148 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES CYPRESS 



Cypress, Portuguese. {See Cedar.) 



Daffodil {Narcissus, iDseiido-narcissus), a bulbous herb of the 

 Amaryllis family (Amarylliclaceae), native of this country, and 

 very generally cultivated in gardens for its early flowers. It 

 contains an acrid principle, which produces injurious effects 

 when the flowers are kept in rooms, Narcissus being derived 

 from the word Narke, which means stuj)or. 



Dahlia, a genus of Compositas, consisting of thick tuberous- 

 rooted, strong-growing herbs, attaining a height of 3 to 5 feet, pro- 

 ducing solitary terminal flowers on the branches. There are two 

 kinds — one with female rays, D. sirjjerfliia, the other neuter, D. 

 friistranea. They are, however, considered to represent but one 

 species. The Dahlia is a native of Mexico, introduced into Eng- 

 land about the beginning of the present century. At first it 

 was considered that the tuberous roots could be used as a 

 vegetable, but cultivation did not improve them, and they con- 

 tinued hard and unpalatable. It was not till 1820 that they 

 again came into notice by double flowers having been obtained, 

 and for a number of years the Dahlia has held a high place as a 

 florist's flower, and prizes have been awarded for them at all 

 horticultural exhibitions. A species named D. imperialis has 

 of recent years been imported from Mexico. It is remarkable 

 for its height, its stem being from 12 to 14 feet high, branching 

 towards the apex, each branch terminated by a drooping head 

 of florets 6 to 7 inches across. It is known as the Tree 

 Dahlia. 



Dammar, the name of a resin produced by species of Dam- 

 mar a, a genus of the Fir family (Coniferse). About six s^^ecies 

 are known, widely distributed throughout the Malayan and 

 other Asiatic islands of the southern tropic, one extending to 

 New Zealand. They are tall trees, having nearly horizontal 

 branches producing whorls which are articulate at the trunk, 

 and on falling away leave a clear round scar or mark ; leaves 

 entire, smooth, varying from rusciform to oblong ellij)tical, of a 

 leathery texture, with longitudinal veins, destitute of a midrib. 



1. D. orientalis, native of Amboyna, Ternate, and other 



