174 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



GRA 



of Crassula, to which it is allied, 

 in 1774. 



Introduced 



Grammatoca'rpus. A synonym of Scyphanthus, 



which see. 

 Grammatophy'llum. From grammata, letters, 

 and phyllon, a leaf ; referring to the marliings 

 on the leaves. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



The species of this genus are but few in 

 number, and are rarely seen in collection? of 

 Orchids, because of the difficulty in manage- 

 ment. Those who have had the good fortune 

 to flower them say that it is at the expense of 

 years of patience and labor that their rare and 

 curious flowers are produced. They are 

 natives of Manilla ; introduced in 1837. 



Grauadi'lla. A name given in the West Indies 



to the fruits of different species of the genus 



PoHHiflora. 

 Granular. Divided into little knobs and knots, 



as the roots of Saxifraga granulata ; covered 



as if with small grains. 



Grape. Vitis vinifera. Like many extensively 

 cultivated plants, the native country of the 

 Grape is unknown, or at least doubtful. It is 

 among the plants spoken of in the Books of 

 Moses, and it appears to have been cultivated 

 and the fruit used then as at the present day. 

 Noah planted a vineyard, and wine is men- 

 tioned as a beverage among the earliest 

 nations of the world. The oldest profane 

 writers ascribe its introduction to their gods. 

 According to the tradition of the Egyptians, 

 Osiris first paid attention to the Vine, and 

 instructed other men in the manner of plant- 

 ing and using it. The inhabitants of Africa 

 ascribe the same gift to the ancient Bacchus. 

 Wine was among the first oblations to the 

 Divinity. " Melchisedek, King of Salem, 

 brought forth bread and wine, and he was the 

 priest of the Most High God." Humboldt 

 says the Vine does not belong to Europe, but 

 is indigenous in Asia between the Blark Sea 

 and the Caspian, on Mount Ararat and on the 

 Taurus. In the forests on Mongrelia it flour- 

 ishes in great magniflcence, climbing to the 

 tops of the highest trees, bearing bunches of 

 fruit of delicious flavor. We have no authentic 

 account of the introduction of the Vine into 

 the present grape-growing countries, or of 

 the origin of the many varieties now under 

 cultivation. More than one hundred varieties 

 have been introduced into our graperies, and 

 into the Southern States and California, where 

 the climate will permit of their being grown 

 in the open air. The Grapes grown through- 

 out the United States have their origin in the 

 species indigenous to North America. V. lab- 

 rusca, the Fox Grape, common in swampy 

 grounds from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, is 

 the parent of our best garden varieties, 

 among others the Isabella, which originated 

 in South Carolina, and the Concord, which 

 originated in Massachusetts. The Catawba 

 had its parentage in V. riparia, the common 

 Frost Grape, or at least it is so accredited. 

 The Diana, a seedling of the Catawba, was 

 raised by Mrs. Diana Crehore of Boston. The 

 introduction of new varieties, from seed, of 

 various crossings, is being rapidly carried on 

 by our enterprising horticulturists. See Vitis. 



Grape Hyacinth. See Muscari. 



Graptophy'Uuin. Caricature Plant. From 

 grapho, to write, and phyllon, a leaf; refer- I 



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ring to the markings on the leaves. Nat. Ord. 

 Acanthacece. 



A genus of tropical shrubs, inhabiting both 

 hemispheres. A few of the species have been 

 introduced into the hot-house for the beauty 

 of their variegated foliage and their racemes 

 of white flowers. G. hortense, syn. G. pictum, 

 is properly called the Caricature Plant, from 

 the fact that, when its leaf is held up to the 

 light, it often presents nearly an exact profile 

 of the human face. G. h. lurido-sanguinea, a 

 more recent introduction, is a very distinct 

 and beautiful species, with rich rose-colored 

 spots or markings. Propagated by cuttings ; 

 first introduced in 1780. 



Grass. A general name for all graminaceous 

 plants. 



Arrow. Triglochin. 



Artificial. A name given by agriculturists 

 to various fodder plants, as Clover, Lucerne, 

 Sainfoin, Sorghum, etc. 



Awned Hair. Muhlenbergia capillarvi. 



Barnyard. Panicum Cms Galli. 



Bear. Yucca Jilamentosa. 



Beard. The genus Andropogon and Polypogon 

 Mo7ispeliensis. 



Bermuda. Cynodon Daclylon. 



Black. Alopecurus agrestvi. 



Black Oat. Stipa avenacea. 



Blue. Poa compresna. 



Blue Eyed. Sisyrinchium Bermudianum. 



Bottle. Setaria glauca. 



Brome, The genus BroimuH. 



Canary. Phalaris Canariensis, the grain of 

 which is the Canary seed of commerce 



Cat's-Tail. Phleum jtratense. 



China. The fibre of the Ramie, BcBhmeria 

 nivea. 



Cock's-Comb. Cynosurus echinatus. 



Cock's-Foot. Dactylis glomerata. 



Cord. Spuriiiiia stricta. 



Cotton. The genus Eriophorum. 



Couch. Triticum repens. 



Crab. Panicum sanguinale, it is also applied to 

 Eleusine, and Salicornia herhacea. 



Crested Hair. Koeleria cristala. 

 Cuckoo. Luzula campestris. 

 Darnel. Lolium temulentum. 

 Deer. Rhexia Virginica. 

 Dog. Triticum caninum. 

 Dog's Tail. Cynosurus cristatus. 

 Dog's Tooth. Triticum, caninum. 

 Drop-Seed. Sporobolus and Muhlenbergia, 

 Eel. Zostera and Vallisneria spiralis. 

 Elephant's. Typha elephantina. 

 False Red-Top. Poa serotina. 

 Feather. Stiiya pennata. 

 Fescue. The genus Festuca. 

 Finger. The genus Digitaria. 

 Florin. Agrostis vulgaris, and commonly ap- 

 plied to A. alba and A. stolonifora. 

 Flote or Float. Glyceria fluitans. 

 Four-leaved. Paris quadrifoUa. 

 Foxtail. Alopecurus pratensis. 

 Frog. Salicornia herbacea. 

 Gama. Tripsacum dactyloides. 

 Ginger. Andropogon Nardus. 

 Goat's beard. Galium aparine, also Potentilla 



anserina, and Polygonum aviculare. 

 Great Goose. Asperugo procumbens. 

 Grip. Galium aparine. 

 Guinea. Panicum jumentorum. 

 Hair. Aira; also Trichochloa, and Agrostis 

 scabra. 



