HEXANDRIA. 135 



V 



GENUS Polyanthus. Tuberose. From polus, many, and 

 anthos, a flower, in allusion to the many flowers it bears. 

 This is a tuberous rooted, ornamental, sweet scented flower, 

 very generally cultivated in this country. It flowers in 

 August and September, and grows two or three feet high. It 

 is easily propagated by its tubers. 



GENUS Bambusa. Bamboo Cane. The Indian name is 

 bambos, commonly called Bamboo. The common Bamboo, 

 (Bambusa arundinacea,) has a woody, hollow, round, straight 

 culm, forty feet high and upwards, with small, solid, alternate 

 branches. It is a native of most tropical countries, and is 

 said to grow in South Carolina. When describing the culm, 

 we took notice of the many useful purposes for which the 

 Bamboo is employed. 



GENUS Aloe. The name is supposed to be of Arabic ori- 

 gin. The genus consists of a very large number of odd 

 looking, thick leaved, succulent plants. The species are 

 about one hundred in number, all evergreens, a part shrubs, 

 and a part herbaceous plants. They vary in height from a 

 few inches to ten or twelve feet. In our climate they are 

 green house plants. Several species are cultivated in the 

 West Indies for the purpose of making the well known 

 medicine, Aloes. The best kind of this gum-resin is called 

 Socotorine, which name it takes from the Island Socotra, in 

 the straits of Babelmandel, where this article was formerly 

 manufactured. 



The whole genus came originally from Af- Fi - 162 - 



rica, but are now dispersed to most parts of 

 the world. Most of the species consists of 

 thick, rigid, radical leaves, crowded closely 

 together at the base, gradually tapering up- 

 wards, and frequently armed with spines. 

 From the centre of the leaves there rises a 

 stem, which bears a spike of flowers, as in 

 the species variegata, Fig. 162. The gum- 

 resin is prepared by cutting the leaves in 

 pieces, and submitting them to pressure, after which, the 

 juice thus obtained, is evaporated to dryness in the sun. 



GENUS Lily. Name from the Celtic word li, which 

 signifies whiteness. The Lily has always been considered 



What is said of the genus Aloel Of what class and order is this 

 genus ? What is the use of the Aloe : What is the origin of the word 

 lily? 



