ACHIRUS-ACIOTIS. 



25 



hence the plant, formerly received the name of Jtustftrd 

 I J c'l/itorif. The AckMlea nana, or dwarf yarrow, grows 

 on the Alps, and is employed to flavour vinegar. 



ACHILLEUM (Schweigger). A genua of fossil 

 Zoophytes, separated from the sponges. The Achilleum 

 was shown to be a distinct, genus by Schweigger, and 

 adopted by Goldfnss in his " Petrefactcn," in which 

 work he describes it as being polymorphous (many 

 shaped), affixed, and of a reticulate hollow fibrous 

 structure. 



ACHIRUS. A genus of ma/acoptcn/geotts fishes, 

 of the rlat form, and nearly allied to the sole, only they 

 are wholly without pectoral (ins. There are many 

 species of them, and they even admit of" division into 

 two sub-genera ; the ac/tiri, properly so called, which 

 have the caudal fin separated both from the dorsal 

 and the anal by a small rayless space ; and the jitag- 

 rfsiae, which have them united ; the former have also 

 the eyes on the right side of the head, and the latter 

 have them on the left. 



There is nothing peculiar in their habits, so far as 

 is known. They are found in the shallows, and near 

 the shores, in all the warmer latitudes ; and they fur- 

 nish an abundant supply of wholesome food to the 

 inhabitants. As is the ease with the whole family of 

 the tlat fish (jtleiinmectcs), they remain generally near 

 the bottom, where they find their food, consisting of 

 the small animals which are deposited on the banks 

 while the water is still ; but they do not, as is vulgarly 

 represented, stay there because they have no air 

 bladder; for the sinking and swimming of a living 

 fih do not depend upon specific gravity; most 

 fishes, if not all, being specifically lighter than 

 water, as is proved by the fact that they all come 

 to the surface when dead, and even when sickly and 

 living. 



The species are very numerous ; but wherever 

 they are found they differ but little from each other, 

 or from the common sole of our own shores, either in 

 a popular or an economical point of view. A. mar- 

 moratux, which is found abundantly on the coasts of 

 the Mauritius, has the fins minutely spotted with 

 black upon a pearl white ground, and the side in 

 which the eyes are marbled with the same colour. 

 Others are marked with smaller spots, and others 

 again are striped ; but these are mere distinctions in 

 colour, upon which no character appears to depend. 

 Wherever the water is not too deep for their habit, 

 they are found in all latitudes of the wanner seas, 

 and extend in the Atlantic, till, more northerly, they 

 meet the common sole. None of the family, whether 

 of this genus or of any other, appear to be in any 

 degree migratory or discursive. Their form is not 

 adapted for long voyages, and therefore they remain 

 on their banks ; and, wherever there is a bank with 

 deposits of inollusca or other small animals, some of 

 the species are sure to be found. It is probable that 

 the molluscous food is one cause of the superior 

 delicacy and flavour of their flesh. 



ACHLAMYDEyE. A general term, applied to 

 those plants which have neither calyx nor corolla ; this 

 is the case with the willows, &c. 



ACHNODONTON. An exotic grass. Linnsean 

 class and order, Triandria Digynia ; Natural order, 

 (innnhira: There are only two species, viz. A. 

 lir/.'nrdi, Bellard's, which is a perennial ; and A. 

 tanir, slender, an annual. 



A ( ' 1 1 H A S. The name of a genus of plants belong- 

 ing to the natural family Sapoletc, the Lapota or La- 



.Yvi. Hisi. VOL. I. 



podilla Tribe ; and the class Penta>ulna f ofder Mono- 

 gi/nia, of the Linna'an system. The term acfiras is 

 properly, the Greek name of the wild pear, and has 

 been applied to this genus on account of some 

 resemblance between the fruit arid a pear. 



Generic character : Calyx deeply divided into six 

 segments ; corolla six-cleft ; six barren scale-like sta- 

 mens, alternating with an equal number of fertile 

 ones ; ovary having from twelve to six divisions ; 

 fruit, a many-seeded apple, the seeds being enclosed 

 in compressed osseous nuts. 



There are two or three species known. The most 

 important is the Achras Sajuifa, the common Lapota, 

 Lapodilla Plum-tree or Bully-tree, a native of Ame- 

 rica, found near Cumana, the Caraccas, &c., and called 

 by the natives Nispero. It is one of the largest trees 

 in the mountainous woods of Jamaica, and attains a 

 height of thirty or forty feet. It is a tree abound- 

 ing in a milky juice, having entire coriaceous leaves, 

 and axillary one-flowered peduncles. The fruit, 

 when fully ripe, has a sweet, luscious taste, and is con- 

 sidered an excellent article for the dessert. If not com- 

 pletely ripe, and some say almost putrid, it is acrid, 

 and cannot be eaten. The seeds are aperient and 

 diuretic, and have been given in the form of an emul- 

 sion in calculous complaints. The bark of this and se- 

 veral other species, more especially the Achras or 

 Lucurnus Mammosa, is astringent and febrifuge, and 

 has been used as a substitute for cinchona, under the 

 name of Jamaica bark. 



ACHY RON I A ( Willdenow). An evergreen shrub, 

 from New Holland. Linna'an class and order, Dm- 

 dclphia Decandria. Natural order, Leijuminosce. Only 

 one species has been described, \iz. ./. villosn, villous. 



ACIIYROPHORUS (Robert Brown). Limuean 

 class and order, Syngenesia acqualis. Natural order, 

 Coniposiiae. Generic character : Receptacle chaffy. 

 Calyx somewhat imbricated. Pappus feathery. 



The A. maculatus, spotted-leaved, was formerly 

 Hypochaeris maculata, Linmeus. 



^ACIANTHUS (Robert Brown) A New Holland 

 genus. Linwean class and order, (ri;nandria Mo- 

 nandrin; Natural order, Orchidccc. Generic character : 

 Calyx of six unequal divisions, the three exterior termi- 

 nating in points, the interior smaller ; labellnm small, 

 entire, spread out, showing two callosities at the base, 

 but without foliar appendices. There are three herba- 

 ceous, tuberous rooted, perennial species. 



ACICARPHA (Jussieu). A genus belonging to 

 the class and order Syngenesia neccssariu of Linnaeus. 

 Natural order, Calyccrea?. Generic character : Flowers 

 capitate, opposite the leaves, having an involucrum of 

 four or five divisions attached to the lower part of the 

 ovarium ; the inferior flowers fertile, the superior 

 sterile; ovaries, united in one body. There are three 

 species known, all originally from the continent of 

 America. 



ACIDOTON. Linnaean class and order, Monaecia 

 Polyundria. Natural order, Euplwrb'uicetr. Generic 

 character : Calyx of from three to five divisions in the 

 male flowers ; females bearing above thirty stamens, 

 having the filaments connected in a cylindrical tube ; 

 ovary with three short styles, bearing stigmas ; fruit 

 globular, with three places and seeds. A hothouse 

 tree, native of Jamaica ; one species only, viz. A. 

 ui'ciix, stinging. 



ACINUS, or GRAIN. A term applied to each of the 

 small .granular masses of which a compound berry, 

 such as the raspberrv or bramble-berry, is composed, 

 E 



