214 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Wistaria—continued. 
Syns. W. sinensis, Glycine chinensis B. M. 2083), G. sinensis 
(B. R. 650; L, B. C. 773). 
— W. e. flore-pleno EO SES U”. A handsome variety, with 
double flowers. 1882. (F. & P.1 551.) 
W. c, macrobotrys (large-clustered). fl. white, tinted with 
bluish-purple, borne in very long racemes. Japan, 1870. 
W. c. variegata (variegated). A form with bright silvery- 
= 
variegated foliage, 1886. 
FIG. 224. PORTION OF FLOWERING BRANCH OF WISTARIA CHINENSIS. 
W. frutescens (shrubby). American Kidney-bean T 
` odorons ; racemes ĝin. to 6in. long, 2in. to p^ in MM 
on short branches, dense-flowered ; bracts large caducous. 
April and May. fr., pods one or several.seeded. /., 'young ones 
(and branches) silky-pubescent; leaflets nine to thirteen, lin 
long, af or oblong ; stipels none. North America, 
e. Ki NS. Glycine frutescens (B. M. 2103) and Thyrsanthus 
w. (Japanese).* d. white, in simple nodding race: 
D d obovate, obtuse, entire ` pedicels one-flowered, ens 
zontally spreading, terete; peduncles slender. July and August. 
k es Dë Aen six-jugate; leaflets pedicellate, ovate 
-lanceo! obtuse, acuminate, enti i 
A glabrons, twining shrub. (S. Z FS 43) ^ ate, Japan. 
5 uga (many-paired). fl. lilac, with le wi 
keel, rather smaller than in W. chinensis, and sewing hi SE 
SEER EN X to be upwards of 2ft, in length. Summer. 1. pin- 
TA As e oes elliptic-ovate, acuminate. Japan, 1874. 
W. sinensis (Chinese). A synonym of W. chinensis. . 
WISTARIA, TUBEROUS- 
P ROOTED. See Apios 
WITCHES’ THIMBLE. See Silene maritima. 
WITCH HAZEL. See Hamamelis. 
WITCH ENOTS. The name popularly bestowed on” 
the curious clusters of twigs (looking ve i 
nest of a rook, or some other eter des Poele e 
a distance) that so frequently oceur on the larger bran "e 
of Birch, Hornbeam, and certain other trees. The twi ` 
are usually somewhat swollen, and both they et Rs 
sickly-looking leaves upon them are duller green ‘San 
usual, and frequently show a slightly velvety surf 
The causes of these deformities escaped detection till they 
were carefully investigated a few years ago with "f 
microscope, and were found to differ in various trees 
Witch Knots—continued. ; 
In Birch and Hornbeam, they are the work of minute 
Fungi, belonging to a very lowly group of Ascomycetes. 
The mycelium of the Fungi lives in the tissues of the ` 
host-plant’s leaves and bark; and the velvety appear- 
ance mentioned above results from the outgrowth over 
the whole epidermis of the organs of reproduction. 
These latter consist of asci (see Pyrenomycetes) in each 
of which eight (or more) spores are formed, 
and from which they are scattered when 
mature. The asci in Evoascus (as. the 
most important genus of Witch Knot 
Fungi is called) are quite exposed to 
casualties from without, instead. of being 
inclosed in a perithecium, as in Pyreno- 
mycetes. The number of asci and of 
spores is immense; but they are far too 
small individually to be detected, except 
when thin sections of the diseased parts 
are examined with a lens of high mag- 
nifying power. The following species 
of Exoascus give rise to Witch Knots: 
E. turgidus, on Birch; E. Carpini, on 
Hornbeam; and E. Institiw, on Bullace. 
It may be noted that other species of 
the genus produce distortions of the leaves 
-of various trees and shrubs (Poplars, 
Alder, Elm, Cherry, &c.), and that E. 
Pruni is the cause of the disease of 
the fruit in various species of Prunus 
known as “ Bladder Plums.” 
In the Birch, a diseased condition, a 
good deal like a young Witch Knot, is 
often of frequent occurrence. It is the 
work of a species of Phytoptus or Gall- 
mite (see Mites), and results from the 
stimulation, by the myriads of minute 
Mites, of the growing tissues in the 
buds, which are increased in size, but 
never develop properly. The buds in 
the axils of the leaf-scales, instead of 
remaining undeveloped, enlarge to a 
| conspicuous size, or grow into stunted branches; and 
on this process being repeated year after year, the 
mass of buds, Zo. may reach the size of a cricket 
ball, but is usually smaller. There is no real difficulty 
in distinguishing these Mite Galls from true Witch 
aati cansed by Fungi. The Silver Fir (Abies pectinata) 
occasionally bears Witch Knots, which are made up 
. of a central swelling of the stem, or of a large limb. 
From this arise one or more branches, on which 
grow very many small branches crowded densely together. 
The needles are short, thick, brittle, and bright green. 
All parts of the Witch Knots are traversed by mycelium; ` 
and the leaves bear over their surfaces numerous small, 
yellow, membranous cups, filled with minute, yellow 
Spores for reproduction. These are the characteristic 
‘fruits” of a Fungus named JEcidium elatinum. T 
Fungus renders the stems, &c., brittle, and liable to 
injury from wind; and it also causes the leaves to 
fall early. 
_ Treatment. The only method likely to be of use 
is to cut off and burn Witch Knots of all kinds, to 
prevent the diseases from bei ated by the 
spores. s. 
WITCH OR WYCH ELM. Se Ulmus montana. 
WITHERINGIA (name commemorative of William 
Withering, of Birmingham, 1741-1799, author of ® 
Botanical Arrangement of the Vegetables of Grea 
Britain,” 1776). Syns. Aureliana, Bassovia (now. the 
correct name). ORD. Solanacee. A genus comprising 
about a dozen species of stove or greenhouse, erect oF 
