HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



67 



COE 



name. It is a strong growing shrub, from ten to 

 fifteen feet high. The Filbert is monoecious ; the 

 male catkins make their appearance in Septem- 

 ber, on the previous year's growth, but are not 

 fully developed or expanded until the succeed- 

 ing season, when the female flowers appear about 

 the first of February, and in April they are in 

 full flower. The flowers are small, and of a 

 beautiful red color. The fruit of this species 

 forms an important article of export from Naples. 

 C. Column, a native of Turkey and Asia, is a tall- 

 growing tree, often reaching a height of sixty 

 feet. The nuts are larger than those of the pre- 

 ceding species, and are of excellent quality. 

 This country is represented by two species, C. 

 Americana being our common Hazel-nut. The 

 fruit is smaller and thicker-shelled than the Eu- 

 ropean species. 



Corypha. Fan Palm. From koryphe, the sum- 

 mit ; in reference to the leaves growing in tufts 

 on the top of this Palm. Linn. Hexandria-Mono- 

 gynia. Nat. Ord. Palmaceai. 



A noble genus of Palms, growing from fifteen 

 to one hundred and fifty feet high. They are 

 chiefly natives of tropical Asia. The Talipot 

 Palm, C. wnbraculifera, is a native of Ceylon and 

 the Malabar coast, where it usually grows sixty 

 to seventy feet high. The leaves have prickly 

 stalks six or seven feet long, and when fully ex- 

 panded they form a nearly complete circle of 

 thirteen feet in diameter. Large fans are made 

 of these leaves, which are carried before people of 

 rank among the Cingalese. They are also com- 

 monly used as umbrellas, and tents are made 

 by neatly joining them together, being the only 

 ones in use for the soldiers of that country. It 

 bears no fruit until the last year of its life, when 

 it throws out great branches of beautiful yellow 

 flowers that emit a most disagreeable odor. The 

 fruit is borne in great abundance, is very hard 

 and round, and about the size of a large cherry. 

 From these the plant is propagated, and re- 

 quires great heat and a humid atmosphere to 

 grow it successfully. This species was intro- 

 duced in 1742. 



Cosmelia. From kosmen, to adorn ; in reference 

 to the beauty of the flowers. Linn. Pmtandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Epacridacea;. 



The only species, C. rubra, is a beautiful 

 dwarf green-house plant, with bright red flow- 

 ers resembling those of an Epacris, but larger 

 and more swollen in the middle of the tube. It 

 requires to have plenty of air, and is improved 

 by frequent stopping while young. Propagated 

 freely from cuttings. 



Cosmos. From kosmos, beautiful ; in reference 

 to the ornamental flowers. Linn. Syngenesia-Su- 

 peiflua. Nat. Ord. Asteracecp. 



Mexican plants, generally grown as annuals, 

 but which mostly have tuberous roots like the 

 Dahlia, and may be treated like that plant. The 

 flowers are very showy, and of a reddish purple; 

 and the seeds, when the plants are grown as an- 

 nuals, should be sown in March or April, in the 

 open ground ; or in autumn, if the young plants 

 can be protected during winter. The plants will 

 grow four or five feet high in any garden soil. 

 Introduced in 1799. 



Cossignia. Named after M. Oossigny, a French 

 naturalist. Linn. Hexandria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. 

 SapindaoecB. 



There are but two known species in this 

 genus, both small evergreen trees, with pinnate 

 leaves, with from one to three pairs of oblong 

 leaflets and an odd one. The upper surface of 



CRA 



the leaves is richly veined with golden yellow, 

 the under surface covered with short white 

 down. The flowers are small, white, and ar- 

 ranged in terminal panicles. They were intro- 

 duced from the Mauritius in 1824. Propagated 

 by cuttings. 



Cotton. See Gossypium. 

 Cottpn-Grass. The common name of the genus 



Eriophorum. 



Cotton- Wood, See Popidus. 

 Cotyledon. Navelwort. From kotyle, a cavity; 

 in allusion to the cup-like leaves. Linn. Decan- 

 dria-Pentagynia. Nat. Ord. Crassulacece. 



A genus of succulent plants, with fleshy leaves, 

 nearly allied to the House-leek, and bearing red 

 or yellow flowers. They are plants of no great 

 beauty, but interesting from the manner in which 

 they are popularly supposed to feed : the sur- 

 face of the leaves is covered with myriads of 

 pores or mouths, through which they are sup- 

 posed to take their nourishment, the roots seem- 

 ing only necessary for holding them in position. 

 The ornamental species are all from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and were first introduced in 1690. 

 Propagated by cuttings and leaves. They re- 

 quire an open, sandy soil. 



C ouch-Grass. The popular name of Triticum re- 

 pens. 



Coulteria. In honor of Thomas Coulter, M.D., a 

 botanical author. Linn. Decandria-Monoavnia 

 Nat. Ord. Fabacece. 



A genus of ornamental hot-house shrubs, that 

 grow from twelve to fifteen feet high, and pro- 

 duce an abundance of yellow and orange flowers. 

 Their size prevents them from being grown ex- 

 cept in botanical collections. The wood of some 

 of the species is used in dyeing. 

 Coutarea. From coutari, its name in Guiana. Linn. 

 Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. CinchonacecK. 



This fine evergreen tree is allied to Cinchona. 

 It requires the same treatment, and its bark has 

 much the same medicinal properties. 

 Cowania. In commemoration of the services ren- 

 dered to botany by the late Mr. James Cowan, a 

 merchant, who visited and introduced a num- 

 ber of plants from Mexico and Peru. Linn. Ico- 

 sandria-Trigynia. Nat. Ord. Rosacea?. 



C. plicata, the only species,is one worth far more 

 attention than it has hitherto received. Its flow- 

 ers are large and handsome, resembling those of 

 a Rose. They are bright red, and, in addition, 

 the plant is of robust character, nearly hardy, 

 requiring only to be protected from severe frosts. 

 Propagated by division. It is a native of Mex- 

 ico. 



Cowbane. The popular name given the genus 

 Archemora, reputed to be an active poison, par- 

 ticularly to cattle, if eaten by them. It is quite 

 common in swampy grounds, from New York to 

 Illinois and southward. It is also called Wild 

 Parsnip. 

 Cowberry. One of the common names of Vac- 



cinium, which see. 

 3ow-Herb. See Vaccarva. 

 Cow-Itch. See Mucuna. 



Cow-Parsnip. The common name of Heradeuin, 

 a coarse growing, weedy plant, sometimes used 

 in medicine, but of doubtful reputation. 

 Cowslip. See Primula. 

 Cow-Tree. See Brosimum. 

 Crab-Apple. See Pyrus. 



Crab-Grass. Called also Dog's Tail, or Wire- 

 Grass, popular names of the genus Eleusine, a 

 native of India, but extensively naturalized in 

 this country. 



