478 THE DICTIONARY OF. GARDENING, 
Dimorphotheca-— continued. 
DINETUS. See Porana. 
DIGCIOUS. When a plant bears female flowers on 
one individual, and males on another. 
DIONJEA (from Dionsa, a surname of Venus, as the 
supposed daughter of Jupiter and Dione) ORD. Drose- 
racee. A dwarf, exceedingly interesting, herbaceous 
perennial. It thrives in a mixture of peat and living 
sphagnum. The pot containing it should be placed in a 
pan of water, and stood near the glass in the greenhouse, 
or even in a cold frame. Propagated by division of the 
plant, or sometimes by seed. 
D. muscipula (fiy-catcher).* Venus's Fly-trap. white, in ter- 
тіпа] corymbs. July and August. L vations oa footstalks, 
which are dilated at the top into a two-lobed irritable limb, 
beset with one row of long hairs on the margin, folding 
niter, in the manner of the teeth 
L3 A. дїп. to біп. Carolina | 
апа 1768. The seat of irri- 
tation resides in the three bristles 
which are placed in the centre of 
each lobe ; on these being touched, 
See Fig. 663, page AT. (БМ. 
DIOON (from dis, two, and 
oon, an egg; in reference to each 
scale bearing two ovules; other- 
wise from the seeds being borne 
in twos). Syn. Platyzamia. ORD. 
Cycadacee. А very singular genus 
containing a couple of species, 
both natives of Mexico, They 
make noble objects in a collec- 
tion of ornamental-leaved plants. 
Dioons thrive best in a compost 
of good loam and river sand, 
and sueceed well in an ordinary 
greenhouse, except сед іп а 
growing state, at which period 
= they shonld have the warmth of 
. ` a stove. Propagated by seed, 
_ which are very large. Miquel 
observes that this genus із more - 
elosely allied to certain fossil 
Cycadacem than is any other 
living representative of the 
order. 
* 
art UD m 
and бїп. to 7in. in breadth, ба 
the base, where they are 
clothed with short whíte woolly 
hairs; texture very firm. Stems 
Sft. in circumference. А. 3ft. 
1844, M. 6184.) The fruit of this 
BEL a) m 
ундей into a kind of arrowroot. 
a native of Ana- Droscq 
in Cilieia, who lived in BATATAS. 
was the foundation of almost all botanical know- 
until modern times). Yam. ORD. Dioscoreaceg. 
ornamental-leaved (with few exceptions) stove her. 
rs, with large tuberous roots, admirably 
age of Nero; his celebrated book upon Жеди ы. 
; Te 
Dioscorea —continued. 
In the winter months, Dioscoreas should be kept in a 
cool (but not cold) place, either in the pots or in some 
perfectly dry sand. The most suitable soil is a rich light 
compost, formed of turfy loam and  well-decomposed 
manure, in about equal parts. They should have abund- 
ance of root room, and be liberally supplied with water 
during the growing season, gradually diminishing the 
quantity as the shoots show signs of decay. Propa- 
gated by divisions of the tubers, which may be effected 
either in autumn or spring, while they are at rest, but 
never when growing. 
. Ancectochilus (Ancctochilus-like). 7, deep olive-green, beau- 
tifully marbled with gold, with a central band of the same colour, 
broadly acuminate; when young, they are of а uniform plain 
bright green. South America, 1865. 
D. агуга (silvery). 1. green, cordate, about 5in. across, 
seven-nerved ; nerves bordered with distinct irregular angular 
patches of silvery-grey. Columbia. 
D. Batatas (Batatas).* Chinese Yam. Л. white, dicecious, very 
small, in axillary racemes, generally sterile. 1. deep green, very 
glossy, opposite, cordate, acuminate. Stems annual, smooth, 
or purplish, sometimes attaining a height of from 6ft. to 9ft. 
he roots are used like apn ed, roasted, and cooked in 
various other ways. Probably the great depth to which the tubers 
descend, and the consequent expense of harvesting the , has 
prevented this useful hardy vegetable from being much cultivated 
in this country. See Fig. 670. 
old inhabitant of our stoves, and at one time strongly recom. 
mended as a substitute for the potato. (G. C. n. s., viii. 48.) 
narrowed to the apex. Tubers in some cases 
1 , аз in some varieties of potato, others very irregular. 
fh diff peers deal Jn the jets M be devel cr 
owever, differs a e по! velo 
at such а great depth . See 671. 
D. discolor (two-coloured) l beautifully mottied with two or 
three shades of large, cordate ; under surface rich purplish- 
crimson. туо ее. 
D. illustrata (illuminated). Z. satiny-green, marked by fine 
transverse whitish 1 lines between the nerves, with an 
i central band of silvery-grey, and a few patches 
of the same colour, generally placed es juxtaposition with the 
1 al 
near the р Ў 
Sin. wide; under surface pale lurid e. Rio Negro, 1868. 
(Т. Н. 1871, 53.) There dae [m ecco varieties of this - 
species known, of which the following are in cultivation: chryso-- 
pila, leaves olive-brown, variegated with yellow; 0, 
eaves satiny-green, with silvery-grey central band, and ii ular 
blotches of the same colour; melanoleuca, leaves deep green, 
with central silvery band and silvery blotches along the veins; 
metallica, leaves bronzy, with coppery central band. 
D. nobilis (noble. 1. velvety-bronze, variegated with yellow. 
Brazil, 1868. : | 
D. retusa (retuse). fl. dull yellowish ; racemes axillary, slender, 
pendulous, many-flowered. l. alternate, loosely scattered, digi- 
tate; leaflets Нуе to seven, petiolulate. South Africa, 1870. 
(G. С. 1881, xv, 511.) — 3 йе 
D. sativa (cultivated). Common cultivated Yam. 1, alternate, 
ovate, ‹ date; lobes of base close together. 
.. Stem smooth, round, slender. West Indies, 1733. 
or pillar plants. Flowers whitish or yel. | D. 
is. Leaves broad, cordate, oc dà wed, 
k with h 
ques Sar ote 2 opcs tei ot 
