164 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



GAY 



G. stenophylla, the only species, a native of 

 south Africa, has large flower-heads three 

 inches across, bronzy-green outside, and the 

 richest golden yellow inside. The leaves are 

 deep green above and snowj'- white underneath. 

 The flowers have the same habit of closing in 

 the after part of the day, as those of the 

 Uazania. 

 Gaylussa'cia. Named in honor of N. F. Gay- 

 lussac, a celebrated French chemist. Nat. 

 Ord. EricacecE. 



Branching shrubs two to five feet high, 

 common on woodlands and swamps. The 

 Huckleberry is the fruit of several of the 

 species ; see Huckleberry. 



Geisso'is. From geisson, house-tiling ; the seeds 

 are imbricated like the tiles of a house. Nat. 

 Ord. Saxifragacece. 



A small genus of evergreen trees, natives 

 of New Caledunia, the Fiji Islands and Aus- 

 tralia. G. racemosa is an interesting plant of 

 moderate growth, with verj- distinct leafage 

 that maj' be likened to that of a Pavia. The 

 midribs and leaf-stalks are of a fine red 

 color, and the blade of the leaves full deep 

 green. Introduced from New Caledonia in 1851. 



Geissome'ria. From geisson, a tile, and meris, 

 a part ; the imbricated bracts fall over each 

 other, like tiles on a roof. Nat. Ord. Acantha- 

 cefB. 



Evergreen pubescent or glabrous shrubs, 

 mostly natives of Brazil. G. longijlora the 

 the best known species, has oval or oblong 

 entire leaves, and terminal spikes of long, 

 scarlet, tubular, velvety flowers. It is a 

 splendid free-flowering plant, growing in any 

 good compost, and is propagated by cuttings. 



Geissorhi'za. Tile Root. From geisson, a tile, 

 and rhiza, a root; referi'ing to the dry coats 

 which cover the fleshy roots, like tiles on a 

 roof. Nat. Ord. IridacecB. 



A small genus of south African bulbs, one 

 species of which has been found in Abyssinia. 

 They are all remarkable for having bulbs, or, 

 more correctly, bulbo-tubers, covered with 

 several crustaceous or scarious skins or 

 tunics, which lie over each other like 

 scales, or the tiles of a house, beginning 

 from below. It is from this peculiarity that 

 the plants take their English name of Tile 

 Eoot. They have but four leaves, all of 

 which spring from the root, and are narrow 

 and bristly. The stems are simple or 

 branched, producing one or two flowers each, 

 resembling the Ixia, very showy, of various 

 colors, white, yellow and blue predominating. 

 They are properly green-house bulbs, but will 

 succeed finelj' in a cold frame, and are in- 

 creased by offsets. Introduced in 1795. 



Gelasi'ne. From gelasinos, a smiling dimple ; 

 referring to the flowers of these pretty bulbs. 

 Nat. Ord. IridacecB. 



G. azurea, the only species, is a small bulb 

 from the Eio Grande, producing two to four 

 beautiful blue tulip-shaped flowers on a 

 slender stalk, about one and a half feet high. 

 Propagated by offsets, or from seed. Seedlings 

 flower the second year. Introduced in 1838. 



Geise'mixim. From gelsemius, an Italian name 

 of the Jasmine ; alluding to the simplicity of 

 the flowers. Nat. Ord. Loganiaceoe. 



A small genus of climbing shrubs, with op- 

 posite lanct'-sliaped, shining leaves, and 



GEN 



producing axillary clusters of showy yellow 

 flowers, very fi-agrant. It is indigenous to 

 North Carolina and southward, and is popu- 

 larly known as Carolina Jessamine. It is in- 

 creased by cuttings. 



Geminate. Growing in pairs. 



Genety'llis. A small genus of Myrtacecp , now 

 united with Darwinia, which see. 



Geniculate. Where any part is bent abruptly, 

 so as to form a decided angle, as the stems of 

 many grasses. 



Geni'pa. Genip-tree. A genus of tropical 

 American trees of the Nat. Ord. Rubiacew. 



Nearly allied to the Gardenia. The flowers 

 are small, and produce a fruit about the size 

 of an orange, greenish-white in color, and 

 full of dark purple rather acrid juice. It \e 

 edible, and is called in the West India Islands 

 "Genipap Fruit." 



Geni'sta. From the Celtic gen, a small bush. 

 Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



This genus consists of upward of seventy 

 species, inhabiting Europe, north Africa, and 

 westei'n Asia. Many of the species are per- 

 fectly hardy. G. tinctoria, or Dyer's Green- 

 weed, an escape from Europe, has taken pos- 

 session of the dry waste places of southern 

 New York and New England, with the per- 

 sistency of a native. This species, of which 

 there is a very pretty double-flowered form, 

 yields a yellow dye. They are all very hand- 

 some, from the profusion of their bright yel- 

 low pea-flowers, and are of the easiest culture, 

 The green-house kinds are propagated by 

 cuttings or seeds. 



Gentian. The genus Gentiana. 



Closed Flowered. Gentiana Andrewsii. 

 Fringed. Gentiana crinita. 

 Soap-wort. Gentiana Saponaria. 



Gentia'na. Gentian. Named after Gentius, 

 King of Illyria, who first experienced the 

 virtues of the plant. Nat. Ord. Gentianacece. 

 A large genus of herbaceous perennials, in- 

 habiting all parts of the world, from the 

 regions of perpetual snow upon the summits 

 of the mountains of Europe, to the hottest 

 sands of South America. They are very com- 

 mon in many parts of this country, some 

 growing on dry hill-sides, others in moist and 

 swampy grounds. All the plants of this 

 genus are pretty, and many are extremely 

 beautiful ; the flowers take in the extremes 

 of color : pink, blue, yellow and white, are all 

 exhibited, the predominating color, however, 

 being a beautiful blue. G. Andrewsii is com- 

 mon in moist, rich places in the Northern 

 States, and is a very beautiful species ; the 

 flowers are of a deep, purplish blue, striped 

 inside, the folds whitish. G. crinita, Fringed 

 Gentian, is another quite common species in 

 New England and westward. The four lobes 

 of the corolla are fringed at the margin, an ex- 

 ceptional point of beauty of this species. 

 The Alpine species are mostly low-growing, 

 well adapted for rock-work or pot culture. 

 The species are increased by seed, which 

 should be sown as soon as ripe. The Fringed 

 Gentian is partial to its native home. It 

 rarely lives if transplanted, and coming into 

 flower so late in the season, it is very seldom 

 that it ripens seed. Were it readily increased 

 it would be a very popular plant. 



