D E S 193 



Cu'bif-. A measure from the elbow to the end of the middle finger. 



CucuL'late. Hoodec or cowled, rolled or folded in, as in the spatha of 

 the Arum or wild turnip. 



Cucurbita'ceous. Resembling gourds or melons. 



Cu'linary. Suitable for preparations of food. 



Culm or' straw, (from the Greek kalama, stubble or straw; in Latin 

 culmus.) The stem of grasses, Indian corn, sugar cane, &c. 



Culrnif'&rous. Having culms; as wheat, grasses, &c. 



Cune'iform. Wedge-form, with the stalk attached to the point. 



Curv'cd. Bent inwards. See Incurved. 



Cus'-pidale. Having a sharp straight point. (The eye tooth is c'asp 

 date.) 



Cu'ticle. The outside skin of a plant, commonly thin, resembling the 

 scarf or outer skin of animals. It is considered as forming a part of 

 the bark. 



Cya'ncus. Blue. 



Cy'athiform. Shaped like a common wine glass. 



Cylindrical. A Circular shaft of nearly equal dimensions throughout 

 'is extent. 



Cyme. Flower stalks arising from a common centre, afterwards va- 

 riously sub-divided. 



D. 



De'lilis. Weak, feeble. 



Decan'drous. Plants with ten stamens in each flower. 



Decaphyl'his. Ten leaved. 



Decid'uous. Falling off in the usual season ; opposed to persistent and 

 evergreen, more durable than caducous. 



Decli'ncd. Curved downwards. 



Decomposition. Separation of the chemica elements of bodies. 



Decom 'pound. Twice compound, composed of compound parts. 



Decum'bent. Leaning upo^ thf ground, the base being erect. This 

 term is applied to stems, stamens, &c. 



Dccur'rent. When the edges of a leaf run down the stem or stalk. 



Decus'sakd. In pairs, crossing each other. 



Deflec'fcd. Bent off. 



Defolia'tion. Shedding leaves in the proper season. 



Dehis'ccnt. Go ping, or opening. Most capsules when ripe are dehis- 

 cent. 



Dcl'toid. Nearly triangular, or diamond form, as in the leaves of the 

 Lombardy poplar. 



Demer'sus. Under water. 



Dense. Close, compact. 



Den' tat e. Toothed ; edged with sharp projections ; larger than serrate. 



Dentic'ulate. Minutely toothed. 



Denu'date. Plants whose flowers appear before the leaves ; appealing 

 naked. 



Deor'sum. Downwards. 



Depres'scd. Flattened, or pressed at the top. 



Descriptions. In giving a complete description of a riant, the order of 

 nature is to begin with the root, proceed to the stem, branches, leaves, 

 appendages, and lastly to the organs which compose the flower, and 

 the manner of inflorescence. Colour and size are circumstances 



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