178 



HENDEESON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



GYM 



Gymne'ma. From gymnos, naked, and nema, a 

 filament ; in reference to the stamens. Nat. 

 Ord. AsclepiadacecB. 



G. lactiferum is the Cow Plant of Ceylon, 

 the milk of which is used as food by the 

 natives. The species are green-house ever- 

 green twiners, producing clusters of yellow 

 flowers from the axils of the leaves. They 

 are allied to the Stephanotis, and require the 

 same treatment. 



Gymuocla'dus. Kentucky Coffee Tree. From 

 gymnos, naked, and klados, a branch ; in refer- 

 ence to the soft young wood, devoid of buds. 

 Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



G. Canadensis, the only species, is an orna- 

 mental, hardy, deciduous ti"ee, growing fifty 

 to sixty feet high. It is one of our most 

 beautiful shade trees, and is planted to a con- 

 siderable extent on the streets in Washington, 

 D. C. ; it is also valuable for its hard tough 

 timber. The fresh leaves, macerated and 

 sweetened, are occasionally used as a poison 

 for house-flies ; the seeds were used formerly 

 as a domestic substitute for coffee. Common 

 from New Yoi"k, south and west. 



Gymnogra'mma. From gymnos, naked, and 

 gramma, writing ; in reference to the spore 

 cases. Nat. Ord. PolypodincecB. 



A genus of very beautiful Ferns, requiring 

 the warm green-house to grow them. In 

 some of the species the under surface of the 

 fronds is profusely covered with a rich yellow 

 or white farinose powder, which gives them 

 the name of Gold or Silver Ferns ; they are fre- 

 quently seen in cultivation on account of the 

 beauty of their fronds. This genus contains 

 two of the very few known annual Ferns, G. 

 chcerophylla, a West Indian plant, and G. lep- 

 tophylla, which is found scattered over nearly 

 the whole of the temperate regions of the 

 globe. 



Gymnosperm. Bearing naked seeds. 



Gymnosta'chyum. From gymnos, naked, and 

 stachys, a spike ; probably on account of the 

 absence of the bracteoles. Nat. Ord. Acan- 

 thacecB. 



A genus of ornamental evergreen erect 

 herbs, natives of the East Indies, and the 

 Malayan Archipelago. The leaves of some of 

 the species are beautifully marked. G. 

 vemista is in cultivation under the name of 

 Justicia venusta. Fittonia has been placed 

 under this genus by some authoi's. 



Gynuiothe'ca. Derivation of name not given. 

 Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A small genus of noble green-house ferns, 

 formerly included in the genus Marratia. G. 

 Raddiana, a native of Brazil, is a very orna- 

 mental fern, requiring a warm house and 

 moist atmosphere for its development. 



Gy'mnothrix. A genus of grasses, now united 

 with Pt.nnisetum. 



Gyne'rium. Pampas Grass. From grywe, female, 

 and erion, wool; the stigmas being wooly. 

 Nat. Ord. Graminacece. 



A genus of three species of hardy or nearly 

 hardy ornamental grasses, natives of tropical 

 and sub-tropical America. G. argenteum, the 

 Pampas Grass, so called from its being found 

 covering the vast plains or pampas of South 

 America, is the best known species and forms 

 a most noble and beautiful plant, growing from 

 four to fourteen feet high according to the 



GYK 



strength of the plant, the soil or location. There 

 is reason to believe that some varieties are 

 better in habit than others and flower earlier. 

 In such cases it would be better to divide them 

 than to trust to seedlings. There are a num- 

 ber of varieties, some of a delicate rosy color, 

 one variegated, and several dwarf and neat in 

 habit. If convenient, they should have a 

 sheltered position on the lawn or in the flower 

 garden so as to prevent as much as possible 

 the constant searing away of the foliage which 

 occurs whenever the plant is much exposed. 

 Its bright silvery plumes also show off much 

 better when backed up with shrubs or some 

 of the finer evergreens. It should be planted 

 about the beginning of April and mulched 

 with rotted manure, Avatered copiously in hot 

 dry weather. This splendid Grass is not 

 sufficiently hardy at the north without a 

 mulching of dry leaves or litter around the 

 roots. The clumps can be taken up in the 

 fall, and kept in any convenient place away 

 from frost during winter. With the best pos- 

 sible care and culture there cannot be pro- 

 duced such magnificent plumes either north 

 or south, as are grown in southern California, 

 where the plumes are grown largely for the 

 northern and European markets. This 

 species was first introduced in 1848. G. 

 jubatum is very well spoken of, but as yet 

 has not been tried much except in certain 

 favored spots. The leaves resembles those 

 of G. argenteum, but are of a deeper green, and 

 droop elegantly at their extremities. From 

 the center of the tuft and exceeding it by two 

 or three feet, arise numerous stems, each 

 bearing an immense loose panicle of long 

 filamentous silvery flowers of a rosy tint with 

 silvery sheen. It is a native of the republic of 

 Ecuador and blooms earlier than G. argenteum. 



Gynu'ra. From gyne, female, and oura, a tail ; 

 the stigma being elongated and hispid. Nat. 

 Ord. CompositcB. 



A genus of green-house herbaceous peren- 

 nials, numbering about twenty species, the 

 most of which are worthless, weedy plants, 

 natives of the East Indies. G. aurantiaca, has 

 brilliant orange-colored flower-heads, and the 

 leaves and stems covered, over their entire 

 surface, with small hairs of a rich plum- 

 color, more especially the young leaves sur- 

 rounding the flower-heads. It was thought 

 to be a rival for the Coleus for bedding pur- 

 poses, but rusts badly in our dry atmosphere 

 and hot sun ; it is easily increased by cut- 

 tings. 



Gypso'phila. From gypsos, chalk, and phileo, to 

 love ; in reference to the soil most suitable 

 for them. Nat. Ord. Caryophyllacece. 



The species of this genus, natives of various 

 parts of Europe sind Asia, are characterized 

 more by the grace than by the striking beauty 

 of their flowers. The flowers are small, but 

 are produced in great numbers in loose, 

 graceful panicles. They are plants that are 

 easily cultivated, and are propagated by 

 division and seeds, the latter in the open 

 ground in spring. The flowers of the species 

 are useful in making up in dried bouquets, as 

 they retain their color perfectly during winter. 

 They are also well adapted for rock-work. 



Gyrate. The same as Circinate (which see) ; 

 curled inward like a crozier. 



Gyrose. Turned round like a crook. 



