D R A 



D R A 



The first in its native situation rises with a 

 thick trunk nearly equal in size the whole length ; 

 the inner part very pithy, next to this a circle 

 of strong fibres, and the outside soft; height 

 twelve or fourteen feet, nearly of the same dia- 

 meter the whole length, which is rarely more 

 than eight or ten inches ; circular marks or rings 

 are left the whole length, where the leaves have 

 fallen off. The top sustains a large head of 

 these, coming out singly all round it; they are 

 shaped like those of the common Iris, but are 

 much longer, being often four or five feet in 

 length, and an inch and half broad at their base, 

 where they embrace the trunk, lessening gradu- 

 ally and terminating in a point : these leaves are 

 pliable, and hang down ; are entire, of a deep 

 green, smooth on both surfaces. It is a native 

 of the East Indies, and called Dragon Tree, from 

 the inspissated juice becoming a red powder, 

 'like the. eastern Dragon's blood. 



The second species has a shrubby stem, al- 

 most simple, eight feet high, erect, round, with 

 close protuberant rings from the fallen leaves ; 

 these are quite entire, a foot and half in length, 

 erect, smooth, on stem -clasping petioles, and of 

 a dusky-red colour- The flowers are of a red- 

 purple colour. It is a native of China, flower- 

 ing in March and the following month. 



The third has a perennial root, horizontal, 

 creeping, somewhat woody, odoriferous, and 

 simple. The root-leaves are heaped, thick, stri- 

 ated, shining, reflex, sword-shaped, a foot long. 

 The scape three feet high, leafv at bottom, 

 naked at top, round, slender, and declining ; the 

 flowers terminating, sub-umbelled, of a blue- 

 and-white colour. It is a native of the East 

 Indies. 



The fourth species has purple-coloured spi- 

 nous leaves, and the flowers in racemes. It is 

 a native of Newfoundland, &c. flowering in 

 June. 



The fifth has the leaves elliptical, furrowed, 

 and pointed, with spreading flowers, ft is a 

 ■native of New Zealand. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 sowing the seeds in pots filled with good rich 

 earth, either in the spring or autumn, plunging 

 them in the bark -bed of the stove. After the 

 plants have attained some growth they may be 

 -removed into separate pots, and re-plungcd in 

 the hot-bed. 



The last species is the only one capable of 

 bearing the open air in this climate ; all the 

 others requiring to be kept constantly in the 

 stove, where they should be moderately supplied 

 with water. 



They afford variety among stove collections, 

 .some of them being plants of singula* growth. 



DRACOOEPKALUM, agenus comprehend- 

 ing plants ol the herbaceous, annual, and peren- 

 nial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Ditli/namia, 

 Gymnospermia, and ranks in the natural order 

 of Vertieillatce. 



The characters, are : that the calyx is aone-leaf- 

 ed perianthinm, tubular, permanent, very short : 

 the corolla one-petalled, ringent : lube length of 

 the calyx : throat very large, oblong, inflated, 

 gaping, a little compressed on the back : lip su- 

 perior straight, arched, complicated, obtuse: lip 

 inferior three-cleft ; lateral divisions upright, as 

 it were the segments of the throat ; the interme- 

 diate one hanging down, small, prominent for- 

 wards at the base, roundish, emarginate : the 

 stamina consist of four subulate filaments, hid 

 beneath the upper lip of the corolla, of which 

 two are a little shorter : anthers somewhat cor- 

 date : the pistillum is a four-parted germ : style 

 filiform, in the situation of the stamens : stigma 

 two-cleft, sharp, slender, reflex : there is no pe- 

 ricarpium : calyx cherishing the seeds in its 

 bottom : the seeds four, ovate-oblong, three- 

 sided. 



The species chiefly cultivated are : 1. D. Vir- 

 glnianum, Virginian Dragon's Head ; 2. D. Ca- 

 ?iarie?ise, Canary Dragon's Head, or Balm of 

 Gilead ; 3. D. Austriacum, Austrian Dragon's 

 Head ; 4. D. Ruyschiana, Hyssop-leaved Dra- 

 gon's Head; 5. D. Moldavica, Moldavian Dra- 

 gon's Head, or Balm. 



There are other species that deserve cultivation. 



The first is a perennial plant. It rises with an 

 upright stalk, near three feet high. The leaves 

 are about three inches long, and half an inch 

 broad, sessile; usually in pairs at each joint, 

 but sometimes there are three together. The 

 flowers are purple, in terminating spikes. It is 

 a native of North America, flowering from July 

 to September. 



The second species is also a perennial plant, 

 rising with several stalks to the height of three 

 feet or more, becoming woody at the lower part; 

 the leaves at each joint having three or five ob- 

 long, pointed, serrate leaflets. — Theflowers come 

 out in short thick spikes on the top of the stalks; 

 they are of a pale blue colour. It is a native of 

 the Canary Islands, flowering at the same time 

 as the first. 



The third has likewise a perennial root. The 

 stalks are hairy, a foot and half high, sending 

 out several side-branches. The leaves are hairy, 

 linear, cut into three parts. The flowers termi- 

 nating in short whorled spikes, with some very 

 narrow leaves (bractes) under each whorl. It is 

 a beautiful plant, growing naturally in Austria, 

 &c. 



