88 



HENDEKSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



CIN 



They possess properties similar to those of 

 the bark. There are several other species of 

 this genus that furnish aromatic barlis, which 

 are used in flavoring and in medicine. 



Cinnamon Fern. The popular name of one of 

 our native Ferns, Osmunda Cinnamomea. 



Cinnamon Root. A common name for Inula 

 Conyza. 



Cinnamon Tree. See Cinnamomum. 



Cinnamon Vine. A name given to Dioscorea 

 batatas. 



Cinque-foil, or Five-Finger. One of the popu- 

 lar names of Potentilla, which see. 



Circae'a. Enchanter's Nightshade. A classical 

 name, after Circe, a celebrated enchantress, 

 skilled in poisonous herbs. Nat. Ord. Ona- 

 gracecB. 



A small genus of hardy herbaceous peren- 

 nials, of but little interest ; natives of Europe, 

 and naturalized in many parts of this country. 



Circinal. Resembling a circle. 



Circinate. Bent like the head of a crosier, as in 

 the young leaf of a Fern when it begins to 

 grow. 



Cirrhope'talum. From cirrhus, a tendril, and 

 petalon, a flower leaf; in reference to the 

 strap-shaped petals. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



An extensive genus of small, very curious 

 epiphytal Orchids, natives of tropical Asia 

 and the South Sea Islands. Their flowers are 

 remarkable for having the lateral sepals pro- 

 longed into narrow streamers. From this 

 peculiar feature, and the fact that they occupy 

 but little room, a few of the species have been 

 introduced into the more general collection 

 of Orchids. Propagated by division. 



Cirrhose. Either furnished with a tendril, as the 

 Grape-vine or the leaves of Gloriosa superba ; 

 or assuming the form and functions of a ten- 

 dril, as the peduncles of Clematis cirrhosa; or 

 where the tendrils are in some way remark- 

 able, as the Nepenthes. 



Ci'rsium. Common or Plumed Thistle. From 

 kirsos, a swollen vein ; in reference to being 

 pricked by the spines. Nat Ord. Compositce. 



The Thistle family is too well known to 

 need special mention. Two of the more 

 troublesome species, C. lanceolatum, the com- 

 mon Thistle, and C. arvense,the Canada Thistle, 

 are both natives of Europe, though perfectly 

 naturalized in this country. There are many 

 native species, the most conspicuous being C. 

 muticum. Swamp Thistle, a perennial, common 

 in moist woods and swamps, often growing as 

 high as eight feet. This genus is now placed 

 under Cnicus by some botanists. 



Cissa'mpelos. A genus of Menispermacew, with 

 the climbing character of the Ivy, kissos of 

 the Greeks, and the clustered fruit of the vine 

 Ampelos. The most important plant of the 

 genus is the Velvet-leaf, or Caapeba, C. 

 Pareira, a native of the West Indies, Central 

 America, and India. The root of this plant 

 furnishes the "Pareira brava" of the drug- 

 gists, much used in medicine. 



Ci'ssus. From kissos, ivy ; in reference to their 

 scrambling habit. Nat. Ord. Vitacem. 



A genus of climbing plants, allied to VUis. 

 With a few exceptions, they are plants of but 

 little interest to the florist. One of the species, 

 however, C. discolor, is a plant remarkable for 



CIS 



the beauty of its foliage, and its adaptation to 

 the hot-house. This species is a native of 

 Java, and was introduced into England in 1854 

 by Messrs Rollison and Sons, of Tooting, and 

 is described by Mr. Lowe as follows : " The 

 leaves, which are six inches long and two 

 and a half broad, are colored on the upper 

 surface in the richest manner conceivable, the 

 plant rivaling, in its beautiful foliage, the 

 finest of the Ancectochilus family; the color 

 being a rich green, clouded with white, peach, 

 and dark purplish crimson, and covered with 

 a metallic luster. The under side of the leaf 

 is a rich brownish crimson. No description 

 or painting can do justice to the beauty of 

 these superb leaves when in perfection." This 

 plant is a rapid grower, requiring a very rich 

 soil and humid atmosphere, together with a 

 high temperature, to bring it to perfection. It 

 should be grown in a shaded house, and care 

 should be taken not to syringe the plant, as 

 water on the leav^es destroys the metallic 

 luster. It is readily increased by cuttings. 

 The leaves are much valued by florists for 

 their various work in baskets, designs, etc. 



Cista'ceae. A natural order of shrubs or herbs, 

 often viscid, with simple entire leaves and 

 showy flowers, found chiefly in the south of 

 Europe and the north of Africa, and rarely in 

 North or South America. They are usually 

 resinous, and have a balsamic fragrance. 

 Helianthemum vulgare, the common Rock Rose 

 of England, has remarkably irritable stamens, 

 which in sunny weather move on being 

 touched. There are eight genera and about 

 190 species in this order; the best known of 

 which are Cistus, Helianthemum and Hudsonia. 



Cisterns. The superior value of rain-water for 

 plant cultivation and general garden purposes 

 is often overlooked when building green- 

 houses, as it is frequently conducted to drains 

 when accommodation for its reception should 

 be provided in the shape of cisterns. These 

 are generally constructed with stones or brick, 

 and coated inside with cement. Where the 

 ground will admit of it, an excellent and 

 cheap method is to have the sides of the cis- 

 tern sloped as much as the soil will allow, and 

 coat it one inch thick with a mixture of one 

 part cement to three of gravel, finishing with 

 a thin coating of pure cement. This forms a 

 wall which when dry becomes as hard as iron, 

 and will last for years. The size of cisterns 

 should vary according to their intended use. 

 If they are to furnish a daily supply of water, 

 they need not be so large as for keeping a sup- 

 ply for summer only. The average depth of 

 rain which falls in this latitude rarely exceeds 

 six to seven inches for two months. The size 

 of the cistern therefore need not exceed that 

 of a body of water on the whole roof of the 

 building seven inches deep. To ascertain this 

 amount multiplj^ the length by the breadth of 

 the building, reduce this to inches, and divide 

 the product by 231, and the quotient will be 

 gallons for each inch of depth. Multiplying 

 by seven will give the full amount for two 

 months' rain falling upon the roof; divide by 

 31}^, the quotient will be barrels. Cisterns 

 intended only for drawing from in times of 

 drought, to hold all the water that may fall, 

 should be about three times the preceding 

 capacity. 



Ci'stus. Rock Rose. From kiste, a box ; in ref- 



