JACK OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 225 



matic, and a fragrant resin exudes from the old stems when 

 bruised. It was at one time highly valued in medicine, but 

 is now discarded. Its berries afford abundance of food for 

 birds late in the autumn. In ancient mythology the Ivy was 

 dedicated to Bacchus, the God of "Wine, and many reasons are 

 assigned for this. In the Book of Maccabees we read that on 

 the Feast of Bacchus being kept, the Jews were compelled to 

 go in procession carrying Ivy. 



Ivy, Chinese (Parecldtes Thiinhergii), better known in gar- 

 dens by the name of Ehynchospermum jasminoides, a shrub with 

 privet-like leaves, and with sweet-scented jasmine-like flowers. 

 It may be grown as a bush, but its natural habit is to cling to 

 walls like Ivy. 



Ivy, West Indian [Marcgravia umhellata), the type of the 

 small family termed Marcgraviaceae. It is a climbing sub- 

 epiphytal shrub, adhering to trees like Ivy. Its leaves are 

 alternate, oval -oblong, and smooth, those on the ascending 

 stem, lying flat to the tree ; on reaching the top of the tree, 

 numerous leafy branches are produced the same as in common 

 Ivy. Its flowers are produced in umbels of a green colour 

 and of peculiar structure, which makes this family botanically 

 interesting. It is represented in the hothouses at Kew by M, 

 umhellata and Norantca coccinea. 



Jacaranda, a name in Brazil for certain trees of the Bean 

 family (Leguminosee), producing the fancy woods called Yiolet- 

 wood. King-wood, and Tiger- wood. The first two are said to 

 be the woods of species of Dalbergia, and the third that of 

 Machcerium SchomhiirgMi, which is also spoken of as a kind 

 of rosewood (which see). It may here be stated that the 

 botanical names of many of the trees that furnish the fancy 

 woods of commerce have not been clearly determined. 



Jacaranda is also the botanical name of a genus of Brazilian 

 trees of the Trumpet-flower family (Bignoniaceae), of which 

 J. mimoswfolia, J. jjuhescens, and others, are cultivated in our 

 hothouses. 



Jack-fruit {Artocarpus integrifolia), a tree of the Bread- 



Q 



