum. [A. A. B.J
also a monstrosity consisting in the pro-
duction of other flowers instead of fruit. FLOURENSIA. A genus of resiniferous
FLORIPONDIO. Datura sanguinea. composite shrubs found in New Mexico
and Chili, and nearly allied to Helianthus,
FLORKEA. A North American annual differing chiefly in the tongue-likebranches
herb, referred to the limnantheous division of the style, which are obtuse and not
of Tropceolacece. It is a marsh plant, with tipped with an awl-shaped appendage.
slender decumbent stems, and alternate The leaves are usually covered with a
pinnately-parted leaves, bearing solitary gummy exudation. The yellow rayed flow-
small white flowers in their axils. It is er-heads are usually large and solitary or
distinguished from Limnanthes chiefly by two to three together at the ends of the
its having trimerous instead of pentame- twigs. The" most handsome species is F.
rous flowers. [T. M.J thurifera, which grows to a bush of four
to six feet in Chili, and has its twigs
FLORUS. In composition = flowered as well as its broadly lance-shaped leaves
thus uniflorus is one-flowered biflorus,
;
covered with a resinous substance, which
two-flowered ; triflorus, three-flowered
is collected and burnt as incense in the
multiflorus, many-flowered, &c.
churches; its fine yellow flower-heads are
FLOS. A flower. — COMPOSITUS. An single at the ends of the twigs, and more
old name for the capitulum. than two inches across. The Chilians call
501 &f)e €rsa£urn of Mating. FGETI
the plant Maravilla, or Maravilla del Campo. what from those of other narco-
different
Four species are known. [A. A. B.] tics, being characterised by extreme stimu-
lation of the muscles. The nervous system
FLOUYE. (Fr.) Anthoxanthv.m. — is at times excited to such a degree as to
DES BRESSANTS. Anthoxanthum odora- produce the most ludicrous actions. It is
tum. a curious fact that the urine of persons
FLOWER. That assemblage of organs who have partaken of the fungus acquires
in a plant, of which the stamens, or pistils,
the same narcotic properties or, in other;
the natives. A
Chinese species, F. suffrit- which is carminative like dill. [M. T. M.]
ticosa, has long been known as Geblera F03NUM GR^ECUM. Trigonella Fcenum
suffruticosa. [A. A. BJ grcecum, so called because formerly made
FLUITANS. Floating upon the surface into hay in Greece. It was also cultivated
of water. by the Romans, and is still occasionally
employed in the agriculture of the south
FLUVIAL, FLUVIATILE. Of or belong- of Europe. The plant and seeds are
ing to the water. strongly scented, with the new hay-like
FLCTEAU. (Fr.) Alisma Plantago. odour of coumarin.
FLU VIALES. A natural order of mono- FCETIDIA. A genus of shrubby plants
cotyledonous aquatics established by Ven- doubtfully placed in Myrtacea?, the leaves
tinat. The plants are now included in being alternate and without dots, and the
Natadace^e which see.
: [J. H. B.] flowers destitute of petals. The three
known species are natives of the Mauritius
FLY-AGARIC. The common name of and Madagascar, attaining a height of
Agaricus muscariv^s, a splendid scarlet thirty or forty feet, the ash-coloured
species studded with white or yellow branches furnished at their extremities
wart3, which is common in birch woods, with smooth entire, ovate or lance-shaped
and is used to make a decoction for de- leaves. The flowers are axillary and so-
stroying flies. Its narcotic properties litary, and have a three or four-sided calyx
are so strong that in some countries it is tube, with a border of four triangular
employed, mixed with the juice of cran- lobes, and very numerous stamens. The
berries, to produce intoxication, the dry fruits are woody, four-sided, four-celled,
plant being more efficacious for this pur- somewhat top-shaped nuts. F. mauritiana,
pose than the fre3h. The effects are some- known as ' Le Bois puant in the Mauritius
'
fog] €fyz Ercagurj? of 23 o tang. 502
furnishes good furniture wood. According that the stems have a triquetrous outline.
to Roxburgh, the bark is very tough, red There is, however, no nerve as in the Dre-
within, bitter and astringent. It is used panophyllei, and they are frequently split
by woodmen for bundling up the wood, down the middle, each division looking like
instead of cord. The common appellation a separate leaf. F. antipyretica is common
of Stinkwood has no doubt suggested the about millwheels, on stones, roots, &c, in
name of the genus. [A. A. BJ running streams and does not fructify
;
a persistent four-cleft calyx, and four petals FORNIX. Little arched scales in the
united into pairs at the base by the adhe- orifice of some flowers.
sion of the two stamens. The ovary is two FORRESTIA. A genus of Commelynacece
to three-celled, with two suspended ovules, found in New Guinea. Herbs with ellipti-
the style short, the stigma cleft into two cal lanceolate glabrous leaves having hairy
threadlike divisions. The capsule is thin, sheaths, and red flowers in dense heads,
notched, indehiscent, surmounted by the with six stamens, the filaments of which
stigmas, and having a membranous mar- are glabrous. [J. T. S.J
gin. [M. T. M.]
FORSKOLEA. A genus of Urticacece,
FONTINALEI, FONTINALIS. small A found in various parts of Africa, the Medi-
section and genus of pleurocarpous mosses, terranean region, Arabia, and North-West
distinguished by their aquatic habit, the India. It belongs to a small tribe charac-
nearly sessile capsule immersed in the peri- terised by the male flowers having but one
chaetial leaves, and the cancellated inner stamen and is distinguished from its near
;
peristome. The principal genus, FonlmaMs, allies by its minute flowers being enclosed
contains a few species confined to tem- in a two or many-leaved involucre. The
perate regions of the northern hemisphere. five known species are branching herbs,
The leaves are curiously compressed, so with tough somewhat woody stems clothed
503 QR)Z ErouSurg nf 23ataug. [foye
with rigid stinging hairs, furnished with Isatis indeed, the genus is founded on the
:
The anthers, on the top of the column, are MALE. Lastrea Filix-mas.
sessile, bursting transversely, the two Scandix odorata.
halves hooded, the upper turned back;
stigma two-lobed, feathery, and spreading FOUNTAIN TREE. A popular name for
in the female flowers; fruit a membranous Cedrus Beodara.
capsule. The stems are simple or branched, FOURCROTA. An amaryllidaceous
two to three inches in height the leaves
;
genus closely related to Agave, and like it
more or less closely imbricated, alternate; having long-lived massive stems, great
the flowers monoecious or dioecious. Very fleshy leaves, and a very tall pyramidal
remarkable Alpine plants, natives of Tas- terminal inflorescence produced after the
mania, New Zealand, and Fuegia. [R. H.] lapse of many years. Herbert speaks of
FORSYTHIA. A genus of shrubs be- F. longaiva as the most magnificent plant
longing to the Oleacece, having a four-part- in the order, beyond all comparison its :
ed calyx, a shallow bell-shaped four-cleft stem fortv feet high; its leaves less rigid
corolla, a two-lobed stigma, and capsular and erect than in Yucca; its inflorescence
fruit. F. viridissima is very ornamental thirty feet high, the lower branches of the
in March, with its numerous tufts of terminal pyramid twelve to fifteen feet
rather large pendulous bright greenish- long; and its white flowers innumerable.
yellow flowers, which grow two or three These flowers consist of a six-parted pe-
together from all parts of the rod-like rianth, with regular nearly patent seg-
branches. After these have faded, the ments, subulate conniving filaments with
slightly aromatic shining oblong lanceo- versatile anthers, a straight hollow trian-
late leaves make their appearance; they gular style enlarged below, and a triangu-
remain till late in autumn, turning yellow lar fringed stigma. The species are rather
or purple before they fall off. The shrub widelv dispersed, occurring in South Ame-
then has somewhat the habit of a willow, rica, Mexico, West Indies, New Holland,
but the stems are four-angled and studded I
and Madagascar. F. gigantea was formerly
with a number of large prominent buds. called Agave fcetida, and is a smaller plant
than the foregoing. [T. M.]
It is perfectly hardy. [C. A. J.]
pitted.
catkins of green male flowers somewhat
like those of a willow, and a solitary cone- I
FOVEOLE. The perithecium of certain
like and erect female catkin, made up of fungals.
a number of hard-pointed bracts closely
overlapping each other, and each bearing FOVEOLARIA. A genus of the Styrax
family, peculiar to Peru, and represented
in its axil a little one-seeded, two-winged
I
FRACID. Of a pasty texture between ; it is not so, for the rudiments of stamens
fleshy and pulpy. and pistils, more or less perfect, can
always be detected. The Hautbois have
FRAGARIA. A genus of Rosacea, dis-
plicated, rugose leaves, and the fruit has a
tinguished by its ten-cleft calyx, its Ave
petals, and seeds inserted on a fleshy
its
musky flavour, which many persons greatly
prefer.
receptacle. This fleshy receptacle is the
fruit known as the Strawberry. The name
The Virginian or Scarlet Strawberry
Fragaria is derived from fragrans — has many varieties, of various forms,
the
fruit, as is well known, being peculiarly per-
round, conical, and oblong, some of them
fumed. The common name of Strawberry sugary and mild, but most of the scarlets
has been given, according to Sir Joseph have a brisk acidity. The Old Scarlet still
Banks and others, on account of straw ranks amongst the earliest ripening sorts.
having been laid to prevent the fruit from Although it was almost the only scarlet
getting soiled in wet weather. known for nearly 200 years after its intro-
duction, and a shy bearer, no attempts to
There are several species, of which the
principal are, F. vesca, to which belong
change it by crossing appear to have been
the wood and Alpine varieties F. viridis, made till within the last fifty years. By
;
accident some good varieties of it were
the green ; the Hautbois F.
F. elatior, ;
virginiana, the
obtained now, by artificial crossing, they
Virginian or scarlet; F. ;
troduced to Marseilles from Chili, in 1712, is called by the Portuguese Vegetable Mer-
by Frezier, a French officer of marine ar- cury. It is bitter, purgative, emetic, and
tillery. Five plants were all that survived is poisonous in large doses. [M. T. M.j
the voyage; but in 1857 about 450 acres
were occupied with this sort alone in the FRANCISIA. A genus of Chamcelaucia-
neighbourhood of Brest, where the mild- cew, having a calyx with five short teeth,
ness of the winters and moisture of the the tube of which is cylindrico-pentagonal
air are favourable to its growth. It was and partially united with the ovary; a
cultivated in this country by Philip Miller corolla of five suborbiculate converging
in 1727 afterwards it appears to havebeen
;
petals inserted in the throat of the calyx ;
lost, till reintroduced by the Horticultural twenty stamens, those opposite the petals
Society. Though not itself adapted for our trifid, themiddlelobesbeingantheriferous,
climate, very beneficial results have fol- and those alternate with the petals simple
lowed its reintroduction, for, by crossing, and a filiform style with a hooked stigma.
a very large variety called Wilmot's Superb It is a slightly branched shrub, with
was raised and though this had too much
;
crowded linear triquetrous leaves full of
of the tenderness of its parent, yet, by pellucid dots, and terminal clustered flow-
repeated crossing, others less tender and ers. Native of New South Wales. [R. HJ
of better quality have been obtained, and
among them that so extensively grown and FRANCO ACEiE. (.Francoads.) A natural
so well known by the name of the British
order of calycifloral dicotyledons belonging
to Lindley's erical alliance of hypogynous
Queen, one of our most valuable sorts.
Formerly strawberries were chiefly Exogens. Stemless herbs, with lobed or
carried to the London market by women
pinnate exstipulate leaves, and scape-like
stalks bearing racemes of flowers the
! in head-load baskets. These women came ;
was over. They often made two journeys tached to the lower part of the calyx, the
j
miles daily, with heavy loads on their heads four-lobed. Fruit a four-valved capsule ;
efflagellis. —
D'ANGLETERRE. Fraga- FRANGIPANE. Plumieria rubra.
ria minor. —
DE LTNDE. Fragaria in- FRANGIPANIER. (Fr.) Plumieria.
dica, sometimes called Duchesnea fraga-
rioides. —
DES BOIS. Fragaria sylves- FRANKENIACE^J. (Frankeniads.) A
tris. — DE TOTJS LES MOIS. Fragaria natural order of thalamifloral dicotyledons
semperflorens. —
FRESSANT. Fragaria belonging to Lindley's violal alliance of hy-
hortensis. —
STERILE. Potentilla Fra- pogynous Exogens. Herbs or undershrubs
gariastrum. —
DE VERSAILLES. Fra- with branching stems, and opposite exsti-
garia monophylla. pulate leaves with a sheathing base. Flow-
ers sessile, imbedded in the leaves sepals
FRAMBOISIER. (Fr.) Bubus Idceus. ;
shrub3, included among the Scrophula- five or twice these numbers, the anthers
and
riacta?, closely allied to Brunfelsia, roundish, versatile, opening lengthwise.
from which it differs in the tube of the Ovary superior, with a slender cleft style,
corolla being curved and dilated at its and numerous anatropal ovules attached
summit. There are several species in cul- to parietal placentas. Fruit a one-celled
tivation as stove plants, most of them capsule, enclosed by the calyx ; seeds very
FRAN Ef)e Crea^urg ai Uotang. 506
small. Chiefly natives ofNorth Africa and I FRAXINUS. The Ash, a familiar tree be-
the south of Europe a few have been
; longing to the Oleacece, well distinguished
found in South Africa, South America, by its fruit, which is dry and indehiscent,
|
FRAXINE.F. The ash tribe, a suborder : ladders, handles for tools and a variety of
of Oleacece. It includes those genera : other implements and as fuel it is un-
;
which have a winged fruit or samara, with rivalled. Several American species of ash
one or more seeds. Among these are com- resemble the European ash in general ap-
prised the common ash (Fraxinus), and the |
pearance and qualities. The Ash is the
manna ash (Ornus). [J. H. B.J badge of the clan Menzies. French, Frene ;
|
One of the most remarkable, and perhaps these degenerate days, we may suppose
.
the most ancient, usages to which the Ash the charm is lost. Not so, however, that
was appropriated, was that of passing chil- attributed to the even-leaf from the Ash,
dren who were ruptured through a cleft in that is, where the leaf terminates with two
!
the bole of a young tree. Evelyn says 'I : opposite pinrias instead of the usual single
have heard it affirmed with great confi- terminal leaflet. In Wiltshire and Glou-
dence, and upon experience, that the rup- cestershire it is not at all uncommon for
ture to which many children are obnoxious the lucky finder of the often much coveted
even-leaf to invoke it as follows :—
'
supposed to heal as the cleft of the tree This simple charm keeps away witches
closes and coalesces.' In this case, where and we can only say that in our younger
both parents were living, the father pre- days we have travelled with an even-leaved
sented the child, and the mother received ash on many an eerie night, and we never
it. In the Museum of Natural History in saw a witch.
"Worcester is a portion of a young ash Evelyn says that 'the chymists exceed-
which was probably submitted to this ingly recommend the seed of ash to be
1
operation not many years since, and which an admirable remedy for stone.' But
s
did not heal as it grew, but retained an whether by power of magic or nature, I
,
oval aperture in the stem. That this determine not '—doubtless from the power
: superstition lingered until very recently of its roots to rive rocks, and the facility
i
we know, as the Rev. T. Bree describes a with which this tree will grow in stony
case as having occurred in Warwickshire. places. Be this as it may, it is, though a
A superstition prevailed among the old very old remedy, now discarded; and, in-
leeches that a shrewmouse, on creeping deed, of the many virtues the Ash was once
over the limbs of man or the lower animals, supposed to possess (and we have not
was the cause of cramp and paralysis. To named them all), it now boasts none but
cure this, a hole was made with an auger the utilitarian one of being a most useful
in the bole of an ash tree, and a poor live timber tree. However, in this relation we
shrew was fastened in with the plug of must not forget to mention that the root
|
wood that had been abstracted. It is even of the ash yields a most curious veined or
now a not quite exploded belief that a camleted wood in which superstition, ere
shrewmouse running over the foot, will now, has traced extraordinary figures.
cause lameness, the antidote for which Thus Evelyn quotes one Jacobus Gafferel-
was the application of a twig of 'shrew lus for the assertion, in his book of Un-
ash.' Thus Gilbert White says: 'We have heard-of Curiosities, that of a tree found in
'
]
several persons now living in the village, Holland, which being cleft, had, in several
who, in their childhood, were supposed to slivers, the figures of a chalice, a priest's
be healed by this superstitious ceremony, alb, his stole, and several other pontifical
derived down, perhaps, from cur Saxon vestments.' [J. B.]
ancestors, who practised it before their FREE. Not adhering to anything else
conversion to Christianity.' The same not adnate to any other body.
author describes the preparation of the
' shrew
ash as follows :— At the south cor-
' FREMONTIA. A remarkable and beau-
ner of the plestor, or area, near the church, tiful Galifornian bush, belonging to the
there stood, about twenty years ago, a Sterculiacece. Along with the hand-plant of
very old, grotesque, hollow pollard-ash, Mexico (Cheirostemon), it differs from the
which for ages had been looked upon with others in that group in the flowers having
no small veneration as a shrew ash. Now no petals ;and from the latter it is readily
a shrew ash is an ash whose twigs or recognised by the bell-shaped calyx, which
branches, when gently applied to the limbs remains attached, and does not fall away
of cattle, will immediately relieve the pains when the flower withers.
which a beast suffers from the running F. californicavf as first discovered by Col.
of a shrewmouse over the part affected Fremont (whose name it bears), in one of
for it is supposed that a shrewmouse is of his Calif ornian expeditions in the northern
fren] QLtyz Creagurg at Itatauj). 508
part of the Sierra Nevada. It forms a de- chaffy, the interior of rough hairs. F.
ciduous bush four to ten feet high, having leptophylla and scaposa, the only species,
much the aspect of an ordinary fig-tree. are dwarf undershrubs, the former with
The rounded five to seven-lobed leaves, opposite linear smooth, the latter with al-
however, are smaller than those of the fig, ternate downy leaves, and both with small
and clothed with rusty hairs underneath. terminal flower-heads. [A. A. B.]
FRESHWATER SOLDIER. Stratiotes
or conical cones of six scales. The seeds lance-shaped leaves are clothed beneath
are numerous, winged on both sides. Re- with golden down. F. theoides, a common
sinous trees or shrubs of New Holland, "West Indian species, has smooth leaves like
with cylindrical or three-angled branches, those of the tea, said to be astringent and
and ternate, scale-like, persistent, and de- to have a similar taste. [A. A. B.]
current leaves. They are two years in
ripening their seeds. The name was given
FRIAR'S-COWL. Arisarum vulgare.
by Mirbel after M. Frenel. There are FRIESIA. The name formerly given to
twenty known species. [J. H. B.] the Tasmanian species of Aristotelia.
FRENE. (Fr.) Fraxirms excelsior. — FRIJOLES. A Spanish name for various
A FLEURS. Ornus europcea. A — LA kinds of pulse.
MANNE. Fraxirms rotundifolia. FRINGED. The same as Fimbriate.
FRESENIA. A South African genus of FRINGE-MYRTLES. A name given by
Compositce characterised by its yellow Lindley to the Chamcelauciacece.
flower-heads containing about fifteen
florets, all of which are tubular and per-
FRINGE-TREE. Chionanthus.
fect and by its achenes crowned with a
; FRITILLARIA. A genus of liliaceous
double pappus, the exterior short and plants of ornamental character, found in
the south of Europe and in Asia. They to palm leaves, and so destroyed its mean-
are perennials, furnished with bulbs, and ing.
have erect annual stems with alternate or
somewhat whorled often glaucous leaves, FRONDOSE. Covered with leaves ; bear-
ing a great number of leaves.
nodding bell-shaped flowers, sometimes
solitary and terminating the stem, some- FRONDIPAROUS. A
monstrosity, con-
times disposed in the form of a raceme in sisting in the production of leaves instead
the axils of the upper leaves, or sometimes of fruit.
collected into a whorl beneath a terminal
leafy tuft, this last being the arrangement FROPIERA. A
small tree from the
in the Crown Imperial, F. imperialis, one Mauritius with alternate evergreen entire
of the most stately of the species. The leaves and small flowers in axillary clusters
perianth is six-parted, and each of its or short racemes, forming a very distinct
segments has a honey-pore near its base genus, whose immediate affinities have not
within this are six stamens, and a three-
;
been ascertained. The dotted leaves and
celled ovary crowned by a three-parted most points of structure are those of
style. In several of the species, especially Myrtacece, but the ovary is entirely su-
in the native one, F. Meleagris, the colours perior, and the stamens definite.
of the flower are chequered, whence it is FROSTED. A term applied to surfaces
said the name is derived, from fritlilus, in which a dewy appearance is opaque, as
assumed to mean a chess-board. [T. M.] if the drops were congealed.
FRITZSCHTA. A
genus of Melasto- FROST-WEED. Helianthemum cana-
macece, composed of a few dwarf peren- dense.
nial Brazilian herbs, having much the FRUCTIFICATION. The parts of the
aspect of the common thyme. Their mi- flower ; or more properly the fruit and its
nute leaves are smooth and marked with parts.
glandular dots, which is unusual in this
family, and the slender twigs are termi- FRUCTIPAROUS. A monstrosity, con-
nated by solitary small purple flowers, sisting in the production of several fruits,
which have a tubular calyx, four elliptical instead of the one which is metamor-
petals, eight straight stamens, with ovoid phosed.
anthers united to their fllamentsbyashort
FRUIT. That part of a plant which con-
connective which has on its inner face sists of the ripened carpels, and the parts
two tubercles or short spurs. The te- adhering to them. —
SPURIOUS. Any ,
tramerous structure distinguishes them kind of inflorescence which grows up with
from some, and the nature of the stamens the fruit, and forms one body with it, as a
from others, of their allies. [A. A. B.] pine cone.
FROLICHIA. A genus of Amaran- FRULLANIA. A large genus of Junger-
thaxece nearly allied to Gomphrena, from
manniaceai, distinguished by its numerous
which it differs in having a tubular peri-
anth five-cleft at the apex, and stamens archegones and complicated leaves. The
species occur in all parts of the world, but
with the filaments united into along tube.
They are natives of tropical America, one are far more common in tropical or sub-
tropical countries than in Europe. F. ta-
species reaching as far north as Illinois;
marisci is almost universally distributed,
and consist of hairy or woolly herbs, with
opposite sessile leaves and spiked flowers,
and is found abundantly in rather moun-
tainous heathy districts, where it is con-
each with three scarious bracts. [J. T. S.]
spicuous for its purple hue. The leaves in
FROG-BIT. Hydrocharis morsus ranee,-
this genus are remarkable for the inflated
— ,AMERICAN. LimnoMum. lobes on their under side. [M. J. B.]
FROG-CHEESE. A name applied occa- FRUSTULES. The joints into which the
sionally to the larger puff-balls when brittleworts separate.
young. [M. J. B.] FRUSTULOSE. Consisting of small
fragments.
FROLE. (Fr.) Arbutus Unedo.
FRUTA DE BURRO, of Carthagena. A
FROMAGEON. (Fr.) Malva rotundi- poisonous plant supposed to be a species
folia. of Capparis. —
of Humboldt. The fruit
,
depend on the small quantity of iodine nute embryo. Natives chiefly of the tem
which they contain. perate regions of the northern hemi-
Most of the species are confined to the sphere a few occur at the Cape of Good
;
Northern seas. F. vesiculosus, though so Hope. They possess slight bitterness and
common under a variety of forms both in acridity. Dielytra spectabilis has very
the North Atlantic and Pacific, does not showy flowers. There are about 160sDecies,
exist in the Mediterranean except in float- distributed in eighteen genera, of which
ing masses carried in through the Straits Hypecoum, Fumaria, Corydalis, Diehitra,
of Gibraltar. F. nodosus occasionally and Platycapnos are examples. [J. H. B.]
exists in similar floating masses, and then
assumes curious forms which have been
FUMARIA. The Fumitory, a genus of
herbaceous plants giving name to the order
registered as distinct species distinguished
Fumariacece, among which they are dis-
by their mode of branching and other cha-
tinguished by having one of the petals
racters. F. vesiculosus is the badge of the
swollen or spurred at the base, and a one-
M'Neills. [M.J. B.]
seeded capsule which does not open. The
FUGACIOUS, FUGAX Falling off, or species vary but little in habit, being
perishing very rapidly. small slender herbs with weak climbing
or straggling stems, decompound leaves,
FTJGOSIA. A genus of Malvaceae, con-
and clusters or spikes of small tubular irre-
sisting of shrubs, natives of tropical Ame-
gular flowers of a pinkish hue tipped with
rica, Africa, and Australia. Their flowers
purple, or rarely white. Several kinds of
are surrounded by an outer calyx or invo-
lucel of six or more leaves, within which
Fumitory are common weeds in cornfields
and other cultivated ground, varying in
is a five-clef t calyx dotted over with black
luxuriance according to the richness of
spots, and five oblique petals. The cap-
the soil. F. officinalis is said to be a com-
sule is three to four-celled, opening through
the backs of the carpels. [M. T. M.]
mon weed throughout the world, and has
been long esteemed for its medicinal
FUIRENA. A
genus of cyperaceous virtues, the juice having been recom-
plants belonging to the tribe Scirpece, hav- mended as a purifier of the blood, and an
ing the inflorescence in solitary spikes, in infusion of the leaves as a cosmetic. Though
spikes of three, or in crowded heads of now not valued in England, it occurs in
spikes, many-flowered scales imbricated,
; lists of French medicinal plants as a depu-
the outer frequently empty stamens three
; rative. French, Fumeterre; German, Erd-
styles three-cleft; achenes triangular, with rauch. [C. A. J.]
the bases of the styles adhering. There The Fumitory is essentially an agrarian
are about forty species, mostly natives of plant, tracking both garden and field cul-
the warmer parts of the globe, chiefly in ture over a great part of Asia as well as
the southern hemisphere. [D. M.] Europe. It is probably from this cause
that the species are so variable, or perhaps
FULCIENS. Supporting or propping up we should say, that so many varieties
anything said of one organ which is
;
occur ; and being sown with different
placed beneath another.
kinds of seeds, such as clover, flax, and
FULCRA (adj. FULCRATE). Additional other crops, which maybe obtained from
organs, such as pitchers, stipules, tendrils, different parts of the world, we need not
spines, prickles, hairs, &c. wonder if a variable mode of growth
should be the consequence of thewarying
FULCRACEOUS. Of or belonging to
conditions which plants so circumstanced
the fulcra.
must encounter. The typical species is
FULIGINOUS, FULTGINOSE. Dirty F. officinalis, which was formerly in repute
brown, verging upon black. for a variety of diseases. Its generic
FULVOUS. name, indeed, is said to be derived from
Dull yellow, with a mixture
the Latin fumus, smoke, which, Pliny tells
of grey and brown.
us, was given because the juice of the
FULWA. A solid buttery oil obtained plant brought on such a flow of tears
from Bassia butyracea. that the sight became dim as in smoke,
and hence reputed use in affections of
its
FUMARIACE2E. (Fumeworts.) A natural the eye. now no longer employed
It is
order of thalamifloral dicotyledons, be-
medicinally, although a volume might be
longing to Lindley's berberal alliance of written of what has been said of its virtues
hypogynous Exogens. Herbs with brittle and the many diseases in which it was held
stems, watery juice, alternate cut exstipu-
as a remedy by a host of physicians from
late leaves, and irregular un symmetrical
Dioscorides to Cullen. [J. B.]
flowers. Sepals two, deciduous petals four,
;
molecular motion, the only exception being they are called sporidia. Both spores and
that of Leptomitus and its allies, which sporidia may be multicellular, and in ger-
seem to be almost intermediate. The mination give rise to as many threads of
myxogastrous Furagii, whose spores produce spawn as there are cells. In many species
a body resembling certain infusoria, are of the latter division, a second form of
wholly exceptional, and the indications of fruit occurs, which is naked as in the first
animal life which they exhibit point in and in every division two or more kinds of
another direction. fruit are frequently produced by the same
Minute and abstruse as are these differ- species, a fact which takes from the ma-
ences, it is almost impossible to distinguish thematical precision of the two great di-
certain Fungi and Algce without them. visions, though it does not interfere with
Tate, for instance, a Peronospora and a their natural affinities.
Chroolepus. Both exhibit erect branched Fungi may be divided into six principal
threads, from the upper part of which cells classes, the first four of which bear naked
are produced containing a thick grumous spores, the two latter sporidia: —
matter. At first sight no one would think 1. Hymenomycetes, in which the fructi-
they could belong to very different sections fying surface is at length exposed, if not so
of the vegetable kingdom. When, how- in its first origin. Mushrooms and sap-
ever, we look more closely, we find first, balls are well-known examples.
that the one is a true parasite, the other 2. Gasteromycetes, in which the fruc-
growing indifferently on bark or stone, tifying surface is always enclosed at
and deriving its nourishment from the first,and is never completely exposed,
surrounding air and then when we turn
; except in old age or decay, in consequence
from the habit to intimate structure, of its sinuous intricate character, even
513 €f)e CmSurg of Matmxy. [ftjsa
when the peri di urn bursts. Puff-balls are a lineones.when present, sessile. The flowers
familiar example. grow in racemes and are blue or white,
3. Coxiojitcetes, in -which the spawn with a tubular six-parted perianth, and the
or vegetative part is reduced to a mini- style and stamens bent down. The seeds
I mum, and the abundant spores at length have a black membranous coat, produced
:
form a dusty or more rarely a gelatinous into a wing at the apex. A few species are
! mass. The rust and bunt of corn afford known, and they are mostly introduced to
ready instances. our gardens. [J. T. S.]
4. Htphojitcetes, in which the vege-
i
tative part consists mostly of threads FUNNEL-SHAPED. A
calyx or corolla,
which are not woven into a solid mass or other organ, in which the tube is obconi-
except in a few cases which border on cal, gradually enlarging upwards into the
I
Hymenomycetes. The naked-seeded moulds limb, so that the whole resembles a funnel,
; belong to this division. as in the Convolvulus.
5. Ascomycetes, in which the sacs or
asci which contain the sporidia are either FURBIURNE. An Arab name for Exi-
packed into an exposed hymenium, or line phorbia officinavum.
the interior of the fruit-bearing cysts. FURCATE. Having long terminal lobes,
Morels afford an example of the first, and like the prongs of a fork, as Ophioglossum
! the insect Sphcerice of the second. 'pendulum.
6. Physomycetes, in which the compo-
I
The uses of Fungi are various. To enu- masses in which the capsules of Polyides
merate them here would be merely to go are immersed, afford, however, a marked
I
cient moisture, though they abound the others with stamens or with pistils only.
most in moist temperate regions where the The border of the calyx is deeply divided
summer is warm. There are but few cer- into four pieces, which spread horizon-
tain traces of them in antediluvian strata, tally like the spokes of a wheel, but ulti-
and those only in the more recent. Most mately fall off; the stamens are four in
of them, however, are too soft and fugitive number. The species are small trees or
to make it likely that they should have shrubs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope,
been preserved. [M. J. B.] and of the southern parts of New Holland.
Dr. Lindley states that the fruit of the
'
little importance from an economical point white, black, or blue berry about the size
of view. [M. J. B.] of a pea, with two seeds. [A. A. B.]
FUSETTE. The Spanish name for Rhus GAGE A. An extensive genus of Liliacece
Cotinus. formerly included in Omlthugalum from ,
white, green, or rose-coloured: in some branches with scattered leaves the leaves
;
species not unlike those of the com- imbricated, bayonet-shaped, with sheath-
mon privet and arranged in a similar ing bases the flower-spike solitary termi-
;
manner, in others disposed in compact ter- nal, with one-flowered spikelets. [J. T. S.]
minal heads, and in a goodly number in
corymbs. The calyx is usually very minute, GAINIER COMMUN. (Fr.) Cercis Sili-
I
but in G. calycina, a Mauritian species, it quastrum.
isenlarged, bell-shaped, and coloured. The GAIROUTTE. (Fr.) Lathyrus Cicera.
corolla tube has a flat border of five nar-
row lobes, and bears on its inner face five GAITRES BERRIES. The fruits of Cor-
stamens. The ovary becomes, when ripe, a nus sanguinea.
515 CI)f {£rea£urg of 23ntanw. [galb
GALA, GALACTO. In Greek compounds i the appearance of Aster, and only differ in
= milk or white as milk. the ray florets being neuter while from Li-
;
;
is remarkable among the thistles for hav- '
milk,' and probably refers to the colour of
ing a milky juice like that so common in the numerous small flowers. The only
j
Kampferia.
filaments connate into a short tube, and
I
GALAXT DE JOUR. (Fr.) Cestrum diur- the arrow-shaped anthers affixed by their
num. — DE SOIR. Cestrum vespertinum. base; a filiform triquetrous club-shaped
- DE XUIT. Cestrum nocturnum. style with three fringed convolute stig-
GALARDIEXXE. (Fr.) Gaillardia. mas and a three-celled ovary containing
;
|
herbs of the composite family, numbering asaf eetida. It is supposed to be also yielded
: about twenty species, found in the tempe- by other umbellifers.
rate parts of Asia, one species only occur-
ring in the United States. They have much GALBULUS. A strobilus, whose scales
GALE €f)e €tta$xiYV of 33 a tang. 516
are fleshy, and combined into a uniform entire fleshy leaves and sessile flowers,
mass as the fruit of the juniper.
; generally cymose or paniculate. Calyx
deeply four or five-cleft, coloured within
GALE, SWEET. Myrica Gale. corolla absent ; stamens eight or ten
;
GALEA. The helmet or arched part of a ovary two to five-celled capsule woody or
;
flower, always placed at the back, that is, corky, varying in shape according to the
next to the axis. number of cells in the ovary. [J. T. S.]
GALEANDRA. This was formerly recog- GALEOBDOLON. The name of a section
nised as a distinct genus of orchids, but is of Lamium distinguished by having the
now referred to Eulophia by Dr. Blume. corolla tube obliquely annulate within,
The Mexican G. Batieri, frequently cul- contracted below, and dilated and subven-
tivated by orchid growers, is epiphytal, tricose above the annulus, where it is also
with cylindrical steins bearing several somewhat recurved and lengthened out
lance-shaped nerved leaves, and beautiful and by the helmet being elongated and
drooping racemes of yellow flowers, the narrowed at the base. The principal species,
lip having parallel purple lines near the Lamium Galeobdolon, our native Arch-
apex, which has wavy margins. G. Devo- angel, is sometimes separated under the
niayia is another handsome species, with name of G. luteum. [T. MJ
large chocolate-coloured flowers, having
a funnel-shaped white lip marked with GALEOGLOSSA. The name of certain
pink lines. [A. A. B.] Perns, otherwise referred to Niphobolus.
lilac or white pea-flowers. The few known German, Taube Nessel. [C. A. J.]
species are found in the Mediterranean
region, and extend eastward to Persia.
GALEOTTIA. This name has been given
to an obscure Mexican orchid supposed to
They are nearly related to Ghicyrrhiza, but ,
have a sweetish taste. The stems are fur- called Glockeria, and is related to Slenoste-
|
nished with unequally pinnate leaves made phamis, from which it differs in its bila-
I
up of eight to ten pairs of ovate lance- biate corolla. This latter is a Mexican
|
shaped or linear leaflets. G. officinalis, the shrub, with nutant crimson flowers in
Goat's Rue, was at one time in repute as a
terminal panicles. [T. M.]
I
cordial in fevers and convulsions, but it
has long fallen into disuse. The generic GALEWORTS. Lindley's name for the
name, derived from the Greek signifying Myricacece.
milk, refers to its supposed property of
increasing the milk of animals which feed
GALIACEiE. (Stellates, Madder-worts.) A
natural order of calycifloral dicotyledons
upon the plants. [A. A.B.]
belonging to Lindley's cinchonal alliance
GALEX1A. A genus of Tetragoniacece of epigynous Exogens. The order has been
consisting of herbs or shrubs from the sometimes called Stellatw from the star-
Cape of Good Hope, usually much branched; like arrangement of the leaves and by
;
biacece, which is thus made to include both time, through inadvertence or cupidity,
Cinchonacece and Galiaceae. Herbs with substituted for the genuine bark. This
whorled exstipulate leaves, and angular false bark occasioned several dangerous
stems. Calyx superior, the limb obsolete, accidents, which led some of the continen-
four to five or six-lobed; corolla gamope- tal governments to prohibit the use of An-
talous, rotate or tubular, regular, divided gostura or Cusparia bark. The spurious
like the calyx stamens equal in number
;
bark proved to have been really derived
to the corolline lobes and alternate with from the deadly nux-vomica tree. Tbisnux-
them. Ovary two-celled, with solitary vomicabark, it appears, was also sold in
erect ovules styles two
; stigma undi-
; Calcutta for the harmless bark of Soymida
vided. Fruit two-celled, with two seeds; febrifuga and a preparation of the former,
;
embryo in the axis of horny albumen. to be used instead of quinine by the Indian
Natives of the northern parts of the north- army, was made under the impression that
ern hemisphere, and of high mountains in it was a valuable andharmless remedy. Dr.
South America and Australia. The order O'Shaughnessy fortunately discovered the
contains some plants used for dyeing and error in time to prevent the dreadful con-
some having tonic qualities. The horny al- sequences which might have ensued from
bumen of goose-grass or cleavers (Galium the employment of this preparation. The
Aparine) has been used as a substitute for reader is referred to Pereira's Materia Me-
coffee. The root of madder (Rubia tincto- dica (ii. part ii. p. 1915) for full details as to
rum) is employed as a dye, and supplies the the means, chemical and otherwise, of dis-
Turkey-red that of Rubia cordifolia fur-
; tinguishing the true from the false Ango-
nishes the dye called munjeet in India. The stura barks, the most readily recognisable
leaves of woodruff (Asperula odorata) are features of the true bark being, that it oc-
fragrant when dried. There are ten known curs in pieces which are not so much
genera and about 380 species. Examples : twisted or bent as the nux-vomica bark,
Galium, Rubia, Asperula. [J. H. BJ that it has a disagreeable odour which is
not noticed in the false bark, and from
GALIMETA WOOD. The timber of Bu-
being lighter is more readily broken or cut
melia salicifolia.
It is stated that the natives employ the true
GALIXGALE. Cyperus, especially C. lon- Angostura bark to stupefy fishes, in the
gus. same way that cinchona bark is said to be
used by the Peruvians. [M. T. M.J
GALININGTJE. (Fr.) A kind of olive.
GALINSOGA. A genus of annual South GALIUM. The typical genus of Galiacea,
American weeds of the composite family, consisting of numerous herbaceous plants,
furnished with opposite ovate three-nerved distinguished by having a minute almost
nettle-like leaves, and small axillary or obsolete calyx, a four-lobed wheel-shaped
terminal stalked flower-heads having an almost tubeless corolla, and a fructifica-
involucre of three to five ovate scales, en- tion consisting of two seed-vessels, each
closing four or five white or purple ray containing a single dry seed. Upwards of
florets with pistil only, and numerous 160 species are described, of which fourteen
yellow tubular perfect disk florets; the are British. They all agree in having
angled achenes are crowned with a pappus square stems and whorled leaves; and the
of lacerated chaffy scales, and seated on a roots of most afford a purple dye. Some
conical chaffy receptacle. G. parviflora, a are perennials, others annual. The predo-
species with smooth leaves, white ray flo- minating colour of the flowers is white ;
rets, and a habit like that of the annual and the number of leaves in a whorl varies
mercury, is naturalised in many countries, from four to ten. Of the British species,
and has lately become a pest in the market G. verum, Bedstraw, and G. cruciatum,
gardens around London. [A. A. B.] Cross-wort, are perennial, and bear yellow
flowers. G. Aparine, Goose-grass, derives
GALIOTE. (Fr.) Geum urbanum. ,
the flowers of which have a salver-shaped count of the tenacity with which the fruit
corolla with spreading acute lobes four ; adheres to any rough and soft substance.
to seven stamens, somewhat adherent to It is a long straggling annual plant, abun-
the petals, sometimes all fertile, but dant in hedges and among bushes, through
usually only two of them antheriferous a ; which it climbs, supporting itself by the
cup-shaped disk five styles, becoming ul-
; hooked prickles with which it is copiously
timately fused intolone, with afourto five- invested. The globular seeds covered with
grooved stigma; and five or fewer carpels. hooked prickles, found on the dress of per-
The bark of one or more of the species, sons who walk through bushy places in
such as G. officinalis and G. Cusp aria, is |
autumn, are derived from this plant. G.
used in medicine as an aromatic or stimu- I
saxatile is the pretty little species, only a
lant tonic. Dr. Hancock, who had large i
few inches high, which is so frequently
experience of its use in tropical South seen in heathy places, associated with wild
America, even preferred it to cinchona in |
thyme, birds-foot trefoil, and tormentil
the treatment of fever. In this country it |
its flowers are of a brilliant white, and are
is but little used, being deemed inferior to succeeded by reddish fruit which is con-
other remedies, and possibly from the fact" spicuous by its abundance. French, Gaillet;
that a false Angostura bark was at one [
German, Labkraut. [C. A. J.]
gall] Efje CrauSurg of 33otanj?. 518
GALL OF THE EARTH. Mulocdium sepalous means monosepalous, and gamo-
floridanum, or, according to Dr. Asa Gray, petalous, monopetalous.
Nabulus Fraseri.
GAMOLEPIS. A small genus of South
GALLESIA. A genus of Phytolaccacew, African Composites, having smooth entire
a large Brazilian tree, with alternate
three-lobed or pinnatifid leaves, and ter-
stalked ovate or oval entire pellucid-dotted, minal solitary or corymbose, long-stalked
smooth leaves, small tubercular stipules, flower-heads containing numerous florets.
and a many-flowered terminal panicle of They are nearly related to Leucantlu mum.
sessile flowers, each with three bracteoles, but differ in the scales of the involucre
and having a four-parted calyx and nume- being in one series, and more or less united
rous stamens in two rows. The fruit is a by their margins so as to form a cup. The
samaroid achene, with a large scimetar- ray florets are strap-shaped, and contain
shaped wing at the apex. [J. T. S.] only a pistil, the disk florets being tubular
and perfect while the achenes are smooth
GALLINHA CHOCA. Erythroxylon su- ;
and the stem, and not penetrating the sub- but granular as in Gastrodia, which differs
stance. [M. J. B.] in the lip being free, instead of connate
with the tube of the perianth. [A. A. B.]
GALPHIMIA. An anagram of Malpi- GANDASULI. (Fr.) Hedychium. —A
ghia, applied to agenus of Mexican malpi-
ghiaceous shrubs, some of which are culti- BOUQUETS. Hedychium coronarium.
vated as evergreens in our stoves. They GANGLIA, The mycelium of certain
have a five-parted calyx whose segments fungals.
are mostly destitute of glands five stalked
petals generally ribbed on their outer sur-
;
GANGRENE. A disease ending in putrid
decay.
face ten stamens slightly adherent at the
;
logised by travellers, certainly deserves on the throat of the corolla, from which
much of the praise bestowed upon it. It is they project to a short distance ovary;
of a spherical form, of the size of a small
partially five-celled, with numerous ovules
orange, when ripe reddish-brown, and
;
with fine pinnated foliage and panicles of shaped, and slightly bilobed. [W. C]
yellow flowers. [M. T. M.]
GASTRIDIUM. A genus of grasses of
GARVANCE. (Fr.) Cicer arietinum. the tribe Agrostidece, consisting of a single
species, G.lendigerum, or, as it is sometimes
GASTERIA. The name of certain species called, G. australe, one of our rarer British
of Aloe, which are regarded by some as species, and very common in the Mediter-
being distinct from that genus. They are
!
of which contains one seed. The name stalked two-seeded ventricose or inflated
I
was given by Commerson in honour of pods, seldom larger than a pea. Pultencea
Gaston de Bourbon, son of Henry IV. The differs in having sessile pods, as well as
only species, G. palmata, is a native of ,
heath-like foliage. Most of the Gastro-
Mauritius. [G. D.] lobes are bushes of two to four feet high,
with twiggy stems furnished with opposite
GASTRANTHFS. A genu3 of Ges- often whorled leaves varying much in form,
neracecB containing two species from and pretty yellow blossoms, sometimes in
|
South America. They are undershrubs twos in the axils of the leaves, but more
with opposite oblong crenate leaves, and usually in short racemes arising from near
i
few umbellate flowers. The divisions of the apex of the twigs. A number of the
the calyx are lanceolate the corolla ; species of this and of allied genera are
oblique and shortly spurred, with the known in "Western Australia as Poison-
limb cut into five unequal small roundish plants; and farmers lose annually a large
lobes the four didynamous stamens in-
: number of cattle through their eating the
cluded the disk very 3mall, but swelled on
; foliage. Mr. James Drummond, in Hooker's
gast] €f)£ Crea^urp at 3Satang. 522
Journal of Botany (ii. p. 352), says: 'The have a calyx without glands no petals, or
;
finest and strongest animals are the first only rudimentary ones and two ovaries
;
he afterwards found out that they were and New Zealand. The leaves are leathery,
due to the plants of this and allied genera. smooth and shining, and in many species
Dr. Harvey says the worst of the Poison- theyoung branches are covered with bristly
plants is G. bilobum. This plant has oblong hairs. The flowers are small, ovate, with a
nearly smooth slightly two-lobed leaves, contracted mouth, and enclose ten stamens;
placed four in a whorl round the stem, and i
they are white, scarlet, or rose-coloured,
terminal umbels of pretty yellow flowers, I
and produced singly or in racemes at the
the keel and wing petals marked with ends or from the sides of the branches. The
purple. G. spinosum has similar properties. five-lobed calyx frequently increases in
Altogether there are about a dozen spe- size after the flowering period, and some-
The times becomes fleshy. The anthers open
I
generic name has reference to the bellied by pores at the top, and terminate by two
form of the pods. The fruit is small and nearly glo-
I
[A. A. B.] j
bristles.
bular, and when ripe splits open through
GASTRONEMA. A small genus of South !
the middle of each of the five cells. '
GATEN, GATTEN, GATTER, or GATTE- tile oil, which, when separated by distilla-
RIDGE TREE. Comus sanguinea also ;
tion, is known as Wintergreen oil. It is
Euonymus europceus, and Viburnum Opu of a pale green colour, having the same
lus. composition as birch-bark oil, and is em-
ployed medicinally as a cordial stimulant.
GATILIER. (Fr.) Vitex Agnus castus. j
The leaves also possess a considerable de-
'
gree of astringency, and their tincture is
GATTIE. An Indian gum obtained from useful in diarrhoea. The berries are known
the Babool, Acacia arabica. |
by various names, such as Partridge-berry,
Chequer-berry, Deer-berry, Tea-berry, Box-
GAUB. An Indian name for the astrin- berry, &c, and afford winter food to par-
gent medicinal fruit of Biospyros Embryo- tridges, deer, and other animals. The
pteris.
plant is likewise called Mountain Tea, its
GAUDE or VAUDE. (Fr.) Reseda Lu- j
leaves being used as a substitute for tea
teola. or for flavouring genuine tea.
The Shallon or Salal of the north-west
GAUDICHAUDIA. A genus of Mexican coast of America, G. Shallon, is a small
climbing shrubs, belonging to the Malpi- shrubby plant, growing about a foot and a
ghiaceae,and remarkable for producing con- half high, flourishing in shady nine forests
stantly two kinds of flowers, the most nu- where few other plants will live. Its dark
merous and perfect of which have a five- purple fleshy berries, which are produced
cleft glandular calyx five stalked toothed
; in great abundance, have a very agreeable
petals; five stamens, two of which are flavour and make excellent tarts they are
;
l
species. The plants are natives of North (Fr.) Armeria maritima. — TCE.C. Saxi-
America, and have alternate leaves vary- fraga hypnoides.
ing in outline, and the flowers in spikes, GEAN. The wild Cherry, Cerasus Avium.
white or rose-coloured, rarely yellow,
; turning to reddish when fading. [G. DJ GEASTER. A genus of puffballs distin-
guished by the outer coat or peridium
|
GAYA. Tropical American herbs, be- being perfectly distinct from the inner,
, longing to the mallow family, having soli- which contains the spores, and splitting
'
tary yellow flowers, whose structure is ultimately into several divisions, so as to
! that of the closely allied Sida, from which, have the appearance of a star, whence the
however, the present genus is distinguish- name of Earth-star. Sometimes the outer
ed by the capsule, which consists of several peridium consists of two separable coats,
S
one-seeded carpels, opening along the back of which the inner becomes at length in-
by two valves, and thus allowing of the verted, so that it is lifted up and supported
protrusion of an inner strap-shaped valve- by the tips of its lobes upon those of the
j
GAYAL. An
!
Indian name fcr Agave vi- ture for the dispersion of the spores, while I
eight stamens, the anthers of which have GELINE^E. Cells in algals secreting
not a fleshy connective; and by the pen- vegetable jelly.
dulous ovules thus affording a singular
:
leaves, and spicate flowers on axillary pe- and are natives of the south and south-
dicels furnished with small bracts and west parts of Australia. [R. H.]
bracteoles. The calyx is regularly five-
i
lanceolate, spathulate, or linear and three- rolla, of which the keel becomes curved
angled, full of glandular dots, the upper backwards after flowering ten stamens
;
ones generally membranaceous. The name united into an entire sheath, bearing long
of Hedaroraa was given by Dr. Lindley to and short anthers alternately and a flat-
;
certain of the involucrate species from tened or sometimes roundish pod con-
South-West Australia. The species are stricted between the seeds.
remarkable for the exquisite sweetness The Petty Whin, G. anglica, is a small
of their foliage, which with the half-ripe prickly straggling English shrub, with nu
fruit retain their fragrance for such a merous decumbent stems, bearing small
length of time that they possibly might lance-shaped leaves and yellow flowers,
be considered worth collecting for the per- and armed with sharp spines, whence the
fumer. They are mostly heath-like shrubs, plant is frequently called Needle Green-
GENl] W$z &rea£ttrg oi Statanj). 526
GENTIANA. A large genus of herba- . properties. All the species are, to agreater
ceous plants, giving their name to the or less extent, pervaded by a pure bitter
order Gentianaceai. The Gentians are per- I principle, which confers valuable tonic vir-
ennial plants, with opposite ribbed leaves tues on them, not always unaccompanied
a calyx of four or five valvate segments ;
i by some slight degree of narcotic or acrid
02 i $l\)z CrniStiry of 2Sotatxw. [geon
effect. The roots
of G. lutea are princi- ' or deeply instead of obscurely toothed.
pally used in this country ; they are col- There are five species enumerated.
lected in Switzerland and the Tyrol. The G. superba is a tree of eighteen to twentv-
roots of G. purpurea, G. punctata, and G. flve feet,with the habit of a tamarind, and is
pannonica are used for like purposes in- ; found in Brazil and Venezuela. Its pinnate
deed, almost any species might be employed leaves are four to six inches long and the
;
that could be obtained in sufficient quan- yellow fetid pea-flowers are in simple ra-
tity. G. cruciata has been invested with cemes the length of the leaves. The fruits,
imaginary virtues, because its leaves grow about the size and form of a walnut, have a
in the form of a cross it has been recom-
; greenish-yellow downy rind, a fleshy pulp,
mended in hydrophobia. The Swiss make and a hard nut or stone enclosing a single
a liqueur from some of the species. Some seed. Humboldt, in his Plantes Equinoxi-
of the Himalayan and North American ales, says this is a truly magnificent tree,
kinds are used, like the European ones, as from the disposition of its branches clothed
tonics. [M. T. M.] with beautiful green leaves, as well as
GENTIAN'E. (Fr.) Gentiana lutea.
from the great abundance of its yellow
flowers. According to the same authority,
GENTIAXELLA. A common name for the wood is hard, susceptible of a fine
Gentiana acaulis ; also Cryphiacantausbar- polish, and useful for building purposes,
badensis. while the fruits are not agreeable, but are
eaten by children and much sought after
GEXTIAXELLE. (Fr.) Exacum. by various animals. Mr. Gardner says the
GEXTIAXWORTS. Lindley's name for fruits are called Mari in various parts of
the order Gentianacece. Brazil. He found them to be the principal
food of the inhabitants of the Ilha de St.
GEOCARYOI. The name of a genus of Pedro, who boil them, eating the fleshy
UmbelUferce closely allied to Bunium, but portion first, and then the kernel. Ahnen-
distinguished from it by the styles being dora, or Almond, is a name given to the
more erect, and by the structure of the tree on the Amazon. [A. A. B.]
fruits, which have five ridges, with as many
wide oil-channels in the interspaces. In GEOGLOSSUM. A genus of ascomyce-
Bunium, on the contrary, there are two or tous Fungi which in outward aspect has
three such channels in each interspace. the appearance of Clavaria, and in conse-
G. capillifolium is a native of the south of quence has been wrongly associated with
Europe, Barbary, &c, and has a bulb-like the clavate Fungi. The whole plant is
stock, whence the name of the genus, which club-shaped, with the hymeniuiu covering
signifies earth-nut. [M. T. M.] the entire surface of the club except at
the base, the distinction between head
GEOCOCCUS. A diminutive cruciferous and stem being generally only slightly
annual stemless herb of Western Australia, marked. There are two distinct groups,
throwing out from the neck a series of those which are black or brown, and those
'
pinnatifid leaves, from whose axils emerge which are green, purple, &c. In the former
the minute flowers. After flowering, the the sporidia are septate and much elon-
peduncles become deflexed, and bury the gated, in the latter minute and simple.
small seed-vessels about an inch beneath The species occur in closely-shaven lawns,
the surface of the ground. [T. M.] in grassy pastures, and amongst Sphagnum
or rottenwood, &c. Occasionally the stem is
GEODOROJ. The generic name of a either viscid and scaly, or densely velvety.
few terrestrial East Indian orchids of the No species appears to be esculent. Earth-
tribe Yandew. They have tuberous roots, tongues occur in most temperate parts of
radical lance-shaped or elliptical leaves the world, but they are more frequent in
six to eighteen inches long, and lateral Europe than elsewhere. pVI. J. B.]
flower-scapes terminating in a nodding
spike of flowers, which in some are of a pale GEOXOMA. A genus of palms closely
green colour, the lip white and veined with '
resembling Clia.mmdorea in general appear-
yellow or purple lines, and in others are ance, and like these confined to the tropics
blush with a yellow spot on the lip. The of the western hemisphere, where they
sepals and petals are free and connivent;
j
form part of the underwood of dense
forests. There are about forty known spe-
j
with the very short column there are two cies, a few of which are stemless, but the
;
bilobed pollen-masses with a short caudicle generality have slender reed-like polished
and a transverse gland. G. dilatatum and i
stems, marked with rings or scars of fallen
G. citrinum are in cultivation. [A. A. B.J leaves, and bearing at their summit a tuft
of large leaves, which are usually quite
GEOFFROTA. A
genus of pinnate- entire when young, but afterwards split
leaved South American Leguminosoe of the so as to become irregularly pinnate. The
tribe Balbergiece, and differing from most male and female flowers are borne on the
in that group in having drupaceous fruits same plant, but are sometimes, though not
instead of thin dry pods. From Andira, to always, on distinct spikes each spike is en-
;
which it is most nearly allied, it differs closed in a double spathe, and is either un-
in the flowers being in simple racemes in-
j
I
branched or variously branched, the small
stead of panicles, and usually yellow with i yellow or purple flowers being seated in
,
a fetid smell, instead of purple and smell- little hollows, the males in clusters of two
:
ing sweetly the calyx, also, is distinctly
;
'
or three, and the females solitary. The
GEOP (£!)£ CreaSttrp of SSotang, 528
fruits are very small, and contain a single -
nium, Pelargonium, and Monsonia, are ex-
horny seed. None of the species possess amples. [J. H. B.]
any particular features of interest ; the GERANIUM.
only useful purposes to which they are ap-
The Cranesbills, whose
plied being that of supplying leaves for
name derived from the long central beak
is
of the fruit, form a large genus of the Ge-
thatching huts, and flexible stems for raniacece, distinguished" by having regular
walking-sticks. [A. S.]
flowers, ten stamens with the filaments
GEOPHILA. A
genus of Cinchonaceoe, united at the base, and five carpels each
called earth-loving from the creeping ha-
'
'
tipped by a long glabrous awn (the per-
bit of the plants. The species are natives of sistent style), which becomes recurved
tropical America and the East Indies, and when it separates from the central axis,
somewhat resemble violets in their mode not spirally twisted as in Erodium. They
of growth. They are nearly allied to Psy- are herbs, very rarely undershrubs, grow-
chotria, from which they are distinguished ing in all temperate climates, having stems
by their flowers being in heads surrounded with enlarged joints and palmately lobed
by a few bracts, and by the calyx being cleft or divided leaves, the lower ones
more deeply divided into five linear spread-
j
ovary of five bi-ovular carpels placed round bular or campanulate, with five broad more
an elongated axis, to which the styles ad- or less spreading lobes the stamens four,
;
here. Fruit formed of five one-seeded car- didynamous, not longer than the corolla,
pels, which from the base
finally separate with two-celled anthers. The capsule opens
of the central axis or beak, and curve up- loculicidally in two valves, and contains
wai'ds by means of the attached styles seed ; numerous small seeds. There are about
exalbuminous embryo curved and doubled
: two dozen species known, natives of
up, with plaited cotyledons. The plants North or South America, and most of them
are distributed over various parts of the very handsome. All attempts to cultivate
world. The species of Pelargonium abound them have, however, failed. The dried spe-
at the Cape of Good Hope those of Gera-; cimens usually turn quite black.
nium and Erodium are chiefly nntives of Eu- GERBE-D'OR. (Fr.) Solidago canaden-
rope, North America, and Northern Asia.
sis.
They have astringent and aromatic quali-
ties, many of them are fragrant, and some GERBERA. A genus of that group of
have a musky odour. They are sometimes the Compositce called Mutisiaceo?., in which
tuberous, and the tubers are eaten. There all the florets are two-lipped. The genus
are numerous hybrids among the plants is almost entirely African, and is repre-
of this order, and it is not easy to deter- sented in greatest numbers at the Cape.
mine the exact number of species, but Upwards of a dozen species are known, all
about 540 are recorded. Erodium, Gera- stemless perennial herbs, with their leaves
529 Ojc Evezguvy af 2Sotang, [gesn
! rough hairs. The name Lasiopus is by are amongst the most beautiful of the |
;
have a double row of ray florets. [A. A. B.] It has, like some other genera of the order, j
I
Tencrium Cliamcedrys; Some of the species are referred to a divi-
common name
;
— WOOD.
, Teucrium Scorodonia.
Achimenes; others to the Eugesnerece,
j
'
GERMAN TINDER. The Soft Amadou, much longer than the calyx, and with a ,
by an embryo plant, connected with the flowers have also from two to five con- |
absorption of oxygen and the extrication spicuous glands. Of the five groups into
of carbonic acid. Germination ceases which the restricted genus is divided, the
when the latter begins to be decomposed. following species are examples G. dis- :
GEROPOGON. A genus of the compo- corolla tube, inflated beneath, and short
site family nearly related to Tragopogon, subbilabiate limb, a five-crenate perigy-
and consisting of an annual glabrous herb !
nous glandular ring, and a stomatomor-
of the south of Europe, having simple !
leaves, and capitules of purplish flowers a cylindrical or tumid deflexed tube, and
solitary at the thickened apex of the stem. ringent limb, five subequal glands, and a
It differs from Tragopogon in having hair- bifidstigma: ex. G. Seemanni.
like scales on the receptacle, and in the Cryptoloma with a straight corolla tube,
:
nature of the pappus. [T. M.] and very short limb, five subequal glands,
GERVAO. A and a bifid stigma ex. G. honclensis. :
Brazilian name for Stachy- Eechsteineria with a subbilabiate tubu-
:
tarpha jamaicensis.
lar corolla, two large dorsal glands and
GESNERACE^E. (Cyrtandracece, Didy- three smaller ventral ones, and a stomato-
mocarpece, Gesnervjorts.) A natural order morphous stigma ex. G. allagophylla. :
Lindley's bignonial alliance of perigynous the upper lip elongate-fornicate, the lower
Exogens. Herbs or shrubs often growing truncate, two connate dorsal glands, and a
from scaly tubers, with wrinkled usually stomatomorphous stigma ex. G. bulbosa. :
opposite leaves and showy flowers calyx ; Houttea with a long corolla tube, and
:
Ovary one-celled, surrounded at the base corolla tube, and scarcely spreading limb,
by glands or a ring. Fruit capsular or and five subequal glands ex. G. elongata. :
gesn] QLfyt fltoatfurj) of 2SatattB. 530
Eerincquia with a very long slightly
: where it is known by of Choco- the name
curved corolla tube, and straight limb, late or Blood root, and is used as a mild
and a five-lobed toothed ring ex. G. liba- : tonic. Several species are cultivated in
nensis. [T. M.] this country among the handsomest is G.
:
mens inserted in the mouth of the tube, dichotomous stems, linear-oblong or spa-
thulate entire fleshy leaves, rough with
and sometimes by superfluity doubled or
trebled or multiplied numerously, with
subcutaneous glands, and small greenish
flowers, often becoming purple, in small
erect anthers and the style connate with
umbellate or contracted cymes opposite
;
species. The main characters of the genus cylindrical and mostly branched, composed
reside in the calyx, whose limb is five-cleft, of innumerable longitudinal and horizon-
with five little bracts on the exterior, and tal threads in a firm pellucid jelly and the ;
in the carpels which are dry with hardened tetraspores are collected in little heaps or
hooked styles forming collectively a kind sori. The genus is very nearly allied to
of burr. Two species are natives of Bri- Iridcea and Chondrus. Many of the species
tain, G. urbanum and rivale. The former, are covered with projecting tubercular or
known as Avens or Herb Bennett, has an spine-shaped processes, so as to make the
erect slightly branched stem the lower; frond rough like a rasp. G. mamillosa is
leaves deeply divided in a pinnate manner, often found amongst carageen. G. speciosa,
with a large terminal lobe, the side lobes the Jelly-plant of the Australian colonists,
in pairs, some of them much smaller than is now referred to Eucheuma. [M. J. B.]
the rest the flowers yellow, with small
;
spreading petals. The root of this plant, GIGOT. (Fr.) Iris fcetidissima.
called by the old herbalists Clove-root, GILIA. A pretty American
genus of
radix caryophyllata, has an aromatic clove- Polemoniacece. The calyx is bell-shaped
like odour, and, as it possesses astringent five-cleft the corolla funnel-shaped or ap-
;
properties, it has been used in diarrhoea, proaching to bell-shaped the stamens five ;
dysentery, intermittent fevers, &c. It was in number, inserted at the throat of the
formerly put into ale to give it a clove- corolla and each cell of the capsule con-
;
like flavour and prevent it turning sour, tains several angular seeds. The species
and has been recommended to be chewed have been distributed into several sub-
when the breath is foul. The Water-avens, genera, of which the most familiar are
G. rivale, has the leaves more hairy, the Ipomnpsis, represented by G.coronopifolia ;
dull purple colour, and the head of fruits by G. dianthoides, or, as it is also called,
separated from the calyx by a short stalk. Fenzlia dianthiflora Leptodaetylon, by G. ca-
;
This plant is frequently found in a pro- lifornica and Eugilia, of which G. tricolor,
;
lified state, that is, with a branch or a achilheefolia, and capitata are well-known
second flower in the centre of the original illustrations. Most of them are pretty
one. Other species of this genus are garden flowers, the different groups being
widely diffused over the temperate regions for the most part regarded as distinct
of the northern hemisphere. G. canadense families by cultivators. G. coronopifolia,
is found in Canada and the United States, elegans, and aggregata, known in gardens
531 djr Crca^ttrp of 33otang. [gira
[G. D.]
GINGEMBRE. (Fr.) Zingiber.
GINGER-GRASS OIL. An essential oil
GILL, or GELL. Nepeta Glechoma. obtained from Andropogon Nardus.
GILLENIA. A genus of perennial her- GINGER. Zingiber officinale. The ginger
baceous plants belonging to the Rosacea of the shops is the dried rhizomes of this
|
and allied to Spircea, from which, however, plant black or East Indian ginger is the
;
I
it is well distinguished by its funnel- unscraped rhizome prepared by scalding ;
shaped calyx, very short stamens, and Ave white or Jamaica is the scraped rhizome
carpels combined into a five-celled cap- dried in the sun. AMADA. Curcuma— ,
;
like leaves, and umbellate flowers enclosed
in a spathe. Perianth of two portions, the GINSEN. (Fr.) Panax.
I
j
the inner minute often five-toothed sta- ;
GINSENG. The root
of one or more
mens six, three sometimes sterile. Capsule species of Panax. It is also called Gin-
!
three-celled, three-valved, many-seeded, schen. Pereira gives P. quinquefolium as
: opening in a loculicidal manner covering ;
American Ginseng, and P. Schinseng as
of seed black and brittle embryo curved ;
Asiatic Ginseng.
albumen fleshy. Natives of Chili. The ge- GIPSYWORT. Lycopus europmus.
nera are Gllliesia and Miersia, comprising
about half a dozen species. [J. H. B.] GIRANDOLE. (Fr.) Coburgia.
GTLLTESIA. A
genus of Chilian bulbous GIRARDINIA. A
genus belonging to a
small group of the nettle family, charac-
herbs, belonging to Gilliesiacece. They
have linear flaccid root-leaves, and sub- terised by its stinging properties. From
decumbent scapes, the flowers cernuous, Urtica itself it differs in having alternate
greenish, inconspicuous, in an umbel with instead of opposite leaves, and from other
allies in the calyx of the fertile flowers
two leaf-like bracts at the base. The exte-
rior involucre is five-leaved, with the two
being two-parted, one of the segments
lateral interior ones much smaller than
j
the three posterior ones sterile. [J. T. S.] annual or perennial herbs.having all their
parts clothed with long and sharp white
GILLIFLOWER. A name corrupted stinging hairs. The stalked leaves, which
from the French Giroflee: also written Gil- '
Salsola Kali. — , "WHITE. Suceda mari- esteemed for its supposed medicinal vir-
tima. tues. Its leaves are slightly bitter and
aromatic, on which account it was used to
GLAUCE8CEXT. Dull green, passing
give a flavour to ale hence its old names
;
into greyish-blue.
Ale-hoof and Tun-hoof. The juice was
GLAUCIUM. A genus of herbaceous recommended to be dropped into the ears
plants belonging to the Papaveraceee, well to cure singing in that organ mixed with
;
marked by their very long pod-like two- wine, and dropped into the eyes, it was
valvedand two-celled capsule. The Yellow supposed to cure inflammation taken as;
Horn Poppy, G. luteum, is a common plant snuff, it was a specific for a head-ache and ;
on the sandy sea-shore of Europe and some an extract or decoction, mixed with honey
parts of North America, where it may be or sugar-candy, was a favourite remedy in
detected even in winter by its large, rough, complaints of the chest. Village herbalists
deeply-cut leaves of adecided glaucous hue. still hold it in repute, and use it, when
In summer it attains the height of about dried, as a substitute for tea. Gerarde enu-
two feet, and is made conspicuous not only merates among its other virtues, that,
by the white hue of its foliage, but by its '
boiled in mutton-broth, it helpeth weake
large flowers of four delicate pale-yellow and aking backs;' a prescription which
petals, which last only for a day, and are many modern physicians would no doubt
succeeded by very long curved pods, which endorse,if administered with the same
are rough with tubercles. G. phceniceum, accompaniment. French, Terrete German, ;
and abound in a copper-coloured acrid per lobe very short, the lower long and com-
pressed. The species are Brazilian shrubs
juice, which is said to be poisonous and
of humble growth, having the leaves
to occasion madness. German, Gehiirnte
usually small, the flowers in groups vary-
scholkraut. [C. A. J.]
ing from two to six, and red, blue, or yel-
GLAUCOUS. Covered with a fine bloom, lowish in colour. [G. D.]
like the plum or the cabbage-leaf.
GLEDITSCHIA. A small genus of thorny
GLAUX. A pretty little herbaceous per- leguminous trees, inhabiting various parts
ennial, belonging to the Primula cea. The of North America and China. They have
flower is destitute of a corolla, but the bell- once or twice pinnated leaves, and small
shaped calyx is coloured and flve-lobed; dense spikes of inconspicuous greenish
the capsule is globose, five-valved, and flowers, some of which are perfect, while
contains about five seeds. G. maritima, others are of one sex only. The pod is flat,
the only species, grows abundantly on most and contains either one or several flat
parts of the sea-coast, just above high- seeds, surrounded by a sweet pulpy sub-
watermark, and in saltmarshes. Theroots, stance, and separated from each other by
which creep extensively, are composed of transverse divisions. The three-thorned
long zigzag fibres, and send up numerous Acacia, or Honey-locust tree, G. triacanthos,
matted stems,four to five inches high, and is a native of the United States, and is
densely clothed with oblong fleshy smooth commonly cultivated, both there and in
GLBl] Wfyz Ktmiuxg at 3S0tau». 534
this country, as an ornamental tree. It annual prostrate branched herbs, rarely
grows from fifty to eighty feet high, send- undershrubs, growing in tropical and sub-
ing forth large spreading branches, and tropical regions, a single species occurring
while young both stem and branches are in the south of Europe. Leaves alternate
formidably armed with stout, usually tri- or falsely verticillate flowers inconspicu-
;
ple, thorns, tapering to very sharp points ous, with a five-cleft calyx; the corolla
but as the tree increases in size these absent, or with numerous very narrow
thorns are principally confined to the strap-shaped petals, and three to twenty
smaller branches. In the autumn the trees stamens. [j. t. S.]
bear numerous long thin and fiat pendu-
lous pods, which are usually curved and GLOBBA. A
genus of tropical Asiatic
often twisted, and have been compared herbaceous plants belonging to the Zingi-
to large apple-parings, pendent from the
' beracew, and having a terminal loosely-
branches.' They are sometimes as much clustered inflorescence, the flowers of
as a foot and a half long, and contain which have a three-cleft tubular calyx; a
numerous seeds, enveloped in a sweet pulpy corolla with a slender tube and a six-parted
substance, from which a kind of sugar limb, the three outer divisions equal, and
is said to have been extracted. The wood two of the inner ones narrow or very
is coarse-grained, very hard, and splits small, while the remaining one, or lip, is
easily, but is not much employed except large, undivided, and partly united with
for fences and similar purposes. G. mono- the filament in a tubular manner. The
sperma, the Water-locust of the Southern ovary is one-celled. They are handsome
United States, is a very large tree, closely plants, with singular-looking yellow or
resembling the last in general appearance, pinkish flowers some of them grown in
;
but its flat pods are small and nearly oval, this country as stove plants. The fruit of
and contain only one seed. [A. S.] G. uviformis is said to be edible. [M. T. MJ
ceous Perns, typical of the tribe Gleiche- upper part of the tube of the corolla, the
nineai. They are furnished with creeping anther becoming one-celled, and opening
rhizomes, rigid usually often repeatedly by a single longitudinal slit. Ovary free,
dichotomously forked fronds, with the one-celled; ovule one, pendulous anatro-
ultimate branches pinnatifld, and either pal. Fruit an achene, enclosed by the
bearing small rounded or ovate segments, calyx seed with fleshy albumen embryo
; ;
or larger linear ones resembling the teeth with a superior radicle. Natives of Europe,
of a comb. The sori are naked, sometimes and of the parts of Asia and Africa nearest
placed in a hollow space, oligocarpous, |
Europe. There are but few species, dis-
that is, consisting of but few spore-cases, ! tributed in the genera Carracloria and
the number varying from two to four in Globularia. [J. H. B.]
one group, and from eight to twelve in
another. The latter series, which agrees
GLOBULARIA. A genus containing
|
;
Australasian region. [T. M.] I
with Dipsacaceo;, but the plants of this and characters of the small-flowered Ha-
order have an inferior ovary. ["W. C] benarias, except that the terminal glands
of the caudicles of the pollen-masses are
GLOBULEA. Succulent plants, natives received into distinct cells of the stigma.
of the Cape, with flat or sickle-shaped The root is an ovoid tuber the stem, in-
leaves, arranged in a rosette. The flowers
;
curring among fungals; the antheridium the fruit three-celled. G ovata is a hardy
of Cliara; also, a round deciduous shield, downy perennial, a native of Northern
found in such lichens as Isidium, formed India, with ovate heart-shaped leaves and
of the thallus, and leaving a hole where it showy bell-like flowers. [G. D.]
falls off.
GLOCHIDION. A
genus of the spurse-
GLOSSODIA. A
small genus of Austra-
lian orchids, belonging to the tribe Are-
wort family, comprising upwards of fifty
thusece, and most nearly related to Cala-
species of shrubs or small trees, for the
denia, of which, according to Dr. Hooker,
most part found in India, a few extending
they may be considered a mere section,
eastward to Japan others occurring in
;
with no glands on the disk of the lip, and
tropical Australia and the adjacent islands,
a solitary bifid long appendage at the base
and three being natives of West Africa.
of that organ, somewhat resembling a ser-
From Phyllanthus, to which they are closely pent's tongue, whence the generic name.
allied, they differ in the flowers being de-
stitute of a glandular disk, and generally in
They have tuberous roots a solitary lance-
;
Echinops.
GLOSSOPETALUM. A
small Mexican
GLORIOSA. The name of a group of bush referred to the Celastracece, from the
remarkably handsome hothouse herba- other genera in which, it is easily recog-
ceous-stemmed climbers, more correctly nised by having ten stamens instead of
called Methonica which see.
: [T. MJ five, and a simple instead of a compound
pistil. G. spinescens is much branched,
GLORY-TREE. Clerodendron. two to four feet high, having stiff rounded
GLOSSAPSI3 tentaculata is atuberous- twigs, which end in spiny points, and are
rooted orchid, peculiar to the island of furnished with littie alternate entire
Hong-kong and the adjacent mainland. Ac- leaves, those en the flowering twigs being
cording to Mr. Bentham, it has the habit reduced to scale-like processes. The small
GLOS ©f)e ®vtz$\iY$ of 230taitji. 536
white flowers are axillary and stalked, and comprising the grasses, sedges, and a few |
rounded and hollowed. The name was GLYCERIA. A genus of grasses be-
given in honour of Gloxin, a botanical longing to the tribe Festucea?, distinguished
author of the last century. The species principally from Poa by having the florets
are natives of tropical America, and have in more linear subcylindrical spikelets.
opposite stalked leaves of rather thick tex- The outer glumes and pales are membrano-
ture, and axillary flowers, usually single herbaceous, with sharply promin ent nerves,
or a few together, large, nodding, and of and a scarious margin. Steudel describes
various colours (white violet red or green- thirty-seven species, which are chiefly na-
ish yellow), sometimes variegated with tives of the colder and more temperate
spots. The species are among the greatest parts of the world. The best known spe-
ornaments of our hothouses, their richly- cies is G. flaitans, or Manna-grass, which
coloured leaves, and their ample, graceful, grows in most watery places in Britain.
and delicately-tinted flowers, having gained The long floating stems spread over pools
for them a prominent place among intro- of water and ditches, where cattle may
duced plants. Here, as in many other in- frequently be seen wading to considerable
stances, the process of hybridising has depths to eat them. The seeds of some of
been resorted to with the best results the species are greedily fed on by ducks
the older kinds with drooping flowers, have and other aquatic birds. [D. M.]
of late been giving place to forms with
the corolla almost regular and nearly erect GLYCINE. Asmall genus of Legumv-
—the latter peculiarity having this recom- nosos, all, excepting one, being slender
mendation, that the border and throat of decumbent or twining herbs, with alternate
the corolla, to which parts much of the stalked leaves made up of three to seven
beauty of the flower is owing, are presented leaflets varying much in form, and bearing
to the eye. Gloxinias may be propagated axillary racemes or fascicles of small yellow
by their leaves. [G. D.] or violet pea-flowers. The genus belongs
to the tribe Phaseolece, and is most nearly
GLUMALES. An alliance of Endogens, allied to Teramnus, from which it is dis-
tinguisbed by its pods being destitute of five or six inches long, about the thickness
. the hardened hooked style seen in the of a man's thumb, and is packed in the
j
latter, and by the ten stamens, which are leaves of the sweet bay. What is called
'
united into a tube, being all, instead of the refined liquorice is common liquorice dis-
alternate ones only, anther-bearing. The solved in water, and again evaporated. It
species are pretty equally distributed is said that both kinds are adulterated to
through tropical Asia, Africa, and Aus- a considerable extent, and that copper is
tralia, where a few inhabit ertratropical often to be detected in them— probably
regions. The Sooja of the Japanese, G. from the extract having been made in an
Soja, the only erect species of the genus, a unclean copper vessel. Liquorice extract
dwarf annual hairy plant, a good deal like is demulcent in colds and coughs, but it is
the common dwarf kidney or French bean most extensively employed by the large
(Phaseolus vulgaris), has small Tiolet or porter brewers. The genus belongs to the
yellow flowers, borne in short axillary ra- LeguminoscE, and is characterised by the
cemes, and succeeded by oblong two to presence of a tubular five-cleft two-lipped
five-seeded hairy pods. The seeds, like calyx an ovate straight standard a keel
; ,
kidney beans in form but smaller, are of two straight pointed petals stamens in ;
called Miso by the Japanese, and are made two parcels style thread-like pod ovate,
; ;
into a sauce which they call Sooja or Soy. compressed, one to four-seeded. [M. T. M.]
The manner of making it is said to be by GLYPELEA. A genus of Tiliacece, of
boiling the beans with equal quantities of
barley or wheat, and leaving it for three
which G. greiuioides, the only species, is a
months to ferment, after which salt and West African bush, furnished with smooth,
alternate, papery, three-ribbed, toothed
water is added, and the liquid strained. The
leaves, varying from lance-shaped to ob-
sauce is said to be used by them in many of
long, and bearing yellow flowers in axillary
their dishes, and they use the beans in
umbels. They have a calyx of five narrow
soups. The Chinese cook the beans also in
sepals five petals numerous stamens and
, ; ;
various ways, and the plant is cultivated for
the sake of them in various parts of India
an ovary tipped with a simple style. The
fruits are many-furrowed, spindle-shaped,
and its Archipelago. Mr. Bentham groups three to five-celled, many-seeded, the seeds
the species in three sections, which some
one above another, and separated by a thin
regard as genera Soja, with flowers fasci-
:
cellular partition. [A. A. B.]
cled on the racemes, and falcate pods with
depressions but not transverse lines be- GLYPHO-SPERMUM. A name applied to
tween the seeds Johuia, with flowers simi-
;
a genus of Gentianacew, on account of the
larly arranged, and straight pods with seeds, which are pitted. They are Peru-
transverse lines between the seeds and ; vian shrubs, with small purple polygamous
Leptocyanus, with solitary flowers on the flowers, having a five-cleft tubular corolla,
racemes, and straight pods. The Glycine a one-celled ovary, no style, and a button-
or Wistaria of gardens is now referred to shaped two-lobed stigma. [M. T. JM.]
Millettia. [A. A. B.]
GLYPHOT^ENIUM. A name proposed
GLYCOSMIS. A name indicative of the by J. Smith for Goniopteris crispata.
sweetly-smelling flowers in the genus to
which it refers, which consists of tropical GLYPTOSTROBUS, or Embossed Cy-
Asiatic trees or shrubs, belonging to the press, is a genus of coniferous plants, allied
Aurantiaceae, and closely allied to Limonia, to Taxodium. The name is derived from
but differing in the absence of spines, in the Greek words 'glyptos,' carved or en-
the eight stamens being alternately long graved, and ' strobos.'a cone, from the em-
and short, in the short thick conical style, bossing on the scales. The flowers are
&c. G. pentaphylla is a common under- monoecious. The cones grow at the end of
shrub in the uncultivated districts of Coro- lateral branches, and are ovate or oblong,
mandel. G. citrifolia is remarkable for the consisting of several unequal leathery
delicious flavour of its fruits. [M. T. M.] scales, which rise from the same point at
the base each scale covers two seeds,
;
GLYCYRRHIZA. The best known plant which are erect, ovate, and compressed.
of this genus is that which reputedly They are trees or shrubs, found in China,
furnishes Spanish Liquorice, G. glabra— with straight or pendulous branches, and
though possibly other species may be em- scattered, linear awl-shaped, three-angled
ployed for the same purpose. G. glabra is an leaves. G. heterophyllus, a small tree eight
herbaceous perennial, with pinnate leaves to ten feet high, is the Chinese Water Pine,
and bluish flowers, and is cultivated in this planted along the margins of rice-fields
country for the sake of its root, which near Canton, and found also in other parts
contains a peculiar sugar-like substance, of China. [J. H. B.]
giving to the extract its flavour and slight
demulcent property. To make the extract GMELINA. A
genus of Verbenacece, con-
the root is sliced and boiled in water after
; sisting of a. number of East Indian trees
a time the liquor is strained and allowed to or shrubs, characterised by their cup-
evaporate till it becomes of a proper con- shaped minutely four to five-toothed calyx
sistence. Large quantities of this extract tubular corollas, with the tube narrow
are imported from Spain, whence the term below, somewhat bell-shaped above, and
Spanish Liquorice much is also imported
; spreading and two-lipped at the border and ;
from Italy, where it is prepared from the drupe-like two to four-celled fruits with one
root of G. echinata. It is imported in rolls .
seed in each cell. The leaves are simple,
GNAP] Kfyz Creagury of 23ata«g. 538
entire, and generally oval and pointed and ; catkins or heads, surrounded by opposite
the handsome yellow blossoms are disposed scales which unite more or less completely.
in raceme-like panicles, the tranches of The staminate flowers have a one-leaved
which are clothed with short yellow down. perianth, and one-celled anthers, opening
G. arborea, a large timber tree of the moun- by pores the pistillate ones either have no
;
tainous parts of India, affords a good wood covering, or are enclosed by two scales.
useful for many purposes. According to Ovules usually considered naked, one of
Roxburgh, that of such trees as will square their coats being protruded through the
into logs from eighteen to twenty-four hole so as to form a long style-likeprocess
inches, bears much resemblance to teak, seed with a succulent covering embryo ;
with the same colour, a closer grain, as with a long twisted suspensor. Natives of
light if not lighter, and easily worked. temperate as well as warm regions in Eu-
He found the wood to resist the effects of rope, Asia, and South America. The seeds
the s\m and water better than teak, and of some of them are eaten. There are two
remarks that the decks of pinnaces are genera, Ephedra and Gnetum, and about
made of this wood at Chittagong, &c, be- thirty species. [J. H. B.]
cause it resists the weather better than
any other, and does not shrink or warp. Of GNETUM. A genus of plants typical of
G. Eheedii, a Ceylon tree, producing large
the order Gnetaeece. The flowers are pro-
and numerous tawny-yellow flowers in the duced in cylindrical jointed catkins, the
staminate ones having a membranaceous
summer months, the bark and roots, as well perianth, a single stamen, and an anther
as those of G. asiatica, are used medici-
opening by a pore and the pistillate ones
;
nally by the Cingalese. [A. A. B.]
being without any proper covering. The
GNAPHALIUM. The Everlasting a ge- :
ovule is solitary and orthotropal and the;
nus of plants belonging to the Composite, seed has an outer succulent coat. Trees
distinguished from Antennaria by having or creeping shrubs found in tropical Asia
the heads all alike and the receptacle naked, and Guiana. They have jointed knotty-
and from Filago by having the receptacle branches, opposite, exstipulate, entire,
flat and not conical. The involucre or smooth leaves, and axillary or terminal
common of the
calyx, in all the species, is stalked catkins. There are some half-
peculiar character termed scarious or ever- dozen species. The outer covering of the
lasting hence the English name. Many of
:
seeds of G. urens is lined with stinging
them, with white, yellow, or pink flowers, hairs. The seeds of G. Gnemon and other
are natives of the Cape of Good Hope. The species are roasted and eaten. [J. H. B.J
foliage is usually thickly invested with GNIDIA. A genus of Thymelacece, bear-
white woolly down, and the flower-heads ing complete tetramerous flowers, whose
are remarkablefor the permanence of their calyx is coloured, funnel-shaped, with a
form and colour. G. luteo-album is the regular four-divided limb; scales four to
only British species which has any preten- eight, inserted into the upper part of the
sions to beauty it has only been found
;
calycine tube and projecting beyond it;
wild in one or two places in England, but anthers eight, in two rows, attached to the
is more frequent in Jersey. G. uiiginosum, tube of the calyx ovary sessile style
; ;
a minute tufted plant, with narrow cottony lateral, equalling the tube of the calyx
leaves, and numerous heads of small yel- stigma capitate and papillose. The fruit
lowish-brown flowers, is very common on is a nut, enclosed by the persistent calyx.
damp heaths and in places where water has Shrubs or undershrubs found in the south-
stood during winter. French, Gnaphale ern and eastern tropical parts of Africa.
German, Ruhrpflanze. [C. A. J.] They are heath-like plants, with slender
branches, scattered or opposite leaves, ter-
GNAPHALODES. Three little Australian minal usually capitate flowers, which are
weeds, belonging to the composite family, of a white, yellow, reddish, or lilac colour,
and in appearance much like our own cud- and are mostly pubescent externally.
weeds {Filago), being clothed with cottony There are fifty known species. The bark
wool they are, moreover, nearly allied to
;
of G. daphnoides supplies ropes in Mada-
them, but differ in all the florets being gascar. [J. H. B.]
perfect, instead of the outer ones being
female and the inner perfect. The flower- GNOMONICAL. Bent at right angles.
heads have an involucre of numerous GOATBUSH. Castela Nicolsoni.
scales and the achenes, seated on a cone-
;
able genus of Asclepiadacece, containing able for its very large frustules, which
form a magnificent microscopic object.
\
throughout the warmer regions of the animals, and well known to every student I
world. They have opposite rarely whorled of fresh water Algce by the curious motions
leaves, and generally showy flowers on of the stem. [M. J. B.) \
seeds. The leaves of G. fruticosus, the all projecting beyond the corolla, the lobes
Arghel of Syria, are employed for adulte- of the anthers bent back, and connected
rating senna: this plant is sometimes re- by a very broad connective. The capsule
ferred to Solenostemma. [W. C] is few-seeded, and bursts from above
downwards into two valves. The seeds are
GOMPHOGYNE. The name of a Hima- winged. [M. T. MJ
layan climbing plant, belonging to the
Cfiicurbitacece. Its flowers are unisexual GOMPHOSTEMMA. The generic name
the males with five sepals, five fringed pe- of plants belonging to the labiate order,
tals, and live stamens which are united having the corolla with its tube dilated
at the base; and the females with a one- upwards, and its border with two nearly
celled ovary containing three ovules. The equal lips; and the style with a bifid
fruit is capsular. [M. T. M.] stigma, the two halves equal and awl-
shaped. The species are herbs, natives of
GOMPHOLOBIUM. A genus of elegant India, with simple, usually erect, rarely
leguminous undershrubs belonging to the procumbent stems, the leaves large and
tribe Podalyrierc, in which the ten stamens shaggy with hairs. [G. D.]
are free. It comprises about thirty species,
all of them found in South and West Aus- GOMPHRENA. A genus of Amaran-
tralia. They are readily distinguished by thacece, inwhich the flowers are sometimes
their spherical or oblong many-seeded pods, incomplete as regards stamens and pistils.
and by their compound alternate leaves, There is a perianth of five leaves, very
made up of a varying number of leaflets, rarely five-cleft, five stamens united into
which are often heath-like. Many of them a tube, the filaments dilated, with a trifid
are cultivated in greenhouses, where they apex, the intermediate segment bearing a
produce their blossoms in the spring and one-celled anther. The ovary is one-celled
summer months. One of the most beauti- with a single ovule the fruit one-seeded
;
ful is G. venustum, a plant with slender included within the perianth. They are
flexuose branches furnished with smooth undershrubs or herbs with opposite often
pinnate leaves of four to eight pairs of semi-amplexicaul leaves, and flowers in
narrow linear leaflets, the stem terminating lax spikes or panicles, or in globular
in a corymb of beautiful rose-purple pea- heads. They abound in tropical America,
flowers. The largest-flowered species is and are rarein Asia and Australasia. There
G. barbigerum, so named because of the are ninety known species. [J. H. B.]
GOXGORA. A singular genus of orchids these plants and Fungi. They assume dif-
found growing on tree-stems in tropical ferent types in different divisions. In
America. They have oblong, grooved, most lichens they are of a pure green, and
two-leaved pseudobulbs, the leaves broadly are developed from the tips of the consti-
lance-shaped, plaited and a foot or more in tuent threads singly or in tufts in Colleiiia
;
:
i on the end of a narrow caudicle fixed at the latter are in pairs below, in threes
the base to a small gland. Upwards of a
j
above flowers small and yellow. [G. D.]
i dozen species are known. G. atropurpurea, ;
j
from Trinidad, has long pendent racemes GONIOPHLEBIUM. A genus of poly-
j
of curiously formed purple flowers, re- podiaceous ferns, having the naked glo-
j
minding one of some insect. In G. via- bose sori of Polypodium, and forming one
! ciduta, from Demerara, they are yellow of the genera of the polypodineous group
marked with blood-red spots. The struc- with netted veins. The peculiar charac-
I
ture of the flowers of these curious plants teristic of Goiriophlebium amongst these,
j
is very singular, and well repays examina- is that the veins are forked or pinnate
i tion. Those of G. galeata, better known in from a central costa, the lower anterior
gardens under the name of Acropera Lod- branches being usually free and fertile at
j
digesii, and especially those of a closely the apex, and the rest angularly or arcu-
related plant called Acropera luteola, have ately anastomosing, and producing from
•
been subjected to a close examination by their angles free excurrent veinlets, which
I
Mr. Darwin, the result of which is that he
believes some orchids to be unisexual,
although both male and female organs are
present in each flower. See Darwin, On
Orchid Fertilisation, p. 21. [A. A. B.]
Africa and Madagascar, and in India, the shaped or salver-shaped, hairy externally,
Pacific islands, Australia, and New Zea- stamens four, included within the corolla;
land. [T. M.] stigmas four seeds minute. [M. T. M.J
;
and bearing fine bright red tubular flowers. the plant are eaten as a pot-herb, and its
The young leaves and shoots are of a fruit is succulent. There are about two
purplish-rose colour. The only species has dozen genera, and nearly two hundred
been called G. pulcher. [T. M.] species. Examples Sccevola, Goodenia,
:
racemes or corymbs on interpetiolar pe- style, the stigma with a cup-shaped indu-
duncles. With a flve-parted calyx, they sium. The capsule is two rarely four-
have a rotate or reflexed and spreading celled. Herbaceous plants, or a few of
corolla, the limb of which is flve-parted, them small shrubs, with alternate entire
the staminal crown forming a small fleshy or toothed leaves, sometimes covered with
wavy-lobed ring in the throat. The fol- white silky down, and axillary or terminal
licles.which are tunrid, more or less ribbed, flowers usually yellow, rarely blue or pur-
and armed with soft warty processes, con- plish. Natives of Australia, Tasmania, and
tain many comose seeds. Upwards of New Zealand one species, G. repem, being
;
sixty species have been described. [W. C.] also found in South America. [R. H.J
GONOPHORUM. A short stalk which GOODIA. A genus of the pea family,
bears the stamens and carpels in such consisting of three species, two of which
plants as anonads, &c. are common to Tasmania and South-East-
543 EI)S Er^aSuqi at SSotang. [goss
yellow flowers, like those of a laburnum, five petals alternate with the sepals, imbri-
but smaller. The chief features of the ge- cate in aestivation the stamens numerous,
:
nus are the trifoliolate leaves two-lipped ; hypogynous. The fruit is a four to five- ,
calyx, the lips not deeply divided stamens ; celled capsule, with two to four pendulous
all united into a sheath and thin and flat
; seeds in each cell. There are seven known
veined pods. Its nearest ally is Bossicea, species. [J. H. B.]
from which the compound leaves distin-
guish it. G. lotifolia and G. pubescens are GORSE. The Common Furze, Ulex euro-
both in cultivation in greenhouses. The pwus.
genus commemorates the name of Peter GORTERIA. A small genus of dwarf
Good, a collector for Kew Gardens, who
annual herbs of the composite family pe-
died in Australia. [A. A. B.] culiar to South Africa, their stems and
GOOD KING HARRY. Chenopodium (or linear or oblong-lanceolate leaves more or
Bliturn) Bonus Henricus. less hispid, and the latter clothed under-
neath with a close-pressed white down
GOODYERA. A genus of terrestrial and the twigs terminated by solitary yellow
orchids with small flowers like those of flower-heads nearly an inch across, and
Spirdntkes, but the spike is not spiral, and somewhat like those of the common mari-
the lip does not embrace the column, has gold. These have an involucre of many
no callosities at the base, and is contracted series of narrow scales with (eventually)
at the top into a recurved point. It con- hardened tips when the flowers wither,
;
sists of very few species, all from the these involucres contract at the top, so
northern hemisphere, and mostly from that the seeds cannot escape the latter,
:
high latitudes or mountain ranges. G. therefore, when they germinate, push their
repens, generally found in moist woods, is stems upwards and their roots downwards
widely spread over Northern Europe, Asia, through the spiny nut-like involucres,
and America, but in Britain only occurs in which" remain attached at the collar of the
the highlands of Scotland. It has a creep- root, and have the appearance of a spiny
ing rootstock and an erect flowering stem tuber of the size of a hazel-nut. The ray
of six inches to a foot, with a few ovate florets are strap-shaped neuter, those of
leaves near the base. The flowers are of a the disk tubular and perfect the achenes
;
greenish white, in a slender one-sided ter- are villous at the summit only, and sur-
minal spike. mounted with a short crown-like pappus
composed of a single series of scales, these
GOOGUL. Balsamodendron Mukul. characters of the fruit, distinguishing the
GOOLS. Various Marigolds, as Calendula genus from Gazania, to which it is nearly
officinalis, Caltha palustris, and Chrysan- allied. [A. A. B.]
themum segetum. GORY-DEW. Palmetto, cruenta.
GOOMALA. Batatas edulis. GOSSYPIANTHTTS. A genus of Ama-
GOOMPANY. The wood of Odina Wodier, ranthacece,containing perennial North
used in India for railway sleepers. American herbs with woolly procumbent
stems, elongate spathulate root-leaves,
GOOXCH. A Hindoo name for the seeds those of the stem much smaller, opposite,
of Alrrus precatorius. nearly sessile, ovate, and entire, more or
GOOXSOORA. An Indian fibre-yielding less densely covered with silky wool. The
ffibigCUS. flowers are axillary, densely aggregated,
covered with wool, and have a five-leaved
GOORA NUTS. The seeds of Cola acu- perianth, five stamens with free filaments,
minata. and one-celled anthers without interme-
GOORGOORA. Beptonia buxifolia. diate teeth. [J. T. S.]
GOOSE and GOSLINGS. Orchis Maria. GOSSYPITJM. This small genus of Mal-
vaceo?, is one of the most important of the
GOOSEBERRY. Ribes Uva crispa, often whole vegetable kingdom, for to it we are
called B. G-rossularia. — BARBADOS. indebted for the valuable and well-known
,
the Sea Island or long-staple cotton, which and such has been their success that, till
was introduced from the Bahamas in 1785, their fratricidal war broke out, they sup-
j
5io £I)C CrcaSuri? of 23otaug. [goye
plied four-fifths of the enormous quantity monly used for flavouring different cool-
annually consumed in this country. Some ing beverages. [A. S.]
idea of the rapid increase of the English
cotton manufactures may be gained from
GOUDOTIA. A genus referred to Junca-
the fact that in the year 1751, previous to founded on a curious little plant from
cece,
the introduction of spinning by machinery, the Andes, which has stems growing in
our imports of raw cotton amounted to dense tufts, with short distichous closely
only 2,976,610 lbs., while in 1800 they had imbricated leaves, and stalked scarious
flowers, dioecious by abortion. [J. T. S.J
risen to 56,010,732 lbs. and in 1860, the
;
used for the short-staple variety and the eclnnata. — ORANGE. Cucurbita auran-
,
the long-staple.
is rollers, for
ISH. Cucurbita maxima. — , SOUR. Adan-
I
to the ovary, while the upper part is divided cording to Tweedie, the pulp of the fruit
is used in flavouring sweet wines in the
|
'
rolled round a stamen, or has a stamen lying
at Mendoza and died there, is perpetuated
in a hollow formed by it. The fruit usually
in the genus. [A. A. B.]
has three wings or sharp angles, but in
some species it is nearly globular and with- GOUTTE DE LIN. (Fr.) Cuscuta euro-
out wings. peea. — DE SANG. Adonis autumnalis.
There are upwards of twenty species of
\
perennis but appertaining rather to Cal- mus. — GREEN. Phaseolus Mungo chloro-
,
;
Algce belonging to the natural order Splue- usually two, alternate, the lower or outer
rococcoidea?, amongst which it is distin- one being simple, the upper or inner having
guished by its cylindrical compressed or two dorsal or lateral ribs, and supposed
flat frond with oblong cruciate tetraspores to be formed of two pales united some- ;
dispersed among the superficial cells of times one or both are wanting. The glumes
the branches and branchlets. It is the same enclose one or more flowers, and among
with Plocaria, and therefore furnishes the the flowers there are often abortive florets.
Corsican and Ceylon moss. [M. J. B.] Stamens hypogynous, one to six, usually
three; anthers versatile. Ovary superior,
GRACILIS. Slender applied to parts
;
one-celled, with two (rarely one or none)
which are long and narrow.
j
i
saxifragaifoliu, a perennial herb, with a !
cular, lying on one side at the base of
habit like that of Saxifraga granulcita. farinaceous albumen. Grasses are widely
distributed over the world, forming about
j
short root-stock after the smooth round- ! one twenty-second of all known plants,
ed notched blades wither the flower-
;
according to Schouw. They are social
I stalk bears a number of white racemed forming herbage in temperate cli-
plants,
flowers not unlike those of the cuckoo- i mates, and becoming arborescent in tropi-
cal countries. The order is a very impor-
j
•
flower while the fruits are small oblong
;
!
much-compressed silicies, ripening but tant one, as supplying food for man and
a single seed. [A. A. B.] animals. The various cultivated grains
and the pasture grasses belong to it. It is
I
GRAHAMIA. A genus of PoHulacacecp, said that darnel grass (Lolium temulentum)
consisting of a small Chilian shrubby has poisonous qualities, and some think
plant, with alternate fleshy oblong terete that it is the tares of Scripture. Several
|
leaves, and solitary flowers at the extre- species of Andropogon yield fragrant oils,
mity of the branches, the calyx having such as kum-kus, roussa oil, and citro-
nelle. The bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea)
I
cereal grasses cultivated for food may be ratively small. Prom Manilla we have G.
enumerated :
— wheat,
barley, oats, rye, multiflorum, a plant with pseudobulbs
rice, Indian corn, millets, Guinea corn, and instead of lengthened stems, producing
swamp rice. The grains of Coix Lachryma from its apex three or four long strap-
are used as beads under the name of Job's shaped leaves, and from its base a raceme
'
tears. The tussac grass of the Falkland nearly two feet long of yellow flowers
Islands is the Daciylis ccespitosa. Some beautifully painted over with blood-red
i grasses are useful in binding the loose stains of grotesque form. G. Ellisii, an-
sand of the sea-shore. There are about 300 other pseudobulbous species, was intro-
L genera of grasses and 4,000 species. Ex- duced from Madagascar, and has the sepals
i
amples : Oryza, Zea, Phleurn, Panicum, and petals yellow and beautifully barred
Anthoxanthum, Poa, Dactylis, Festuca, Bro- transversely with dark lines, while the
mus, Pambusa, Lolium, Triticum, Hordeum, petals and lip are of a pale pink colour.
Saccharum. [J. H. B.] This plant considered by Reichenbachto
is
forma distinct genus, to which he gives the
GRAMMADENIA. A small genus of name G-rammangis. The genus is nearly
Myrsinacece, found in the West Indies
related to Cymbidium—the principal dif-
and the adjoining mainland, related to ference being, according to Dr. Lindley,
Myrsine, but having the flowers in racemes
that in the'latter the gland of the pollen-
instead of fascicles and to Cybianthus, but
;
masses is triangular, while in this it is cres-
having a five to six-parted instead of four-
cent-shaped, with one pollen-mass at each
parted calyx and corolla. Their stems are
extremity of the crescent. There is also
abundantly furnished with sessile, lance-
a shallow sac at the base of the column and
shaped, entire leaves, marked with curious
lip, not noted in Cymbidium. [A. A. B.J
linear glands, thus suggesting the name of
the genus. The very minute flowers are GRAMMATOTHECA. A genus of slender
succeeded by a globose ovary, which be- branching herbs, natives of the Cape of
comes when ripe a round berry the size of Good Hope, and belonging to the Lobeliacece.
a small pea, with few seeds. [A. A. B.] They are distinguished mainly by their
GRAMMANTHES. Succulent herba- corolla, which is tubular below, with a
ceous plants, natives of the Cape of Good five-parted limb in two divisions, the
Hope, forming a genus of Crassulncece, lower lip consisting of three pendent seg-
nearly allied to Crassula, but distinguished ments, larger than the two constituting
from it by the corolla, which is tubular, the upper lip the style is concealed with-
;
with a limb divided into five or six oval in the corolla, and bears a two-lobed
lobes, and by the absence of scales at the stigma whose lobes are widely separate
base of the ovary. They are pretty little one from the other. The genus is closely
plants as seen during sunshine. [M. T. M.] related to Clintonia. [M. T. MJ
GRAMMATOCARPUS. A genus of GRAMMITIS.' A genus of polypodia-
Loasacece found, in Chili and Peru, and ceous ferns, producing oblique naked ob-
nearly allied to Loasa, differing chiefly in long or elliptic sori, and having free
its slender twisted capsular fruits, which simple or forked veins. The group is
are one to two inches long, and not much often restricted to certain small simple-
thicker than their stalks. The Chilian fronded plants, of which G. BiUardieri
species, G. volubilis, is a slender twining may be taken as the type but to these are
;
]
annual herb, with opposite twice pinna- sometimes added a few larger compound-
tifld leaves, and stalked yellow cup-shaped fronded species, more closely resembling
flowers, solitary in the axils of the leaves, Gymnogramma in habit, but having simple
and nearly an inch across they have a calyx
; oblong instead of forked sori. [T. M.J
border of five linear segments ten petals,
;
j
a native of Java and the adjacent islands, merce. The spores
'
has stout stems from six to ten feet long, of certain fungals. - TIGLIA or TILLA.
bearing a number of strap-shaped leaves The seeds of Croton Tiglium.
one to two feet in length, arranged in a
I
times six feet in length, the flowers nume- &c, which bear edible fruits.
edulis,
rous but distant on the panicle, each borne GRAND BAUME. (Fr.) Pyrethrum Tana-
on a stalk (ovary) about six inches long, cetum. —
GENTIANE. Gentiana lutea.
this being also the diameter of the fully — MILLET. Sorghum vulgare. — MO-
gran] Cfje ©reaaurj) at SSotauj). 548
NARQUE. Narcissus concolor. —ORCHIS tubular and perfect, placed upon a pitted
MILITAIRE. Orchis fusca. — PIN. Pi- receptacle, with membranous scales be-
?i its — PLANTAIN. Plantago
Pinaster. tween the pits the branches of the style
;
major. — RAIPORT. Cochlearia Armora- are elongated and cylindrical. The fruits
Cia. —
SCEAU DE SALOMON. Conval- are somewhat cylindrical, ribbed, crowned
laria multiflora. — TREFLE ROUGE. by a pappus, of which the outer row con-
sists of a few narrow scales, the inner of
Trifolium pratense. — VALERIAN E. Va- hairy bristles. [M. T. M.]
leriana Phu.
GRANULA. Large spores contained in
GRANDE CAPUCINE. <Fr.) Tropceo- the centre of many algals, as Gloionema.
lum majus. — CIGUE. Conium macula- Among fungals it sometimes expresses a
turn. —
CONSOTJDE. Symphytum offici- spore-case.
nale. —
DOUVE. Ranunculus Lingua. GRANULAR, GRANULATE. Divided
— ECLAIRE. Chelidonium majus. — into little knobs or knots, as the roots of
^PIAIRE. Stachys sylvatica. — ESULE. Saxifraga granulata.
Euphorbia Lathy ris. — FOUGERE. Pteris GRANULES. Any small particles;
aqullina. — GESSE. Lathyrus latifolius. grains the hollow shells which consti-
— LUNAIRE. Lunaria biennis. —MAUVE. ;
tute pollen.
Malva si/lvestris. — ORTIE. Urtica dioica.
— OSEILLE. Rumex Acetosa. — PA- GRAPE. The well-known fruit of the
TIENCE DES EAUX. Rumex Hydrolapa- vine, Vitis vinifera. — ,BEAR'S. Vacci-
thum. — PERVENCHE. Vinca major. — nium Arctostaphylos and Arctostaphylos
RENOUEE. Polygonum orientale. — Vvaursi. —.CHICKEN. Vitis cordifolia.
SAUGE. Salvia officinalis. — VRILLE"E -.CORINTH. The fruits of the Black
Corinth variety of Vitis vinifera, which
BATARDE. Polygonum dumetorum. when dried form the currants or corinths
GRANGEA. A few small prostrate of the shops. FOX. —
Vitis vulpina
,
the tropics of both hemispheres ; and have GRAPE FLOWER. Muscari racemosum.
pinnatifld leaves, and solitary terminal
yellow flower-heads, much like those of a
GRAPHIDEI. A natural order of lichens,
distinguished by the disk of the fruit being
chamomile divested of its white ray florets linear and either simple or branched.
all the florets are tubular, the outer bearing
pistil only, the inner perfect.
There is generally a distinct receptacle,
G. maderas-
though this is sometimes wanting. It is
patana, a very common weed all over In-
exactly analogous to Hysterium amongst
dia, occurs in Brazil, growing abundantly
Fungi. Many fine species occur in tropical
in sandy plains, and is used, according to
countries, but temperate regions produce
Mr. Gardner, all over the country instead of
a great many, and we have many striking
chamomile, for which it is said to bean ex-
representatives in the genus Opegrapha,
\
[A. A. B.J
forests. In Sclerophyton the fruit is col-
GRANGERIA. A genus of Chrysobala- lected in linear elevations of the crust,
nacece. G. borbonica, the only species, is a so that it is parallel with Trypethelium
common bush or small tree of the Mauri- amongst Verrucaricei. Though Opegrapha
tius, where it is known as Arbre de Buis is socommon in the northern hemisphere,
(box tree,. has glossy green coriaceous
It I
itdoes not occur at all in New Zealand. In
leaves, in form like those of the common Arthronia, which is one of the lowest
box but somewhat larger and the small
; genera of lichens, the receptacle vanishes
white flowers are disposed in short ra-
j
are strap-shaped and neuter, the inner ones GRASS. A general name for all grarni- !
549 K\)t Erea^urj? nf botany. [gras
naceous plants. —
ARROW. Triglochin. also Potentilla anserina also an American
, ;
Andropogon. — BENT. Agrostis also ap- SOCK. Aira ccespitosa. — HEATH. Trio-
, , ,
, ,
of which is the canary seed of the shops. lonifera. —, LEMON. Andropogon Schce-
— , CARNATION. Carex glauca, and others. nanthus. —, LOB, or LOP. Bromus mol-
— , CAT'STAIL. Phleum. CHINA. The — , lis. —, LONG. Macrochloa. — LOVE. ,
CLAYER. An old name for Clover, Tri- MAIDENHAIR. Briza media. —, MANNA.
folium pratense. — COCKSCOMB.
, Cyno- Glyceria fluitans. —, MARL. Trifulium
surus echinatus. — COCK'SFOOT.
, Dacty- pratense, or, according to some authorities,
lic glomerata. — , COMB-FRINGE. Bacty- T. medium. —.MARRAM. Elymus arena-
locte nium. —
.COR.D. SpaHina striata. —, rius also
; Ammophila arenaria. —
COTTON. Eriophorum. , COUCH. Tri- — MARSH. An American name for Spartina.
ticum (Agropyrum) repens. — COW. Tri- , —, MARSH HEDGEHOG. Carex flava. —,
folium pratense also Polygonum aviculare.
; MAT. Nardus stricta; also Ammophila
— , CRAB. Digitaria sanguinalis also an ; arnuaria. —, MEADOW. Poa. — ,MELIC.
American name for Eleusine also Sali- ; Melica. —.MILLET. Milium; also Sorg-
cornia herbacea. — , CRESTED HAIR. hum vulgare, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria
Eceleria cristata. CUCKOO. Luzula — , italica,&e. —.MONKEY. commercial A
campestris. — DARNEL. Lolium also , ; name for the whalebone-like fibre of At-
especially Lolium temulentum. — DEER. talea funifera. — , MOOR. Sesleria ccerulea.
—
,
,
; j
grostis. , RIB. Plantago lanceolata. —,
GRAS] EI)£ Crcagurg ai 33atang. 550
chloa. —
SMALL. Hierochloa.
, SOFT. — ,
cinale. Haller says that the abundance of
IIolcus. — , SOUR. Panicum leucophceum.
this plant in some of the Swiss meadows
— SPARROW.
, Asparagus officinalis. — renders it dangerous to allow cattle to feed
SPEAR. Poa. —SPIKE. Uniola. — in them. G. peruviana has similar proper-
SPIKED. Triglochin. — SPIKED QUAK-
I
,
[M T M.]
ING. Brizopyrum. — SPRING. Antho-
ties.
,
naria segetalis, and Meiilotus segetalis. —, a smell which is unpleasant because of its
THIN. Agrostis elata and perennans. — intensity.
THREE-LEAVED. Trifolium. TIMO- — ,
GRAVESIA. A genus of Madagascar
THY. Phleum pratense. TRIPLE- — ,
Melastomacece, of which G. bertolonioides is
AWNED. Aristida. —, TOAD. Juncus
a nearly stemless hairy herb, with opposite
bufoniits. —.TURTLE.
Zostera marina.
ovate five to seven ribbed crenelled leaves,
—, TUSSAC, or TUSSOCK. Dactylis ccrspi- and flower-stalks arising from the axis
tosa. —, TWIG. Rhabdochloa. TWO- — ,
bearing an umbel of flowers which have a
PENNY. Lysimachia Numnudaria. —, top-shaped five-toothed hairy calyx, five
VANILLA. Hierochloa borealis. — VEL- ,
ovate petals, and ten stamens of equal
VET. Holcus lanatus. — VERNAL. ,
length, with the connective, produced be-
Anthoxanthum odoratum. — VIPER'S. ,
low into an obtuse spur-like appendage.
Scorzonera. —, WATER SCORPION. Myo-
This latter character serves to distinguish
sotis palustris. — WATER STAR. Lep- ,
the genus among its near allies. [A. A. B.]
tanlhus gramineus. WHEAT. Triticum. — ,
camporum from its growing on the Campos C'unninahamii, it is deeply cut, with sharp
or plains, has the habit of a wallflower, and prickly teeth ; in G. cinerea and buxi/vlta,
all its parts clothed with hoary pubescence.
The stems are furnished with alternate
spathulate sinuate leaves, and the pink or
white flowers, somewhat ike those of the
J
[R. H.J
;
ovate sessile anthers, one of which is at-
j
tached to the concave apex of each sepal ; GREWIA. An extensive genus of Tilia-
'
and an elongated curved style, with the ceaz, consisting of shrubs or small trees,
|
stigma either lateral or oblique, plane or with simple usually serrated leaves, natives
! concave. The seed-vessel, called a follicle, of the tropical and subtropical regions of
, is woody or leathery, containing one or two the Asiatic and African continents, and
I occasionally winged oval seeds. This is also of the islands of the Malayan Archi-
i the most extensive and also the handsom- pelago, the Fijis, &c, but not found on the
gbia] ULty gTrotfurg of 3Sotang, 552
five petals, each with a gland or hollow at nal clusters, with a funnel-shaped corolla,
the hase inside, and inserted at thebottom whose throat is hairy, and whose limb is
of the stalk-like receptacle of the three to divided into five oblong acute segments;
four-celled ovary, while the numerous sta- ovary two-celled, surmounted by a fleshy
mens arc inserted round its summit. The disk stigma undivided striated. The fruit
;
fruit consists of from one to four stones, is succulent and reddish. [M. T. M.]
each containing one or two seeds. Up- GRIGG. Calluna vulgaris.
wards of eighty species of this genus are
described. GRIGNON. (Fr.) The wood of Bucida
G. asiatica and sapida have both small Buceras.
red fruits, which, on account of their plea- GRIGRI. A name in Trinidad for the
sant acid taste, are commonly used in wood of Astrocaryum aculeatum.
Indiafor flavouring sherbets. The wood of
the Dhamnoo, G. elastica, a species common GRIMMIA. A genus acrocarpous
of
in the Himalayas, is very strong and elas- mosses, distinguished, as now reduced, by
tic,and is consequently much prized by the the columella not adhering to the lid, the
natives for making their bows, besides short even tip of the veil which is entire
which it is used for carriage-shafts and and not lacerated at the base, and the
other purposes where elasticity is requi- generally exserted capsule. The peri-
site. At the Cape of Good Hope, the elas- stome, when present, consists of sixteen
tic wood of G. occidentalis, called Kruys- large lanceolate convex teeth, which are
besje, is used for similar purposes. Most split once or twice. G. pulvinata, remark-
of the species have a fibrous inner bark, able for its curved peduncle, from whence
which is commonly employed by the na- it obtained formerly the name of the
tives for making flshing-nets, ropes, twine, Swan's-neck Bryum, forms cushion-like
&c. [A. S.] tufts, hoary with the long white hair-
points of the leaves, and thickly studded
GRIAS. A prenus of Barringtoniaeece pe-
with fruit. The other British species are
West Indies and the adjoining
culiar to the
either Alpine or subalpine. [M. J. B.]
mainland. The Anchovy Pear of Jamaica,
G. cauliflora, has long been cultivated in GRIMMIBI. A
natural order of mosses,
plant stoves for the sake of its magnificent with an equal often sessile capsule, a sin-
foliage. It is a slender tall unbranched gle peristome, a initrasform calyptra, and
tree, furnished at top with a large crown leaves of a dark green, always terminated
of drooping glossy-green alternate lance- by a white hair, and formed of punctiform
shaped or spathulate entire leaves, which cells. Schistidivm, in which the columella
are sometimes upwards of three feet long. is adnate with the lid, and the capsules
The flowers (.not well known) are said to be are immersed ; Griw.rn.ia, with its free
large, white, arranged in clusters which lid ; and Racomitrium, with its straggling
arise from the old wood, and consisting of habit, confirmed by the awl-shaped granu-
a superior four-toothed calyx, four rounded lated beak of the veil, are the British
petals, numerous stamens in five rows genera. Driptodon differs from Racomi-
with their stalks united at the base, and trium merely in its forked stems and fasti-
an ovary tipped with a cruciform sessile giate innovations, and is generally united
stigma. The fruits are said to be russet- with that genus. They are found in various
brown drupes, and to be pickled and eaten climates, Schistidium arpocarpum, which
like the mango, having a similar taste. G. is one of our more common mosses, ap-
Fendleri, found in Panama, with equally pearing also both in Asia and South Ame-
handsome leaves, has its flowers in short rica. [M. J. BJ
racemes arising from the trunk, yellow,
and one to two inches across. [A. A. B.] GRINDELIA. A genus of Composites
numbering upwards of a dozen species.
GRIFFINIA. A small genus of South The prairies of the Saskatchawan are
American Amaryllidacco?, consisting of their northern limit, Patagonia the south-
dwarfish bulbous plants, with broad oblong ern, and they are found in greatest plenty
petiolated nervose leaves, and a many- in Texas and Mexico. Their chief distin-
flowered umbel of handsome purplish guishing feature is the pappus, which
flowers. The perianth has a short cylin- consists of from two to eight rigid narrow
drical declinate tube, and unequal reflexed awns, which fall early. They are biennial
limb of six segments, the lower of which or perennial suffruticose plants, with
are divaricate, and the lowest stretched for- branching stems, spathulate radical leaves,
ward there are six stamens with thread-
;
and sessile or clasping cauline ones, and
shaped filaments, one of them ascending, yellow flower-heads, solitary at the ends
j
GRISLEA. A
genus of LythrncecB con- GROSSE GRIOTTE. (Fr.)Cerasus vul-
sisting of a few handsome opposite-leaved garis.— JONQUILLE. Narcissus odorus.
bushes or small trees. G. tomentosa. a very GROSSIFICATION. The swelling of the
common East Indian species, has sessile ovary after fertilisation.
lance-shaped entire leaves clothed with
white down underneath, and pretty scarlet GROSSULARIACE^E. (Grossulariece, Ri-
fuchsia-like blossoms arranged in axillary besiacece, Currantworts.) A
natural order
cymes, and consisting of a tubular colour- of calycifloral dicotyledons characterising
ed calyx with a four to six-toothed border, Lindley's grossal alliance of epigyi.ous
Exogens. Shrubs often spiny, with alter-
j
I
and a like number of green glands in the
clefts, four to six small narrow petals, nate palmately-lobed leaves, without true
stipules. Calyx superior, limb four to five-
:
lip, which is small and flve-lobed at the GRUBBIACE^E. A natural order of mo-
apex, and the two bilobed pollen-masses nochlamydeous dicotyledons, containing
have each a distinct caudicle attached to only the genus Grubbia, and referred by
an oval gland. G. Amherstice and G. galeata Lindley and others to the Bruniacecem the
are the two known species, both in culti- umbellal alliance of epigynous Exogens.
grub] ®%z Creajfttrg at Satang. 554
Some regard as an order which should
it hy jagging or notching the stem and allow-
be placed between Santalacece and Brunia- ing the exuding juice to harden or by ;
ceos, from the former of which it differs in boring holes in logs of the wood and then
habit and inflorescence, in the lobes of the placing them on a fire, so that the resin is
stamens scarcely adhering at the base, in melted and runs, through the hole into a
the form of the anthers, and in the bilo- calabash put to receive it or in small quan-
;
sago palm.
GRUVELIA. A genus of Boraginacece
from Chili, with the fruit as in Cynoglossnm,
but the corolla tubular, five-toothed at the
apex, and scarcely exceeding the calyx. It
has the habit of an Arenaria, and slender
leaves, the lower and middle ones opposite, Guaiacum officinale.
the upper alternate. [J. T. S.]
lands, not only for the sake of its shade, The flowers are of a rusty yellow colour,
but because the cattle feed and thrive on and are borne in racemes they have a five-
;
the foliage and fruit. The latter, coarsely parted calyx with a short t ube, and a corolla
bruised, are given to horses as a substitute of five nearly equal-sized petals, the sta-
j
for corn, their nutritive properties being mens being ten in number, distinct, and
'
attributed to the mucilage which abounds hairy at the base. The pods, which are
i in them, and also in the inner bark. This about two or three inches long, flattened,
I
mucilage is given out abundantly on in- but bulged out in the centre, and covered
i fusion or decoction in water, and, accord- with prickles, contain one, two, or three
i ing to the same authority, has been em- large bony seeds. G. Bouduc has solitary
Ginx] Qifyz ExetuZuvn ai 23ntang. 556
prickles on the leaves, and the seeds are of a ring of thick jointed hairs outside the
yellow. G. Bonducella differs by its prickles corolla tubes near the base. G. oleifera, a
being in pairs, and its seeds lead-coloured. plant with the habit of Bidens cernua, has
The seeds of both are very hard, and beau- lance-shaped stem-clasping leaves, and
tifully polished, and are called Nicker nuts solitary stalked yellow-rayed flower-heads
or Bonduc nuts, the latter word being de- about an inch and a half across at the ends
rived from the Arabic, Bondog, signifying of the twigs; the ray florets female; the disk
a necklace, the seeds being commonly florets perfect the achenes smooth and
;
strung into necklaces, bracelets, rosaries, destitute of pappus. The plant is culti-
&c. the kernels have a very bitter taste, vated in Abyssinia and in India for the sake
and are employed by Indian doctors as a of a bland oil like that of Sesamum, which
tonic and febrifuge. The roots also are is expressed from the seeds, and is com-
said to possess similar properties indeed,
: monly used in India as a lamp-oil and as a
the Singhalese employ every part of these condiment. The plant is sown jn the My-
plants medicinally. The oil obtained from sore districts in the autumn months, per-
the seeds is supposed to be useful in con- fecting its seeds in about twelve weeks
vulsions and palsy. [A. S.] after it is sown. The yield is said to be
about two bushels an acre. The oil is
GUILDINGIA. A group of melastomads 1 sweet-tasted, and is known in India as
now referred to Mouriria. Ram-til oil. [A. A.B.]
GTJILIELMA. A genus of palms confined
to the tropical regions of South America,
GUJ-PIPPTJL. Scindapsus officinalis.
and containing three species, which have GULF WEED (called also by voyagers
tall slender trunks marked with circular
Sea-lentils, Sea-grasses, and Sargazo) is the
scars and armed with exceedingly sharp celebrated Sargassum bacciferum, which
black spines. The large pinnate leaves have occupies a more or less interrupted space
spiny leaflets and footstalks. The flower between the 20th and 45th parallels of north
spikes are simply branched, and bear male latitude, extending over more than a quar-
and female flowers mixed together. The ter of a million of square miles. It was first
fruit is large and egg-shaped, containing a
discovered by Columbus, unless indeed the
single seed. Phoenicians fell in with it during their
G. speciosa, the Peach Palm, a native of
early voyages, as seems possible from a
Venezuela and Guiana, is cultivated on passage in Aristotle. The seaweed floats
the banks of the Amazon and Rio Negro. on the surface, being propagated from age
It grows sixty or eighty feet high, and has
to age by buds, and never in that situation
its stems armed with rings of long sharp
yielding fruit, which when produced con-
needle-like spines. The fruits, which are sists of little bundles of receptacles in the
borne in large drooping bunches, are about axils of the leaves. The area occupied by
the size of apricots, and of a bright scarlet the seaweed is determined by the course
colour at the top passing into bright orange of the currents in the Atlantic, and occa-
below ; their fleshy outer portion (sarco- sionally a few stragglers are carried north-
carp) contains a large quantity of starchy ward by the Gulf Stream, and are thrown
matter, which forms a considerable portion even upon our own coasts. The origin
of the food of the natives. They are either of this mass of seaweed has not been de-
boiled or roasted, and when eaten with salt termined. Its increase in deep water is,
resemble a potato in flavour; or they are however, the less surprising if we remem-
sometimes eaten with molasses. A bever- ber that the root of seaweeds merely per-
age is also prepared by fermenting them in forms the office of a holdfast, and has not
water; and the meal obtained from them the function of a true root. [M. J. B.]
is made into cakes. The wood of old trees
is black, and so exceedingly hard that it GUM, ACAROID. A resinous product
turns the edge of an ordinary axe. [A. S.] of Xanthorrhcea hastilis or arborea. —
Bromus AMMONIACUM. The gum-resin of Bo-
GTJILNO. (Fr.) catharticus.
rema ammoniacum. — ANIME orANIMI.
GUIMAUVE. (Fr.) Althcea officinalis. A resinous product of Hymencea Courbaril;
— EN ARBRE. Hibiscus syriacus. also Indian Copal, the produce of Valeria
GUINCHE. (Fr.) Molinia ccerulea.
indica. —
ARABIC. The gummy
product
of various Acacias, as vera, arabica, Verek,
GUINDOLLE, or GUINDOUX. (Fr.) Seyal, Senegal, tortilis, &c. , —
ARTIFI-
Cerasus vulgaris. CIAL. Dextrine, obtained from potato
FLOWER. starch. , —
AUSTRALIAN. kind of A
GTTINEA-HEN Fritillaria
gum arabic. , —
BABOOL. The gum of
meleagris. Acacia arabica. —
.BAR.BARY. The gum
GUINEA-HEN "WEED. Petiveria allia- of Acacia gummifera. —, BASSORA. A
cea. gum whose origin is unknown it is sup- ;
APyssinia and India, and nearly related to gum-resin of Butea frondosa and superba.
—
:
capensis. —
CARANA. The gum-resin
,
GUM-ARABIC TREE. Acacia Verek. —,
of Idea Carana. — CASHEW. The gum , RED. Acacia Adansonii.
of Anacardium occidentale. — CEDAR. A ,
GUM-WOOD. The timber -bf Eucalyptus.
gum-resin resembling olibanum, obtained
in the Cape Colony from Widdringtoniaju- GUMBO MUSQUE. The seeds of Abel-
niperoides. —
, CHERRY-TREE. The gum moschus moschatus.
produced from the stems of Cerasus avium GUNDALI. An Indian name for Pcede-
and vulgaris, Primus dnmestica, and other riafoetida.
drupaceous trees. —COPAL. A gum-resin-
GUNGUN, or GUNJUN. A balsamic pro-
j
gum-resinous juice variously ascribed to stamens two, alternate with the two small
Moronobea coccinea, Rhus Metopium, Clusia lobes of the perigone; stigmas two, plu-
flava, and Hedwigia balsamifera. JUNI- — mose. The name was given by Linnseus
PER. The resin of CaUitris quadrivalvis. in honour of Ernest Gunner, a bishop of
— KINO. The gum of Pterocarpus erina- Norway, who published a flora of that
ceus, and according to some of Pterocarpus country. The plants are herbaceous, na-
Marsupium also a similar product of Eu-
: tives of South America and the Sandwich
calyptus resinifera. KUTEERA. The — Isles. One of them, G. scabra, is known in
gum of Cochlospermum Gossypium, or ac- gardens by its coarse rough rhubarb-like
cording to others of Sterculia urens, or of lobed leaves, and its singular elongated
Acacia leucophlcea. —LAC. The gummy conical inflorescence. [G. D.]
product of Erythrina monosperma, and in
Ceylon of Aleurites laccifera a similar
GUNNIA australis is the only epi-
;
phytal orchid of Tasmania, where it is
product is yielded by Ficus indica, beng-
halensis, &c. —
LADANUM. The gum- found growing on the stems of trees and
shrubs. It is a little plant, hardly a span
resinous product of Cistus creticus also
of C. ladaniferus and Ledmi. LE- — ;
high, with wiry roots, a few lance-shaped
leaves three to four inches long, and
DON. Cistus Ledon. MOROCCO. The — ,
with pink, not unlike those of some Mag- many-celled; stigma usually sessile and
nolias, and disposed in racemes or umbels radiate. Fruit dry or succulent, one or
at the ends of the twigs. They consist of many-celled; seeds exalbuminous, often im-
a top-shaped calyx with an entire or lobed mersed in pulp. Natives of humid and hot
border, four to eight rounded or oval petals, places in tropical regions, chiefly in South
very numerous stamens whose filaments America. Several are found in India, a
are united below into a ring and a four to
; few in Madagascar and the continent of
six-celled ovary tipped with a short conical Africa. The plants are generally acrid, and
style and sulcate stigma. The fruits are yield a yellow gum-resin. Gamboge is pro-
somewhat fleshy and apple-like. The wood duced by Cambogia Gutta, Garcinia cochin-
of G. urceolata, used for making hoops, is chinensis, G. elUptica, and G. tinctoria. The
called Bois puant in Cayenne, because it famous mangosteen fruit is procured from
becomes very fcetid after exposure to the Garcinia Mangostana. The American
air. The small fruits of G. speciosa, accord- mammee apple is the produce of Mammea
ing to Humboldt, when eaten, have the americana. Keena oil is obtained from
singular property of causing the body to species of Calophyllum. The Clusias are
assume a yellow colour, which, however, handsome trees. Pentadesma butyracea is
leaves in the course of a day or two
it the butter and tallow tree of Sierra Leone ;
without any application. The bruised its fruit yields fatty matter. There are
leaves of G. brasiliana are said by Martius 32 known genera and upwards of 150 spe-
to have an unpleasant smell, and are cies. Examples : Clusia, Garcinia, Cam-
used in cases of indurated liver. The roots bogia, Calophyllum. [J. H. B.]
are acrid, aromatic, and bitter ; and the
emetic fruit intoxicates flsh. [A. A. B.] GTJYONIA. A genus of Melastomacece,
bearing pentamerous flowers, having the
GUTHNICKIA. The name of a few spe- teeth of the calyx acute, the petals ovate-
cies separated from Achimenes. It forms lanceolate, the stamens ten, equal, with
one of the genera with a perigynous and ovoid blunt anthers, and the ovary five-
nearly entire thickened ring, and a stoma- celled. They are tender smooth herbs
tomorphous stigma. Among these it is with prostrate and ascending steins, small
known by the long gaping corolla, the tube rhomboid-ovate leaves, and small solitary
of which is straight and subcylindrical, rose-coloured flowers. G. tenella inhabits
and by the stamens being adnate with the moist ground on the banks of the Sene-
lower part of the corolla tube. They are gambia rivers. [J. B". B.]
hairy leafy Mexican herbs, with solitary GUZMANNIA. A genus of tropical
axillary scarlet flowers. [T. M.] American herbs, belonging to the Brome-
GUTTA PERCHA. The gum-resin of liacew, and having an inferior calyx of
Isonandra Gutta. — TRAP. The inspis- three equal segments cohering at the base
sated sap of Artocarpus. and spirally twisted, three petals rolled
together into a tube, the anthers also co-
GUTTATUS. Spotted: that is, when hering so as to form a tube. The seeds are
colour is disposed in small spots. numerous, provided with hairs, and en-
GI7TIERREZIA. A
small genus of com- closed in a three-celled three-valved capsule.
posite plants, of the same group as Solklago, G. tricolor is a pretty species with flowers on
and differing from its near allies in the ! a spike, concealed by the bracts, the lower-
achenes of the disk and ray florets being most of which are green, while the upper
fertile and furnished with a pappus of are scarlet. [M. T. MJ
several linear or oblong chaffy scales. GYMNADENTA. A genus of terres-
They are peculiar to America, and extend I
trial orchids, founded on the Orchis conop-
from the prairies of the Red River to sea, which has the pollen-masses not en-
Mexico, a few occurring in Chili and the closed in any process of the stigma. Seve-
extreme south of the continent. For the ral other species of European and North
most part they are branching herbs one to American orchids have been associated
three feet high, with slender twiggy steins with it by some botanists, whilst others
furnished with linear entire gummy leaves, i
retain them in Orchis or in Hqbenaria.
and small yellow flower-heads very nume-
rous, arranged in corymbs at the ends of GYMNANDRA. A genus of Selaginaceai,
the twigs. G. gymnospermoides, the only containing six speciesof herbaceousplants,
species with any pretensions to beauty, has natives of Siberia, Arctic America, and
flowers very much larger than the others, the mountains of India. The flowers
and not unlike those of Pulicaria dysen- .
grow in long spikes at the apex of an erect
terica. [A. A. B.] !
scape. The calyx is spathe-like, with a
fissure in front, and two or three-lobed be-
CH'TTIFER^E. (Chisiacea, Guttifers.) A ! hind the tubular corolla is two-lipped
; ;
natural order of thalamifloral dicotyledons, , there are two stamens the free bilocular
;
belonging to Lindley's guttiferal alliance ovary bears a long exserted style and a
of bypogynous Exogens. Trees or shrubs stigma with two capitate lobes and the ;
with a resinous juice, opposite leathery fruit is surrounded by the withered bracts
entire leaves, and often incomplete flow- and ^alyx.and consists of two achenes each
ers : sepals and petals two four five six containing a cylindrical pendulous seed.
or eight, the former often unequal, the The structure of the fruit of this genus se-
latter equilateral; stamens numerous, parates it from Scrophulariacece, to which it
5-59 Ci)£ Eica^urg af SSatang. [gyivin
j
; quently forked— that is to say, the spore-
ers have nine stamens in three rows, the
i
|
cases, being distributed along a portion of
j
inner row bearing sessile glands, a long S
the veins, are continued both above and
|
style, and an abortive ovary the females
:
below the points where the veins fork.
]
nine sterile stamens, a one-celled ovary, The sori in some species are very much
and a short style. The fruit is succulent, j
calyx tube, along with the ten short dis- GYMNOGYNOUS. Having a naked ovary.
. tinct stamens. The fruit is a hard flat- GYMNOMESIUM. A genus differing but
<
tened pod, from six to ten inches long,
from Arum, except in the presence of
little
containing several flattish seeds imbedded
j
;
[
\
soap, forms a lather in water. fA. S.] i having a calyx with a contracted throat. •
gymn] K\yt EreaSttrji of 2Safcmg. 560
a five-parted corolla, anthers cohering into its summit a number of clustered slender
a cone, aucl an ovate beaked few-seeded spikes or spadices, each having at its base
fruit. [M. T. M.] a short keeled spathe stamens four
;
lobes ;
surrounding an ovary which is tipped
ments and the four-celled ovary is globose
;
I
Brazil and Chili, save one, G. zelandicum. GYXOPHORE. The stalk of the ovary,
i That which is best known and cultivated within the origin of the calyx.
in Britain is G. argenteum, the Pampas
!
I
grass, so called from its being a native of GYXOPLEURA. A
genus of Chilian
the vast plains of South America called herbs, with entire or lobed leaves, and
1
Pampas. This splendid grass has proved yellow flowers in terminal clusters or
sufficiently hardy to withstand the rigours tufts. They belong to the Malesherbiacea?,
of our winters in Britain without protec- and are known by their bell-shaped calyx,
tion; and blossoming as it does in October, five petals inserted outside an annular
when most other flowers are past, its value membranous slightly toothed corona,
is much enhanced. Few plants produce a
which is attached to the throat of the
finer effect than good tufts of this grass, calyx and five stamens, inserted at the
;
either when cultivated singly on lawns, or base of a short stalk that supports the
in the front of shrubberies, where evergreen one-celled ovary. [M. T. MJ
plants afford a dark background, as a con- GYXOSTEMIUM. The column of or-
trast to its large silvery-white feather-like chids that is to say, the part formed by
;
rymbs. Another and larger group, which is placed in pairs opposite the lobes of the
restricted to the Andean regions of Equa- perianth. [M. T. M.]
dor and New Grenada, are erect opposite-
leaved hushes or small trees, with white or GYROCARPUS. A genus of apetalous
yellow rayed or ray less flower-heads, resem- Exogens, consisting of trees having poly-
bling those of our own groundsels. This gamous flowers, natives of the East Indies
latter group M. Weddell keeps alone in the and tropical parts of America. The leaves
genus, and places the former with true are alternate, undivided or lobed, and the
groundsels. To the latter belongs G.fra- flowers are collected in dense panicles.
grans, the only species known in cultiva- The calyx in the hermaphrodite flowers is
tion, a scandent bush with somewhat superior, and four to eight-lcbed the sta-;
fleshy ovate leaves, and pale yellow fra- mens four, with glands interposed, and the
grant flowers, the heads about an inch anthers remarkable for opening by valves
across and disposed in loose corymbs at the which turn upwards. The ovary, which is
ends of the twigs. About twenty species completely adherent to the tube of the
are enumerated. [A. A. B.] calyx, is one-celled with one pendulous
ovule, the style slender, and the stigma
GYNURA. A genus of the composite obtuse. The fruit is nut-like, two-winged
family, containing upwards of twenty at the apex, from two of the lobes of the
species, all found in the tropics of the calyx enlarging while the others fall off.
eastern hemisphere, occurring in greatest The male flowers have the same lobed
nuibbers in India and its Archipelago. calyx and stamens as the hermaphrodite.
From Senecio, to which it is closely allied, This genus is very near Illigera, from
it differs in the style-branches having long which it differs in its fruit being winged
protruding points. Many of the species at the apex, not on the sides, and in com-
are coarse perennial weeds, with distantly mon with it is nearly allied to Lauracece
toothed or pinnatifld leaves, the angular and Combretacew, with the latter of which
stems terminating in corymbs of rich families it has been combined. It is some-
yellow flower-heads, whose florets are all times considered as the type of a distinct
tubular. Other species are scrambling family, and separated under the name of
undershrubs. The rootstocks in some are Gyrocarpece. [B. C]
thick and fleshy, and not unfrequently the
leaves are of a fine purple colour under-
GYROMA, or GYRUS. The ring or ar-
ticulated circle which surrounds the spore-
neath, which is the case with the G. bicolor,
cases of ferns also a button-like shield,
;
a species from the Moluccas, cultivated in
such as is found among lichens in the genus
hothouses for the sake of its leaves, and
Gyrophora.
having rich orange-coloured flower-heads
disposed in loose corymbs. [A. A. BJ GYROPHORA. A genus of lichens be-
longing to the order Pyxinei, distinguished
GYPSOCALLIS. Erica. by its curiously convoluted fruit, a num-
GYPSOPHILA. A genus of annual or ber of disks being produced in a pro-
perennial evergreen herbaceous plants be- liferous manner within the original fruit.
longing to the Carijoplujllacece, in the alsi- The species grow on rocks and large
neous division of which they are distin- boulders, and are remarkable as supplying
guished by having the calyx campanulate, the Tripe de Roche of the Arctic voyagers,
angular, somewhat flve-lobed, the margins so called from the bullate dilated frond. The
membranous five petals without claws
; ;
bitter principle is so strong in these plants,
ten stamens two styles and a one-celled
; ; that, though they have considerable nutri-
capsule. The species, which are numerous, tive qualities, they do not agree as an
have leaves like those of the pink, and article of food with many constitutions.
small white or pink flowers, which are Uiiibilicaria, which is distinguished by the
usually disposed in diffuse panicles. They more simple disks, supplies also a part of
inhabit various parts of Europe and Asia, the Tripe, which is collected without much
growing mostly in rocky or stony places, discrimination of species. [M. J. B.]
especially in a limestone soil. Some of GYROSE. Bent backwards and forwards
them are occasionally cultivated as border as the anthers of cucurbits.
plants, or on rockeries. [C. A. J.]
GYROSELLE. (Fr.) Dodecatheon.
GYRANDRA. A Mexican perennial with
the habit of a Chironia, and forming a GYROSTEMON. A genus of Gyrostemo-
genus of Gentianacca?. The flowers have a nece, consisting of small branched shrubs
five-parted wheel-shaped purple corolla, from South-western Australia with alter-
into the throat of which are inserted the nate linear semi-cylindrical mucronate
stamens, whose showy yellow twisted an- leaves, and solitary axillary stalked dioe-
thers give a distinguishing character and cious flowers, with a six or seven-lobed
name to the genus. [M. T. M.] calyx the males have numerous stamens,
;
persistent style, and broadly expanded stig- broad disk at the base, has four ovules near
|
mas, surrounded by a papillose band twisted the middle, and is surmounted by an acute
once spirally. The only species, H. dipe- stigma. [W. C]
tala, a shrub with semicordate petiolate
I
the mode of fertilisation in these two corolla, with the limb contracted and five-
plants, see Mr. Darwin's book, On the Ferti- toothed five stamens concealed within
;
lisation of Orchids. Some of the Indian the corolla and a button-shaped stigma.
;
species are notable for the length of spur, The fruit is succulent, surrounded by the
as in the appropriately named H. longecal- calyx, two-celled, each cell containing a
carata, where, with flowers an inch across, few seeds. The panicles of red or purple
the spur is four inches in length. The flowers are borne in abundance, and
habit of most of the species is similar to justify the name applied to them— which
that of our native Orchis, to which they are signifies graceful branch. [M. T. MJ
closely related, differing chiefly in the two
HABROZIA. A genus of Scleranthacece,
glands of the pollen-masses being inserted differing from the rest of the order in hav-
into separate pouches instead of into ing the utricle adhering to the seed, and
a common one. The flowers vary much the calyx tube not constricted at the
in colour, some being green, others rose, throat. It is a small annual oriental herb,
a goodly number golden yellow, but the with slender stems, setaceous leaves, and
greater part white, and usually very fra- many-flowered terminal cymes. [J. T. S.J
grant. [A. A. B.]
HABZELIA. A small genus of Anonacea>,
HABIXE. (Fr.) Bolichos melanoph-
having a very wide geographical distribu-
thalmus. tion, two species being found in Malaya,
HABIT. The general appearance of a two on the western coast of tropical Africa,
plant its manner of growth, without re- and the remainder in Guiana and Cuba. It
;
leaves, covered with whitish down under- ing a globose or oblong berry. [T. M.J
neath, but smooth and green above, is a
native of Western Africa, where its fruit,
HiEMARIA discolor, or, as it has been
called, Goodyera discolor, is a small herba-
which consists of a number of smooth pod-
ceous orchid of South China, having creep-
like carpels about the thickness of a quill,
ing succulent stems throwing out roots at
and two inches long, is dried and used in-
intervals, bearing towards the apex a few
stead of pepper, whence it is often called
ovate leaves, and ending in an erect flower-
Negro-pepper, Guinea pepper, or Ethiopian
spike a few inches in length furnished
pepper, and by old authors Piper cethiopi-
cum. The fruits of H. undulata are used
with a number of crimson bracts. The
leaves are nearly three inches long, green
in the same way, as also are those of H.
above, and crimson underneath and the
aromatica indeed; it is probable that the
:
;
HACQUETIA. A
genus of umbellifers,
S.MM ATITICTTS. Dull red, with a slight
mixture of brown.
distinguished by having the limb of the
calyx leaf-like and persistent, forming a H^MATOCOCCUS. A genus of chloro-
crown to the fruit, which is contracted at sperms, in which, however, some of the
the sides, each half having five narrow ribs. species have red, and some green spores,
The genus was named in honour of Hac- and probably for this reason the word
quet, who published an account of the Glceocapsa has been substituted for it. The
Alpine plants of Carniola. H. Epipactis, plants consist of a shapeless gelatinous
the only species, is a small herbaceous mass made up of vesicles containing a
perennial plant resembling an Astrantia, variable number of spores which propa-
having digitate three-lobed leaves, and a gate the plant by cell-division, new cells
single umbel of yellow flowers. [G. D.] being formed from the divided spores
within the mother cell. The species are
HADSCHY. The narcotic Hashish, Can-
numerous, and are important as illustrat-
nabis sativa.
ing under a simple form the great prin-
H^EMADICTYOK A genus of dogbanes, ciple of increase by cell-division. The
distinguished by the border of the corolla individual plants closely resemble the
having five equal broad bent lobes, its gonidia of Ephebe. Some of the species are,
tube having on its inside five small scales it is believed, merely an early stage of
alternate with the lobes; the style ending certain lichens. [M. J. B.]
in a head-like summit and by five small
;
spreading segments, and a short tube the ; flowers are produced in racemes from the
stamens six, exserted; the style filiform, bases of the leaves. The pod is flat, tapered
with a simple or obsoletely three-lobed to both ends, and contains two seeds, but
565 K\)t EveaSurj? af 33atang. [hake
instead of splitting open along the edges, tral America; the remainder being from
as many other pods do when ripe, its thin the West Indian Islands. [A. S.]
sides burst irregularly and allow the escape
H.3SMODORACE.E. [Velloziece, Blood-
of the seeds.
Logwood, the produce of this tree, was
roots.) A natural order of epigynous mono-
cotyledons belongingto Lindley'snarcissal
one of the valuable commodities intro- alliance of Endogens. Perennial plants
duced into Europe by the Spaniards, during with fibrous roots, and sword-shaped equi-
the early part of the century following the tant leaves, and bearing woolly hairs or
discovery of America by Columbus. Its scurf on their stems and flowers. Perianth
use in England dates from the time of tubular, six-divided stamens three, placed
Queen Elizabeth, but the dyers of that ;
HAIMARADA. Vandellia
HATR, AFRICAN. The fibre of the leaves
of the Palmetto, Chamcerops humilis.
HAIRBELL. Campanula rotundifolia.
Haematoxylon campechianum. HAIR-BRANCH TREE. Trichocladus
crinitus.
passed prohibiting its use, and ordering it
to be burned wherever found within the HAIR-POINTED. Terminating in a very
realm ; was subsequently
and although it fine weak point.
surreptitiously introduced under the name
HAIR-SHAPED. The same as Filiform,
of Black-wood, this law was not repealed but more slender, so as to resemble a hair;
until the time of Charles II., nearly a cen-
it isoften applied to the fine ramifications
tury afterwards. At the present day it is
of the inflorescence of grasses.
largely employed by calico-printers and
cloth-dyers, and also by hat-makers, who HAIRS. Small delicate transparent co-
use it, in combination with indigo and nical expansions of the epidermis, con-
certain mordants, for imparting the fine sisting of one or more cells.
black to silk hats. It likewise forms an
ingredient in some of the commoner de-
HAIRY. Covered with short weak thin
hairs.
scriptions of writing-ink. Its properties
depend upon the presence of a colouring HAIR-TRIGGER FLOWER. Stylidium
principle termed hcematoxylin or hcematin graminifolium.
by Chevreul. HAT-TSAI. A transparent gluten much
Logwood occurs in commerce in logs used in China the chief ingredient is sup-
;
about three feet long, and consists of the
posed to be Plocaria tenax, a small sea-
heart-wood of the tree, from which the sap-
weed.
wood, which is light-coloured and value-
less, has been removed. It is of a deep dull HAKEA. A large proteaceous genus
brownish-red colour, and very hard and containing above one hundred species. It
heavy and, for the convenience of dyers,
; is distinguished by having a calyx irre-
it is cut into chips by means of powerful gularly four-cleft or with four linear or
machinery. Our imports in 1860 amounted spatnulate sepals, each lobe or sepal bear-
to 26,938 tons, the greater and most valued ing on its concave apex an ovate sessile
portion of which was the produce of Cen- anther; a filiform style, and terminal or
haxb] Cf)e CreaSurg at botany. 566
oblique stigma; and a one-celled seed- slightly 'that they easily
separate. —
vessel (follicle), which is generally woody, NETTED. When of several layers of any-
ovate or oblong and swollen, rarely glo- thing, the outer one only is netted as in
bose, smooth or tuberculated, and often the roots of Gladiolus communis. STEM-— ;
with two spurs. The foliage is extremely CLASPING. Clasping the base in a small
variable in H.acicularis,propinqua, pugio-
: degree. —
TEB.ETE. A
long narrow body,
niformis, lonyicuspis, Cunniughamii, lorea, flat on one side, convex on the other.
&c, it is simple, filiform, occasionally far- HALVED. When the inequality of the
rowed, and the points mostly very sharp, two sides of an organ is so great that one
the leaves in the last-named species being half of the figure is either wholly or nearly
from eighteen inches to two feet in length wanting, as the leaf of many Begonias.
in H. lasiocarpha, trifurcata, &c, it is very
narrow and flat in H. linear is, florida, ilici-
; HALIANTHE. (Fr.) Arenariapeploides.
folia, prostrata, &c, it is linear-lanceolate
or ovate, with more or less spiny margins
HALIDRYS. A generic name given to
;
the old Fucus siliquosus, which is a fre-
in H. cucullata, conchifolia, and Victoria;, it
quent inhabitant of our coasts, and dis-
is broadly heart-shaped, with toothed mar-
tinguished at once from all other native
gins in H.arborescens, Leucadendron, pan-
;
Algce by the pod-like jointed air-bladders.
danicarpa, dactyloides, &c, it is linear-
spathulate and of a very leathery texture.
The only other representative of the ge-
nus, H. osmundacea, is found on the north-
The fruit of //. pandanicarpa is very large, west coast of America. [M. J. B.]
and. covered with conical tubercles. The
leaves in H. mimosoides, saligna, olei/olia, HALIMEDA. A genus of calcareous
&c, are either lanceolate or ovate. The green-spored Alga, with the habit of the
genus consists generally of tall shrubs, or Indian fig, belonging to the natural order
occasionally of small trees, as H. lorea, Siphbnece. The frond is composed, like
Preissii, arborescens, &c. Some of the Caulerpa, of a branched thread which tra-
species have been found in every portion A'erses every part of the plant, but never
of Australia and Tasmania that has yet has any articulations. The endochrome is
been visited. [R. H.] at length resolved into minute zoospores.
The species are all inhabitants of warm
HALBERD-WEED. Neurolcena. seas. H. Opuntia is widely diffused, and is
H ALBERT-HE ADED. Abruptly enlarged found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
at the base into two diverging lobes, like and also in the Mediterranean and Red
the head of a halbert. seas. The plants grow in sand or amongst
fragments of shells, being attached by a
HALEDSCH. Balanites cegyptiaca.
mass of fine thread-like roots, which grasp
HALENIA. A genus of Siberian herba- the particles of sand &c, and form a little
ceous plants of the gentian family. Their ball. [M. J. B.]
flowers have a four-parted calyx a four-
;
HALESIA. A genus of Styracacece, dif- slightly fleshy leaves, with a mealy cover-
fering from the others in its two to four- ing, and axillary glomerules of small
winged fruits, which are one to two inches flowers arranged in interrupted spikes.
long, with a bony one to four-celled kernel. The fruit is remarkable from the peduncu-
The Snowdrop or Silver-bell trees, as the lated obcordate fruiting bracts. [J. T. S.]
species are commonly called, are natives
of the United States. They are deciduous HALLERIA. A genus of Scrophulariacece,
shrubs or small trees with alternate stalked consisting of erect glabrous shrubs, with
ovate-oblong toothed leaves, an inch or two opposite ovate evergreen leaves, and showy
long when the plant is in flower, but much scarlet flowers, solitary or clustered in the
larger when mature. The flowers bear |
upper axils. The shape of the corolla is
much resemblance to snowdrops, and are nearly that of a Pentstemon, but the calyx
is broad and cup-shaped there is no rudi-
supported on slender drooping stalks, two i
;
cordate on one side only. MONOPET- and in their axils solitary or twin stalked
ALOUS. Having the petals united, but so flowers, nearly the size of those of a vetch,
567 ®t)e Ereatfurg al SSotanj?. [hame
and violet-coloured. most, common mare's-tail of our ponds. There
The genus is
nearly related to Alhagi but they are are ten genera and about eighty species.
;
spiny erect bushes, with more than one Examples Hippuris, Myriophyllum, Halo- :
i seed to the pod, while here the habit is ragis, Trapa. [J. H. B.]
very different, and the minute compressed HALORAGIS. A genus of Haloragacew,
pods have but one seed. Linnaeus named differing from the greater number of
the genus after Berger Martin Hall, one of plants of this order, in not being aquatic.
his pupils. [A. A. B.]
They occur in tropical Asia, and more
HALOCXEMTTM. A genus of Chenopo- abundantly in Australia and Xew Zealand.
diacece, allied to Salicornia, but having the Their lower leaves are opposite, the upper
perigone of three scale-like leaves, not often alternate and the flowers are axil- ;
monophyllous. They are small leafless lary, solitary or aggregated, combined into
jointed-stemmed plants, with the flowers spikes, racemes, or even panicles. H.
collected into terminal spikes, much as in citriodora, the Piri-jiri of the Xew Zea-
Salicornia, They occur chiefly in Southern landers, has scented leaves. [J. T. SJ
verse wings when in fruit. The seeds of eight, the anthers introrse ;ovary two-
H. tamariscifolium, a Spanish species, are celled, inferior; ovules solitary or several
called Spanish Wormseed from their an- styles two. Fruit two-valved; seeds pen-
thelmintic properties. [J. T. S.] dulous, albuminous. In some of the plants
there are circular disk-like markings in the
HALOPHILA. A genus of small her-
•>
woody tubes. Xatives of Xorth America,
baceous plants growing in salt marshes in Asia, and Africa. There are thirteen
Madagascar and elsewhere, usually referred
|
and in the female ones, a stalked one- petals the stamens four, alternate with
;
celled ovary. [M. T. M.] the petals, and having four scale-like bodies
—rudimentary stamens -opposite the pe-
HALORAGACE.E. (Haloragece, Hippuri- tals. The name was adopted from a Greek
dece, Cercodiance,Hydrocaryes, Hippurids.) term used to indicate resemblance to an
A natural order of calycifloral dicotyle-
l
solitary, pendulous. The plants may be while the leaves and bark are astringent.
regarded as an imperfect form of Onar It is employed as a remedy in various
graces. They are found in damp places, ways by the aborigines. [G.D.J
ditches, and slow streams in all parts of
the world. Some yield edible seeds. The
HAMATO-SERRATUS. "When serra-
kernels of Tmpa nutans and T. bicornis,
tures have a somewhat hooked form.
called water chestnuts, and of T. bispinom, HAMELIA. Tropical American shrubs,
singhara nuts, are used as articles of diet. forming a genus of Cinchonacece, named in
The fruit of these plants has a peculiar honour of M. du Hamel, a noted French
horned aspect. Hippuris vulgaris is the vegetable physiologist. The flowers are
Hame] %fyz €vzz$uxu at 23atang. 568
orange-coloured and tubular stamens five,
; one seed and the fruit is oval, covered
;
concealed within the corolla: ovary tive- with long spines, and bursting open like
celled, surmounted by an epigynous disk that of Momordica, propelling the flat
style simple stigma undivided; fruit suc-
; circular seeds (resembling those of Feuil-
culent, five-celled, with numerous seeds in lea) to some distance. The Mexican squir-
each compartment. H. -patens and other rels are fond of eating the seeds, but, being
species are in cultivation as stove plants, unable to open a fruit so well protected by
and have handsome flowers. [M. T. M.] spines, they wait in the morning for the
HAMELINIA. A genus founded by time when the first rays of the sun fall
Richard on imperfect female specimens of upon the ripe ones and cause them to burst.
Astelia Banksii or Solandri, and conse-
The Mexicans term the plant Chayotilla,
quently not adopted by other botanists
from the close resemblance of its fruit to
that of the cayotl or chayota (Sechium
who have had better opportunities of ex- edule). [B. S.J
amining these species. [J. T. S.]
HAMI (adj. HAMATE, HAMOSE). Heimia HANCHINOL. The Mexican name for
salicifolia.
Hooks, hairs, or small spines which are
hooked at the point. HANCORNIA. A small genus of Apocy-
nacece, found in Brazil, and forming small
HAMILTONTA. Indian shrubs with trees or shrubs, abounding in all parts with
fragrant flowers, constituting a genus of
a viscid milky juice, which is one of the
Cinchonacece. The flowers have a funnel-
sources of caoutchouc. They have entire
shaped corolla with a long tube and a limb
opposite leaves, marked with pellucid
divided into five oblong lobes; stamens
veins; and sweet-smelling flowers resem-
five, concealed within the tube of the
bling those of the jasmine. The calyx is
corolla; ovary inferior, five-celled; style
five-parted, without glands; the corolla
simple; stigma with five acute segments
has a long narrow tube, hairy inside, and
capsule one-celled, with five one-seeded
the Ave segments spread out when the
stones. R. suaveolens and H. scabra are flower opens, but are previously rolled
cultivated in stoves, for the sake of their
round each other; the five stamens are
white fragrant flowers. [M. T. MJ
inserted into the middle of the tube and ;
HAMMERSEDGE. Carex hirta. the ovary is divided into two cells, and has
a long thread-like smooth style, and a
HAMPEA. A genus of the Bombax forked stigma. The fruit is a large globu-
family peculiar in the nature of its fruits, lar or pear-shaped fleshy berry, exuding a
which are rusty-coloured capsules of the milky juice when wounded, and contain-
size of a cherry, bursting into two or three
ing numerous hard seeds lying in pulp.
portions, each portion containing a single
E, speciosa is a small tree somewhat re-
seed with a fleshy aril at its base. There
sembling the weeping-birch in habit, with
are but two species, one a Mexican bush,
drooping branches, and small oblong
the other a tree of New Grenada. Both leaves, sharp at the base, and rounded but
have alternate long-stalked leaves, like
with a short point at the apex. It is called
those of the common poplar but larger; Mangaba or Mangava, and bears a most deli-
and bear on the same tree sterile and fer- cious fruit, which is a great favourite with
tile white flowers, about half an inch the Brazilians, but is only fit to eat when
across, solitai-y or two to three together in perfectly ripe, or after being kept for a
the axils of the leaves. They have a bell- short time. It is about the size of a plum,
shaped calyx with an entire border, five of a yellow colour marked with red spots or
narrow petals slightly united at the base, streaks. The milky juice of the tree, when
and numerous stamens of unequal length ;
exposed to the air, hardens into a kind of
or, in the fertile flowers, a few barren sta-
caoutchouc. [A. SJ
mens united into a ring inserted on the
base of the petals, and surrounding the HAND-PLANT. Clieirostemon plata-
ovary. [A. A. B.] iwides.
HAMULOSE. Covered with little hooks. HANNEBANNE. (Fr.) Hyoscyamus
HAMULUS. A kind of hooked bristle niger.
found in the flower of Uncinia. Schleiden
regards it as a third glume, free from the HANNOA. The name of a Senegambian
tree, forming a genus of Simarubacece.
two which form the flask.
The flowers are unisexual, the males with
HANBURIA mexicana is the sole re- the sepals combined into a somewhat
presentative of a genus of Cucurbitacece two-lipped calyx, and the rudimentary
peculiar to the mountains near Cordoba, ovaries concealed within a large disk. The
Mexico, and named after Daniel Hanbury, female flowers are not known. [M. T. MJ
a distinguished London pharmacologist.
It is a climber, having a pentagonal stem, HAPLANTHUS. A genus of Acan-
furnished with simple tendrils, cordate thaceoE,containing three species, natives
leaves, axillary or terminal white and of India. They are erect branching herbs,
monoecious flowers, the males being ar- with ovate petiolate leaves, and flowers in
ranged in racemes, whilst the females are few-flowered terminal racemes furnished
solitary in the axils of the leaves. The with small bracts. The calyx is five-
calyx and corolla are bell-shaped the; parted, the corolla funnel-shaped, with an
ovary is four-celled, each cell containing unequally five-cleft limb; the two stamens
569 €\)c Crca^urt? at 33fltann. [hard
are included , and the capsule is linear and HAPLOPTERIS. A genus of polypodia-
flattened, with several seeds. ceous ferns of the group Pteridece-, having
[W. C]
simple coriaceous fasciculate fronds, on
HAPLODESMIUM. A
genus of Mela- which the sori are linear continuous and
stomacece, consisting of a shrubby branch- marginal, with a broad firm marginal in-
ing small-leaved plant, with elliptical flexed indusium opening along the inner
leaves and tetranierous flowers. The edge. The veins are simple from a central
calyx is carapanulate, its teeth nearly costa. H. scolopendnna, the only species,
equalling the tube; the petals oblong- a native of Bourbon, has quite the aspect
ovate, blunt: the stamens eight equal; of a broad-fronded species of Vittaria or
and the ovary free, four-celled. The fruit Tceniopsis. [T. M.]
is a four-valved capsule crowned by the
persistent teeth of the calyx. H. Linde- HAPLOSCIADIUM. An Abyssinian um-
nianum, a native of the Andes about Trux- bellifer with radical twice-pinnated leaves,
like those of a Meum, and simple umbels on
illo, grows at an elevation of from 4,000
to 12,000 feet. [J. H. B.] simple or scarcely branched scapes. It is
supposed to constitute a distinct genus,
HAPLOL.ENE.E. A tribe of frondose but the fruit is not sufficiently known to
Jungermanniacece, characterised by a one- characterise it with certainty.
leaved involucre without any true perianth HAPLOSTEMMA. A name proposed by
(the sheathing tube being merely the veil), Endlicher to receive a plant which Decaisne
a spherical capsule, and dichotomous rib- has referred to Vincetoxicum, from which it
|
bed fronds. Sometimes the rib is con- does not differ materially. [W. C]
I
fluent with the margin. This tribe contains
J
some of the finest of the frondose liver- HAPLOSTYLUS. Rhynchospora.
worts, vying with the smaller Hymeno-
|
part of the ovary, which alone contains HARDWICKIA. A small genus of East
the ovules, adherent to the calyx, the Indian trees, belonging to the Ccesalpinia
upper part detached. The species is a Fee- group of Leguminosce, and nearly related to
jean plant. [M. T. M.] the copaiva-balsam trees of South America.
The abruptly pinnate leaves in H. binata
HAPLOPHYLLUM. A genus of peren- are composed of one, and in 3. pinnata
nial plants or undershrubs, natives of of three pairs of opposite unequal-sided
Southern Europe &c, and distinguished somewhat oval leaflets; and the minute
from Rv.ta by their simple leaves, and five dull yellow flowers are arranged in a spiked
to six-parted flowers, the filaments hairy manner in axillary or terminal panicles.
on their inner surface, and the style thick- Each flower consists of four or five sepals ;
ened towards the top. [M. T. M.] eight to ten stamens, the alternate ones
hare] $FI)e Ereagurg at 330taug. 570
shorter and an ovary crowned with a short
; two narrow and entire segments nearly as j
style, and a shield-like stigma. The lance- long as the corolla. H. brasihana, a bush !
shaped pods are two to three inches long, of four to eight feet high, clothed with a I
compressed and one-seeded. Both species reddish velvety down, hears handsome j
are trees of considerable size, and H. bi- scarlet pea-flowers disposed in a panicled I
nata is said to yield a good timber suit- or racemed manner towards the ends of
able for many purposes. [A. A. B.] the twigs. The Mexican species are
|
and is named after Mr. Theodor Hartweg, curious-looking and extremely interesting
once collector in South America for the succulent herbs of South Africa, distin-
Royal Horticultural Society. [A. A. B.] guished by having erect flowers, the peri-
anth with a straight tube and two-lipped
HARTWORT. Tordylium. limb, the stamens adherent to the base of
HARVEST-BELLS. Gentiana Pneumon- the perianth, and the capsule ribbed. Some
anthe. of the species are remarkable for the trans-
lucent substance of their leaves, or for
HARYEYA capensis is an erect simple their elegant reticulated markings. [T. M.]
herb, a parasite on the roots of heaths at
the Cape of Good Hope; and constitutes a HAWTHORN. Crataegus Oxyacantha.
genus of Scrophulariacece of the tribe Ge- — , INDIAN. Ehaphiolepis.
rardiece. It is nearly allied to Avlaya, and, H AYLOCKIA. One of the hippeastrif orm
like that genus, has four didynamous sta- Amaryllidacece referred to a separate genus.
mens, all bearing anthers, with one fertile It is a small bulb, with hiemal very narrow
ovate awned cell, and the other cell long linear leaves, and autumnal one T flowered
and subulate but empty it differs chiefly
; concealed scapes bearing a solitary white
in its large inflated herbaceous calyx. flower stained with purple. This has a cy-
HASHISH. The Arabian name lindrical tube enlarged at the mouth, and a
of the
narcotic Cannabis sativa. regular limb, funnel-shaped below and par-
tially spreading above the filaments of al- ;
HASTATE. Shaped
HEATH. Erica. — , BERRIED. Em-
like the head of a petrum. — , IRISH. Menziesia (or Dabce.-
halbert. cia) polifolia. — , MOOR. Gypsocallis. —
HATHER. The common Heath or ST. DABEOC'S. Menziesia polifolia. — , SEA.
Heather. Frankenia.
HAUSTORIUM. A small root which HEATHER. Cdllunavulgaris. -, HIMA-
attaches itself to the surface of some other LAYAN. Andromeda fastigiata.
heat] &§t Crca£urg of 3Sotanj>. 572
HEATHWORTS. Lindley's name lor herbs or dwarf shrubs, with small leaves
the Ericacem. and whorls of flowers borne towards the
tops of the branches. The genus is prin-
HEAUMIER. (Fr.) Cerasus vulgaris. cipally distinguished from its allies by
having only the two lower stamens fertile,
HEBECLADT7S. A genus of Solanacece,
the two upper ones being either short and
closely allied to Atropa. The name is given
sterile, or altogether wanting and by the
in allusion to the downy branches of the
;
grant flowers of some of the species of stalked clusters or spikes, purple, white, or
this genus of Zingiberacece render them cream-coloured. A
large number of species
great'favourites in the hothouse. They are known, many of which arc handsome
are plants with tuberous roots, herbaceous plants, and some are valuable for their
stems, clasping leaves, and a terminal spi- nutritive properties as fodder. H. Alhagi,
cate inflorescence. The corolla consists of sometimes described under the name of
six segments in two rows, five nearly equal Alhagi Maurorum, is a thorny shrub, com-
in size, the sixth or lip large notched or mon in the East, and produces a sub-
more deeply divided the filaments thread-
; stance called manna from its supposed re-
like and the fruit capsular. The species
; semblance to the manna of the Israelites.
' '
are natives of tropical Asia. [M. T. M.] H. gyrans is remarkable for the property
possessed by its leaves of setting up a spon-
HEDYOSMTJM. A genus of fragrant
taneous motion, independent, as far as ob-
resin-bearing shrubs belonging to the Clilo-
servation reaches, of all external impres-
ranthacecE. They have unisexual flowers,
sions. Without being touched and without
the males in close spikes without bracts,
being excited by heat, light, wind, or rain,
the females solitary or in groups of four, sometimes a single leaflet, sometimes a
sessile, provided with bracts ovary tri-
;
whole leaf, oscillates or gyrates, continuing
angular. The species are natives of Brazil
to move for an indefinite time, and ceasing
and other districts of tropical America. without known cause. H. coronarium is
Some of them are used medicinally as anti- the plant commonly known in English
spasmodics &c. [M. T. MJ gardens under the inappropriate name of
HEDTOTIS. A genus of Cinchonacece, French Honeysuckle, it being a native of
comprising a number of herbaceous or Italy, and having no affinity with the
somewhat shrubby plants, dispersed honeysuckle (Lonicera). Its latter name it
throughout the tropics. The floral whorls owes no doubt to its similarity to red
are arranged in fours; the corolla is clover, often called honeysuckle by country
funnel-shaped or wheel-shaped the ovary
; children from the use which they make
has two compartments, and is surmounted of its sweet flower-tubes. It is a native
by an epigynous disk and cleft stigma the
; of Spain and Italy, where it is gathered in
fruit is a capsule. H. umbellata supplies a great quantities as food for cattle. French
valuable red dye in Coromandel and other and German, Sulla. [C. A. J.]
parts of India where it is cultivated. The
Chay-root, as it is called, is the dye em-
HEGBERRY. Cerasus avium.
ployed for producing the durable red colour HEGEMONE. A genus of Ranunculacece,
for which the chintzes of India are noted allied to Trollius,found in the Altai near
(Simmonds). Wild chay-roots are pre- the limit of perpetual snow. The species
ferred to cultivated ones, and licenses to on which the genus is founded, IT. lilacina,
dig the former are granted in Ceylon. The has an erect stem, leafy at the base, the
colouring matter resides in the rind and leaves palmately five-parted, those of the
outer portions of the root. The leaves of stem similar. The flower is solitary and
this plant are also used by the natives as terminal, pale lilac, with fifteen or twenty
expectorants. persistent petaloid sepals and about ten
Some of the species, especially those small irregular petals, having an oblong
formerly included under the genus Hous- limb and short tubular base ; carpels nu-
tonia, are cultivated in gardens, their low merous sessile. [J. T. S.]
stature, elegant appearance, and pretty
flowers rendering them desirable plants HEIMIA. A genus of Lythraceas in
for rock-work &c. The colour of the which remarkable for its yellow flow-
it is
flowers varies from white to scarlet blue ers, blue or purple being the prevailing
and purple. [M. T. M.] colour in the family. The two known
HEDYPXOIS. A name given by Pliny
and H. grandi/lora,
species, H. salicifolia
to a kind of wild endive, said to have
are both smooth erect bushy shrubs, the
former common to Texas, Mexico, and
medicinal virtues, being astringent and
Buenos Ayres, the latter confined to
useful in dysentery. By modern botanists
Buenos Ayres. The willow-like leaves are
the name is applied to a genus of unin-
opposite below and alternate above, and
teresting annual herbaceous plants with
the yellow flowers, placed singly in the
diffuse stems, toothed leaves, and yellow
axils of the leaves, have great superficial
flowers, belonging to the dehor acece. resemblance to
those of Lysimachia vul-
The generic characters are :— Receptacle garis, but in structure are widely different.
naked involucre furnished with small According to Mr. Tweedie,
;
both species are
bracts florets of the disk furnished with
;
ceous or somewhat, shrubby leguminous are strewed on floors to drive away fleas, of
plants, distinguished by the peculiar struc- which there are abundance. The willow-
ture of the seed-pod, which is composed of leaved species is said to excite violent
numerous even one-seeded joints convex perspiration. The Mexicans consider it a
cm both sides. The leaves are pinnate, with potent remedy for venereal diseases, and
an odd leaflet and the flowers axillary, in call it Hanchinol {Lindley). The genus is
;
HEIN &\)t EmtSurg at afiotang. 574
named in of Dr. Heim, a distin-
honour pseudobulb. The sepals and petals are
guished physician of Berlin. [A. A. B.] olive-coloured, marked with crimson spots,
and the lip white with crimson and yellow
HEINSIA. A shrub of the Cinchona streaks. About the middle the lip con-
family, native of Sierra Leone. It has
tracts, and has two fleshy lobes standing
spiny branches, and white flowers in clus- erect on each side of the column, without
ters of three or four at the ends of the
however touching it the space between
;
branches. The calyx has a five-parted
these lobes, forming the base of the lip,
limb with leafy segments; the corolla is is a deep hairy pit. [A. A. B.]
salver-shaped, its tube longer than the
calyx, very hairy within anthers sessile,
; HELDE. Tanacetum vulgare.
concealed by the hairs of the corolla;
ovary two-celled fruit dry, hard, with two
;
HELENIUM. A genus of herbaceous
perennials belonging to the corymbiferous
indehiscent compartments; seeds nume-
tribe of compound flowers. The characters
rous. H. jasminiflora is an evergreen stove
are :— Receptacle of the disk naked, of the
shrub. [M. T. M.]
ray chaffy pappus flve-awned involucre
; ;
taining a single species from central Ame- three-cleft. The species are all natives of
rica, an undershrub, with erect stem, op- America, and bear yellow flowers. French,
posite fleshy leaves, and axillary umbellate HeUnie. [C. A. J.]
inflorescence. The flowers have a free
five-parted calyx a funnel-shaped corolla,
;
HELIAMPHORA. A genus of plants
tomentose on the outside, the limb cut into described by Bentham, belonging to the
Ave roundish segments four didynamous
;
Sarraceniacece. Perennial herbaceous plants
stamens and a one-celled ovary surround-
;
found in muddy places in Guiana with
ed by a disk, and having two bilobed radical leaves, the petiole of which is tubu-
parietal placenta?, with numerous anatro- lar and in the form of a pitcher with an
pal ovules the simple style has a funnel-
;
perdrix, however, has led to the supposi- mens are indefinite and hypogynous and ;
tion that the prettily marked wood called the ovary is three-celled, with numerous
'Partridge wood' by cabinet-makers was ovules on an axile placenta. The pitchers
derived from it but such is not the case,
;
are lined with hairs of a peculiar nature.
the source of that wood remaining un- The only species is H. nutans. [J. H. B.]
known. [A. S.]
HELIANTHEMUM. A genus of low
HELCIA sanguinolenta is a pretty cul- mostly prostrate shrubby or subshrubby
tivated terrestrial orchid from the Peru- plants, closely related to Cistus, from which
vian Andes, having the habit of Trichopilia, they differ in having imperfectly three-
and differing from that genus, according to celled, instead of five or ten-celled cap-
Dr. Lindley, in that the column, instead of sules. They are most plentiful in the
being rolled up in the lip, stands erect and warmer and temperate parts of Europe,
clear of it, the anther two instead of one- and in North Africa, but occur also in
celled, and the anther bed 'with a deep Egypt, in Arabia, in the Canaries and ad-
fringed border instead of two lacerated jacent isles, in North America, and even
processes. The plant has elongated ovate |
in Brazil. They are showy plants, with
pseudobulbs, a single undulate leaf, and ,
simple subevergreen leaves, and flve-
a one-flowered peduncle shorter than the i petaled fugacious flowers, mostly in ter-
OiO £f)e Crcagurg of 3Sotang. [HELI
minal racemes, and having a calyx of from Most of the species are natives of the Cape
three to four sepals, a capitate stigma, a of Good Hope. As the name 'gold of
triquetrous ovary, and a three-valved cap- the sun' indicates, the flower-heads are
sule. Unlike their allies, the Cistuses, they beautifully radiated, and while some spe-
do not appear to have any active proper- cies are of a brilliant yellow, others are
ties, hut it is stated of the common species, white, pink, or crimson. In all, the radiat-
H. vulgare, that the stamens, if touched ing involucre is very conspicuous, and re-
during sunshine, spread slowly, and lie tains much of its elegantform and brilliant
down upon the petals. Many double- colour when dried. H. macrantlium, an
flowered varieties of the cultivated species Australian species, when first introduced,
have been originated in gardens. [T. M.J bore only white flower-heads slightly tinged
with red outside, but varieties have now
HELIAXTHTTS. A genus of Composite
been raised which have exchanged the pri-
or Asteracece, consisting of coarse tall-
mitive white hue for numerous shades of
growing herbs, with large rough leaves
red, orange, or rose-colour. Thus the plant,
and yellow flowers. The greater portion
originally worthy of note for the large size
are natives of North America.
of its heads, has acquired anew interest in
The only species grown for culinary pur- horticulture. H. orientals, a native of Crete
poses is H. tuberosus, the Jerusalem
Artichoke, which, although stated to be a
and Africa, is the Immortelle of the French.
native of Brazil, is a hardy perennial at-
The flower-heads of this species are yellow,
but are often dyed green, orange, or black,
taining the height of six or eight feet,
and are much employed in the making of
and, with its large rough alternate heart-
shaped somewhat pointed leaves, has con-
wreaths intended to be votive offerings to
the dead. In drying the flowers of these
siderable resemblance in habit and ap-
plants, they should be suspended head
pearance to the common sunflower. The
name of Jerusalem Artichoke is considered downwards. German, Strohblume. [C. A. J.]
to be a corruption of the Italian Girasole HELICIA. A genus of Proteacece having
Articocco, or Sunflower Artichoke, under a cylindrical club-shaped calyx with four
which name it is said to have been ori- slightly spathulate sepals, each of which
ginally distributed from the Farnese gar- hears a nearly sessile anther a little below
den at Rome soon after its introduction its apex. The seed-vessel is a single-seeded
to Europe in 1617. follicle which does not open by valves. The
The roots are creeping, and towards the leaves are ovate or oblong, five to ten inch-
close of autumn produce, like the potato, es in length, simple, scattered, sometimes
a number of round irregular reddish or opposite, herbaceous or leathery in tex-
yellow tubers, clustered together and of ture, entire or toothed. The flowers grow
considerable size. They are used either in axillary or terminal racemes. The spe-
boiled and mashed with butter, or baked cies form lofty trees or large shrubs of
in pies, and when nicely cooked are not tropical Asia; one of them, H. australa-
only well flavoured, but considered to be siea, has been found in Victoria. [R. H.]
both wholesome and nutritious— more so
even than the potato, as they may be HELICOGYRATE. Having a ring or
eaten by invalids when debarred from the gyrus carried obliquely round it ; as in the
use of other vegetables. On the continent spore-cases of Trichomanes.
they are in considerable demand for soups,
and before the potato became plentiful, HELICOID. Twisted like the shell of a
snail.
they were a good deal in use in this country
Parkinson, writing in 1629, says they were HELICONIA. A
fine genus of herbaceous
then so common in London 'that even plants, belonging to the Musacece, and
the vulgar began to despise them they : inhabiting tropical America. They are
were baked in pies with marrow, dates, distinguished from their congeners by
ginger, sack, &c, and, being so plentiful their fruit, which is capsular, separating
and cheap, rather bred a loathing than into three one-seeded compartments. The
a liking for them.' Hence it appears shoots of H. psittacorum are eaten in the
that, as the culture of the potato extended, West Indies, as also are the fruits of H.
it gradually displaced the Jerusalem Arti- Bihai. [M. T. M.]
choke, and at the present time the latter H. Marice Alexandrovnce, named after the
is only grown to a very limited extent in Empress of Russia, a remarkable New
first-class gardens. Since the failure of Grenada species, with the habit of Musa,
the potato crops, the Jerusalem Artichoke produces a useful fibre Its trunk attains
has been strongly recommended as a sub- twelve to fifteen feet in height, and is
stitute for that vegetable ; but notwith- formed of the sheaths of the leaf-stalks.
standing all that has been said and written The peduncles project beyond the leaves,
in its favour, it is still far from common, and curving downwards bear a narrow
and by no means esteemed so much as it flattened spike two and a half feet long,
deserves to be. [W. B. B.] the red flowers of which are almost con-
cealed by the spathe and white bracts.
HELICHRYSUM. A genus of herba-
HELICTERES. A genus of Stercidiacece,
J
l
ceous or shrubby plants belonging to the
corymbiferous tribe of Composita, and of containing upwards of thirty species,
,
which the characters are: —
'Receptacle mostly natives of the tropics of the West-
i
naked pappus hairy or feathery; involucre
: ern hemisphere. They are shrubs, usually
imbricated, radiate, scanose ray coloured.
; covered with rusty stellate down, the i
I
HELl] Qlyt {feagttrg at SSotang. 576
leaves simple, heart-shaped with the hasal fungi, which are not in consequence to he
lobes unequal the flowers in little clusters
; considered as the cause. [M. J. B.]
in the angles of the leaves, flve-petaled, HELIOSPERMA, or HELICOSPERMA.
with the stamens unitedinto a long column A proposed genus of Caryoyhyllacece, which
surrounding the stalk of the ovary, but may, however, be rather taken to represent
separating at the summit into from five to
a section of Silene. The flowers are solitary
fifteen filaments, partly sterile. The fruit
or cymose, long-stalked, with a clavate
consists of five carpels, which are generally
campanulate calyx. The capsule is one-
twisted together in a screw-like manner.
celled, containing lenticular compressed
E. Jsora is a native of Southern India,
seeds, having a series of prominent points
where its singular twisted screw-like fruit, round the back. S. alpestris and quadrijida,
about two inches in length, is called
' twisted
natives of central and southern Europe,
stick,' twisted horn,' or twisty,'
'
'
belong to the section thus defined, which
and, on account of its shape and name, is
is by no means a natural one. [J. T. S.]
supposed to be a sovereign remedy against
colic or twistings of the bowels. [A. S.] HELIOTROPE. Eeliotropium, especially
HELIOCARPUS. A
genus of Tiliacece,
in a popular sense, E. peruvianum. —
found in Mexico, Central America, and WINTER. Nardosmia fragrans.
New Grenada, readily recognised among HELIOTROPE. (Fr.1 Eeliotropium. —
its allies by the fruits, which are thin D'HIVER. Nardosmia fragrans.
nearly circular bodies a quarter of an inch
in diameter, beautifully ciliated round
HELIOTROPIACE2E. A
group of co-
considered by most
rollifloral dicotyledons,
the margin with a row of radiating bristles.
botanical writers as a suborder of Ehretia-
The resemblance of the fruits to little
suns is expressed in the generic name. cece. The plants have a circinate inflo-
rescence, regular symmetrical flowers,
The species, all very similar in appearance,
five stamens, and four united achenes
are shrubs, or some of them forest trees of
considerable size, furnished with alternate
forming the fruit. They are found in
long-stalked heart-shaped usually three-
Europe and South America. SeeEHRETiA-
lobed leaves. The minute densely clus- ckm. [J. H. B.]
plant belonging to the corymbiferous scent, its flowers get the popular name of
tribe of Composilcr. The involucre is im- Cherry-pie. [J. T. S.]
bricated, the florets of the ray long and
narrow, the receptacle chaffy, and the fruit
HELIPTERUM. A considerable genus
of Compositce, separated from Eelichrysum,
four-cornered without a pappus. E. Icevis,
to which a large proportion of what are
the only species, is an American plant at-
taining a height of five or six feet, with
commonly known as everlasting flowers
belong, by having the hairs of the pappus
rather broad serrated leaves, and large
feathery (plumose) instead of rough (pi-
yellow flowers. [C. A. J.]
lose). They are annuals or perennials
HELIOSIS. A term applied to the spots found in South Africa, Australia, and
produced upon leaves by the concentration Tasmania, commonly furnished with lance-
of the rays of the sun through inequalities shaped or linear leaves, thickly clothed
of the glass of conservatories, or through with short white wool, and usually having
drops of water resting upon them. In the each twig terminated by a, single flower-
latter case the destruction is seldom so head, though in a few species the heads
complete as in the former, and the chloro- are numerous and corymbose. The thin
phyll is merely altered, especially in the dry papery scales of the involucre, pink,
circumference, and not destroyed. Such yellow, or white in colour, give beauty to
spots sometimes, on the contrary, arise these flower-heads. The inner series of
from the congelation or low temperature scales are often spread out into a flat
of the drops. They afford a nidus for minute border so as to have the appearance of
i 577 EI)C Crraguru at 3Sotang. [hell
petals being greenish and tubular. The their sepals are green edged with pink.
plant probably derives its name of Black It is a handsome plant, and finds a place in
Hellebore from its dark-coloured rootstock shrubberies from its ornamental character.
and the numerous fibres proceeding from it. H. viridis, the Green Hellebore, is a smaller
These roots are occasionally used in medi- plant with fewer flowers the sepals are
;
spreading and of a yellowish-green colour. to Cladosporium, which differs principally
There is reason to believe that the last- in its threads being less carbonised and its
named species, and probably also the fruit less complicated. [M. J. B.J
others, do not flower every year or even HELMINTHOSTACHYS. A
genus of
send up many leaves, but that in certain Ophioglossacece consisting of a single spe-
cies, H. zeylanica, a pseudofern, with stout
horizontal rhizomes and somewhat co-
riaceous fronds, which are divided into a
trifoliately digitato-pedate sterile branch,
and a simple spicate fertilebranch, on which
the glomerate verticillate pedicellate tufts
of spore-cases are distichously arranged,
each whorl being terminated by a crest-like
appendage. The veins are forked from a
central costa, with the branches free. Be-
sides Ceylon it is found in India and the
islands of the Archipelago. [T. M.]
to all appearance the locality had not been Schcenocaidon, and Amianthium, it has as-
disturbed. On the other hand, when the sumed a more natural aspect. [J. T. S.]
plants have been purposely uprooted, as HELOSCIADIUM. A genus of low um-
was the case in a copse near Oxford to belliferous aquatics, inhabiting various
which cattle had access, though the extir- i
parts of the world, and represented in Bri-
pation seemed complete, yet in two years tain by two species, of which II. nodiflo-
an abundance of the plant sprang up— a fact rum is the most common. This plant is
first made known by the illness, if not the frequently found growing with water-
death, of some of the cattle. [M. T. M.J cresses, for which it is sometimes gather-
ed it may, however, be distinguished,
HELLWEED. Cuscu'a. ;
Aconitum and Coryanthes. eating the leaves, as its properties are an-
tiscorbutic, and by no means violent in
HELMINTHIA. A common wayside their effects. [C. A. J.]
composite weed of the cichoraceous group,
well marked by its double involucre, the
HELOSIS. A genus of parasitical plants
inhabiting the tropical and suhtropical
inner one of which is composed of eight
regions of the American continent, and be-
to ten close scales, the outer of several large
loose leafy bracts. It has hispid almost
longing to the Balanophoracece. They have
prickly sterns, and leaves of the same cha- a cylindrical branched rootstock from
racter, the lower ones lanceolate, the upper
which proceed numerous flower-stalks,
bearing ovoid or globose heads of uni-
heart-shaped embracing the stem. The
flowers are in small terminal heads, of a
sexual flowers the males with a three-
:
l
biacece, consisting of a few trees or shrubs bescent. The capsule is seedless above,
j
natives of East India, Java, and North but contains below from six to eight
|
Australia. Most genera of spurgeworts echinate seeds. [W. C]
i
have three-celled ovaries, but the ovary in HEMIGYRUS. The same as Follicle.
these plants is one-celled with two ovules,
j
Hemitelia.
I
HEN AND CHICKEN. The name given
HEMISTEMMA. A small genus of Dilr to a proliferous variety of the Daisy, Bellis
leniaccce, in which the stamens are situated perennis also Sempervivum soboliferum.
;
upon only one side of the flower. The HENBANE. Hyoscyamus niger.
species are natives of Madagascar and the j
j
Phellandrhan aquaticum ; alsoCicutavirosa pules to the leaves. They have oblong or
|
and maculata. obovate entire leaves placed in whorls of
three to five round the stem. The handsome
HEMLOCK SPRUCE. Abies canadensis. |
tubular flve-lobed pink or white flowers, like
those of some Bignonia, are disposed in
HEMP. The name of various valuable dense panicles at the ends of the branches.
fibres employed for manufacturing pur-
poses and also of the plants which produce i
The fruits, not the least curious part of
;
the plant, are flat hard-shelled bodies of the
them. Common Hemp is Cannabis sativa. — shape of a bean, two-celled, opening trans-
AFRICA>. Sansevierazeylanica and others. I
,
1
they are free on the other. The calyx is under the name of Liverworts, though
small and five-parted the corolla two-lip-
;
confounded with lichens, differ from the
ped, the upper lip deeply bifid, and the lower mosses, to which they are closely allied, in
cut into two spathulate lobes. [W. C.J their capsule, whether opening definitely
or indefinitely, never having a distinct lid,
HENSCHELIA. The name applied to a and consequently in the total absence of a
shrub, native of the Philippine Islands, and peristome. In many genera there is no
of uncertain position. It is of climbing stem, but the leafy shoots are replaced by
habit with trifoliolate leaves, greenish an expanded membranous frond which
flowers in axillary panicles; calyx of ten may be quite simple or repeatedly forked,
sepals in two rows; petals ten; stamens while it is sometimes irregularly lobed or
five, placed in front of the five outer sepals laciniate. Sometimes it is crisped and
ovary one-celled, with two ovules stigmas ; plicate, and sometimes furnished with gill-
five radiating. By Miers it is placed in the like plates above. Below it is generally
order Phytocrenacece. [M. T. M.J attached to a substance on which it grows
by slender delicate rootlets. In the leafy
HEN'SFOOT. Caucalis daucoides.
species, the leaves have rarely the same
HENSLOVIACEiE, HENSLOVIA. na- A lanceolate outline so common in mosses,
tural order and a genus of calycifloral dico- and they are often accompanied by stipules
tyledons, belonging to Lindley's saxifragal or lobes which give them a habit which is
alliance of perigynous Exogens. Trees very distinct from that of most mosses,
with opposite entire leathery exstipulate though the Hi/popten/gii amongst them
leaves, and minute dioecious racemose show something of the same structure.
flowers. Perianth five-parted, lined with a The section comprises three distinct na-
woolly disk, the aestivation valvate sta- ;
tural orders as follows :
mens five, alternate with the segments of 1. Ricciacei, in which the capsules are
the perianth, inserted on a glandular valveless, and either sunk in the
perigynous disk; ovary superior, two-cell- frond or seated on its surface. The
ed ; ovules numerous, anatropal. Fruit spores are not mixed with the spiral
a capsule opening by two valves seeds ;
threads called elaters.
numerous, minute, exalbuminous. They 2. March ANTiACEi.with valvate capsules
are natives of the tropical parts of India. seated on the under side of a stalked
There are three or four species of Hens- target-shaped disk. Spores mixed
lovia, the only known genus, which was with elaters.
named after the late Professor Henslow of 3. Jungermanniacei, with solitary
Cambridge. [J. H. B.J fruit splitting into four equal valves.
Spores mixed with elaters.
HENSLOVIAN MEMBRANE. The cu- The development of the fruit and the
ticle ; so called because Professor Henslow manner of impregnation are the same in
was one of its discoverers. these as in mosses. They are also exten-
HENSLOWIA. A genus of Santalacece, sively propagated by gemma?. [M. J. B.J
having monoecious flow rs, the perianth HEPATICUS. Dull brown with a little
adherent to the ovary, with a live-cleft yellow.
limb and the stamens inserted at the base
;
stalks of the lower leaves, when properly A MILLE FLORIXS. Erythrma Centau-
treated, yield a sweet exudation which is rium. — A OUATE. Asclepias Cornuti-
employed in the preparation of a distilled
spirit. The roots and stems of H. lanatum
— A PARIS. Paris quadrifolia. — A
are eaten by some of the native tribes of
PAUVRE HOMME. Gratiola officinalis.
Xorth America. The young shoots of H. — A ROBERT. Geranium Robertianum,
pubescens contain a sweet and aromatic — AU CAXCER. Herniaria glabra. —
juice, and are used as food in some parts AU CHAXTRE. Sisymbrium officinale. —
of the Caucasus. [G. D.] AU CHARPEXTIER. Achillea Ageratum.
HERB BEXXET. Geum urbanum; also
— AU LAIT DE XOTRE-DAME. Pulmo-
naria officinalis. — AU XOMBRIL. Cy-
Conium maculatum, and Valeriana officina- noglossum linifolium. — AU VEXT. Ane-
lis. — CHRISTOPHER. Actcea spicata; mone Pulsatilla. — AUX AXES. Oeno-
Osmunda
regalis, and Pulicaria dysen-
biennis. — AUX BOUCS. Chelido-
also
— GERARD. JEgopodium Poda- thera
Filago germanica. nium mains. —AUX CEXT MIRACLES.
terica.
graria. — IMPIOUS.
— IVE, or ITT. Ajuga Iva also Corono- Ophioglossum vulgatum. — AUX CHAR-
pus Buellii, and Plantago Coronopus. — PEXTIERS. Achillea
;
Millefolium, and
MARGARET. Bellis perennis. — OF peta Sedum Telephium. — AUX CHATS. Ne-
GRACE. Ruta graveolens. — PARIS. Cataria, and Teucrium Marum. —
Paris quadrifolia. — PETER. Primula AUX CIXQ COUTURES. Plantago lanceo-
— AUX CUILLERS. Cochlearia
veris. — POOR-MAX'S. Gratiola officina- lata. offi-
lis.
— TRrELOTE. Paris quadrifolia. — Visnaga. — AUX E"CUS. Lysimachia Num-
TRIXITT. Viola tricolor; also Eepatica mularia, and Lunar ia biennis. — AUX
I
DES MAGICIENS. Datura Stramonium. nadelphous at the base, equal to the petals
— DU BON HENRI. Blitum Bonus Henri- in number and opposite to them, all fertile
cus. — DU CARDINAL. Si/mphutiun ovary one or many-celled, with two or
many ovules in each cell. They are herbs
officinale. — DU DIABLE. Datura Stra-
monium, and Plumbago scandens. DU — — or shrubs found in intertropical regions,
but most abundant at the Cape of Good
GRAND-PRIEUR. Nicotiana Tabacum.
Hope. The group includes the genera
DU SIEGE. Scrophularia aquatica. — DU Waltheria, Meloch.ia, Biedlea, Physodium,
VENT., Anemone Pulsatilla. —
EMPOI- Hermannia, and Mahernia Byttne-
SONNEE. Atropa Belladonna. MAURE. — riace^;.
: see
H.
Reseda odorata. —
MORE. Solanum ni- [J. B.]
grum. —
MUSQUEE. Adoxa Moschatellina. HERMANNIA. An extensive genus of
—-SACR^E. Melittis Melissophyllum, Ni-
Byttneriacece, including about eighty spe-
cies. The chief features of the genus are :—
cotiana Tabacum, and Verbena officinalis.
— ST. CHRISTOPHE. Actcea spicata. — A bell-shaped five-cleft calyx five clawed
;
ST. PIERRE. Crithmum maritimum. — petals, the claws hollowed five stamens,
;
bous iridaceous perennials from Texas which, when ripe, is a five-angled capsule
and Chili, one species found in Brazil. with many seeds. The species are twiggy
They have narrow acute radical leaves, and undershrubs, having the stems and leaves,
a short scape bearing at top several pretty especially the latter, which are often ac-
blue or yellow flowers, which have a short- companied with leaf-like stipules, more or
tubed six-parted perianth, with the outer less clothed with starry hairs. The pretty
segments triangular, acute, and reflexed, nodding sometimes sweet-scented flowers
and the shorter inner ones rounded and are pale yellow, orange, or reddish-colour-
erect,three monadelphous stamens in- ed, disposed in dense clusters or loose
serted at the base of the exterior seg- racemes or panicles at the ends of the
ments, and a three-celled ovary, crowned twigs. The genus bears the name of Paul
with three trifid stigmas having recurved Hermann, once professor of botany at
petaloid branches. The genus, which is Leyden. [A. A. B.]
allied to Cypella and Iris, is named in HERMAPHRODITE. Containing both
honour of the late Dean of Manchester, stamens and pistil.
who was a high authority on all matters
relating to bulbous plants. [T. M.j HERMAS. A genus of umbellifers, cha-
racterised by the calyx having a five-parted
HERCULES' CLUB. Xanthoxylon Cla- persistent border and the fruit ovate,
;
cells. There are but very few species, all male flower. The ovary is one-celled, con-
natives of the northern or Alpine regions taining one pendulous ovule; the style is
of Europe and Asia. H. Monorchia, the short, furrowed on one side, and the stigma
Musk Orchis, the most common and widely- is broad and lobulated. The seed, in which
spread species, is occasionally found in the radicle is superior, contains no albu-
!
southern and eastern England. It has men, and the embryo has a crumpled ap-
|
globular tubers like those of an Orchis, but pearance, in addition to which each cotyle-
! the new one is always produced at some don is three-lobed at its base. By its val-
distance from the stem at the end of a vular anthers it is nearly related to Laura-
I
thickish fibre, so that the plant moves each ceo?, but in its inferior ovary it is nearer
year to a distance of one or more inches Combretacece, and its station consequently
from the spot it previously occupied. The is near Gyrocarpus and Illigera in the latter
',
stem is slender, three to six inches high, family, the flowers of these genera bav-
i with two or three narrow leaves near its ins no petals, and their anthers opening
i base. The flowers, in a terminal spike, are by valves. The bark, seed, and young
small, of a yellowish green, with narrow leaves of H. sonora are slightly purgative.
i sepals and petals. It is said that the fibrous roots chewed and
applied to wounds caused by the Macassar
I
HERMIOXE. One of the divisions of poison form an effectual cure. The juice
the genus Narcissus, kept separate by some
of the leaves is a powerful depilatory, de-
botanists, and consisting mainly of the
stroying hair wherever applied without
i
!
shorter than the slender cylindrical tube
I
of the flower the stamens with conniving
; HERXAXT SEEDS. The commercial
filaments, adnate unequally near the mouth name for the seeds of Hernandia ovigera,
of the tube, and free only at the curved used for dyeing.
point; and incumbent acute-oval anthers
attached by the middle and the straight
;
HERNIARIA. A genus of Illecebracew,
found in barren places in the temperate
slender style. Most of the Narcissi im-
regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. They
ported along with hyacinths from Hol-
are small annuals or undershrubs with
land, for spring flowering in gardens, are
oval, oblong, or linear leaves, and small
of this group. [T. M.]
scarious stipules. The minute flowers, in
HERMODACTE. (Fr.) Iris tuberosa. lateral clusters generally arranged in an
interrupted leafy spike, have a five-parted
HERMODACTYLUS. The name of a few calyx, five petals reduced to mere threads,
Eastern plants often included in Iris, but
five stamens, two stigmas, and a membra-
sometimes regarded as distinct. They
I
same individual, heads of entirely male and Japan, with flower-heads like Aster.
I
flowers, aud others entirely female. They are now known to belong to the
genus Calimeris : which see. [A. A. B.]
HETEROCHiEXIA. A genus of hell- HETEROPHRAGMA. A genus of Big-
worts, having the tube of the calyx ob- |
i
the corolla equally five-parted, with the
Wahlenbergia ensifolia. [G. D.] ;
margins of the divisions waved there are ;
tinsuished as a genus of Camp aw dace ce. the capsule is long and pointed and the ;
by Nuttall, on account of the lower flowers seeds have a broad wing. [W. C]
having no corolla; but it is probably only
a form or variety of Specularia perfoliata.
HETEROPOGON. A genus of grasses
belonging to the tribe Andropogoneee, now
HETERODOX. A genus of bruniads, included in Andropogon. They are mostly
distinguished by the calyx having ten natives of Mexico. [D. M.]
teeth, five of which are short and blunt,
and five elongated. The only species is a HETEROPSIS. A
genus of Brazilian
plants, of the family Aretcece, deriving its
shrub, a native of the Cape, having semi-
cylindrical leaves, which are hairy, ending
name from the fact that the appearance of
in "awn-like points. [G. DJ the planC is different from that of most of
its congeners. The stem is woody and
HETEROGAMOUS. When in a capitu- branching, with lance-shaped leaves; the
lu;n the florets of the ray are eitherneuter spathe hooded, deciduous spadix blunt, ;
or female, and those of the disk male. covered with male and female flowers, in-
HETEROIDEOUS. Diversified in form. termixed the anthers are two-celled and
;
of NewHolland and Tasmania, with oppo- with eight glands stamens all fertile
;
site leaves. There are thirty-eight species styles three ; wing thickened
fruit with a
of Pimelea in this subdivision. [J. H.3B.]
on the lower margin. [M. T. M.]
jected that in Puccinia and some other HETEROTROPA. The name applied to !
in English gardens. The root of H. ameri- rous ovaries with sessile stigmas; fruit
cana is so astringent that it is called Alum of several few-seeded berries. [M. T. M.]
root. [M. T. M.J
HEYNEA. A genus of Indian trees be-
HEWARDIA. A genus of polypodia- longing to the Mcliacece, among which
ceous ferns, agreeing with Adiantum in all they are distinguished by the tube formed
the essential points of fructification, but by the union of the stamens, which is
distinguished from it by having the veins deeply five-cleft, the segments being also
reticulated. They have linear continuous cleft the anthers are ten, sharply pointed
;
sori, as in Adiantum Wilsoni and its allies, ovary two-celled, imbedded in a fleshy
and are pinnate, bipinnate, or pedately tri- disk, and ripening into a somewhat fleshy
pinnate plants of South America. It is capsular fruit, which is one-celled by abor-
named after Mr. R. Heward, anamateurpte- tion and single-seeded. [M. T. M.]
ridologist, and one of the contributors to
this work. The name has also been given
HIANS. Gaping opening by a long nar- ;
but for this the name of Isophysis has been form little heath-like tufted shrubs, or their
suggested. [T. M.] slender stems trail along the ground, but
they grow several feet in
HEXA. In Greek compounds = six. occasionally
length and climb upon other shrubs. Their
Tims: Eexalepidous, consisting of six flowers are yellow, borne at the ends of the
scales Hexapterous, having six wines or
:
tivated on account of the fibre contained in parts of both hemispheres. They have
its stems, the seeds being sown thickly so loose spreading or narrow crowded pani-
as to induce the plants to erow up tall, !
;
I
days. [T. M.]
variable flowers— double, sinele, red, dark
purple, yellow, white, or variegated, ac-
J HIGGINSIA. A
genus of small Peruvian
cording to the particular variety. These shrubs, belonging to the Cinchonacece.
flowers contain a quantity of astringent
j
or deep purple
j with a short tube, concealing the stamens
they are used by the
;
pi. T. M.] at its upper part into two loner linear com-
dage,
j
pressed hairy branches. The capsule
HiLUM. The scar produced by the bursts by two valves, and contains nu-
separation of a seed from its placenta. merous seeds. H. violacea is a stove plant
Also used to indicate any point of attach- of great beauty, with large deep blue
ment and the apertures in the extine of
; flowers. pi. T. MJ
pollen grains.
HING. The Indian name for Asafcetida.
HIMANTHALIA. A
genus of olive-
spored Algai, remarkable for the large HINOID. When veins proceed entirely
immensely elongated forked receptacles, from the midrib of a leaf, and are parallel
and the little cup-shaped frond which ! and undivided as in ginger-worts.
;
scarcely exceeds an inch in diameter. The HIP-TREE. Rosa canina, the fruits of
plant is common on some parts of our which are called Hips.
const, Chough rather local. The fronds
when young sometimes become detached HIPWORT. Cotyledon Umbilicus.
and form little bladders which make a J
I
precede or accompany the flowers ; the
HIMATANTHUS. A Brazilian tree, con- :
latter usually grow several together at the
stituting a genus of Cinchonacece. Its top of a hollow scape, and are large and in
flowers are arranged in spikes which are most cases very handsome, the somewhat
covered by a large spathe-like bract, falling funnel-shaped declinate perianth having
off before the flowers expand. The parts : an abbreviated and narrow-mouthed tube
of the flower are arranged in fives the
; with the faucial membrane deficient on the
corolla is very long and funnel-shaped, !
lower side and a very irregular limb, the
;
concealing within it the stamens; the upper sepaline being wider, and the lower
style somewhat club-shaped; and the
is petaiine narrower than the other seg-
ovary has two compartments. The fruit is ments. The filaments are declinate, curved,
unknown. [M. T. M.] unequal, and unequally inserted into the
throat and the style is three-lobed or
HIMERANTHUS. A genus of Solanaceo?. ;
Ke
I