HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



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a temperature below 60. They must be kept 

 dormant from October to April, and should 

 never be chilled when started to grow. Those 

 found in the swamps of the Eiver Amazon, in 

 the province of Para, are pre-eminent for grace- 

 ful growth, and for elegant and brilliant mark- 

 ings. All the species are easily propagated by 

 division of the tuber just as the growth begins. 

 Introduced in 1828. The plant commonly 

 known as CahuUum esculent um does not belong to 

 this genus, and will be described under Calo- 

 i-asi'i. 



Calamint. See CUommtta. 



Calamintha. Calamint. From kcdos, beautiful, 

 and mintha, mint. Linn. Didynamia-Anglosper- 

 mia. Nat. Ord. Lamiacece. 



A genus of coarse-growing, hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, with purplish or whitish flowers. 

 They are indigenous or extensively naturalized 

 in many parts of this country. They are mostly 

 aromatic herbs, and formerly had important 

 medicinal properties attributed to them. C. 

 nepeta, Basil Thyme, is one of the best known 

 species. None of them has sufficient merit to 

 warrant its introduction into the garden, either 

 for ornament or use. 



Calampelis. (Eccremocctrpus.) From kcdos, pretty, 

 and unipelis, a vine. Linn. Didynamia-Angiosper- 

 mia. Nat. Ord. Bignoniacea;. 



The only species, C. scabra, is a well-known, 

 beautiful, half-hardy climbing plant. Trained 

 to a trellis or to a south wall in the open air, it 

 forms a very ornamental object through the 

 summer months, its bright orange-colored flow- 

 ers being conspicuous among the pleasing del- 

 icate green of the foliage. It grows best in rich 

 loam, and should be protected in a cold pit 

 through the winter. Cuttings root readily in a 

 gentle heat. Introduced from Chili in 1824. 



Calamus. See Acorns. 



Calandrinia. Named after Calandrini, a German 

 botanist. Linn. L>odecandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Porhdacacece. 



Very beautiful dwarf-growing plants, usually 

 treated as tender annuals, though of perennial 

 duration if protected in winter. The seeds may 

 be sown in gentle heat about the middle of 

 March, and planted in the open air in May, 

 where they are a blaze of beauty whenever the 

 sun shines upon them. The soil should be light 

 and rather dry. The best of the species are 

 speciosa, grandiflora, discolor, and the new umbd- 

 tota. Introduced from South America in 1826. 



Calanthe. From kalos, beautiful, and anthos, a 

 flower; literally, a pretty blossom. Linn. Gynan- 

 dria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A large genus of stemless terrestrial Orchids, 

 having broad, many-ribbed leaves, and long 

 spikes of flowers, which are of various colors, 

 white, lilac, purple, and copper colored. They 

 require a very light house for the perfect devel- 

 opment of flowers and to give them good color. 

 The same general treatment as given the Bletia, 

 with the exception of more careful watering, is 

 all they require. Propagated by division of 

 roots. Most species are natives of tropical Asia. 

 Introduced about 1820. 



Calathea. From kaiathus, a basket; in reference 

 to the leaves being worked into baskets in South 

 America. Linn. Monandria-Munogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 MaranLacea;. 



A genus of interesting plants, with beautifully 

 marked foliage. C. zebrina, generally known as 

 Maranta zebrina. is one of the most conspicuous, 

 the leaves having alternate stripes of light and 



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dark green. They are mostly natives of Brazil, 

 and require a high temperature and humid at- 

 mosphere for perfect development. They are 

 increased by root division. Introduced in 

 1826. 



Calceolaria. Slipperwort. From ccdceolns, a slip- 

 per, in reference to the shape of the flower. 

 Linn. Diandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Scrophula- 

 riacecK. 



The numerous species of this well-known 

 genus, found abundantly in the regions of Chili 

 and Peru, are divided into two classes, herbace- 

 ous and shrubby. The former are found near 

 the line of the sea, the latter are inhabitants of 

 the higher parts of the Cordilleras ; hence it is 

 that, among the many introduced species, some 

 are more or less hardy, growing freely in a 

 shady border, and others require the humid at- 

 mosphere of a green-house. Many of the origi- 

 nal species have been modified by hybridizing, 

 and are rarely found in collections. The hybrids 

 are very numerous, and many are highly prized. 

 The European florists, having made a specialty 

 of this genus, have brought out varieties re- 

 markable for size, color, and markings. Propa- 

 gation of the herbaceous varieties is readily 

 effected by seeds, and the shrubby varieties by 

 cuttings or from seeds. 



Calendula. Pot Marigold. From calendar, the 

 first days of the months; in reference to its 

 flowers being produced almost every month. 

 Linn. Syngenesia-Superftua. Nat. Ord. Com- 

 positce. 



There are several handsome species, some of 

 which are shrubbj and some annuals. The com- 

 mon Marigold, C. officinalis, and its varieties, 

 and C. slellcita, are the handsomest of the annual 

 species. The Cape Marigolds, C. pluvialis and C'. 

 hybrida, have been removed to a new genus, 

 which is called Dimorphotheca. Both these species 

 are hardy annual plants, with very elegant flow- 

 ers, which close at the withdrawal of the sun; 

 and as they do not open at all when it is dark, 

 or heavy clouds foretell the approach of rain, 

 Linnaeus called the commonest species C. pluvia- 

 lis, or the Kainy Marigold. The florets of the 

 ray of the flowers of this plant are of a pure 

 white inside, and of a dark purple on the out- 

 side ; while those of C. hybrida are of a dingy 

 orange outside. A tincture is made from the 

 flowers of the several varieties, that is considered 

 highly efficacious for bruises or sprains, afford- 

 ing relief more quickly than arnica. 



Calico Bush. See Ealmia. 



California Nutmeg. See Torreya. 



California Poppy. See Eschscholtzia. 



Calla. Water Arum. An ancient name of un- 

 known meaning. Linn. Heptandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Aracece. 



C. palustris, the only species, is an herbaceous 

 marsh plant of but little interest, common in 

 swamps throughout the Northern States. The 

 roots yield an edible starch, and were formerly 

 procured for that article ; but they are no longer 

 used for that purpose, and the plant is witliout 

 special merit. The Calla, so well known as a 

 green-house plant, is a Richardia, which see. 



Callicarpa. From kcdos, beautiful, and carpos, 

 fruit ; referring to the beautiful berries. Linn. 

 Tetrandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Verbenace;n . 



A considerable genus of low-growing shrubs, 

 mostly tender evergreens. C. Americana, a spe- 

 cies common from Virginia southward, is a hardy 

 deciduous shrub of great beauty, and one of the 

 most desirable for the lawn or shrubbery bor- 



