sg gi ey 
396 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
SCORIAS. A synonym of Carya. 
SCORODONIA. Included under Teucrium (which 
see). 
SCORPIOID. “A form of unilateral inflorescence 
>- which is circinately coiled in the bud; in the stricter 
sense, a form with the flowers two-ranked, these being 
thrown alternately to the right and left” (Asa Gray). 
SCORPION GRASS. A common name for Myosotis. 
SCORPIURWS (from scorpios, a scorpion, and oura, 
a tail; alluding to the twisted form of the legumes).. 
Caterpillar Plant. Orp. Leguminose. A genus com- 
prising about half-a-dozen species of hardy, nearly stem- 
less or decumbent herbs, natives of Sonth Europe, North 
Africa as far as the Canary Isles, and Western Asia. 
Flowers yellow, often small, solitary or umbellate on 
axillary peduncles, nodding. Pods snb-terete, tubercled 
or muricated, circinate-involute. Leaves simple, entire, 
continuous with the petioles, The species are not very 
beautiful, and are rarely cultivated in this country. 
S. vermiculata is a trailing annual. Seeds shouid be 
sown in the open border, during spring, and the young 
plants treated as other hardy annuals. 
Fig. 459. FRUITING BRANCHLET AND DETACHED Pop oF 
aot Riots oe URUS VERMICULATA, 
5. vermiculata (cumalnees: ded). 
duncles; standard streakec sh une and July. Pods 
thick, glabrous, with the inner ribs almost obsolete, but the ten 
outer ones bear crowded stipitate tubercles, which are obtusely 
Pig, 80, at apex. l ta g into the petioles. 1621, See 
SCORZONERA (from old French scorzon, Catalonian 
a serpent; in allusion to the cooling, anti-febrile 
8. hispanica, which was formerly employed in 
sin, on acconnt of these properties, for the cure of 
serpent bites). Viper’s Grass. Including Podospermum. 
ORD. Composite. A large genus of hardy, glabrous, 
floceose- woolly, or hairy, perennial or rarely biennial or 
annual herbs. About 120 species have been described ; 
a ae oe entitled to that rank is less 
; they inhabit Europe, North ica, 
Central and Western Asia. E saper lig 
purple, often rather large, on long peduncles; involucre 
acuminate bracts in many series; receptacle naked or 
. solitary on the pe | 
bia 
Flower -heads yellow or | 
cylindrical or campanulate, with imbricated, acute or |- 
Scorzonera—continued. 
foveolate; florets ligulate, truncately five - toothed at 
apex; achenes linear, sub-terete, or the ottter ones an- 
gular, glabrous or villous. Leaves alternate, sometimes 
entire and grass-like or broader, sometimes more or less 
pinnately lobed or dissected. S. hispanica is culti- 
vated in gardens for the use of its long, tap@ting roots, 
which are cooked in a similar way to those of Salsafy. 
Their outside skin is black; but the inside flesh is white. — 
Seeds should be sown at the end of March, or any time ~ 
during April, in drills 1ft. apart, and the plants, when 
large enough, thinned to 6in. or 8in. asunder. An open 
situation is preferable, and deep soil, which should not be — 
newly manured for the crop. The roots will be ready for F, 
use in November, and on through the winter. Some * 
should be lifted before frost sets in, and stored in sand, in 
a cool shed, to be ready for use whenever required. All 
the other species may be grown from seeds, sown in the 
open border, in spring, and the seedlings afterwards — 
thinned out. The perennials may be increased by — 
division of rootstocks, either in autumn or just when 
growth begins in spring. i 
The species best known to cultivation are described F 
below; except where otherwise ‘stated, they are 
perennials. 
coronopifolia (Buckhorn-leaved). fl.-heads yellow, one to a 
stem ; involucral scales mucronate, the outer ones ovate. June 
and July. Z. lanceolate, mostly pinnatifid ; lobes linear, unequ 
Stems erect, nearly simple, leafy at base. h. lft. North Afric 
Fi 
j 
3 
i 
Fig. 460. SCORZONERA HISPANICA. a ae 
a £ A j È 
5. hispanica (Spanish).* Common Vipers Grass. fl-heads 
yellow ; involucre oblong, the scales slightly glabrous, re 
minated. June to September. J. amplexicaul, lanceolate, 1 
dulated or slightly toothed, glabrous or somewhat pubes pa 
Stem branched; branches naked, one-headed at anen Root 
nearly the shape of a carrot, but smaller and dark-coloured, 
a. 4 
