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HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



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Water should be sparingly given, or the plants 

 will have a sickly, yellow appearance. Both 

 species are natives of New South Wales. Intro- 

 duced in 1790. 



Crowfoot. See Ranunculus. 



Crucianella. Crosswort. A diminutive of cnu-, 

 a cross ; alluding to the leaves being placed 

 crosswise. Linn. TelrandriOrMonogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 QalvicecK. 



A genus of hardy herbaceous and green-house 

 plants of but little interest. C. siylnsa, a native 

 of Persia and the Caucasus, is a low-tufted herb 

 with rose-colored flowers, which blooms during 

 the greater part of the summer. It is a desira- 

 ble plant for rockeries. Propagated by cut- 

 tings or from seed. 



Cruel Plant. See Phystomfku& 



Cryptochilus. From kryptos, hidden, and chei- 

 los, a lip ; the lip or labeUum being partly hid- 

 den by the sepals. Linn. Gynandria-Monandria. 

 Nat. Ord. Orchidacecr. 



An interesting genus of terrestrial Orchids 

 from the cooler parts of India. There are but 

 two species, one producing brilliant scarlet flow- 

 ers on a one-sided spike, while the other has 

 smaller yellow flowers produced in the same 

 manner. They require the same treatment as 



Cryptocoryne. From kryptos, hidden, and ko- 

 rune, a club ; the club-shaped spadix or spike in 

 tne center of the flower is hidden by the hooded 

 spathe. Linn. Moimcia-Diandria. Nat. Ord. 

 Araceo'. Allied to Arum. 



Herbaceous perennial marsh plants with tu- 

 berous creeping roots. They produce the same 

 peculiar-looking flowers as the Arums, but are 

 sweet scented. They require the same treatment 

 as the tropical species of Arum. Propagated by 

 division. Introduced from the East Indies in 

 1824. 



Cryptomeria. Japan Cedar. From kryptos, hid- 

 clen, and mem, a part ; the structure of all the 

 parts of the flower being hidden, or not easily 

 understood. Linn. Moncecia-Monadelphia. Nat. 

 Ord. Pinaoece. 



A splendid evergreen tree, from sixty to one 

 hundred feet high, from the north of Japan, 

 where it is found in moist situations. There is 

 but one species, which is perfectly hardy, but 

 requires a light sandy soil. Introduced in 1846. 



Cryptostegia. From kryptos, hidden, and stege, 

 a covering; alluding to the corona being con- 

 cealed within the tube of the corolla. Linn. 

 Pentandria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. Asclepiadacecv. 



A small genus of pretty twining green-house 

 shrubs, consisting of two species, (C. grandi- 

 flora and C. Madagascariens'ts,) the one from 

 India, the other from Madagascar. They are 

 interesting plants, having opposite leaves, and 

 produce large, reddish-white flowers in terminal 

 cymes. Propagated by cuttings. Introduced in 

 1818. 



Cryptostemma. From kryptos, hidden, and stem- 

 ma, a crown; the crown of the flower being hid- 

 den. Linn. Syngenesia-Frusiranea. Nat. Ord. As- 

 tertuxcB, 



A small genus of tender annuals from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. The flowers are bright 

 golden yellow, borne on hairy stems, and are 

 very showy. They were at one time very com- 

 mon, but have now fallen out of cultivation. 

 The seed should be started in a hot-bed, and 

 the young plants pricked out the latter part of 

 May. They require a warm situation, and a 

 light and rather sandy soil. One of the species 



CUM 



has flowers yellow inside and a very dark purple 

 outside, which gives it a very showy appearance. 

 Introduced in 1731. 



Cryptostylis. From kryptos, hidden, and stylos, 

 a style. Linn. Gyuandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. 

 Orchidaceci'. 



A small genus of brown-flowered terrestrial 

 Orchids from New Holland, Java, and Ceylon. 

 The species are more curious than beautiful. 

 They should be grown in turfy loam and sand, 

 in equal proportions, in an ordinary green- 

 house temperature. Introduced in 1822. 



Cuba Bast. The fibrous inner bark of the Pari- 

 tium datum. 



Cuckoo-Flower. See Curdamine. 



Cucumber. See Ctwumis. 



Cucumber Tree. The popular name of the Mag- 

 nolia acuminata, the young fruit of which re- 

 sembles a small cucumber. 



Cucumis. Cucumber. From Cucumis, the Latin 

 for Cucuinbsr. Linn. Monoecia-Monaddphia. Nat. 

 Ord. Cucurbitacece . 



Of the several species included in this genus, 

 C. sativus, the common Cucumber, is the best 

 known and of the most importance. It is an 

 annual plant, a native of the East Indies, and 

 was first introduced into England in 1573. In 

 the East the Cucumber has been extensively cul- 

 tivated from the earliest periods, as well as most 

 of the other species of gourd. When the Israel- 

 ites complained to Moses in the wilderness, 

 comparing their old Egyptian luxuries with the 

 manna upon which they were fed, they ex- 

 claimed: "We remember the fish which we did 

 eat freely, the cucumbers and the melons." Isa- 

 iah, in speaking of the desolation of Judah, says: 

 " The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a 

 vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers." 

 In Syria and in India immense quantities are 

 eaten by the common people. The probabilities 

 are, however, that their Cucumbers are Melons, 

 though mention is made of the cultivation of 

 both, and late travelers mention large planta- 

 tions over which constant watch is kept, and 

 fires built at night to keep off the wild dogs and 

 wolves. The many varieties under cultivation 

 are great improvements on the original species ; 

 but where and when improvement commenced 

 we have no record: and in looking over the field 

 during the last thirty years, it is about as diffi- 

 cult to say when it will stop. When Cucumbers 

 are grown under glass artificial impregnation of 

 the flowers is indispensable to obtain perfect 

 fruit. 



Cucurbita. Gourd. From curbita, a gourd. Linn. 

 Monaecia-Monadelphia. Nat. Ord. Cucurbitacece. 



This is an extensive genus of trailing annuals, 

 producing what is commonly known as ornament- 

 al gourds, some of which are exceedingly curi- 

 ous and beautiful. They are of easy culture, 

 requiring the same treatment as the Cucumber. 

 They are natives chiefly of hot countries. They 

 abound in India and South America, and a few 

 are found in the north of Europe, and they are 

 also met at the Cape of Good Hope and in Aus- 

 tralia. 



Cummingia. Named after the late Lady Gordon 

 dimming, of Altyro, near Forres, Scotland. Linn. 

 Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Liliaceoe. 



A small genus of beautiful little half-hardy 

 bulbs from Chili, which succeed in a light rich 

 soil, and should have the protection of a frame. 

 The flowers are bell-shaped, light blue, and 

 borne in panicles on slender scapes. Propa- 

 gated by offsets. Introduced in 1823. 



