AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



113 



CUR 



minute tubers. It is a local disease, however, 

 and its cause is not certainly known. It is 

 distinct from the curled foliage produced by 

 the presence of Aphides. This term is also 

 applied to a serious disease affecting the leav?s 

 of the Peach tree, in which they are curled 

 and blistered. Some attribute the disease to 

 Aphides, and others to Fungi. There is no 

 known remedy but the destruction of the 

 tree. 



Curme'ria. Derivation of name not given. Nat. 

 Ord. AroidecE. 



A small genus of green-house herbaceous 

 perennials, natives of Colombia. C. Wallisii 

 is a dwai'f-growing species, and of a very or- 

 namental character. The leaves are spread- 

 ing, and strongly marked with very irregular 

 dark-green spots or blotches, intermixed with 

 broad patches of very pale yellowish-green. 

 C. picturata has broad green leaves, with a 

 broad central band of silvery gray. They 

 were introduced to cultivation in 1875, and 

 are highly esteemed in a collection of varie- 

 gated-leaved plants. Propagated by offsets 

 from the roots. 



Currant. Buffalo or Missouri. Ribes aureuin. 

 Common Red. Rihes rubrum. 

 New Zealand. Aristotelia fruticosa. 

 Red Flowering. Ribes Sanguhieum. 



Cuscu'ta. Dodder. From kechout, its Arabic 

 name. Nat. Ord. CuscutacecB. 



These plants are deserving of attention 

 from their parasitical character, as they will 

 attach themselves to, and grow on any other 

 plant within their reach. Their long twining 

 stems emit an abundance of small fragrant 

 flowers towards the end of summer. Their 

 seeds germinate in the earth, but detach 

 themselves as soon as sufficiently grown to 

 take hold of a neighboring plant. They are 

 natives of South America, New Holland, otlier 

 tropical countries, and the United States. The 

 Cuscuta is becoming troublesome in the 

 Southern States by overrunning other vege- 

 tation. It is particularly so to Oleanders, 

 several instances being reported where it has 

 completely destroyed these beautiful shrubs. 

 In California there has been much trouble in 

 fields of Alfalfa from a species of Cuscuta, 

 which, it is stated, was introduced with 

 Alfalfa seed from Chili. The only cure, when 

 it gets into a field, consists in cutting the 

 crop before the Dodder matures any seed. and 

 repeating the process as long as the Dodder 

 makes its appearance. C. Gronovii is very 

 common in low damp grounds, especially in 

 shady places both east and west, chiefly on 

 coarser herbs and low shrubs ; its orange- 

 colored stems render it very conspicuous. 



Cuscuta'ceae. A natural order of plants in- 

 cluded by some as a sub-order of Convolvul- 

 acecB. They are leafless, parasitic, twining 

 herbs, with flowers in dense clusters. The 

 seeds germinate in the soil in the usual way, 

 and afterward become true parasites bj' at- 

 taching themselves to plants in their vicinity, 

 and growing at their expense. They are 

 found in the temperate regions of both hemi- 

 spheres and are veiy destructive to some 

 kinds of plants. There are four known genera 

 and upward of fifty species. Ciiseiita, Lepi- 

 danche, and Epilinella are examples of the 

 order. 



CYA 



Cushion Pink, or Ladies' Cushion. Armeria 

 maritima. 



Cuspidate. Tapering gradually into a rigid 

 point. A leaf is cuspidate "when it suddenly 

 tapers to a point. 



Custard Apple. A popular name of Asimina 

 triloba, or American Papaw. 



Cuticle. The external homogeneous skin of a 

 plant, consisting of a tough membrane over- 

 lying the epidermis. The word is also used 

 for the skin of anj-thiug, including the epi- 

 dermis. 



Cutting. A portion of a young branch which, 

 when inserted into the earth under suitable 

 conditions, emits roots, and is developed as a 

 distinct individual. See Propagation by Cut- 

 tings. 



Cyana'nthus. From kyanos, blue, and antlios, a 

 flower. Nat. Ord. Campanulncece. 



C. lobatiis is a delicate little hardy liorba- 

 ceous plant from the higher ranges of the Him- 

 alayas, with a habit similar to some species of 

 Campanula. Its requirements are a sandy 

 soil, with plenty of moisture during the flow- 

 ering season, but afterward it should be kept 

 rather drj' and allowed to rest. The flowers 

 are terminal, and light blue. Propagated by 

 cuttings. 



Cyane'lla. A diminutive of kyanos blue. Nat. 

 Ord. Liliacece. 



Pretty green -house bulbs, with white, blue, 

 or yellow flowers. They grow readily in 

 sandy loam, and, like all other plants of the 

 same order, require to have a i-esting season, 

 which, for convenience, is generally deferred 

 to the winter. The protection of a cold frame 

 is all they require to endure our winters. 

 They increase freely by offsets. Natives of 

 the Cape of Good Hope ; introduced in 17G8. 



Cyanophy'llmn. From kyanos, blue, and phyl- 

 lon, a leaf ; referring to the color of the under 

 surface of the leaves. Nat. Ord. Melastom- 

 acece. 



Of this exceedingly interesting plant we 

 take the following description from Lowe's 

 " Beautiful Leaved Plants :" " Native country, 

 tropical America. Introduced in 1857 by Mr. 

 Linden, a Continental nurseryman. A fine 

 woody Melastomaceous hot-house shrub, 

 which has not yet flowered in this country 

 (England). The leaves are truly magnificent, 

 growing two feet long and nine inches wide, 

 of a long oval shape, tapering to a point. 

 Upper surface a distinct ivorj'-like midrib, 

 with a pair of veins of the same color I'unning 

 from the base near the margin and meeting 

 near the point, joining near the midrib. Mar- 

 gin irregularly serrated. Color a deep vel- 

 vety green ; underneath the veins are visible, 

 and the general color is a rich purplish crim- 

 son. Habit stnmg growing. Nothing can 

 possibly exceed the beautiful foliage of this 

 truly handsome plant." The above descrip- 

 tion of C. magnificum will apply equally well 

 to the other species. Propagated by cut- 

 tings. 



Cyano'tis. From kyanos, blue, and ous, an ear; 

 referring to the shape of the petals. Nat. Ord. 

 Commelynacem. 



A small genus of evergreen trailing plants, 

 allied to Tradescantia, and requiring the same 

 general treatment. The species are showy 

 plants, natives of tropical Asia. They are 



