HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



sue 



A genus of handsome flowering, hardy decidu- 

 ous shrubs and low-growing trees, well adapted 

 for the shrubbery border. Several of the spe- 

 cies are common on the margins of swamps from 

 Virginia southward. The most important spe- 

 cies is 8. Benzoin, a native of Borneo and Su- 

 matra. It yields the resin called Benzoin, which 

 is employed medicinally, and also in the manu- 

 facture of perfumes. It is used in the Bx>man 

 Catholic Churches in the composition of in- 

 cense. iS. qfficinale, a native of the Levant, 

 yields a balsamic resin called Storax. Among 

 some of the species of recent introduction is <S. 

 Japonica, known, from its feathery white blos- 

 soms, as "Snow-flake Flower." It is a shrub 

 growing about four feet in height, and is hardy 

 in the vicinity of New York. All are propagated 

 freely from cuttings. 



Succory. See Cichorium. 



Sugar Beet. See Beta. 



Sugar Berry. The fruit of Celtis occidentals, 

 which see. 



Sugar Cane. See Saccharum officinarum. 



Sumach. See Rhus. 



Summer Savory. See Satureta hortensis. 



Sundew. See JJrosera. 



Sundrops. See (Enotliem fruticosa. 



Sunflower. See Hdianthus. 



Sun Rose. See Hdianthemum. 



Sutherlandia. Named in honor of James Suther- 

 lawl, one of the first superintendents of the 

 Royal Botanical Garden at Edinburgh, and au- 

 thor of a botanical catalogue. Linn. Diaddphia- 

 Decandria. Nat. Ord. Fabacece. 



Very showy half-hardy evergreen shrubs, pro- 

 ducing freely during summer axillary clusters 

 of scarlet flowers. The plants are too large for 

 ordinary green-house culture, and do not repay 

 the cost of winter protection in the border. 

 S. microphylla is one of the best. Introduced 

 from the Cape of Good Hope in 1800. 



S wainsonia. In honor of Isaac Suxtinson, F.R.S., 

 L.S., a celebrated cultivator of plants about the 

 end of the last century. Linn. Dladelplda-Decan- 

 drifi. Nat. Ord. Fabacecv. 



This genus closely resembles the preceding. 

 It is, however, better adapted for pot culture in 

 the green-house, in which case the young wood 

 should be frequently cut back in spring; and 

 after flowering the stems should be cut down to 

 prevent the plants from becoming straggling 

 and unsightly. There are four species under 

 cultivation, having purple, red, or white flowers, 

 produced singly or in pairs on short axillary pe- 

 duncles. S. galegifolia is a well-known species. 

 They are all from Australia. Propagated from 

 cuttings and by seeds. Introduced in 1826. 



Swamp Honeysuckle. See Azalea viscosa. 



Swamp Moss. See Sphaynum. 



Swamp Sassafras or Laurel. See Magnolia 

 glanca. 



Sweet Alyssum. See Koniga. 



Sweet Basil. See Ocynwm. 



Sweet Bay. See Lauras nobilis and Magnolia 

 (fauna, 



Sweet Brier. See Rosa rublginosa. 



Sweet Cicely. See OsmorhiM, 



Sweet Clover. See Meliloii.is alba. 



Sweet Fern. See Comptonia. 



Sweet Flag. See Acorus. 



Sweet Gale. See Myrica gale. 



Sweet Gum Tree. See Liquidambar styraciflna. 



Sweet Leaf. See fym/JnC'is tnidoria, the leaves of 

 which are sweet, and greedily eaten by cattle. 



Sweet Marjoram. See Origanum majorana. 



SIM 



Sweet Pea. See Lathyrus odoratus. 



Sweet Pepperbush. See Clethra. 



Sweet Potato. See Potato. 



Sweet-scented. Shrub. See Calycanthus noridus. 



Sweet Sultan. See Centaurea moschala. 



Sweet Vernal Grass. See A,itko.cantham odoratum. 



Sweet William. See Diunihua barbatus. 



Swertia. Named after E. Sucert, a famous cultiva- 

 tor of bulbs and flowers in Holland. Linn. Pen- 

 iandriu-Diyynia. Nat. Ord. GentianacecK. 



A genus of herbaceous perennials, mostly 

 hardy. They are natives of Europe, Asia, and 

 Northern India. The leaves are used in their 

 native countries medicinally. None of the spe- 

 cies are valuable as flowering plants. 



Swietenia. Mahogany. In honor of Gerard Van 

 Swieten, a Dutch botanist and author. Linn. De- 

 candria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. CedrdacecK. 



"The Mahogany Tree, -S. mahagoni, is a native 

 of the West Indies, Central America, and Mex- 

 ico, and is one of the most majestic of trees; for 

 though some rise to a greater height, this tree, 

 like the Oak and the Cedar, impresses the spec- 

 tator with the strongest feelings of its firmness- 

 and duration. In the rich valleys among the 

 mountains of Cuba, and those that open upon 

 the Bay of Honduras, the Mahogany expands to 

 so huge a trunk, divides into so many massive 

 arms, and throws the shade of so many shiny 

 green leaves, spotted with tufts of pearly flow- 

 ers, over so vast an extent of surface, that it is 

 difficult to imagine a vegetable production com- 

 bining in such a degree the qualities of elegance 

 and strength, of beauty and sublimity. The 

 Mahogany tree is found in great quantities on 

 the low and woody lands, and even upon the 

 rocks in the countries upon the western shores 

 of the Caribbean Sea, about Honduras and Cam- 

 peachy. It is also abundant in the islands of 

 Cuba and Hayti, and it used to be plentiful in 

 Jamaica, where it was of excellent quality, but 

 most of the larger trees have been cut down. It 

 was formerly abundant on the Bahamas, where 

 it grew to a great height, with the trunks four 

 feet in diameter. When it grows in favorable 

 situations the timber is larger and plain; the 

 better portion, such as is used for veneers, 

 comes from the junction of the branches with 

 the body, or crotches, as they are commonly 

 termed. The trees that grow in rocky and ex- 

 posed situations do not grow as large, but the 

 timber is more solid, has a greater variety and 

 shade of grain, is much stronger, and in all 

 ways preferable for cabinet work." The Bay- 

 wood and Spanish Cedar of commerce are of the 

 same species, but are of larger growth, and the 

 wood is very coarse and soft. It is used princi- 

 pally in making segar boxes or similar work. 



Swiss Chard. See Seta. 



Sycamore. See Plattmus occidentalis. 



Symphoricarpus. Snowberry. From symphareo, 

 to accumulate, and karpos, a fruit ; in allusion 

 to its clustered bunches of fruit. Linn. Pentan- 

 ilrin-MoiiO'ii/iii'i. Nat. Ord. Caprifoliucece. 



A genus of hardy deciduous shrubs, common 

 in most of the States. Some of them are quite 

 ornamental, and are cultivated in the shrubbery 

 border. They grow so freely, and sucker so- 

 much, that it is difficult to keep them under 

 subjection. >'. ;',, /<>..-(, the Snowberry, has 

 pinkish flowers, disposed in loose racemes, which 

 are succeeded by large white berries, which are 

 very ornamental, and remain on the bush un- 

 til nearly winter, making it conspicuous in the 

 border. The variegated variety is a fine plant. 



