AN ENCYCLOP/EDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 479 
DIOSCOREACEZE. А natural order of twining 
shrubs or herbs, found chiefly in tropical countries. 
Flowers in spikes, small; perianth of males six-cleft; 
lobes in two rows, herbaceous and adnate; stamens 
six, inserted in the base of the perianth. Female flowers 
with a six-cleft or six-partite perianth; staminodes small, 
three to six. Most of the Dioscoreas produce tubers 
(known as Yams), which are used as food, in the same 
way as potatoes. Dioscorea is the typical genus. Тһе 
order is represented in Britain by the Black Bryony, 
Tamus communis. 
DIOSMA (from dios, divine, and osme, smell; well- 
bruised leaves have an exquisite smell. ORD. Rutacee. 
А genus of about a dozen species of small greenhouse 
Heath-like shrubs, all natives of South Africa. Flowers 
white or reddish, terminal, sub-solitary or corymbose; 
calyx five-parted; petals sessile, obovate, longer than 
the calyx. Leaves alternate or opposite, linear-acute, 
channelled, serrulated or ciliate, gland-dotted. Diosmas 
may be very easily raised from cuttings, inserted in sandy 
peat, covered with a bell glass, and placed in very 
gentle heat. They will soon root, and may then be trans- 
- ferred singly into thumb pots, and afterwards, by suc- 
cessive stages, into larger ones. It will be desirable to 
keep the plants'a little in shape by stopping the most 
vigorous branches, thus causing a lateral growth. Diosmas 
- succeed in fibry peat and sand, and also in the same 
compost, with the addition of a little fibrous loam. 
. ericoi: th-like).* fl. white, with a tinge of red on the 
qom hin -— , two or three together. February 
to July. l crowded, trigonal, blunt, smooth, dotted, emitting a 
strong pene ig smell when bruised. Л. lft. to 3ft. 1756. 
FIG. 672. FLOWERING BRANCH OF DIOSMA VULGARIS 
vulgaris (common) fl. white, tinged with blue; corymbs 
minal, few-flowered. May. l. scattered, linear, pointed, long, 
ooth, glandular, spreading, fringed. А, lft. to 3ft. See 
672. (B. M. under name of D. ericoides.) 
е other species are rarely seen in cultivation, 
DIOSPYROS (the old Greek name used by Theo- 
astus, from dios, divine, and puros, wheat; literally 
Stial food), Date Plum. Окъ. Ebenacem. A genus of 
t 150 species of stove, greenhouse, or hardy trees and 
represented in nearly all temperate and tropical 
. Flowers inconspicuous, polygamous, axillary. 
Simple, alternate, entire, exstipulate. e green- 
Diospyros—continued. 
house species are ornamental, and thrive under ordinary 
treatment; they are propagated by cuttings of half- 
ripened shoots. Those requiring stove heat strike best 
from ripened shoots, made during April or May, placed 
in sand, and in a brisk bottom heat. The hardy species 
may be increased by seeds. 
D. Ebenus. Ebony. fl. white ; male ones sub-racemose ; herma- 
phrodite ones solitary. l. bifarious, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 
acuminated, glabrous. A. 30ft. to 40ft. 1792. Stove. (В. Е. S. 65.) 
Fig. 673. FRUIT AND LEAVES OF DIOSPYROS KAKI. 
D. Kaki (Kaki).* Л. whitish-green ; male peduncles usually three- - 
flowered. fr. yellow when ripe, globose, t-celled, ofa 
orange, abounding in yellow, fleshy, edible pulp ; it is toler- 
ably pleasant. bifarious, ovate-elliptic, acuminated, elli 
oblong or obovate, cordate at the base, downy on both surfaces. 
Branches tomentose. Л. 12ft. to 20ft. China, 1789. -Hardy in 
South of England and Channel Islands, &c. See "678. The 
variety costata (G. С. n. s.,iv. 777) is so named in consequence of — _ 
the depressed lines or ribs that mark the surface of the fruit from 
the apex down towards the enlarged persistent four-lobed k 
at the base. The name of Date Plum is, perhaps, more frequently 
used for this species than for any of the others. puo dr 
D. Lotus.* European Lotus, or common Date Plum. Л. reddish- quu 
white, small. July. fr. yellow when ripe, sweet with astringency, - 
size of a cherry. 1. oblong, acuminate, of а beautiful dark glossy - 
green above; when mature, and exposed to the air, they assume 
a purplish hue beneath; they do not change colour in autumn, - 
but drop off simultaneously with the first attack of sharp frost. - 
h. 20%. to 30ft. South Europe, Orient, 1596. Hardy. | . . 
D. Mazeli (Mazel's)* fr. orange-red, large, spherical, ripe in 
November. J. elliptic-ovate or sub-cordate, deciduous. Japa 
1874. (R. H. 1874, 70.) | ы 
D. virginiana (Vi inian).* Persimmon; 
Л. e yellow, Jr гҹ golden-yellow, | 
ed, and, as well as th 
North America, 1629. Hardy. г 
DIOTIS (from dis, two, and ous, обоз, an ear; alluding 
to the ear-like lobes of the corolla). Cotton Weed. Овюр. 
Composite. A very ornamental hardy perennial, with a 
white and cottony aspect. It forms an excellent edging 
or rockery plant, and is increased by cuttings or seeds. 
D. candidissima (whitest), A synonym of D. maritima. 
D. maritima * jL-heads yellow, sub-globose, discoid. l. 
alternate, Р ог densely covered with white 
felted wool, Rootstock ere woody. A. біп, to lft. South 
of England (rare), shores of the Mediterranean and the Canaries 
SYN. D. candidissima, (Sy. En. В. 125.) : 
DIPCADI (d-rivation obscure). SYws. Polemannia, 
Tricharis, Uropetalum, and Zuccagnia. ORD. Liliacew. 
A genus of pretty hardy and half-hardy bulbs, allied . 
to Galtonia, There are about a score of species, 
natives of South Europe, tropical and Southern 
