638 



GLOXINIA GLYCYRRHIZ A. 



exhibiting no rudiments of wings or wing-covers, 

 which are possessed by the male pupa. 



The nature of the lumindus matter of the glow- 

 worm has much excited the attention of philosophers. 

 By Forster it was stated that the light was so strong 

 and continuous in oxygen gas, that one might read 

 by it with facility ; and M. Beckerheim not only as- 

 certained the correctness of this statement, but also 

 discovered that the insects were capable of living not 

 only in the different gases (muriate and sulphurous ex- 

 cepted, in which they die in less than eleven minutes), 

 but even in vacuo ; also that hydrogen gas became 

 detonating in consequence of the presence of these 

 insects ; that the light is produced by small lumin- 

 ous particles, which the insect can cover with a mem- 

 brane, so as to stop the external appearance of lumin- 

 osity ; and that after the removal of these luminous 

 particles from the body of the insect, without en- 

 dangering its life, it has continued to live, but with- 

 out any re-appearance of light. Dr. Caradori, an 

 Italian chemist, instituted an extensive series of ex- 

 periments, which are detailed in Griffiths's Animal 

 Kingdom, upon the Lampyris Italica, for which, how- 

 ever, we cannot devote more space than to give the 

 following short particulars : The phosphorescence is 

 a property independent of the life of these insects, and 

 it is attached rather to the degree of softness of 

 the phosphoric substance, dryness suspending the 

 light, whilst softening in water regenerates it, but 

 only after a certain period a remark also made 

 by Reaumur and Spallanzani upon the Phelades 

 and Medusa. He also tried upon the Lampy- 

 rides and their phosphorescent matter the action 

 of the different saline and spirituous fluids, in 

 which they have exhibited the same sort of pheno- 

 mena as the other phosphoric animals, the phosphoric 

 matter undergoing a dissolving action only through 

 the medium of water. 



But phosphorescent matter is not of itself lumin- 

 ous, it being necessary that it should be brought into 

 contact with oxygen ; and Dr. Burmeister overcomes 

 this difficulty by the following remark : " If we ima- 

 gine oxygen combined with the tatty substance or 

 its albumen, respiration gives it luminousness ; by 

 means of respiration oxygen is deposited in the cor- 

 poreal substance ; each inspiration, therefore, makes 

 the beetle shine ; and, again, next to respiration the 

 circulation of the blood appears to have considerable 

 influence upon the light, for we know that the sub- 

 stance emits the light only when moist. Carus has 

 also observed that upon each pulsation, and conse- 

 quently upon each fresh wave of the blood, the light 

 shines brighter*." 



It only remains. for us to mention the species of 

 these interesting insects. Hitherto one only has been 

 decidedly found in this country. By Stewart and 

 Marsham, indeed, the L. splendidula was introduced 

 as a native species, but incorrectly ; the specimens 

 belonging to the latter having proved, according to 

 Mr. Stephens, to be only a stunted specimen of L. 

 noctiluca, our common species, and which appears to 

 be generally distributed throughout England ; near 

 London we have found it at Combe Wood and Rich- 

 mond Park, in Surrey, and it has been found on Ken- 

 nington Common, at Hendon, &c. 



* Handbuch der Entomoloffie, 282, translated by W. E. 

 Shuckard, under the title of " A Manual of Entomology, from 

 the German of Dr. Hermann Bnrmeister." 



There are, however, several other European species. 

 The L. splendidula (found in the middle of Germany 

 and south of France, and which is smaller than // 

 noctiluca'). L. zenckeri, L. Mauritanica, and L. 

 senr/ci, agreeing with our British species in the ap- 

 terous condition of the female and full-winged males. 

 In L. hcmiptera, however, the male has truncated 

 elytra, and the female is entirely apterous. Dejeau 

 has accordingly formed it into a distinct genus, named 

 Geopyris ; whilst in L. Italica, Piedmontana, Illyrica, 

 and Lusitanica, the female does not differ externally 

 from the male, both having wings and elytra, although 

 some entomologists, as Rossi, Illiger, and Carus, speak 

 of apterous females of L. Italica ; but they have evi- 

 dently mistaken the larva for the female. These 

 specie?, with other exotic ones, constitute Dejean's 

 new genus, Colopholia. Catal. des CoKopt., p. 301. 



GLOXINIA (Heritier). A highly ornamental ge- 

 nus introduced from South America. Class and order 

 Didynamia Angiospermia, and natural order Gesncriece 

 Generic character : calyx superior, in five nearly 

 equal parts : corolla tubular, swollen, bent, limb ob- 

 scurely two-lipped, four or five lobed ; stamens in- 

 cluded, with the rudiment of a fifth ; filaments inserted 

 on a disc upon tooth-like glands, fixed on the germen ; 

 anthers two-lobed ; style with a double-plated stigma ; 

 seed-vessel two-valved. The gloxinias thrive in a 

 light rich soil. Individual plants flower best. G. 

 maculata is increased by dividing the root. G. spe 

 ciosa flowers abundantly, and strikes freely by cut 

 tings. This plant is constitutionally curious, as leaves 

 taken off close to the stem, placed in soil, and placed 

 in heat, will emit roots and a bud, which shoots up 

 to form a perfect plant. 



GLYCYMERIS (Lamarck ; MYA SILIQUA, Linn.) 

 The few species of this genus yet known, have been 

 blended by previous authors with the Mya, from 

 which their hinge however clearly distinguishes them ; 

 they are doubtless allied to the So/en and Saxicava, 

 from the first of which they differ, having teeth at the 

 hinge ; and from the latter by the ligament being 

 placed on the shortest side of the shell, which is 

 transverse, widely gaping on either side ; hinge cal- 

 lous without teeth, and with externally projecting cal- 

 losities. The animal is unknown, and only two 

 species are described by Lamarck, inhabiting the 

 North Seas. The genus has been confounded with 

 several others, and much obscurity exists respecting 

 them. Many of the species appear to have been 

 described by Daudin under the name of Cyrtodcriia. 



GLYCYRRHIZ A (Toiirnefort). A genus of Eu- 

 ropean herbs, some of which are cultivated, as the 

 common liquorice for instance. The genus belongs to 

 Legitwinosa;. Liquorice is much cultivated in Spain, 

 whence our chief supplies are drawn : it. has also for 

 many years been partially grown in England, planta- 

 tions being formed at Mitcham, Battersea.Fulbam, and 

 other places in the neighbourhood of London ; and 

 formerly it was cultivated to a considerable extent at 

 Poutefract, in Yorkshire ; Worksop, in Nottingham- 

 shire ; and in other provincial districts. Stow informs 

 us, that the " planting and growing of Licorish began 

 about the first year of queen Elizabeth's reign." One 

 hundred weight of the root will afford twenty-eidit 

 pounds of the extract, commonly known as Spanish 

 liquorice, which, when purified, becomes much more 

 agreeable in flavour, and is known as liquorice lo- 

 zenge. It enters into the composition of severa. 

 pectoral medicines, and is used to cover the nauseoui 



