HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



Dsemonorops. From dema, a cord, and rhops, a 

 twig ; alluding to the rope-like, climbing 

 stems. Linn. Polygamia-Dicecia. Nat. Ord. 

 Palmacea;. 



This genus of Palms, numbering more than 

 forty species, is closely allied to Calamus, to 

 which most of the species formerly belonged. 

 All the species are natives of the Eastern Hemi- 

 sphere, principally of the Malayan peninsula 

 and islands. They have long, thin, flexible 

 stemp, furnished with pinnate leaves, the 

 prickly stalks of which are frequently pro- : 

 longed into whip-like tails. D. Draco (form- j 

 erly Calamus Draco) is a native of Sumatra 

 and other islands of the Indian Archipelago, 

 and is called the Dragon's Blood Palm, in i 

 consequence of its fruits yielding a portion of 

 the substance known in commerce as Dragon's 

 Blood. The fruits are about the size of cherries, 

 and when ripe are covered with a reddish resin- 

 ous substance, which is separated by shaking j 

 them in a coarse canvas bag. This resin is the ! 

 best Dragon's Blood that is obtained, although i 

 there are several other plants that furnish a sim- 

 ilar article. D. Palembanicus and a few other 

 species, natives of Java, have lately been intro- 

 duced into the green-house as decorative plants, 

 for which purpose they are exceedingly appro- 

 priate. The young leaves are of a bright cinna- 

 mon brown, and the contrast between this warm 

 color and the deep green of the matured leaves 

 renders the plants very beautiful at the time 

 they are in course of development. Young 

 plants are obtained from seed. In a growing 

 state they require considerable heat. 

 Daffodil. Narcissus, Pseudo-Narcissus. See Nar- 

 cissus. 

 Dagger Plant and Bayonet Plant. Local 



names for a species of Yucca. 



Dahlia. In honor of Andrew Dahl, a celebrated 

 Swedish botanist and pupil of Linnaeus. Linn. 

 Synyenesia-Superflua. Nat. Ord. Composilce. 



This interesting genus, consisting of compar- i 

 atively few species, shows more plainly the skill j 

 of the florist than almost any other in cultiva- ' 

 tion. Its history is also somewhat curious, as, j 

 strange to say, though it has become so great a j 

 favorite, and is so universally cultivated, the \ 

 history of its introduction is very obscure. It j 

 is generally said to have been introduced into 

 England by Lady Holland in 1804; but the fact | 

 is, it had been introduced many years before j 

 that period, and was only brought from Madrid I 

 in 1804 by Lady Holland, who apparently did i 

 not know that it was already in that country. ! 

 The first kind of Dahlia known to Europeans, D. 

 siiperflua, Cav., (D. variabilis, Dec., Geurt/inn pln- 

 nata, W.,) was discovered in Mexico by Baron 

 Humboldt in 1789, and sent by him to Professor 

 Cavanilles of the Botanical Garden, Madrid, who 

 gave the genus the name of Dahlia, in honor of 

 the Swedish professor Dahl. Cavanilles sent a 

 plant of it the same year to the Marchioness of 

 Bute, who was very fond of flowers, and who 

 kept it in the green-house. From this species 

 nearly all the varieties known in the gardens 

 have been raised, as it seeds freely, and varies 

 very much when raised from seed. In 1802, D. 

 frustranea, Ait., (D. coccinea, Cav.,) was intro- 

 duced from France, in which country it had 

 been raised from this kind, but they are much 

 smaller than the others. It is rather remarka- 

 ble that the two species did not hybridize to- 

 gether, and that D. superflua, or variabilis, should 

 produce flowers of colors so diiFerent as crim- 



DAL 



son, purple, white, yellow, orange, and scarlet, 

 without hybridization. Among all the colors, 

 however, displayed by these varieties, no flow- 

 ers have yet appeared of blue, and are not likely 

 ever to be, as we find no family of plants in na- 

 ture in which there are blue, yellow, and scarlet 

 in varieties of the same species. These two spe- 

 cies and their varieties were the only Dahlias 

 known in English gardens for many years, as, 

 though a few kinds were introduced from time 

 to time from France and Spain, yet, as they did 

 not hybridize with the others, and were rather 

 more tender, they were not generally cultivated, 

 and appear to have been soon lost. Most of these 

 have, however, been reintroduced from Mexico, 

 with several new species, within the last few 

 years, and there are now ten or twelve distinct 

 species, besides innumerable varieties of D. va- 

 riabilis. The most remarkable of the new spe- 

 cies is the tree Dahlia, D. excelsa, which is said 

 to grow in Mexico thirty feet high, with a trunk 

 thick in proportion. The propagation of the 

 Dahlia is quite simple. For amateurs, division 

 of the root will more than supply their needs, 

 as each will divide, if started in a hot-bed or any 

 warm and m6ist place, into at least six good 

 plants. D. imperialis, a distinct species, attains 

 a hight of ten to fifteen feet, and is of a fine 

 branching form, producing, late in the fall, pure 

 white, drooping, lily-like flowers, three inches 

 in diameter. It flowers rather late to be seen 

 in perfection in the Northern States, but it is 

 a magnificent plant in any section of the coun- 

 try where frost holds off until the loth of No- 

 vember. A new section, from D. coccinea, has 

 just been introduced in England with single 

 flowers, that make distinct and interesting bed- 

 ding plants, as they flower in great profusion. 

 The colors so far attained are scarlet, yellow, 

 rose, and crimson, making a fine contrast with 

 the yellow disk. For the trade it is prnpa^at.-.! 

 generally by cuttings taken off early in January, 

 and grown on in pots, with few shiftings, until 

 time to plant out in the border, which should be 

 done as soon as danger from frost is over. To 

 succeed well they should have a strong, deep, and 

 rich soil; as they are rapid growers, they are 

 consequently gross feeders. For perfection in 

 bloom, the side branches should be kept cut, 

 allowing but few at the top; this will give but 

 few flowers, though of superior quality. The 

 roots should be stored during winter in a dry, 

 warm cellar, and covered with sand. 

 Daisy. See Bellis. 



Dalbergia. Named after Nicholas Dalberg, a Swed- 

 ish botanist. Diadelphia-Decagynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Fabacecv. 



A genus of lofty growing, East Indian ever- 

 green trees. Most of the species are truly mag- 

 nificent. They are of immense size, with beau- 

 tiful pinnate foliage, and produce an abundance 

 of white flowers in axillary racemes. The trees 

 are the most remarkable for the valuable timber 

 they furnish. D. latifolia is the Blackwood or 

 East Indian Rosewood tree, common on the 

 Malabar and Coromandel coasts, and yields one 

 of the most valuable furniture woods. The tim- 

 ber is furnished in planks four feet wide, and is 

 of a dark purplish color, very heavy, close 

 grained, and susceptible of a high polish. It 

 lacks the rich perfume of the true Rosewood, 

 and is not so beautifully variegated. In India 

 it is used in the manufacture of their richest fur- 

 niture. The species yield some of the most val- 

 uable timber used in the mechanic arts. 



