120 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



DAL 



A genus of shrubby or herbaceous plants 

 with purplish, blue, whitish or rarely yellow 

 flowers, natives principally of Mexico, a few 

 being found in Chili and the southern United 

 States The genus contains more than 100 

 species, of which very few are in cultivation. 

 D. Mulisii, introduced from South America in 

 1828, the most showy and best known species, 

 has beautiful dark-blue flowers, disposed in 

 cylindrical heads, flowering in October. It is 

 also known as Psoralea Mutisii. 



Dalecha'mpia. Named after James Dalechamp, a 

 celebrated French botanist. Nat. Old. Euphor- 

 biacem. 



Evergreen climbers, producing small yel- 

 lowish-green flowers on axillary peduncles. 

 The genus is small, mostly natives of Brazil, 

 and do best in the hot-house. Propagated by 

 cuttings. 



Daliba'rda. Named after Denis Dalibard, a 

 French botanist. Nat. Ord. Rosacece. 



D. repens, the only species, is a rather 

 pretty trailing plant, quite common in our 

 northern woods. The flowers are white, 

 and are produced singly or in pairs. It is not 

 cultivated except in botanical collections. 



Dalmatian Powder. A well-known insecticide 

 manufactured from the flowers of Pyrethi'um 

 cineraricefolium. 



Dame's Violet, or Rocket. A common name 

 for Helper is Matronalis. 



Da'mmara. Kauri Pine. The name of the 

 species in Amboyna. Nat. Ord. Coniferce. 



A genus of evergreen trees, similar to our 

 Pines. D. Avstralis, a native of New Zealand, 

 is a tree from 150 to 200 feet in height, pro- 

 ducing a hard, brittle, resin-like copal, the 

 principal ingredient of Dammar or white 

 varnish. 



Dampie'ra. Named after the circumnavigator. 

 Captain Williain Dampier. Nat. Ord. Good- 

 eniacecB. 



Green-house herbaceous perennials from 

 New Holland, of easy culture. Flowers blue, 

 both axillary and terminal. Propagated by 

 cuttings of young shoots or by division. 



Damping off. A term applied to the premature 

 decay of the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants. 

 Its effects are most marked on young and 

 tender seedlings when crowded together, or 

 placed under unsuitable atmospheric con- 

 ditions. Damping off amongst cuttings is 

 often caused by allowing them to become too 

 dry, and then suddenly applying too much 

 water. The Avater is generally blamed when 

 the actual cause is drought and the sudden 

 change subsequently caused by the water. 

 When damping is detected amongs-t tender 

 seedlings they should be immediately sep- 

 arated and transplanted singly in fresh soil. 

 This will invariably check it, but the opera- 

 tion is best performed before damping 

 begins. 



Damson. A group of small fruited varieties of 

 the Plum. 



Dancing Girls. Opera Girls. See Mantisia. 



Dandelion. See Taraxicum. 



Dane-wort, or Dane's Blood. Sambucus Ebu- 

 lus. 



Dangle-Berry. A common name for Gaylussacia 

 frondosa. 



DAS 



Dantho'nia. Wild Oats Grass. Named in honor 

 of M. Donthoine, a French botanist. Nat. Ord. 

 GraininacecB. 



An extensive genus of grasses, having in 

 their native habitat the widest geographical 

 range. Some of the species are common on 

 poor soils in this country. D. spicata, one of 

 the most common species, is popularly known 

 as Wild-Oats Grass. 



Da'phue. From daio, to burn, and phone, a 

 noise ; it crackles when burning. Nat. Ord. 

 Thyinelacece. 



An extensive genus of small shrubs, mostly 

 evergreen, with very beautiful, fragrant flow- 

 ers, natives chieflj- of Europe, but partly also 

 of the cooler parts of Asia, including Japan 

 and China. Some of them are hardy shrubs, 

 valued for their eai-ly spring flowers. D. 

 Cneorum, the Garland Flower, is a hardy 

 spreading evergreen shrub, growing about 

 a foot high, and producing its beautiful bright 

 pink or crimson, deliciously sweet-scented 

 flowers in terminal clusters in April and May, 

 and occasionally again in September. On 

 account of its dwarf habit it is especially suit- 

 able for planting on rock-work, or for edgings 

 to beds ; it is propagated by layers. D. odora, 

 a native of China, is a green-house evergreen, 

 succeeding best when planted out in a cool 

 house; this species and D. Indica are grown 

 extensively for cut flowers, which are highly 

 esteemed for their delicious fragrance. They 

 grow freely from cuttings. Introduced in 

 1771. 



Da'rea. Named after Dar, a botanist. A genus 

 of Ferns allied to Asplenium. 



Darlingto'nia. Named in honor of Dr. Darling- 

 ton, one of our most distinguished botanists. 

 Nat. Ord. SarraceniaceoR. 



This remarkable genus consists of but one 

 species, C. Californica, which is found in the 

 marshy districts of California, and is com- 

 monly known as the California Side-Saddle 

 Flower, or Pitcher Plant. It is a perennial 

 herb, and can be grown in an ordinary cool 

 green-house. The plants should be potted in 

 sphagnum, leaf-mould and sand. Propagated 

 bj' division and from seed. Dr. Torrey gave 

 the flrst description of this plant in 1853. 



Darnel. A common name for the Lolium, which 

 see. 



Darwinia. Named after Dr. Darwin, author of 

 the "Botanic Garden." Nat. Ord. Myrtacece. 

 A small genus of low-growing, heath-like, 

 evergreen shrubs, found in the extra tropical 

 regions of Australia. The leaves are marked 

 with transparent dots. D. macrostegia, much 

 better known as Genetyllis. or Hedaroma tulipi- 

 fera, has numerous campanulate, tulip-like 

 flowers, nearly one and a half inches long, 

 borne in terminal fascicles. The petal-like 

 inner bracts are pale yellow, streaked with 

 red, the petals white. It is a very showy and 

 ornamental plant, and is easily increased by 

 cuttings of the half-ripened wood. Introduced 

 in 1854. 



Dasyli'rion. From dasys, thick, and leirion, a 

 lily; the plants are succulent. Nat. Ord. 

 LiliacecB. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen 

 plants from Mexico. The flowers, like most 

 of this order, are quite interesting. They 

 require similar treatment to the tender species 



