DRIMIA DRYPTA. 



the strongly pectinated antenna;, the cases of which 

 were distinctly observable. 



DRIMIA (Jacquin). A genus of bulbous plants, 

 introduced from the Cape of Good Hope. They 

 belong to the class Hexandria, and to the natural 

 order Asphodeleae. Generic character : corolla bell- 

 shaped, six-cleft, segments revolute ; stamens inserted 

 into the base of the corolla ; filaments as long as the 

 corolla; anthers roundish; style protruding; stigma 

 headed ; capsule three-celled, many-seeded. Leaf- 

 mould and loarn mixed is the most suitable soil for 

 these bulbs, which require no water when dormant, 

 but they should be fresh potted before they begin 

 to grow, to ensure their flowering, and propagated by 

 offsets. 



DRIMYS (Forster), is a tree introduced from 

 the Straits of Magellan by Captain King. Class 

 and order Polyatuiria Tetrngynia, and natural order 

 Magnoliacece. This tree yields the true Winter baric, 

 a valuable medicine, and which would be a great 

 acquisition if it could be cultivated in any of the 

 British colonies. 



DROMIUS (Bonelli). A genus of coleopterous 

 insects, belonging to the section Pentamera, family 

 Carabidas, and distinguished from Demetrius, with 

 which it is united by the French authors, by its 

 broader outline, shorter mandibles, simple fourth joint 

 of the tarsi, and the greater length of the second 

 joint of the antennae. The species are of small size, 

 and are found beneath the bark of trees, in sand and 

 gravel pits, &c. They are very active, and often 

 prettily ornamented. There are about fifteen British 

 species, of which the synonyms are very confused. 

 See the Second Part of the Transactions of the En- 

 tomological Society of London for a valuable paper 

 upon the species of this genus, by Mr. Babington. 



DRONE. A name ordinarily given to any mo- 

 derately large and sluggish fly, but strictly belonging 

 to the male of the hive bee. See BEE. Many 

 dipterous insects, indeed, so much resemble bees, 

 that it is difficult to convince the ordinary observer 

 of nature that they are not stinging insects. The 

 possession, however, of only a pair of wings, is 

 sufficient to show their harmlessness so far as stinging 

 is concerned. Moreover, even the true drone, al- 

 though a four-winged hymenopterous insect, is desti- 

 tute of any sting, that weapon of defence being given 

 only to the females and abortive females, or neuters. 



DROP WORT is the Spircea filipendula, or Queen 

 of the Meadow, a common British plant found on 

 the banks of rivers, or on damp meadow ground. 

 Three varieties of it are in flower gardens. 



DROSERACE^E, the Sundew family, a natural 

 order of dicotyledonous plants, containing seven or 

 eight genera, and between forty and fifty species. It 

 is closely allied to Violaceee, but differs in its circinate 

 vernation, in having several styles, a minute embryo, 

 and exstipulate leaves. It also bears a relation to 

 Saxifragece, from which it is distinguished by its sta- 

 mens being hypogynous. 



Its essential characters are : sepals five, persistent, 

 equal, with an imbricated estivation ; petals five, 

 hypogynous ; stamens distinct, withering, either equal 

 to the petals and alternate with them, or two, three, 

 or four times as many ; anthers two-celled, opening 

 longitudinally ; ovary single, sessile ; styles from three 

 to five, more or less combined ; capsule one to three- 

 celled, and with from three to five valves which bear 

 the seeds along the middle or at their base ; seeds 



either naked or furnished with an arillus ; enibrvo 

 straight, erect, in the centre of a fleshy or cartilagi- 

 nous albumen ; radicle directed to the 'hilum. 



The plants belonging to this order are delicate 

 herbs frequently covered with glandular hairs. Their 

 leaves are alternate, and have a circinate aestivation. 



They are found in marshy and inundated places, 

 in many parts of the world, in Europe, East Indies, 

 China, Cape of Good Hope, North and South Ame- 

 rica, and New Holland. 



Their properties are comparatively unimportant : 

 some of them are acrid. 



The chief genera are Drosera, Dioneea, and Droso- 

 pJiyllum. 



Parnassia, formerly included in this order, is more 

 properly reierred to Scucifragece. 



The genus Drosera, or Sundew, contains upwards 

 of thirty species, three of which are natives of Britain. 

 They are remarkable for their viscid glandular hairs, 

 which detain and destroy insects. They are rather 

 acid and slightly acrid, and are said to be poisonous 

 to cattle. The leaves have the power of curdling 

 milk. The name Sundew is derived from the circum- 

 stance of the leaves supporting small drops of a pel- 

 lucid liquid like dew, even in the hottest part of the 

 day, and in full exposure to the sun. 



Drosera rotundifolia, Ros solis, or round-leaved sun- 

 dew, is common in all the bogs of this country. It 

 has a caustic juice which has been used to destroy 

 warts or corns. Drosera communis of Brazil is stated 

 to be poisonous to sheep. 



A famous Italian liqueur is called rossolLon account 

 of one of the drotcras being used in its manufacture. 

 Dioncea muscipula, Venus's fly-trap, is a remarkable 

 American plant, inhabiting the bogs of Carolina. 

 Its leaves are all radical, and are terminated by two 

 hemispherical lobes fringed with hairs. From the 

 inside of each of the lobes three erect, irritable bristles 

 proceed, which, when touched, cause the lobes to 

 collapse suddenly like a rat-trap. By this means 

 flies and small insects, attracted to the surface of the 

 leaves, are frequently imprisoned and destroyed. 

 The lobes afterwards gradually open and expand. 



Drosophyllum Lmitanicum differs from the other 

 droseracece in growing on the barren sands of Portugal. 



DRYADE^E is a section of Rosacece, and will be 

 noticed under that order. 



DRYANDRA (R. Brown). A fine genus of 

 greenhouse plants, natives of New Holland. Class 

 and order Tetrandria Monogynia, and natural order 

 ProteacecB. Generic character : common involucrum 

 imbricated ; calyx four-cleft ; stamens resting in 

 cavities at the top of the calyx ; four scales below the 

 germen ; folliculus woody, and two-seeded. These 

 plants are nearly related to the Banksias, and require 

 similar treatment. Sandy loam and moor-earth suits 

 them best. Ripened cuttings, taken off at a joint, 

 and planted in sand on a very gentle heat, under 

 glass, generally make roots. 



DRYPTA (Fabricius). A genus of coleopterous 

 insects, belonging to the section Pentamera, family 

 Carabidce, and sub-family Brachinides, having the neck 

 narrow, the head triangular, eyes prominent, the tarsi 

 with the penultimate joint dilated, and the second 

 joint of the antennas long. This genus comprises but 

 few species, one only of which, the beautiful D. emar- 

 ginata, Fabricius, inhabits this country. It is very 

 rare, of a rich blue colour, with the mouth, antenna-, 

 and legs red. It is found upon the coast. 



