HEDGE HYSSOP HELIOCANTHARUS. 



719 



nearest to Asia. Hedgehogs, from their structure 

 and the slowness of their motions, are not at all 

 adapted for migration ; and therefore we may not 

 only expect that every specie 5 will keep closely to its 

 locality, but that they must be considerably affected 

 by the average character of the ear in that locality. 

 In southern Africa, in Australia, and in the American 

 continent, there are certainly none, for the spiny 

 mammalia there belong either to the rodentia or the 

 edentata. Hence the pendent-eared hedgehog of the 

 East, the earless hedgehog of America, and some other 

 varieties which have been founded upon mutilated 

 specimens, cannot be received into this genus. The 

 one of the Eastern Islands and that of America are 

 rodent animals, approaching to the porcupines in 

 some of their characters ; and though some of the 

 others feed on insects, none of them are carnassiers 

 in the structure of the teeth. 



HEDGE HYSSOP. Is the Gratiola officinalu of 

 Li milieus, a medicinal plant belonging to the natural 

 order Scrophularince, an herb indigenous to Europe. 



HEDYCHIUM (Konig;. A^beautiful genus of 

 East I iidian plants, belonging to the first class and order 

 of Linnx'us, and to the natural order Scitaniinete. 

 Generic character : calyx tubular ; corolla of one petal, 

 tubular ; limb in six parts, turned back, middle lobe 

 cut ; stamens, filaments filiform and jointed ; anthers 

 terminal ; style filiform ; stigrna funnel-shaped ; cap- 

 sule aggregate. This is a favourite genus of stove 

 plants, requiring large pots, and a lofty house to 

 flower in. They are increased by dividing the roots, 



HEDYOTIS (Willdenow), or Indian madder, is 

 a genus of annual and perennial plants, natives of 

 India and other places. The H. diffusa was called 

 Oldcnlandia diffusa by Roxburgh ; and Fischer found 

 one in Russia, which he called Oldcnlandia ramosissima. 

 They belong to Rubiaccce. 



HEDYSARUM (Linnaeus). A very extensive 

 genus of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs, chiefly 

 natives of Europe. The flowers are diadelphous, and 

 consequently belong to the natural order Leguminoses. 

 This genus was formerly much more extensive than 

 it now is, several new genera being taken from it. 

 It comprises some highly ornamental, and a few ele- 

 gant plants, admitted into the flower-garden, where 

 they are easily increased. 



HEISTERIA (Linnaeus), is the Hois Pcrdr'tx or 

 //. cocdnea of Jacquin : a large West India tree 

 belonging to the Olacinete. 



HELENIUM (Linnaeus), a North American 

 germs of annual and perennial herbs, belonging to 

 Composites. They are tall growing plants, and are 

 usually introduced among shrubs at some distance 

 from the walk. They are increased by division. 



HELIANTHEM'UM (Toumefort), a very nume- 

 rous genus of herbaceous undershrubs, and shrubby 

 or creeping plants, chiefly European. They belong 

 to the CistinecE, and are cultivated as ornamental 

 plants. The American species require the protection 

 of a greenhouse or frame during winter : the European 

 one* TOW on rork-work or on the common borders. 



HELIANTHUS (Linnaeus). Annual and peren- 

 nial herbs, originally discovered in America. The 

 sunflower is in everybody's garden, and, from its 

 large flaming yellow flowers, is universally known. 

 It has often been affirmed, though there is rather 

 more of poetry than truth in the assertion, that this 

 plant is so completely identified with the luminary 

 from whence it derives its name, that it regularly and 



i progressively follows its course. It is true that the 

 " golden rayed flower " does, to a certain extent, 

 revolve on its stem, but it is a popular error to sup- 

 pose that it keeps a measured pace with the sun. 

 The H. tuberosus is a culinary vegetable, cultivated 

 in every garden, and plentiful in our markets. Tho 

 Italians call this plant Girasole articiocco, of which 

 our vulgar name "Jerusalem artichoke" is a vile 

 corruption. The seeds of the common one, H. annuus. 

 are very nutricious food for poultry ; and in North 

 America they are made into cakes by the Indians, 

 arid from them an excellent oil is extracted. The 

 pith of the sunflower consists of pure medullion. 



HELICARION (De Ferussac). A genus of 

 shells, now united with that of HeticoKmax, from which 

 it differs so slightly as not to require a separation. 



HELICELLA (Lamarck). A genus now united 

 to that of Helix, of which it forms a species. 



HELICHRYSUM (Persoon). A splendid genus 

 of ornamental nndershrubs, chiefty natives of Africa. 

 Class and order Syngenesia superflua, and natural 

 order Coinposilac. Generic character : anthodinm 

 scaled, the inner scales are furrowed and rayed ; 

 receptacle naked. This genus was formerly included 

 among the Gnaphalinms, but separated therefrom by 

 Mr. D. Don and others. They are handsome green- 

 house plants, thrive well in moor-earth mixed with 

 loam, and cuttings placed in the same soil take root 

 readily. Some of the species ripen seed. 



HELICINA (Lamarck). The general structure of 

 these molluscs greatly resembles that of the genus 

 Nirita , but they are terrestrial, some feeding on trees 

 and others on the surface of the earth : from the 

 helix they may easily be distinguished by the trans- 

 verse callous columella, depressed and diminished in 

 thickness at the lower part ; the shell sub-globular, 

 not urnbilicated ; opening semi-elliptical and entire, 

 with a sharp edge, forming an angle at the lower part 

 of the side, with a horny operculum. The Trochus 

 vixtiarius of Linnaeus might easily be confounded with 

 this genus ; but its being a marine shell, and the cal- 

 losity covering the whole of its lower surface, by 

 which it is rendered convex, sufficiently distinguish it 

 from the Hclirina. 



HELICONIA (Linnaeus). A genus of large 

 leaved herbs, natives of South America. Class and 

 order Penlandria Monogynia, and natural order Mu- 

 saccce. Generic character : flowers included in co- 

 loured spathas ; partial flowers in bundles ; corolla 

 six-cleft ; the exterior clefts two-lipped and revolute ; 

 the inner convolute ; stamens inserted into the base 

 of the corolla ; ordinary number six, but part of them 

 often abortive ; filaments awl-shaped and erect ; an- 

 thers linear ; style three-sided ; stigma obtuse ; cap- 

 sule oblong, three-sided, three-celled, and full of seeds. 

 The heliconias are stove plants, and require rich 

 soil, ample space, and a strong heat to flower them in 

 perfection. 



HELICTRES (Linnaeus). This is the Screw 

 Tree of the East and West Indies. Class and order 

 Monodelphia Dodecandria, and natural order Bom- 

 baccee. These plants grow and flower freely in our 

 stoves, and are propagated by cuttings. 



HELIOCANTHARUS (MacLeay) A genus 

 of coleopterous insects, belonging to the subsec- 

 tion of Lamellicornes, and having for its types the 

 sacred beetles of the Egyptians (Ateiichns sEgyp- 

 tiorum, Latreille, Scarabeeut Sacer, Linnaeus, &c.), 

 having the front of the head divided by notches 



