142 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



EPI 



Archipelago and the islands of the Pacific. E. 

 Mirabile, the Tonga Plant, a native of Fiji, is 

 thus described by N. E. Brown : " This is an 

 ornamental climber, of rapid growth, with 

 bold, dark green, pinnatisect leaves in the 

 adult stage, and large inflorescences, resem- 

 bling those of a Monstera. It is a very suitable 

 jtlant for training up pillars, trunks of palms, 

 tree ferns, etc., or the back wall of a stove; 

 and besides its ornamental character, it is 

 specially interesting for the manner in which 

 the plant changes its appearance as it develops 

 from its juvenile stage with small entire 

 leaves, to its adult flowering stage with large 

 pinnatisect leaves ; as well as for its medi- 

 cinal qualities, which appear to have been long 

 known to the natives of the countries the 

 plant inhabits." 



Epi'scia. From episcios, shaded ; occurring in 

 their native habitats in shady .places. Nat. 

 Ord. GesneracecE. 



Green-house herbaceous perennials, with 

 beautifully colored foliage, and solitary 

 flowers on short axillary stems. They make 

 very pretty basket plants for the hot-house, 

 the only place in which they thrive well. 

 They grow best in sandy loam, and leaf 

 mould, and are readily increased by cuttings. 

 About thirty species have been described, all 

 natives of Nicaragua, New Grenada, and tlie 

 West Indies. Alsobia, Centroselenia, Cyrto- 

 deira, Physodiera and Skiophila are now all 

 referred to this genus. 



Equal. Where one part is of the same general 

 form, disposition and size, as some other 

 part with which it is compared ; applied to 

 petals and sepals when they are equal in size 

 and shape with each other. 



Equestrian Star. One of the popular names of 

 Hippeastrum. 



Equinoctial. Plants Avhose flowers expand 

 and close at particular hours of the day. 



Bquiseta'ceae. A natural order of the higher 

 Cryptogams which takes its name from the 

 genus Equisehivi, the only one the order con- 

 tains. They are remarkable for the external 

 resemblance which they bear in habit to 

 Casuarina or Ephedra, and as regards the 

 heads of fructification to Zamia. All re- 

 semblance, however, ceases there, and the nat- 

 ural affinities of the plants are with Ferns. 

 There are about twenty-five species chiefly 

 found in temperate northern regions ; a few 

 are sub-tropical. One of the latter group, E. 

 Martii, attains in its native habitat (Brazil) 

 the enormous height of thirty feet. " Dutch 

 Rushes," used for scouring and polishing, are 

 the stems of E. hyemale. 



Equitant. A mode of vernation, or of arrange- 

 ment of leaves with respect to each other, in 

 which the sides or edges alternately overlap 

 each other, as in Alorcea iridioides. 



Eragro'stis. Love-Grass. From eroa, love, and 

 agrostis, grass ; in allusion to the beautiful 

 dancing spikelets, whence the popular name. 

 Nat Ord. Graminacece. 



A very extensive genus of grasses, found in 

 nearly every part of the habitable globe. Most 

 of the species are very handsome ; but none 

 of them are of any value for agricultural pur- 

 poses. E. elegatis is a very ornamental spe- 

 cies, somewhat resembling the Brizas in 

 habitand gracefulness. Itis especially adapted 



ERI 



for border culture, and is one of the most 

 beautiful for winter or dried bouquets. 



Era'nthemum. From ermi, to love, and anthe- 

 mon, a flower; referring to the beauty of the 

 flowers. Nat. Ord. AcanthacecB. 



A somewhat extensive genus of winter- 

 flowering green-house plants, found pretty 

 generally distributed throughout tropical and 

 sub-tropical countries. The flowers are small, 

 purple, white, blue, or rose-colored. They 

 require the treatment of soft-wooded plants 

 of the same class. The two species E. tricolor 

 and E. alropurpurea, ai"e equal to Dractenas 

 in their beautiful crimson and carmine- 

 colored foliage, which fits them either for 

 massing outside or as specimens in the green- 

 house. They are propagated by cuttings, 

 and were first introduced in 179G. 



Era'nthis. Winter Aconite. From er, spring, 

 and anthos, a flower; referring to its early 

 flowering. Nat. Ord. Rmiunculacece. 



A small genus of hardy tuberous-rooted 

 plants, natives of Italy and Siberia. E. hye- 

 malis is the well-known Winter Aconite. It is 

 one of the earliest and most hardy of spring 

 flowers, throwing up its pretty yeUow blos- 

 soms long before the snow disappears, and 

 continuing in flower for several weeks. This 

 is the only species under cultivation, and is 

 freely propagated by division of the tubers. 

 It has been under cultivation since 1596. 



Eremostachys. From erymos, deserted, and 

 stachys, a spike ; alluding to the flowers grow- 

 ing in sparse verticillate spikes. Nat. Ord. 

 Labiatoe. 



Very pretty hardy perennials, natives of 

 western and central Asia. E. laciniata, the 

 only species in cultivation, bears yellow flow- 

 ers in ten to twenty-flowered whorls, the 

 upper ones approximate. Increased by divi- 

 sion or seeds. 



Eremu'rus. From eremoa, solitary, and oura, a 

 tail ; referring to the flower spike. Nat. Ord. 

 Liliacew. 



A genus of very pretty, hardy, herbaceous, 

 large. Hyacinth-like plants, consisting of 

 about eighteen species, natives principally of 

 Asiatic Russia. The yellow, white, or rose- 

 colored flowers are borne on elongated ra- 

 cemes ; the leaves are radical and linear. 

 They are of easy culture, and are increased by 

 division. 



Ergot. A disease of Corn, Rye, etc., produced 

 by Fungi. 



E'ria. From erion, wool ; referring to the down 

 on the leaves of some of the species. Nat. 

 Ord. OrchidacecB. 



A small genus of pretty flowering hot-house 

 Orchids, allied to Dendrobium, mostly from 

 the East Indies. They require the same treat- 

 ment as Stanhopea, and aie propagated by 

 division; introduced in 1837. 



Eria'nthus. Woolly Beard-Grass. From erion, 

 wool, and anthos, a flower. Nat. Ord. Grami- 

 nacete. 



A small genus of tall-growing, reed-like 

 grasses. E. Ravennm, a rival to the Pam pas 

 Grass, though not so beautiful, is more valua- 

 ble in this latitude, being perfectly hardy, and 

 producing its graceful plumes in autumn in 

 great abundance. It makes a magnificent 

 lawn plant, and is propagated by root division 

 and from seed. Introduced in 1824. 



