HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



DIA 



the florist, although they will all be interesting 

 as single, semi-double, or irregular flowers, and 

 richly repay all the labor. Carnations are ar- 

 ranged by florists into three classes, viz. , Flakes, 

 Bizarres, and Picotees. Flakes have two colors 

 only; their stripes are large, going quite through 

 the petals. Bizarres are variegated in irregular 

 spots and stripes, with not less than three col- 

 ors. Picotees have a white ground, spotted at 

 the edges with scarlet, red, purple, or other col- 

 ors. The Clove Pink is rather more hardy than 

 the Carnation, of which it is the parent; the pet- 

 als are more fringed, and the fragrance more 

 powerful, resembling that of the clove. In 

 France it is called the Clove Gilly-flower. Some 

 suppose this latter name to have been corrupted 

 from July-flower, July being its flowering time. 

 The great improvement in the Perpetual Carna- 

 tion (Tree or Winter-flowering Carnation) has 

 added an invaluable feature to the section of 

 winter-blooming plants, for the sitting-room, 

 conservatory, or green-house. The delicately 

 rich and grateful odor, in connection with the 

 brilliant color and good outline of the flowers 

 now offered, secures for them a prominent place 

 in the forcing department for cut flowers. D. 

 hortensis, (Garden Pink, Florist's Pink, or Paisley 

 Pink. ) This species is in perfection about the 

 last of June. The foliage is more grass-like and 

 the plant much hardier than the Carnation. 

 The double varieties are very desirable, and 

 all have clove fragrance. D. Chiiiensis, (China 

 Pink. ) This species is a biennial of dwarf 

 habit, of great beauty, but without fragrance. 

 The foliage is of a yellowish green. It flowers 

 from seed the first year, being perfectly hardy. 

 It flowers stronger th second year. The 

 colors are exceedingly varied and rich : crim- 

 son, and dark shades of that color approach- 

 ing to black, are often combined in the same 

 flower with edgings of white, pink, or other 

 colors. Seed saved from double flowers will 

 produce a great proportion of double flow- 

 ers. In beds where there may be a hundred 

 plants, scarcely two will be found alike. D. bar- 

 batus (Sweet William) is an old inhabitant of 

 the flower-garden, and was much esteemed in 

 Gerarde's time ' ' for its beauty to deck up the 

 bosoms of the beautiful, and garlands and 

 crowns for pleasure. " Fine varieties are perpet- 

 uated by dividing the roots. It is easily raised 

 from seeds. A bed of fine sorts presents a rich 

 sight. It sports into endless varieties, viz. : 

 white, pink, purple, crimson, scarlet, and vari- 

 ously edged, eyed, and spotted. The whole 

 family of Dianthus are readily increased by 

 seeds or cuttings. 



Diapensia. Named by Linnaeus from diapente, 

 composed of five; alluding to the flowers being 

 five-cleft. Linn. Pentandria-Monoijyiua. Nat. 

 Ord. Diapensiwi-n: 



This genus consists of two beautiful little Al- 

 pine plants, both evergreen, which grow in 

 dense tufts, scarcely rising more than an inch 

 above the ground. The flowers are white, bell- 

 shaped, and about half an inch across. It was 

 first discovered in Lapland, but has since been 

 found in the White Mountains, in New Hamp- 

 shire, and in the Adirondacks in New York. In 

 its native country it is continually covered with 

 snow in winter, which is the best protection 

 against severe dry frosts. It can be grown in 

 small pots, and protected by a frame in winter. 

 Propagated by seeds or division. 

 Dicentra. See DMytra. 



DIC 



Dichorizandra. From dios, twice, chorizo, to 

 part, and aner, an anther; referring to the an- 

 thers being two-cleft. Linn. Hexandria-Monogy- 

 nia. Nat. Ord. Commdynacece. 



A genus of hot-house, herbaceous perennials 

 from Brazil, some of the species being exceed- 

 ingly ornamental and invaluable for late autumn 

 or winter flowering. D. thyrsiflora ranks high- 

 est, and when well grown will reach ten feet in 

 height, branched all round, each branch termi- 

 nating with a long spike of sky-blue flowers. 

 When the flowers begin to expand it may be re- 

 moved to a warm conservatory, where it will last 

 in bloom for several weeks. Propagated by di- 

 vision in spring, when the new growth com- 

 mences, or from seed, which should be sown in 

 a hot-bed or green-house as early as possible 

 in spring. Introduced in 1810. 



Dickspnia. Named after James Dickson, a famous 

 British cryptogamic botanist. Linn. Cryptoga- 

 mia-Fttices. Nat. Ord. Polypodiaceai. 



A genus of very ornamental Ferns, mostly 

 arborescent, and including some of the most 

 valued Tree Ferns to be found in our green- 

 houses. D. antartica, a native of Australia, in- 

 troduced in 1824, is the one most commonly 

 met, and the most ornamental of the genus. 

 D. arbarescens, a native of St. Helena, grows 

 about twelve feet high, bearing at its summit a 

 number of pinnated fronds, from ten to twelve 

 feet in length. This species grows in great 

 abundance at St. Helena, and, next to the tomb 

 of Napoleon, is the great attraction of the island. 

 It is remarkable that this species has not been 

 found in any other part of the world. All the 

 Tree Ferns should be grown in a mixture of 

 loam and leaf mould, and require a humid at- 

 mosphere. They increase rapidly by division 

 or from seed. One species, D. pundilobula, a 

 hardy herbaceous plant, is a native of this 

 country, very common in moist, rather shady 

 places. It is one of our handsomest Ferns, and 

 has an agreeable odor. 



Dicliptera. From dis, twice, and kleio, to shut ; 

 referring to the two-celled capsule or seed vessel. 

 Linn. Dit.indria-M'inogynwi. Nat. Ord. Acantha- 

 ceii'. 



An extensive genus of annuals and perennials, 

 allied to Justiciti. The species are dispersed 

 over the tropical and sub-tropical regions of 

 the New and Old World. The annuals grow 

 readily from seed, which should be started in 

 a hot-bed, or the green-house in March, grown 

 on until all danger from frost is past, and then 

 transplanted in the open border. The peren- 

 nials are increased by cutting. They all re- 

 quire a very light, rich, fibrous soil. 



Dictamnus. Fraxinella, Gas Plant. An ancient 

 name, supposed to have been given because the 

 leaves resemble those of the Ash ; hence the 

 English name, Fraxinella. Linn. Decandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Rutm-nr. 



A small genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, 

 and among the oldest inhabitants of the cottage 

 garden. Johnson says: " Instances are known 

 where D. Fraxinella has outlived father, son, 

 and grandson in the same spot, without increase. 

 All attempts at multiplying it, to give away a 

 rooted slip to a newly-married member of the 

 family, having failed, yet the Fraxinella is 

 easily increased from seeds, which should be 

 sown soon as ripe in any common garden soil. 

 They will come up the following spring." The 

 plant has to be three years old before it will 

 flower. It is a native of Germany. When 



