AN ENCYCLOPZEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 215 
Witheringia—continued. 
sarmentose shrubs or small trees, rarely tall herbs, 
natives of South and Central. America and the West 
Indies. Flowers often rather small; calyx five to ten- 
toothed ; corolla deeply five-cleft ; pedicels often fascicled, 
umbellate, solitary or twin. Leaves entire or slightly 
sinuate. Most of the species formerly known in gardens 
as Witheringias have been removed to Solanum (which 
see), but it is doubtful if any are now cultivated. 
WITHE ROD, AMERICAN. See Viburnum 
nudum. 
WITHY. Se Salix fragilis. 
WITLOOF. A 
Intybus). 
WITSENIA (named after Nicholas Witsen, a Dutch 
patron of _botany). ORD. Irideæ. A monotypic genus. 
The species is an ornamental, greenhouse shrub. It 
thrives in sandy peat, and may be increased by divisions, 
or by seeds. 
W. corymbosa (corymbose).* d. one (or two?) to aspathe, sub- 
sessile; perianth purplish-blue, the tube elongated, cylindrical ; 
lobes erect, connivent, the outer ones rather thick, tomentose 
at back, the inner ones shorter; stamens affixed to the throat, 
shorter than the perianth; spathes usually twin in the axils 
of the upper bracts. June. I erect, ensiform, equitant, rather 
rigid; upper ones smaller, clustered. Stem tall, branched, 
compressed, acutely angled. South Africa, 1803. (B. 125; B. R. 5; 
F. d. S. 72; P. M. B. viii., p. 221.) 
WITTEBROOM. See Leucadendron. 
WITTELSBACHIA. A synonym of Cochlosper- 
mum (which see). 
WOAD, DYER’S. See Isatis tinctoria. 
.WOAD, WAXEN. A common name for Genista 
tinctoria (which see). 
WOAD, WILD. 
Luteola (which see). 
Sco BERRY. See Symphoricarpus occi- 
WOLF CHOP. A common name for Mesembry- 
anthemum lupinum (which see). 
WOLF'S BANE. See Aconitum. 
WOLFS BANE, WINTER. Se Eranthis 
hyemalis 
variety of Chicory (Cichorium 
A common name for Reseda 
WOLES CLAW. A common name for Lycopodium 
clavatum (which see). 
WOLF'S MILK. Se Euphorbia. 
WOLLASTONIA. Included under Wedelia (which 
see) 
WOMAN'S-CAP ORCHID. See Thelymitra. 
WONGA-WONGA VINE. Sce Tecoma australis. 
WOOD. The hard part of a stem, formed chiefly of 
Woody tissue or pleurenchyma. 
ae OOD ASHES. The Ashes obtained from wood, 
b er all the organic compounds have been destroyed by 
urning, form a very valuable manure, as they contain 
en compounds, and also the other mineral substances 
Th existed in the plants from which they were prepared. 
ese Ashes usually contain the elements in forms that 
The be made use of by most plants in their nutrition. 
th, ey are of especial value to the same species as yielded 
e wood from which they were prepared, since they 
Em all the mineral elements required by such plants, 
Or the most part, in the desirable proportions. 
ed Ashes that remain after weeds, are burned may 
e mployed like Wood Ashes, being similar in general 
Position; but it is usually better economy to make 
Wood Ashes—continued. — 
up the weeds into a compost, and to employ them after 
slow decomposition with urine. Wood Ashes may be 
applied pure, or may be previously mixed with dung or 
other organic manures, e.g., guano. They are sometimes 
made use of against insect depredations, either dusted 
without mixture on the plants, or mixed with powdered 
Pyrethrum leaves or Paris Green (Arseniate of Copper). 
WOOD BETONY. See Peduncularis canadensis 
and Stachys Betonica. 
WOODBINE. See Lonicera Periclymenum. 
WOODBINE, AMERICAN. A common name for 
Ampelopsis quinquefolia (which see). 
WOOD-BORING BEES. In many localities where 
there is a supply of decaying wood in which to form 
their burrows, these insects are not uncommon. Each 
female works independently of the others—not, as do 
Hive Bees and Humble Bees, in societies, for the good 
of the community. Each digs out a burrow for herself; 
forms one or more cells in it; stores her cells with pollen 
or other food suitable for the nourishment of her larvs; 
lays an egg in the mass in each cell; closes up the mouth 
of the latter; and leaves the larva to escape from the 
egg, to live on the food stored up for it, and to pass 
through its development. At last the young Bees escape 
from the cells, and from the burrows when they are fully ` 
mature, to repeat the process for the benefit of their 
own offspring in turn. There are several kinds of Wood- 
boring Bees found in England, belonging to more than 
one genus. They show a considerable likeness to the 
common Hive Bee, so that they might be mistaken for 
the latter by a casual observer. Some of them burrow 
not only in decaying wood, but also in old walls, in the 
ground, or even in soft sandstone. The species of 
Megachile are called. Leaf-cutter Bees," as they cut 
pieces from the leaves of Roses, op other plants, and 
employ them in forming the cells for containing the 
larval food in the burrows. The end of each cell is 
closed by a set of circular pieces of leaf. Another 
Wood-borer has had one of its habits recorded by the 
well-known Rey. Gilbert White, of Selborne. This 
habit is that of stripping off the hairs from the surface 
of various plants, shaving the stems bare, as White 
says, “with all the dexterity of a hoop-shaver,” and 
flying away with a bundle held between its chin and 
fore legs, almost as large as itself. With the hairs the 
female collects in this way she forms cells by uniting 
them with some sticky cement into a substance like felt. 
The cells are made in burrows dug out of the rotten 
wood of decaying Willows. This Bee’s scientific name is 
Anthidium manicatwm. 
WOOD-BRONEY. An old name for the Ash 
(Fraxinus). 
WOOD FERN. See Polypodium vulgare. 
WOODFORDIA (named after J. Woodford, who 
wrote an account of the plants round Edinburgh in 1824). 
Orp. Lythrariee. A monotypic genus. The species is 
a stove shrub, with long, spreading branches. For cul- 
i ly solitary; calyx i 
cymes on axillary peduncles, rarely so pds m gpl om 
opposite 
WOOD LILY. A common name for Pyrola minor 
and various species of Trillium. 
