AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



293 



OST 



A genus of green-house shrubs, natives of 

 South Africa. They are rather ornamental 

 plants with yellow flowers, some of which are 

 in cultivation in European collections. 



Ostrich Fern. See Struthiopteris. 



Ostro'^wskia. Named in honor of the Russian 

 botanist, Ostrowski. Nat. Ord. Campanulacece. 

 O. magnifica, the representative species, is 

 a beautiful hardy herbaceous plant, introduced 

 from the mountains of eastern Bokhara. 

 It grows about four feet high, bearing large 

 mauve-colored flowers, four to six inches 

 across. It forms a deep-reaching tuberous 

 root about two feet long, after the fashion of 

 Platycodon grandiflora. It flowered for the 

 first time in Europe in 1887. 



O'strya. Hop Hornbeam, Iron Wood. From 

 ostroyos, a scale ; scaly catkins. Nat. Ord. 

 CorylaceoR. 



0. Virginica, the only native species, is a 

 tree of moderate size, remarkable for the 

 extreme hardness of its wood. It is of slow 

 growth, forms a compact top, with small green 

 leaves. The furrows of its bark are extremely 

 fine, by which it is readily distinguished. 



Ossae'a. Named after Don Antonia de la Ossa, 

 once director of the Botanic Gardens at 

 Havana. Nat. Ord. MelastomaceoB. 



A genus of about forty species of shrubby 

 plants, natives of tropical America. 0. fas- 

 cicularis, probably the only species in cultiva- 

 tion, is a very showy plant, with white flowers 

 borne in many-flowered bunches. It was 

 introduced from Jamaica in 1822, and is 

 propagated by cuttings of the half-ripened 

 shoots. 



Ossified. Becoming like bone ; hard, brittle, 

 and close in texture like a peach stone. 



Oswego Tea. See Monarda didyma. 



Osy'ris. From ozos, a branch ; alluding to the 

 numerous pliant branches. Nat. Ord. Santa- 

 lacece. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen 

 shrubs, natives of southern Europe, Africa, 

 and the East Indies. 0. alba, probably the 

 only cultivated . species, has small white 

 flowers borne in clusters on the branchlets, 

 and is propagated by cuttings of the ripened 

 shoots in heat. 



Otaheite Chestnut. A common name for Ino- 

 carpiui Edulis. 



Otaheite Myrtle. Securinega durissima. 



Otho'nna. Ragwort. From othone, linen; 

 referring to the soft, downy clothing of the 

 original plant. Nat. Ord. Compositoe. 



An extensive genus, the species of which 

 are mostly coarse-growing green-house or 

 frame annuals, perennials, and low shrubs. 

 With but few exceptions the flowers are 

 yellow. They are natives of the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and the African shores of the 

 Mediterranean. But few of the species merit 

 a place in the garden. 0. crassifolia, one 

 of the Cape species, is a handsome and showy 

 plant, of a trailing habit, with singularly 

 glaucous and fleshy leaves, and handsome 

 yellow flowers, opening only in the sunlight. 

 It is particularly well adapted for planting 

 under shrubs, or for baskets, vases, or rustic 

 designs. It grows freely in a light soil, and 

 la increased by cuttings. 



OXA 



Othonno'psis. From Othonna, and opsis, like ; 

 in allusion to the resemblance which exists 

 between the two genera. Nat. Ord. Com- 

 positce. 



A genus of glabrous green-house shrubs, 

 differing from the allied genera, Othonna and 

 Senecio, in the disk being constantly sterile. 

 0. cheirifolia (Wall-flower leaved), probably the 

 only species in cultivation, is a very pretty, 

 low-spreading evergreen plant with rich yellow 

 flower-heads nearly two inches across. It 

 was introduced from north Africa in 1752, and 

 is increased by cuttings or division. Syn. 

 Otho7ina cheirifolia. 



Otte'lia. From Ottel, the native name in Mala- 

 bar. Nat. Ord. Hydrocharidacece. 



A genus of stove or green-house aquatic 

 herbs, widely distributed over tropical and 

 sub-tropical countries. Two species, one O. 

 Indica, from the East Indies, with white, 

 and the other 0. ovalifolia, from Australia, 

 with yellow flowers, are in cultivation and re- 

 quire to be grown in a cistern or pan of water. 

 Syn. Damasonium. 



Ouri'sia. Named in honor of Governor Ouris, 

 of the Falkland Islands, from whom Commer- 

 son obtained the plant. Nat. Ord. Scrophular- 

 iacece. 



A small genus of handsome green-house 

 plants from South America and Australia. 0. 

 coccinea, is a very beautiful species with a 

 short creeping stem, cordato-ovate crenate 

 leaves, mostly radical ; and an erect scape a 

 foot or more in height, bearing a raceme of 

 drooping crimson flowers arranged in opposite 

 pairs. Some of the species are said to be 

 hardy. Introduced in 1860. 



Ouvira'ndra. Lattice or Lace-leaf Plant. From 

 ouvirandrano, the native name ; signifying 

 water-yam, the roots being eatable. Nat. Ord. 

 NaidacecE. 



A genus of aquatic plants, natives of Mada- 

 gascar. They are popularly known as the 

 Lattice or Lace-leaf Plants, from the singular 

 appearance of the leaves, resembling open 

 lattice-work, or apparently consisting of only 

 a skeleton of nerves. The leaves grow in 

 radiating clusters from the rhizome, and 

 float just beneath the surface of the water, 

 presenting a flat side to the light. The plant 

 is not only curious, but a valuable one to the 

 natives of Madagascar, who collect its fleshy, 

 farinaceous roots as an article of food. It 

 grows on the margins of running streams in 

 shallow water. It is rare in collections, and 

 is one of the most interesting plants for the 

 aquarium. 



Oval. The same as Elliptic. 



Ovary. That part of the pistil which contains 

 the ovules or seeds. 



Ovate. Egg-shaped. 



Ovoid, Ovoidal. A solid with an oval figure, or 

 resembling an egg. 



Ovule. The young seeds of plants contained in 

 the ovary. 



Oxali'deae. A tribe of GeraniacecB. 



O'xalis. From oxys, acid ; the leaves have an 

 acid taste. Nat. Ord. GeraniaceoE. 



This genus comprises a great number of 

 species, differing widely in their habits and 

 manner of growth. Some are annuals, some 

 herbaceous perennials, and some are green- 



