AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



17 



Fitzroya continued. 



dried state, about one line long and broad. I. closely imbricate, 

 but strictly opposite and decussate, very obtuse, thick, and 

 keeled. Tasmania. An erect, densely branched shrub. SYN. 

 Diselma Archeri. 



F. patagonica (Patagonian). 

 of nine scales in three whorls, the upper 

 are barren. I. small, ovate-oblong, flat, obtuse, sessile, two to 



A. monoecious, small, consisting 

 scales in three whorls, the upper and lower of which 



four-rowed. Branches slender, spreading, incurved at the ex- 



tremities. Tree. Patagonia. (B. M. 4616.) 



PLABELLIFORM. Plaited like a fan. 



FLACCID. Feeble, weak. 



FLACOURTIA (named after Etienne de Flacourt, 

 1607-1661, a Director of the French East India Company). 

 OBD. Bixinece. A genus comprising about a dozen species 

 of fruit-bearing, often thorny, stove trees or shrubs, from 

 the warmer regions of Asia and Africa. Stamens densely 

 crowded upon the hemispherical receptacle; the sepals 

 whitish, and the stamens and anthers yellow. Fruit 

 baccate, indehiscent. Leaves shortly stalked, dentate. 

 The species are rarely seen in cultivation. 



FLACOURTIE2E. A tribe of Bixinece. 



FLAGELLIFORM. Long, tapering, and supple, 

 like the thong of a whip. 



FLAGELLUM. A runner, like that of the Straw- 

 berry; also a thin twig or small branch. 



FLAME FLOWER. See Kniphofia aloides. 



FLAT-BODY MOTH, COMMON (Depressaria 

 cicutella). In this moth, like the rest of the genus, 

 the body seems depressed, hence the common name. 

 The fore wings are pale ochreous-reddish, irregularly 

 freckled with brown and black specks ; a pale mark 

 runs from the base along the front edge, and two or 

 three white dots, in black rings, are seen towards the 

 middle ; the whole having a glossy appearance. The hind 

 wings are shining, but more grey, and without mark- 

 ings. The common Flat-body Moth produces two, or 

 perhaps more, broods in a year. The caterpillars are 

 found in June, and again in September, and the moths 

 in August and November ; the latter live in a dor- 

 mant state through the winter, and re-appear in the 

 spring. Two or three species of this genus, very similar 

 in appearance and habit, infest the leaves, flowers, and 

 seeds of Carrot crops, sometimes doing considerable 

 damage. The other kinds are D. daucella and D. de- 

 pressella. See Carrot Blossom Moth and Purple 

 Carrot-seed Moth.. 



Remedies. The larvae draw the leaves or flower-heads 

 together by means of silken threads, which make their 

 domicile very conspicuous. These may be gathered and 

 destroyed; but as the caterpillar is likely to wriggle out 

 and drop, by means of a silken thread, at the moment 

 the plant is touched, some receptacle should be placed 

 under the curled part before attempting to pluck it off. 

 Solitary wasps, and insectivorous birds, are very useful 

 in clearing away these small grubs. 



FLAVERIA (from flavus, yellow ; in reference to the 

 plants being used in Chili to dye that colour). OED. Com- 

 positce. A genus comprising about seven species of her- 

 baceous plants. Flower-heads yellow. Leaves opposite, 

 narrow, entire or dentate. Probably the only species cul- 

 tivated in England is the one described below. It is a 

 greenhouse herbaceous biennial, thriving in sandy loam. 

 Propagated by seeds, sown in heat. 



F. contrayerba (vermifuge), fl.-heads yellow, terminal. July 

 to September. I. somewhat stalked, lanceolate, three-nerved, 

 mucroDate-serrate. h. lift. Peru, 1794. (B. M. 2400.) 



FLAVESCENT. A pure pale yellow. 

 FLAX. See Liiium. 



FLAX, NEW ZEALAND. See Pliormium tenax. 

 FLAXWORTS. A name for the order Linacece. 

 FLEABANE. See Conyza. 

 FLEA BEETLE. See Turnip Fly. 

 Vol. IL 



FLEXUOUS. Having a bent or undulating direction ; 

 zigzag. 



FLINDERSIA (named after Capt. M. Flinders, E.N., 

 1780-1814, who explored the coast of Australia, accom- 

 panied by the famous botanist, Eobert Brown). OBD. 

 MeliacecB. A genus of about four species, natives of 

 tropical and sub-tropical Australia and the Moluccas. 

 They are stove or greenhouse evergreen trees or shrubs, 

 succeeding in a compost of loam and peat. Cuttings, 

 with leaves intact, will root in sand, under a glass. 

 F. australis (Southern), fl. white, small, numerous, panicled. 

 May. I. impari-pinnate ; leaflets one to three pairs, full of 

 pellucid dots, as in the Orange, h. 60ft. Queensland, 1823. The 

 wood is useful for various domestic purposes, and is said to be not 

 much inferior to mahogany. Greenhouse. 



FLOCCOSE. Covered with close woolly hairs, which 

 fall away in little tufts. 



FLORAL. Of or belonging to a flower ; near a flower. 



FLORAL ENVELOPES. The calyx and corolla, 

 which envelop the inner or reproductive parts of a 

 flower, are so called. 



FLORETS. Little flowers ; chiefly applied to com- 

 posites and grasses. 



FLORIFEROUS. Bearing flowers. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. This term is applied to 

 a very large section of mostly greenhouse and hardy 

 plants, abounding in varieties and garden forms that have 

 originally descended from a limited number of species of 

 each of the numerous genera included. The Florist is 

 one who specially devotes his attention to the improve- 

 ment of such plants as admit of it, either by cultivation, 

 careful selection, or systematic hybridisation. The su- 

 periority, both in habit of plant, and form and variety 

 in colour of flowers, is apparent in almost every subject 

 that has been taken in hand. In many cases, where it 

 is thought perfection has been well-nigh reached, a new 

 break appears in some way, and thus fresh material is 

 given the Florist on which to effect an improvement. 

 The number of plants included amongst Florists' Flowers 

 is continually extending, as, apart from increasing and 

 perpetuating new varieties of a superior type, other 

 genera, that have hitherto been neglected, are brought 

 under the same influence, with a view of eventually ob- 

 taining a similar result. Perfection in habit and in form 

 of flower, with distinct colouring, are points always to be 

 aimed at, and only those flowers which are best in these 

 respects should be used for seeding purposes. It is in- 

 variably necessary to perpetuate varieties of Florists' 

 Flowers by cuttings or offsets, as the case may be, 

 seeds having a tendency to produce plants of a mixed 

 and inferior quality to those from which they were col- 

 lected. The Florist's standard for quality and good cul- 

 tureHs now of a high character with many plants, and is 

 beyond the reach of the majority of cultivators. The 

 advantages of the improvements effected are, however, 

 available for all in the select varieties annually distri- 

 buted, or those in general cultivation. The Auricula, 

 Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Dahlia, Fuchsia, Gladiolus, 

 Hyacinth, Pelargonium, Tulip, &c., may be cited as some 

 of the most popular and best-known examples, each and 

 all exhibiting evidence of the success attending the 

 Florist's work. 



FLOWER. In phanerogamic plants, the Flower is 

 a collection of several whorls (usually four) of modified 

 leaves. The calyx is the outer whorl, the corolla the 

 second, and the stamens and pistil the third and fourth. 



FLOWER BORDERS. See Borders, Flower. 



FLOWER BUDS. See Buds, Flower. 



FLOWER-DE-LUCE. An old English name for the 

 common species of Iris (which see). 



FLOWER FENCE. See Foinciana. 



FLOWER GARDEN. See Garden. 



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