146 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



NEP 



weeds. N. catara, the -well-known Catnip, 

 which is regarded as n useful herb, and N. gle- 

 choma, (Ground Ivy,) have become naturalized 

 throughout most of the States, until they have 

 become more troublesome than useful. The 

 former is now being grown in rough waste places 

 for Bee-food, for which it is said to be valua- 



Nephelium. An ancient name for Burdock; ap- 

 plied in reference to the similarity of the heads 

 of the flowers and seeds. Linn. Odandria-JIono- 

 gynia. Nat. Ord. Sapindacece. 



A small genus of fruit-bearing trees from 

 China and the East Indies. The best variety 

 has fruit nearly round, about one inch and a 

 half in diameter, with a thin, brittle shell of a 

 red color, which is quite warty. When fresh, 

 they are filled with a white, almost transparent, 

 sweet, jelly-like pulp; after they have been 

 gathered some time, the fruit shrivels and turns 

 black, and then bears some resemblance to 

 Prunes. The Chinese are very fond of these 

 fruits, and consume large quantities of them, 

 both green and in the dried state, preserved. 



Nephrolepis. From nephros, a kidney, and lep'is, 

 a scale; referring to the covering of the seed or 

 spore-cases. Linn. Cryplogamia-FUices. Nat. 

 Ord. 1'oli/podiacece. 



A considerable genus of very handsome tropi- 

 cal Ferns. N. tvherosa is by far the finest of the 

 family, and the one best adapted for the ordi- 

 nary green-house. It has no equal for the sit- 

 ting room or conservatory, being a rapid grower, 

 of graceful habit, and not liable to be injured 

 by sudden changes of temperature. It is rapidly 

 increased by division or by spores. 



Nerine. Guernsey Lily. Named after Nerine, 

 daughter of Nerius. Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. AmaryUidacece. 



Showy bulbous plants, the type of which is 

 the Guernsey Lily, and which are natives of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, China, and Japan. The 

 Guernsey Lily is a native of Japan, and the rea- 

 son why it has obtained its English name is said 

 to be, that a ship laden with these bulbs and 

 other plants from China was wrecked on the 

 coast of Guernsey; and that the bulbs being 

 washed on shore, took root in the sandy soil of 

 the beach, and flourished there so remarkably 

 as to be supposed to be natives of the island. 

 Whether this story be true or not, it is quite cer- 

 tain that for nearly two hundred years these 

 bulbs have been cultivated in Guernsey with 

 the greatest success, growing freely in the open 

 air, and producing abundance of offsets every 

 year, from which the market is supplied. The 

 bulbs are generally planted in spring, in pots of 

 very sandy loam, and placed in some window 

 or other situation where they will have plenty 

 of light. They flower in September and October ; 

 and as soon as they have flowered the bulbs are 

 generally thrown away, as they are said never 

 to flower well the second year. This is. how- 

 ever, entirely the fault of the grower, as, if they 

 were planted in a well-drained, sunny border in 

 the open ground, and allowed to mature their 

 new bulbs every year by the agency of the 

 leaves, there is no doubt that they would live as 

 long as any of the kinds of Narcissi, and flower 

 as freely. The true Guernsey Lily is N. sarnien- 

 sis. 



Nerium. Oleander. From neros, moist; refer- 

 ring to their native places of growth. Linn. 

 Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Apocynac,ea>. 

 Nerium oleander and its varieties are old and 



NIC 



valued inhabitants of our green-houses; their 

 large and handsome flowers, either double or 

 single, pink or white, produced in the early 

 part of the vernal season, have made them gene- 

 ral favorites, and a late addition promises to give 

 an additional impetus to their culture; this is a 

 striped variety, with marks exactly like those of 

 the Carnation. It is of French origin, and is 

 called N. tangle. Undoubtedly it is a variety of 

 N. oleander, and requires just the same kind of 

 treatment, viz., to be grown in leaf mould and 

 loam, well watered, and kept rather warm while 

 growing, and to be moderately rested in 

 winter. The Oleander may be kept in a cool 

 cellar during the winter, and grown out of doors 

 in the summer, where it will flower freely. Not- 

 withstanding the beauty of the Oleander, it is 

 one of the most virulent of vegetable poisons. 

 It is common in the south of Europe. Propa- 

 gated by cuttings of well-ripened wood. 



Nertera. A genus of Cinchonacece. A. depressa, 

 the only known species, a native of the southern 

 part of South America, is a creeping herbaceous 

 plant, with oval, fleshy leaves that are dense- 

 ly matted, flowers very small and white. The 

 plant is conspicuous for its orange scarlet ber- 

 ries, that contrast strongly with its bright green 

 foliage. Propagated by cuttings, seeds, or divi- 

 sion. 



Nettle. See Uriica. 



Nettle Tree. See Celtis. 



New Jersey Tea. See Ceariothus. 



New Jersey Tea. See Lycium. 



New Zealand Flax. See Phormium. 



New Zealand Spinach. Tetragonia expansa. 

 This is grown as a substitute for summer Spin- 

 ach, being of a delicate flavor, and continues 

 available the whole summer. This species is 

 found in Tasmania, Australia, Norfolk Island, 

 and on both sides of South America, as well as 

 in New Zealand and Japan. It is a half-hardy 

 annual under cultivation, and was introduced 

 into England from New Zealand in 1772 by Sir 

 Joseph Banks, on his return from accompanying 

 Captain Cook on his first voyage around the 

 world, and by the English seedsmen dissemi- 

 nated. 



New Zealand Flax. See Phormium ienax. 



Nicptiana. Tobacco. Named in honor of John 

 Nicot, of Nismes, ambassador from the King of 

 France to Portugal, who procured the first seeds 

 from a Dutchman, who had them from Florida. 

 Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Sola- 



Of this extensive genus of annuals and per- 

 ennials, the best known and most generally 

 cultivated is N. tabacum, and its varieties. There 

 are, however, several other species largely culti- 

 vated, particularly in Mexico, Central America, 

 and the West Indies. The specific name, tabacum, 

 according to Humboldt, is derived from the 

 Haytian word for the pipe in which the herb is 

 smoked, and which has been transferred from 

 the instrument to the plant. N. repanda is 

 largely grown in the West Indies, and furnishes 

 the material for the celebrated Havana cigars. 

 " Smoking is a custom of very great antiquity in 

 both hemispheres, although, previous to the 

 discovery of America, it was not common 

 among the inhabitants of the Old World, and 

 the substances sraAked were either Hemp or such 

 herbs as Coltsfoot. But when Columbus and 

 his followers landed in Cuba in 1492, they dis- 

 covered the far-famed Tobacco in common use 

 among the natives; and subsequent explorers 



