fatal to poultry. Honey-bees do not feed on the nectar of 

 these flowers. 



Rees tells us that Bignonia Sempervirens, C. Yellow 

 Jasmine, does not belong to this genus, according to JVfar- 

 tyn, but to that of llsanthus. Upon examination, lisanthus 

 is found to be of the class and order Pentandria JWonogy- 

 nia: Natural order Rotacese Linn. Gcntianse Juss. 



The Carolina Yellow Jasmine, Bignonia Sempervi- 

 rens, grows, naturally, in South Carolina, where it spreads 

 over the hedges, and, at the season of flowering, perfumes the 

 air to a great distance. It is also found in some parts of Vir- 

 ginia called Yellow Jasmine, probably from the odour of its 

 flowers. So says Rees. 



Leaves simple, lanceolate, stem twining; rising with 

 slender stalks, to a considerable height, with single oppo- 

 site leaves at every joint, that remain green throughout the 

 year. 



The general character of the flowers of the class Big- 

 nonia, is a perianth, one-leafed, erect, cup form, five-cleft. 

 Corolla monopetalous, campanulate; tube small, the length 

 of the calyx; throat very long, ventricose beneath, oblong- 

 campanulate; border five-parted, the two upper divisions re- 

 flex, lower patulous; stamens four, two longer than the other 

 two: pistulum germ oblong; style filiform, stigma capitate. 



ICE PLANT. 



JVesembryanthemum Crystallimum. 

 Mesembryanthemum is a vast genus of succulent plants, 

 formerly known by the name of Ficoides, from its affinity to 

 the Indian fig, or Cactus. Breynius* first named it Mesem- 

 bryanthemum, meaning to express its flowers expanding at 

 mid -day; which is true of many of the species, but not of all. 

 Dillenius,t therefore, by altering one letter in the orthography, 

 had recourse to another etymology, from J^Iesos, the middle; 

 embruon, an embryo; and anthos, a. flower because the 

 embryo (meaning the germen) is in the middle of the flower. 

 He observes, that the flower does not altogether stand on the 

 top of the fruit, but is perforated, as it were, by the latter; 

 whilst it so closely adheres to the middle, as not to be se- 

 parable from it without laceration. We confess our predilec- 

 tion for the original idea of Breynius: the refulgent and ra- 

 diating petals of some of this genus, seem to welcome, as 

 well as to emulate, the noon-tide sun, folding themselves up 

 as it withdraws. Rees 1 Encyclopedia. 



The Mesembryanthemum, Cristattinum, or Ice Plant, 



* All that is said of Breynius, in Rees' Encyclopedia, is, that a 

 South-sea plant was named Breynia, in commemoration of a father and 

 son of the same name, (Jacquin Breynius,) both celebrated Botanists. 



f John James Dillenius, one of the most celebrated Botanists of the 

 18th century; especially for his knowledge of Mosses, and their allies. 

 He was a German, born at Darmstadt, in 1687. In 1721, he was per- 

 suaded to settle in England, by William Sherard, once Consul at Smyr- 

 na; who, afterwards, endowed a Professorship of Botany, at Oxford 

 giving, for this purpose, the sum of 13,000. This Professorship was be- 

 stowed upon Dillenius. 



A magnificent East Indian genus of plants was, by Linnaeus, named 

 Dillenia, in honour of him : "because" (to use Linnaeus' own words) 

 " it is of all plants the most distinguished for the beauty of its flower 

 and fruit, like Dillenius among Botanists." 



is a well known tender annual, much admired for appearing 

 as if frosted over, or encrusted with frozen dew. This ap- 

 pearance is caused by innumerable little bladders in the cuti- 

 cle, filled with a limpid juice: to the touch the whole herb is 

 cold, and remarkably flaccid. Its stem spreads widely on the 

 ground, bearing numerous broad undulating leaves, alternate, 

 ovate, waved, papillary; flowers nearly sessile, copious, of a 

 pale rose-colour; fruit dark purple. 



JONQUIL. 



Rush-leaved, or Common Jonquil. 



Narcissus Jonquilla. 



(For Narcissus, see note on that Flower.) 



Jonquil, E. Fr. Jonquille; It. giunchiglia, giunco; 



L. Juncus, a rush, and It. giglio, a lily. It is sometimes 



called the rush leaved daffodil. Webster. 



The Jonquil is distinguished from the other species of 

 Narcissus, by its rush-like foliage, and hence its name, 

 which is derived from juncus, rushy. Gerard, and old 

 writers, call it " the rush Daffodil," and Narcissus Junci- 

 folius. 



The Rush-leaved Jonquil, is a favourite species, gene- 

 rally cultivated in a single and double state, for the sake of 

 its rich and powerful perfume. It is said to be a native of 

 Spain. Its narrow rushy leaves, at once distinguish it from 

 the other varieties of Narcissus. The Flowers are of a gol- 

 den yellow, scarcely more than half the size of N. Poeticus, 

 whose form they most resemble; the cup being very short and 

 crenate, or notched, and the petals elliptical, spreading wide- 

 ly their sides somewhat deflexed, or bent downwards. The 

 number of flowers is from three to six, and they droop, in 

 some degree, though less than the nodding Jonquil or N. 

 nutans. 



IRIS. 



Iris, so named from the various, and somewhat concen- 

 tric hues of the flower, which give an idea of the rainbow. 

 The modern Greeks call it x f ivov, a lily the French Lis or 

 Fleur-de-lis. 



We are, also, told that the ancients named this plant 

 after Iris, the messenger of the gods, and more particularly 

 of Juno. She is represented with wings variegated with all 

 the beautiful colours of the rainbow, sitting behind her mis- 

 tress, ready to execute her commands. 



" The various Iris Juno sends with haste." Ovid. 



She is, likewise described as supplying the clouds with 

 water to deluge the world. 



Then clad in colours of a various die, 

 Junonian Iris breeds a new supply 

 To feed the clouds. 



Dryden's Ovid. 



The genus Iris, contains plants of the fibrous, tuberous, 

 and bulbous-rooted, flowery, herbaceous, perennial kinds. 

 With flowers of every colour. The Calyx, a spathe of two 

 valves, separating the flowers, permanent. Corolla, in six 



