HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



DAL 



Dalechampia. Named after James Dalechamp, a 

 celebrated French botanist. Linn. Monaecia-Mo- 

 nogynia. Nat. Ord. Euphorbiacece. 



Evergreen climbers, producing small yellow- 

 ish-green flowers on axillary peduncles. The 

 genus is small, mostly natives of Brazil, and do 

 best in the hot-house. Propagated by cuttings. 



Dalibardo. Named after Denvt Dalibard, a French 

 botanist. Linn. Icosandria-Diyynia. Nat. Ord. 

 RosacecK. 



D. repens, the only species, is a rather pretty 

 trailing plant, quite common in our Northern 

 woods. The flowers are white, singly or in pairs. 

 It is not cultivated except in botanical collec- 

 tions. 



Dammara. The name of the species in Amboyna. 

 lAnn. Monceda-Decagynia. Nat. Ord. Coniferce. 



A genus of evergreen trees, similar to our 

 Pines. D. Australis, a native of New Zealand, is 

 a tree from 150 to 200 feet in height, producing 

 a hard, brittle, resin-like copal, the principal in- 

 gredient of Dammar or white varnish. 



Dampiera. Named after the circumnavigator, 

 Captain William Dampier. Linn. Pentandria-Mon- 

 ogynia. Nat. Ord. Goodeniacece. 



Green-house herbaceous perennials from New 

 Holland, of easy culture. Flowers blue, both 

 axillary and terminal. Propagated by cuttings 

 of young shoots or by division. 



Dandelion. See Taraxacum. 



Daphne. From daio, to burn, and phone, a noise ; 

 it crackles when burning. Linn. Octandria-Mon- 

 ogynia. Nat. Ord. Thymelacece. 



An extensive genus of small shrubs, mostly 

 evergreen, with very beautiful fragrant flowers, 

 natives chiefly of Europe, but partly also of the 

 cooler parts of Asia, including Japan and China. 

 Some of them are hardy shrubs, valued for their 

 early spring flowers. D. Gneorum is a hardy 

 trailing evergreen shrub, growing about a foot 

 high, and producing its beautiful brighfepink 

 or crimson, deliciously sweet-scented flowws in 

 terminal clusters in April and May, and occa- 

 sionally again in September. On account of its 

 dwarf habit it is especially suitable for planting 

 on rock- work, or for edgings to beds. It is propa- 

 gated by layers. D . odora, a native of China, is o 

 green-house evergreen, succeeding best when 

 planted out in a cool house. This and D. Tniic'i 

 are grown extensively for cut flowers, which are 

 highly esteemed for their delicious fragrance. It 

 grows freely from cuttings. Introduced in 1771. 



Named after Dar a botanist. A genus 

 of Ferns allied to Asplenium, which see. 



Darlingtonia. Named in honor of Dr.Darlinqton, 

 one of our most distinguished botanists. Linn. 

 Pdyandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Sarraceniacea;. 

 This remarkable genus consists of but one 

 species, D. Californica, which is found in the 

 marshy districts of California, and is commonly 

 known as the California Side-Saddle Flower or 

 Pitcher Plant. It is a perennial herb, and can be 

 grown in an ordinary cool green-house. The 

 plants should be potted in leal-mould and sand. 

 Propagated by division and from seed. Dr.Tor- 

 rey gave the first description of this plant in 

 1853. 



Darnel. A common name for the Lolium. A ge- 

 nus of noxious grasses introduced from Europe. 



Darwinia. Named after Dr. Darwin, author of the 

 Botanic Garden. Linn. Decandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Chamcelauciacece. 



A small genus of low-growing, heath-like, ever- 

 green shrubs, found in the extra-tropical regions 

 of Australia. The leaves are marked with trans- 



DAV 



parent dots. They are plants of but little inter- 

 est to the florist. 



Dasylirion. From daftys, thick, and leirion, a lily ; 

 the plants are succulent. Linn. Hexandna-Mono- 

 gynia. Nat. Ord. Bromeliacea;. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen plants 

 from Mexico. The flowers, like most of this 

 order, are quite interesting. They require sim- 

 ilar treatment to the tender species of Yucca. 

 They are increased by suckers. Introduced in 

 1830. 



Date Palm. See Phoenix. 



Date Plum. See Diospyros. 



Datura. Jamestown Weed, Thorn Apple, Devil's 

 Trumpet. An alteration of the Arabic name 

 tatorah. Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Solanacew. 



Strong - growing, large-leaved plants, with 

 doubtful propriety sometimes classed with or- 

 namental plants, and allowed a place in the bor- 

 der. The flowers of some of the species are 

 large and showy, but the plants themselves 

 have a straggling, naked appearance that quite 

 counteracts the beauty of the flower. D. Stra- 

 monium, commonly known as Thorn Apple, and in 

 some sections as Jimson Weed, is a coarse-grow- 

 ing, troublesome weed, that seems to delight in 

 filthy door-yards. The seeds and stems of the 

 Datura are powerful narcotic poisons, and many 

 deaths have resulted from eating the seeds. 

 They are sparingly used in medicine, and the 

 dried root is sometimes smoked as a remedy 

 for asthma. 



Daubentonia. Named after M. Daubenton, a cele- 

 brated naturalist. Linn. Diadelphia-Tetragynia. 

 Nat. Ord. FabacecK. 



A genus of green-house evergreen shrubs, 

 chiefly remarkable for their curious, quadran- 

 gular seed pods, which are three to four inches 

 long, stalked, pointed, and furnished with wings 

 along the angles. Their red or yellow flowers, 

 resembling the Laburnum, are borne on short 

 axillary racemes. They are natives of Texas and 

 Buenos Ayres. Propagated by cuttings of ripen- 

 ed young shoots. Introduced in 1820. 



Daubenya. In honor of Dr. Daukeiiy, Professor 

 of Botany in the University of Oxford. Linn. 

 Sexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Liliacfce. 



A genus consisting of two species of yellow 

 flowering bulbs from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 They are very dwarf, the flower stalk being from 

 three to six inches high, upon which is borne an 

 umbel of small showy flowers. They are of easy 

 culture, in a dry, warm situation, and with slight 

 protection they will endure our winters. The 

 safer way is to treat them the same as Gladiolus. 

 Propagated by offsets. 



Daucus. Carrot. From daio, to make hot; in al- 

 lusion to its supposed effect in medicine. Linn. 

 Pentandtia-Digynia. Nat. Ord. Apiacece. 

 For description of this genus, see Carrot. 



Davallia. Hare's-foot Fern. Named after Ed- 

 mund DavaU, a Swiss botanist. Linn. Cryptoga- 

 mia-Filices. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacea;. 



A fine and extensive genus of tropical Ferns. 

 They have scaly, creeping rhizomes, which are 

 covered with close brown hair, which feature 

 has given rise to the name of Hare's-foot Fern. 

 The genus is well marked by natural features, 

 and is one of the most elegant to be found in our 

 green-houses. Propagated by division of roots 

 and by spores. Introduced in 1699. 



Daviesia. Named after the Rev. Hugh Dames, a 

 Welsh botanist. Linn. Decandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Fabacece. 



