532 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



OSTRYA (the old Greek name used by Theophrastus). 

 Hop Hornbeam. OBD. Corylaceae. A small genus (two 

 species) of hardy deciduous trees, closely allied to Car- 

 pinus in foliage, but having the female flowers in terminal, 

 drooping catkins, each inclosed in an inflated involucre. 

 They are inhabitants of North temperate regions, one 

 being American. Both the species are best grown from 

 imported seeds for these do not appear to become 

 ripened in this country or they can be grafted, using 

 the common Hornbeam as a stock. Almost any soil will 

 suit them. 



O. carpinifolia (Hornbeam-leaved). Common Hop Hornbeam. 

 fl. greenish-white. May. I. ovate, acute, h. 30ft. to 40ft. South 

 Europe, 1724. SYN. 0. vulgarig(ot Willdenow). (Gn. xii. 372.) 

 O. vlrglnica (Virginian).* it. greenish-white. May. Jr. Hop- 

 like, full grown in August. 'L ovate-oblong, acuminate. A. 15ft. 

 to 40ft. Eastern United States, 1692. 



O. vulgaris (common), of Willdenow. A synonym of 0. earpini- 

 folia^ 



OSWEGO TEA. See Monarda didyma. 

 OSYRIS (the old Greek name used by Dioscorides). 

 Poet's Cassia. OBD. Santalacecs. A small genus (five 

 or six species) of greenhouse evergreen glabrous shrubs, 

 natives of South Europe, nearly the whole of Africa, and 

 the East Indies. Flowers small, sub-dioscious, pednncled ; 

 the males in a few-flowered, lateral raceme ; the fertile 

 flowers sometimes solitary. Fruit drupaceous, one-seeded, 

 crowned by the limb of the perianth. Leaves narrow 

 or ovate, alternate, entire, papery or rather thick. The 

 undermentioned species, probably the only one intro- 

 duced, thrives best in a sandy-loam soil. Propagated by 

 cutting's of ripened shoots, inserted under a hand light, 

 in spring. 



FIG. 785. FLOWERING BRANCH OF OSYTUS ALBA. 



O. alba (white). /(. white, pedunculate upon the branchlets. 

 July. fr. drupaceous, red, about the size of a pea. I. alternate, 

 linear-lanceolate, lin. long. Stem roundish, striated, h. 3ft. to 

 4ft. Mediterranean region, 1793. See Fig. 785. (S. F. G. 954.) 



OTACANTHUS (from ous, otos, an ear, and acanthos, 

 a thorn; in allusion to the prickly leaves). OBD. Acan- 



See Securinega duris- 



Otacanthus continued. 



thaceae. A small genus (two species) of handsome, erect, 

 branched, pubescent, stove herbs or sub-shrubs, natives 

 of South America. Flowers white or bluish, showy, 

 solitary in the axils, sub-sessile ; corolla with a long tube 

 and a bilabiate limb. Leaves entire or toothed. For 

 culture, se.e Ruellia. 



O. cssruleus (sky-blue). JL bluish purple, flattish, disposed 

 around the shoot, axillary in the few uppermost leaves. I. op- 

 posite, ovate-acuminate, strongly serrated. Brazil, 1862. (F. d. S. 



OTAHEITE CHESTNUT. A common name for 

 Inocarpus edulis. 



OTAHEITE MYRTLE. 



sima. 



OTANDRA. A synonym of Geodorum. 



OTANTHUS. A synonym of Diotis. 



OTHERA (said to be derived from the Japanese 

 name of this shrub). OBD. Ilicinece. A monotypic genus, 

 included, by Bentham and Hooker, as a species of Ilex 

 (which see for culture). 



O. japonica (Japanese). /. white, axillary, aggregate, on pe- 

 duncles half a line long ; corolla white, with four ovate, obtuse 

 petals. I. alternate, petiolate, ovate, obtuse, entire, glabrous, 

 coriaceous, spreading, lin. long ; petioles semi-terete, glabrous. 

 Stem shrubby ; branches purple, striated, terete. Japan. 



OTHONNA (the old Greek name used by Dioscorides ; 

 from othone, linen ; referring to the soft, downy clothing 

 of the leaves). Ragwort. Including Doria. SYN. Aris- 

 totela. OBD. Composites. A large genus (about eiglity 

 species) of greenhouse or nearly hardy, glabrous shrubs, 

 sub-shrubs, or herbs, confined to South Africa. Flower- 

 heads yellow or rarely bluish, mediocre or small, peduncu- 

 late, corymbosely paniculate or solitary at the tips of the 

 branches ; involucre campanulate or hemispherical ; re- 

 ceptacle flat or convex, naked or foveolate. Leaves alter- 

 nate or radical, entire, toothed, or dissected, often some- 

 what fleshy. Othonnas are of the easiest cultivation; 

 they require a thoroughly well-drained, porous soil 

 provided the drainage is perfect, the nature of the 

 soil is almost immaterial. They are readily propagated 

 by cuttings. The species here described are those best 

 known to cultivation. 



O. amplexlcaulis (stem-clasping), fl.-heads solitary. May and 

 June. I. amplexicaul, oblong, entire or denticulate. Stem 

 shrubby. Root tuberous. (B. M. 1312.) 



O. carnosa (fleshy-leaved). fl.-heads yellow, in a few-headed sub- 

 corymbose panicle ; pedicels very long. I. linear-terete, fleshy, 

 acute, tapering at base. h. 9in. 1867. Sub-shrub. 



O. Cheirifolia (Wallflower-leaved). A synonym of Othonnopsia 

 chcirifolia. 



FIG. 786. OTHONNA CRASSIFOLIA, showing Habit, Portion of 

 detached Stem, and Single Flower-head. 



