514 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Everlastings continued. 



considerable portion of their beauty for a long time after 

 being cut and dried. In addition, many are among the 

 best of ornamental plants, either cultivated in pots or in 

 the open ground. The principal genera that supply 

 flowers suitable as Everlastings are : Acroclinium, Aphe- 

 lexis, Helichrysum, Rhodanthe, Waitzia, and Xeranthemum, 

 The title is more particularly applied to the many 

 highly- coloured varieties of Helichrysum bracteatum. 

 These are termed Immortelles by the French, and are 

 more largely used by them than in this country. To 

 obtain them in the best condition, they should be gathered 

 on a dry day, when each flower-head is sufficiently open 

 to show the inside of the bracts without exposing the 

 centre. If frequently examined, the whole stock may 

 be secured in this condition. They should be hung, head 

 downwards, in a cool shed, and allowed to remain until 

 dry. The individual flower-heads may be wired, and 

 used, with good effect, among dried ornamental grasses, in 

 winter, either in high glasses or vases. The French use 

 large quantities to form memorial wreaths and crosses. 

 If properly gathered and dried, many of the species will 

 keep good, excepting that some of the colour vanishes, 

 for two or three years. ' A new stock, is, however best 

 grown and collected each year. A bunch of Helichrysums, 

 showing the proper stage for gathering, is represented in 

 Fig. 743. 



EVE'S CUSHION. See Saxifraga hypnoides. 

 E VOLVULUS (from evolvo, to untwist; to dis- 

 tinguish it from Convolvulus, many of the species of 

 which are twiners). ORD. Gonvolvulacece. Stove, annual 

 or perennial, prostrate or creeping, rarely erect herbs. 

 Peduncles axillary, one or few-flowered; corolla sub- 

 rotate, campanulate, or funnel-shaped, plicate. Leaves 

 entire. There are about seventy known species, dis- 

 tributed throughout all tropical regions, but most of 

 them are natives of Brazil. The species described below 

 is the only one worthy of mention here. For culture, see 

 Convolvulus. 



E. purpureo-caeruleus (purple-blue), fl. purplish-blue, ter- 

 minal on the leafy branches, pedicellate; corolla rotate, rich 

 ultramarine-blue, with the centre white, and a purple ray 

 diverging from that up the centre of each lobe. July and 

 August. I. small, lanceolate, acute, entire. Stem quite woody 

 below, and often about half-way up. h. lift. Jamaica, 1845. 

 Perennial (B. M. 4202.) 



EXACUM (a name used by Pliny,' and derived by 

 him from ex, out, and ago, to drive; in allusion to its 

 supposed expelling powers). ORD. Gentianeas. A genus 

 containing about a score species of very pretty, erect, 

 stove or greenhouse, annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, 

 natives of India and Eastern Asia, the Malayan Archi- 

 pelago, and Socotra. Flowers terminal and axillary; 

 corolla salver-shaped or sub-rotate, with a globose or 

 ventricose tube. Leaves opposite, decussate, sessile. 

 The species are not often seen in gardens. They thrive 

 best in a compost of peat and turfy loam, in equal 

 proportions, and a plentiful supply of water is necessary. 

 Seeds should be sown in April, and placed in bottom heat, 

 and. the seedlings carefully shifted into larger pots as 

 required. Several other species of this elegant genus, 

 besides those given below, are well worth growing, but 

 as yet await introduction. 

 E. afflne (related), fl. bluish-lilac, agreeably scented ; stamens 



yellow. Summer and autumn. I. stalked.broadly ovate, h. 6in. 



E. macranthum (large-flowered).*/, about 2in. across, of a deep 

 rich blue-purple colour, with large bright yellow stamens, dis- 

 posed in terminal and axillary, corymbose heads. December. 

 I. large, glabrous, glossy, h. lift. Ceylou, 1853. Stove biennial. 



Exacuxn continued. 



E. zeylanlcum (Ceylon).* fl. of a beautiful violet colour; petals 

 five, pbovate; racemes terminal and axillary, forming an expanded, 

 terminal, corymb-formed panicle. September. I. nearly sessile, 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminated. Stem and branches tetragonal. 

 h. 1ft. to 2ft. Ceylon, 1848. Stove biennial. (B. M. 4423.) 



EXALBUMINOUS. Without albumen. 

 EXCURRENT. Central, as the stem of a Fir, with 

 branches disposed regularly round it. 



EXITELIA. A synonym of Farinaria (which see). 



EXOCHORDA (from exo, external, and chorde, a 

 cord ; the free placentary cords external to the carpels 

 have suggested the name of the genus). ORD. JBosacece. 

 Very handsome, hardy shrubs, remarkable for the structure 

 of their fruits, which consist of five small, compressed, bony 

 carpels, adhering round a central axis, in a star-like 

 manner. The species described below thrives in any good 

 garden soil. Propagated by seeds, by layers, or by suckers. 

 The second species, E. serratifolia, also a native of China, 

 is not yet introduced. 

 E. grandlflora (large-flowered).* fl. white, large, in axillary, 



elongated, few-flowered racemes ; calyx bell-shaped ; petals four 



or five, rounded ; stamens fifteen, short. May. fr. small. I. 



petiolate, lanceolate-oblong, entire or serrulate, membranous. 



h. 6ft. North China. A very handsome plant. (G. C. n. s., 



xvi. 73 ; B. M. 4795, under name of Spiraea grandiflora.) 



EXOGENS. See Dicotyledons. 

 EXOGONIUM. Included under Ipomaaa (which see). 

 EXOSTEMMA (from exo, without, and stemma, a 

 crown; stamens exserted). ORD. Rubiacece. A genus of 

 about twenty species of stove, evergreen trees or shrubs, 

 inhabiting tropical America and the West Indies. Flowers 

 white, axillary and solitary, or disposed in terminal, few or 

 many-flowered panicles ; corolla with a long tube and a 

 five-lobed, salver-shaped limb. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, 

 stalked or sub-sessile. For culture, see Cinchona. 

 E. Caribseum (Caribbean). /. white, about the length of the 

 leaves, sweet-scented; pedicels axillary, one-flowered. June. 

 1. ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, h. 20ft. West Indies, 1780. 

 E. longiflorum (long-flowered), fl. white, 5in. long before ex- 

 pansion ; pedicels axillary, very short. June. I. linear-lanceo- 

 late, attenuated at both ends. A. 20ft. St. Domingo, 1820. 

 (B. M. 4186.) 



EXOTHOSTEMON. A synonym of Frestonia 

 (which see). 



EXOTIC. Introduced from other countries. Not 

 native. 



EXSERTED. Anthers are said to be Exserted when 

 longer than the corolla, or even when longer than its 

 tube, if the limb be very spreading. 



EXSTIFULATE. Without stipules. 

 EXTRA-AXILLARY. Growing from above or 

 below the axils of the leaves or branches. 



EXTRORSE. Turned outwards from the axis of 

 growth of the series of organs to which it belongs. 



EYE. A horticultural term for a leaf -bud ; also for 

 the centre or the central markings of a flower. 

 EYEBRIGHT. See Enphrasia. 

 EYSENHARDTIA (named in honour of C. W. Eysen- 

 hardt, M.D., and professor in the University of Konigsberg, 

 in Prussia). OKD. Leffuminosce. A genus containing a 

 couple of species of half-hardy, evergreen shrubs, natives 

 of Mexico and Texas. They thrive in a compost of 

 loam and peat. Young cuttings will root in sandy 

 soil, if inserted under a bell glass. 



E. amorphoides (Amorpha-like). fl. pale yellow ; racemes ter- 

 minal, cylindrical. June. I. imparipinnate ; leaflets numerous, 

 stipellate, glandular h. 4ft. to 6ft. Mexico, 1838. 



END OF VOLUME i. 



