TASCULARES. 



324 



VERBASCUM. 



selves from their stalks and rise \ip 

 to the surface, on which they float , 

 like little white bubbles. After the \ 

 pollen has been distributed over the j 

 stigmas, the male flowers wither, j 

 and the spiral stalk of the female | 

 coils up again, so as to draw the j 

 seed-vessel under the water, that it | 

 may ripen at the bottom and burst j 

 when just in the proper place to de- 

 posit its seeds. Nothing can be 

 more beautiful than the whole 

 arrangement; and nothing can show 

 more strikingly the admirable man- 

 ner in which the economy of nature 

 is carried on. 



Valonia Oak. — Quercus E'gi- 

 lops. — The acorns are enveloped in 

 a curious leafy cup ; and the tree, 

 which is generally of a small size, is 

 very handsome. — See Qub'rcus. 



Va'nda. — Orclddaxece. — A beau- 

 tiful Epiphyte, which is made the 

 type of a section from the great 

 number that are nearly allied to it. 

 It should be grown on the branch 

 of a tree. — See Orchideous Epi- 

 phytes. 



VA'irrLLA. Orchidacece. A 



creeping parasite, common in tropi- 

 cal climates, which throws out roots 

 at every joint, that penetrate into 

 the bark of the trees on which the 

 plant grows. "When grown in an 

 orchideous house these plants are 

 frequently fixed in a crevice in the 

 damp wall, whence they spread out 

 in different directions, catching hold 

 of every object within their reach. 

 "When thus treated, and kept in a 

 strong moist heat, the plants will 

 flower ; but unless objects are near 

 for their roots to attach themselves 

 to, the plants will never be strong 

 and healthy. The native Yanilla is 

 used for putting into chocolate. 



"Vascula'res are plants, the 

 leaves and stems of which contain 

 spiral vessels, in opposition to Cel- 

 lulares or plants which are composed 



only of cellular tissue. All the 

 flowering plants belong to the "Vas- 

 culares ; but the mosses, fungi, and 

 lichens, are Cellulai-es. 



Vases in pleasure-grounds have 

 often a very good effect, particularly 

 on the terrace of an Italian villa. 

 "Wherever they are introduced, how- 

 ever, they should always stand on a 

 plinth, broader than the circular 

 base, as nothing can have a more 

 unartistical effect than to see a vase 

 resting on the bare ground. 



Vegetable Ivory. — This cu- 

 rious substance is the albumen of 

 the seed of a plant called Phytele- 

 phas, a native of the Gallipagos 

 Islands, and South America. The 

 seed is so hard that its albumen is 

 cut into thimbles, and various arti- 

 cles for the work-table, and indeed 

 is applied to nearly the same uses as 

 ivor}-. — See Phyte'lephas. 



Ve'lla. — Crudferce.—Theshmh- 

 by Cress Rocket. — V. Pseudo-Cyti- 

 sus is one of the few Cruciferous 

 shrubs. It is evergreen, and only 

 grows two or three feet high, with 

 glaucous leaves and bright yellow 

 flowers, which appear in April and 

 May. It is a native of Spain, and 

 it was formerly considered a green- 

 house plant in England, but it is 

 now found to be hardy. It grows 

 best in calcareous loam, but it -will 

 thrive in any garden soil ; and it is 

 very suitable for rock-work. It is 

 propagated by cuttings of the young 

 wood planted in sand tmder a glass. 



Venus's Cojib. — Scdndix Pec- 

 ten. — A British weed. 



Venus's Fly Trap.— See Di- 

 on^^a. 



Venus's Looking-Glass. — See 

 Campa'nula. 



Verba'scum. — Solanacece. — The 

 Mullein, or Flannel Plant. — Showy 

 herbaceous plants, generally with 

 yellow flowers, and most of which 

 are natives of Britain. The greater 



