NAR 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



NEC 



165 



otherwise their roots are apt to grow long and slender, and sel- 

 dom flower well after; which is also the case if they are con- 

 tinued many years in the same soil : wherefore the root should 

 be often removed from one part of the garden to another, or at 

 least the earth should be often renewed, which is the most 

 probable means of preserving their flowers in perfection. The 

 soil in which these flowers succeed best, is an hazel loam, nei- 

 ther too light nor over stiff; it must be fresh, and free from 

 roots of trees or noxious weeds, but should not be dunged, for 

 it is very remarkable, that where the ground is made rich, they 

 seldom continue very good long, but are subject to shoot 

 downwards, and form long slender roots. These flowers are 

 greatly esteemed by many persons for their strong sweet scent, 

 though few females can bear them, especially if confined in 

 A room. Where they can be endured, they may be success- 

 fully blown in glasses, as well as the Polyanthus Narcissus. 

 The glasses should be rilled up to the bottom of the bulb 

 with fresh soft water, and placed in a light warm room, near 

 windows which have the benefit of the sun, keeping the 

 wuter up to the same height, by putting in a fresh supply 

 every fortnight or three weeks. These and other flowers may 

 also be brought forward in a warm room in pots set in pans of 

 water; or still more effectually in stoves or hot-beds, by which 

 means a succession of these flowers may be obtained during 

 the winter and spring, till they appear in the natural ground. 

 Nard. See Andropogon. Nardus. 



Nardus; a genus of the class Triandria, order Monogy- 

 nia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: none. Corolla: two- 

 Valved ; outer valve lanceolate-linear, long, pointed, embra- 

 cing the smaller with its belly; inner smaller, linear, pointed; 

 nectary none. Stamina: filamenta three, capillary, shorter 

 than the corolla; antheree oblong. Pistil: germen oblong; 

 style one, filiform, long, pubescent; stigma simple. Peri- 

 carp: none: the corolla grows to the seed, and does not 

 Open. Seed: one, straight, linear-oblong, acuminate at both 

 ends, narrow at top. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: 



none. Corolla: two-valved. The species are, 



1. Nardus Stricta; Common Mat Grass. Spike bristle- 

 shaped, straight, pointing one way. Root perennial; culms 

 from a span to a foot in height, slender, stiff, roughish, hav- 

 ing one, two, or three joints near the base, with a short leaf 

 to each, and thence naked to the spike; florets yellowish- 

 white or purple, pubescent, alternate, sessile. This grass 

 is easily distinguished by the slenderness and rushy stiffness 

 of the stalks and leaves, and by the florets being thinly dis- 

 persed along the spike, mostly in pairs pointing all the same 

 way, and having each only one style. Linneus observes, 

 that being hard, stiff, and short, it eludes the stroke of the 



Nasturtium. See Sysymbrium Nasturtium. 



Nauclea; a genus of the class Pentandria, order Mono- 

 gynia, GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: common, none; 

 receptacle common, globular, subvillose, covered all over 

 with florets ; perianth proper, one-leafed, oblong, incrusting 

 the germen; mouth contracted, entire. Corolla: proper one- 

 petalled, funnel-form, placed on the mouth of the perianth ; 

 tube filiform, longer; border short, five-parted; segments 

 ovate, blunt, recurved. Stamina: filamenta five, very short, 

 in the throat of the corolla; antherae ovate, the length of 

 the tube. Pistil: germen inferior, oblong; style capillary, 

 erect, longer than the corolla; stigma obovate. Pericarp: 

 capsule incrusted with the calix, ttirbinate, attenuated below, 

 blunt at the top, two-grained, two-celled; grains fastened 

 by a thread at top. Seeds: according to Gsertner, several, 

 small, ovate, compressed a little, membranaceous, margined, 

 attenuated into a bristle-shaped tail, fastened to the suture, 

 ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Corolla: funnel-form. Capsule: 

 inferior of two disjointed cells, with many seeds. Receptacle: 

 common, globular.-^ The species are. 



1. Nauclea Orientalis. Leaves ovate, obtuse; peduncles 

 terminating, solitary. This is a large tree, with a straight 

 trunk and spreading branches; flowers on a long peduncle, 

 composed of very many yellow florets gathered into a ball 

 two inches in diameter. The wood is yellow, solid, and 

 beautiful, and fit for all kinds of in-door work, but jots 

 quickly when exposed to air and wet. Native of the East 

 Indies, Cochin-china, and the Society Isles. 



2. Nauclea Parvifolia. Leaves oval; peduncles terminat- 

 ing, solitary, or in threes. Trunk straight, with a brownish- 

 gray cracked bark ; branches opposite, numerous, spreading, 

 forming a large, oval, shady head; flowers small, light yellow. 

 The wood is of a light chestnut colour, firm and close-grained : 

 it is employed for various purposes where it can be kept dry, 

 but soon rots when exposed to wet. It grows to a large tree, 

 which is called Bota-cadamie by the Telingas. It flowers 

 during the cold season; and is a native of the coast, but 

 principally of the mountains of Coromandel. 



3. Nauclea Cordifolia. Leaves broad-cordate ; peduncles 

 axillary, one to four. Trunk erect; bark like that of the pre- 

 ceding; branches very numerous, horizontal, forming a very 

 large shady head. The wood is exceedingly beautiful; its 

 colour like that of the Box-tree, but much lighter, and at the 

 same time very close-grained; it is to be had of a large sue, 

 from one to two feet or more in diameter; it is used for almost 

 every purpose where it can be kept dry, and answers very well 

 for furniture, being pretty light and durable. The Telingas 

 call it Daduya: it flowers during the wet season, and the 



scythe, or takes off its edge, and is therefore disliked by the seeds are ripe about April. It grows to a large tree. Native 

 mowers. He also savs, that the crows freauentlv stock it of the mountainous parts of the coast of Coromandel. 



4. Nauclea Purpurea. Leaves oblong, pointed ; peduncles 

 terminating, solitary, or in threes. Trunk irregular, with a 

 scabrous ash-coloured bark ; branches opposite, decussated ; 

 flowers larger than any of the preceding, of a purple colour. 

 The Telingas call it Bagada. It is a small tree, and flowers 

 in April, at the beginning of the hot season. Native of the 

 moist valleys amongst the Circar mountains. 



Navelwort. See Cotyledon. 



Navelu-ort, Venus's. See Cynoglossum Linifolium. 



Navew. See Brassica. 



Neckcra; a genus of the class Cryptogamia, order Musci. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Capsule: oblong; peristomc 

 double; outer with sixteen sharp teeth; inner with sixteen 

 distinct cilias, alternate with teeth of the outer. Mates: 

 germinaceous, on distinct plants. The species are, 



1. Neckera Heteromalla, which is the Hypnum Hettro- 



He also says, that the crows frequently stock it 

 up for the sake of the larva of some tipula, which they find 

 at the root; and that horses and goats eat it, but that cows 

 and sheep refuse it. In England it seldom encounters the 

 mower's scythe, being generally found on bogs or heaths. 

 It flowers from May or June till August.-- -Native of most 

 parts of Europe, in woody, moist, and barren meadows. 



2. Nardus Aristata; Awned Mat Grass. Calices awned; 

 root biennial. The leaves curve back and roll up like hair, 

 dry away, and then disappear in part. It is very small. 

 Native of sandy soils in the south of Europe. 



3. Nardus Indica; Indian Mat Grass. Spike bristle- 

 shaped, pointing one way, a little curved inwards. It is a 

 finger's length high. -Native of Tranquebar. 



4. Nardus Ciliaris; Ciliated Mat Grass. Spike curved 

 in, ciliate; leaves flat; culm a span high. Native of the 

 East Indies. 



