AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



485 



Dispornm continued. 



D. lanuginosum (woolly).* /?. yeUow, green ; pednncles dicho- 

 tomous, two-flowered. May. L ovate-lanceolate, far acuminate, 

 three-ribbed, reticulately veined, downy on the under, naked on 

 the upper, surface. Stem terminating in two or three divergent 

 branches, from green becoming brown, adpressedly downy. A. 1ft. 

 South Carolina, 1758. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1490, under name of 

 Urularia ianuginoga.) 



D. Menziesli (Mercies'). JL greenish, one to five; segments 

 nearly erect, iin. to Iin. long; stamens a third shorter than the 

 perianth, J. ovate to ovate-lanceolate, narrowly acuminate, 

 rounded or slightly cordate at base, more or less woolly-pubescent 

 A. 1ft to 3ft California. 



D. pullum (dusky).* Jl., corolla brown without, cernuous, longer 

 than pedicels, cupped-campanulate ; racemes one to four-flowered, 

 axillary. September. L ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, shortly 

 petioled, nerved. Stem herbaceous, lift, high, angular, snb- 

 geniculately flexuous. China, 1801. A singular greenhouse plant 

 SYN. D. Jvlvum. (B. M. 916, under name of Umlaria chinentit.) 



D. p. parviflorom (small-flowered) only differs from the type 

 in its smaller flowers. 



DISSECTED. Cut into many deep lobes. 



DISTEGANTHUS (from distegos, two stories, and 

 anthos, a flower ; referring to the disposition of the 

 corolla above the receptacle). OKD. Bromeliafece. For 

 culture, see Bromelia. 



D. scarlatinas (scarlet) is described as being a magnificent 

 stove perennial, with central leaves of a most intense vivid scarlet 

 colour. Amazon, 1869. SY.N. Bromelia amazonica. 



DISTICHOUS. Producing flowers, leaves, or 

 branches in two opposite rows. 



DIST YTiI U M (from die, twice, and stylos, style ; in 

 allusion to the two styles). OBD. Hamamelidece. A genus 

 containing two or three species of greenhouse evergreen 

 trees, natives of China, Japan, and Khasya. Flowers poly- 

 gamous. Leaves alternate, persistent, thick, coriaceous, 

 ovate, or oblong-lanceolate, entire; stipules lanceolate, 

 caducous. The Japanese D. racemosum, and a variegated 

 form, are the only ones in cultivation. 

 DITTANY. See Cnnila mariana and Dictamnus. 

 DITTANY OF AMORGOS. See Origanum 

 Tonrnefortii. 



DITTANY OF CRETE. See Origanum 

 Dictamnus. 



DITJRIS (from dw, double, and oura, a tail ; in allu- 

 sion to the two tail-like sepals). OBD. Orchideot. This 

 genus of terrestrial Orchids, containing about fifteen 

 species, all of them interesting, and some very beautiful, 

 is almost unknown in our gardens, and the species as yet 

 introduced are very rare. All are natives of Australia. 

 For culture, see Pterostylis. 

 D. alba (white). JL white, rose, green, brownish-purple. August 



A. 1ft. New South Wales, 1875. (B. M. 6201.) 

 D. curvifolia (curved-leaved). A synonym of D. maculata. 

 D. elongata (elongated). A synonym of D. punctata. 

 D. lilacina (lilac). , A synonym of D. punctata. 

 D. maculata (spotted). JL yellow, on long pedicels, much 

 spotted or blotched with brown or purple, and sometimes almost 

 entirely dark-coloured except the yellow centre of the petals, 

 under Jin. long ; dorsal sepal erect, rigid, and embracing the 

 column at the base, ovate-oblong, and very open at the top ; 

 lateral sepals at length recurved, narrow, rarefy exceeding the 

 petals ; petals ovate, on a long rigid dark-coloured claw ; lip 

 shorter than the dorsal sepal, three-lobed from above the base, 

 the lateral lobes large and usually as long, or nearly as ton&M 

 the broad middle lobe, March. L narrow. Queensland, 1826. 

 A rather small slender species, usually under 1ft. high. Svxs. 

 D. curvifolia and D. pardwa. (B. M. 3156.) 

 D. pardina (leopard-marked). A synonym of D. maculata. 

 D. pnnotata (dotted). JL blue or purplish, often dotted; dorsal 

 sepal in the typical form broadly ovate-oblong; lateral sepals 

 de'fiexed, very nlrrow ; petals broadly elliptical-oblong ; lip about 

 as long as the dorsal sepal, divided at the base into three kfcja. 

 1. usually two, linear, Sin. to 6in. long, with two empty sheathing 

 bracts above them. Stems 1ft to 2ft high, or even more. b*!s. 

 D. elongata and D. lilacina. 



DIVARICATE. Growing in a straggling manner. 

 DIVERGENT. Spreading outwards from a common 



DIVI-DIVI. The reddifh-brown, tough, curved poda 

 of Carsalpinia eoriaria ; they are largely imported into this 

 country for dyeing and tanning purposes. 



DOCK. See Rumex 



DOCKWEED, TROPICAL. See Pistia Stratiotes. 



DODDER. See Cuscnta. 



DODECATHEON (from dodeka, twelve, and t*eo*, 

 gods; of fanciful application). American Cowslip. STN. 

 Meadia. OBD. Primulacece. A genus containing two or 

 three species of very ornamental hardy herbaceous peren- 

 nials, with oblong- spathulate leaves and naked umbellate 

 scapes of flowers. Petals long, narrow, reflexed. They 

 succeed in a moist position, and in a compost of leaf mould 

 and loam. All the species are admirably adapted for 

 sheltered parts of the rock garden, or for borders. They 

 are of easy propagation by division of the crowns, either 

 in spring or autumn, the latter preferred. In addition 

 to their value outside, they may be employed for the 

 decoration of cool greenhouses. For this purpose, the 

 plants may be taken up in November, placed in 6in. pot*, 

 and kept in a cold frame until early in March. After 

 flowering, they should be plunged in a bed of coal 

 ashes for the summer, under a north wall. Dodecatheons 

 will not bear forcing : neither should they be in a position 

 exposed to hot sunshine in summer. 



D. Integrifolium (entire-leaved).* JL deep rosy-crimson, not so 

 large as those of D. Meadia ; umbels small, few-flowered ; petal* 

 white at the base. Early summer. L ovate, entire. A. 4m. to 

 6in. North America, 1829. (B. M. 3622.) 



D. Jeflreyl (Jeffrey's). A garden synonym of D. tltadia land- 



FIG. 676. DODKCATHBO.N M KADI A. 



D. Meadl* (Meadia).* JL rosy-purple, white, or lilac, with yellow 

 anthers ; scape twice the height of the leaves, crowned by an 

 elegantly droVping umbeL ApriL i. in large tufts, nearhr ere, 

 oblong-ovate, unevenly toothed, from Sin. to 7in. long, and about 

 3m. ^cVoss at the broadest part A. lOin. to 16in. North America, 

 1744. In the Western *, called Shooting Star. See Fig. 676. 

 (B. M. 12.) There are several very excellent forms of lliM^MMi 

 including the following : 



D. M. elegans (elegant). JL deeper in colour, shorter and broader 

 in leaf, and roundly toothed ; flower-stems shorter ; umbels more 

 numerous, than in the type. 



D. M. firlgidum (cold).* JL deep reddish-purple, not drooping ; 

 scape ne^er more than M-flowered, mostly fewer. L ovafcu 

 notched alone the margins, about 3in. long, and 

 Western North America, 1869. A very preUydwarf 

 form, with several nureery synonyms. It is somewhat difficult to 

 grow, and should have stones placed around iU roots to preserve 

 an enuuble temperature. (B. M. 5871.) 



