514 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Epidenc 



i continued. 



E. gyringothyrsis (Lilac-like). ft. dark purple, with a 

 little orange and yellow on the lip and column, in branching 

 panicles, seventy to eighty-flowered. I. distichous, about 6in. 

 long, light green. Stems slender, about 3ft. high. Bolivia, 1866. 

 Stove. The specific name is derived from its resemblance to the 

 Lilac in form and colour. (B. M. 6145.) 



E. vitelllnum (yolk-of-egg-coloured). ft. bright orange-scarlet, 

 about 2in. in diameter ; lip bright yellow ; spike erect, ten 

 to fifteen-flowered. Summer. I. and pseudo-bulbs glaucous. 

 Mexico, 1840. It thrives best in a warm temperature and damp 

 atmosphere. (B. M. 4107.) The variety mains is a handsome 

 form, with considerably larger flowers, and broader sepals and 

 petals, than the type. 



EPIDERMIS. The transparent colourless membrane 

 which covers almost all parts of plants exposed to the 

 outward air, and is composed of one or more layers of 

 firmly coherent, usually empty, cells. 



EPIG2EA (from epi, upon, and gaia, the earth ; in 

 reference to its trailing growth). ORD. Ericaceae. A 

 genus of a couple of species of very elegant creeping, 

 tufted, hardy evergreen shrubs. E. repens thrives only 

 in peat soil and in shady situations. Increased by care- 

 ful divisions of well-established tufts. The second species, 

 E. asiatica, a Japanese plant, is not yet in cultivation. 

 E. repens (creeping).* Ground Laurel ; in New England, called 



Mayflower, fl. white, tinged with red, in dense axillary and 



terminal racemes, exhaling a rich spicy 



cordate-ovate, entire. Branches, petioles, and nerves of leaves 



fragrance. May. 



very hairy. Northern United States, 1736. (G. W. F. A. 37.) 

 EPIGYNIUM. Included under Vaccinium (which 



see). 



EPIGYNOUS. Growing upon the ovary. A term 



applied when the outer whorls of the flower adhere to 



the ovary. 



KIG. 712. UPPER PORTION OP STEM OF EPILOBIUM ANGUSTIFOLIDM. 



EFILOBITTM (from epi, upon, and lobos, a pod ; 

 flower seated as if it were upon the top of the pod) 

 Willow-herb. ORD. Onagrariece. A genus of fifty species 

 of hardy perennial herbs or sub-shrubs, occurring in 

 all cold and temperate climates. Most of the species 

 are of botanical interest only, but some are highly orna- 

 mental. Flowers axillary, solitary, or disposed in ter- 

 minal spikes, each flower furnished with a bract. Leave.s 

 opposite, or irregularly scattered. They are of the easiest 

 possible culture, in ordinary garden soil. Increased by 

 divisions or seeds. As border plants, and for naturalisa- 

 tion in shrubberies and by watercourses, E. angustifolium 

 and E. hirsutum are eminently well suited. 

 E. angustifolium (narrow-leaved).* French Willow, or Rose-bay. 



ft. crimson, disposed in spicate racemes, bracteate. July. 



I. nearly sessile, lanceolate, undulated. Stems erect, nearly 



simple, h. 3ft. to 6ft. Northern hemisphere (Britain). A very 



handsome species, but, from the rapidity with which it spreads, 



it should be wholly confined to shrubberies. See Fig. 712. 



(Sy. En. B. iii. 495.) 

 E. angustlsslmum (very narrow-leaved). A synonym of !:. 



rogmarintfolium, 

 E. denticulatum (denticulate). /. rose-coloured. Summer. ' 



somewhat lanceolate, denticulated ; lower ones opposite. Stems 



suflruticose. h. 6in. to 12in. Peru. 

 E. Dodoneal (Dodoens').* fl. deep rose, large ; pedicels connected 



with the bracts, crowded near the tops of the branches. July. 



I. linear, obsoletely denticulated. Stems erect, branched at the 



apex. h. 1ft. Europe, 1800. SY.N. E. Halleri. 

 E. Halleri (Haller's). A synonym of E. Dodoncci. 



FIG. 713. UPPER PORTION OF STEM OF EPILOBIUM HIRSUTUM. 



E. hirsntum (hairy).* Codlins and Cream, ft. usually pale 

 pink, sometimes white, large, disposed in a leafy, corymbose 

 cluster. July. I., lower ones opposite ; upper ones alternate, 

 ovate-lanceolate, hairy, toothed, half stem-clasping. h. 3ft. to 5ft. 

 Europe (Britain), &c. The whole plant is downy, soft, and 

 clammy, exhaling a peculiar acidulous scent. See Fig. 713. 

 (Sy. En. B. 497.) 



E. obcordatnm (obcordate).* fl. bright rose-purple, large. 

 Summer. I. opposite, ovate, sessile, numerous, mostly longer 

 than the internodes (four to eight lines long), glaucous, opaque. 

 Sierra Nevada, &c., California. A very charming low-growing 

 alpine species, requiring a moist, well-drained spot in rockery. 



E. rosmarinlfolium (Rosemary-leaved).* /. red ; pedicels con- 

 nected with the bracts, crowded near the tops of the branches. 

 July. I. linear, obsoletely denticulated. Stems erect, branched 

 towards the middle, h. 2ft. Europe, &c., 1775. SYN. E. angus- 

 tisnmum. (Sy. En. B. 494.) 



