158 ' DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES DRAGON 



branches commenced. It was entirely destroyed in 1867, hav- 

 ing previously suffered much from storms. A portion of one of 

 its branches is preserved in the Kew Museum. Dracmna draco 

 was introduced into the Eoyal Gardens many years ago, and in 

 1864 one specimen had attained the height of 30 feet, bearing a 

 crown of sword-shaped leaves on a cylindrical stem six inches 

 in diameter. A red resinous substance called Dragon's Blood 

 is a secretion of matter that collects at the base of the leaves, 

 which, after the leaves fall, hardens, and is scraped off, and is 

 similar in its nature to the preceding. 



Dragon's Plant, Common, Dracimculus xulgare [Arum 

 Bracnncuhis, Lin.), a tuberous-rooted herb of the Arum family 

 (Aroidese), having a snake-like, mottled stem and pedate leaves, 

 and attaining a height of about 3 feet. It produces a large, 

 dark- coloured spathe, which emits an offensive odour, and while 

 the pollen is discharging it gives off sufficient heat to be felt on 

 putting the hand into the spathe. It is a native of the South of 

 Europe, and is common in botanic gardens. 



Dry-rot is the name given to decayed timber caused by the 

 mycelium of several species of fungi which under certain con- 

 ditions of heat and moisture attack woodwork in ships, houses, 

 and wooden erections in general, growing in the dark, and 

 rapidly increasing in bulk, first covering the surface with a 

 series of thread-like filaments, which are continually being added 

 to, and ultimately forming a tliick, leathery, white substance, 

 such as is often found behind the partitions of walls and under 

 floors. It penetrates the wood in all directions, reducing it to 

 powdery rottenness, in many cases doing irrej)arable mischief 

 before it is observed. The perfect plant is only occasionally 

 seen issuing from a crevice or some opening in the woodwork. 

 The following are the names of two of the principal Dry-rot 

 fungi : — Polyporus hyhridus, which affects oak timber in ships, 

 and P. destructor, as also Thelephorci ^utca7ia, chiefly on pine-w^ood, 

 in dwelling-houses and other buildings. Merulius lacrymans 

 differs from the preceding in the thick mycelium being moist, 

 often dripping like tears, hence its name lacrymans. Dadalea 



