HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



TIL 



in cabinet work. It is soft, of <i reddish tinge, 

 and unfit for work requiring strength, or where 

 it is exposed to the weather. This is the species 

 so extensively used as a street tree at Washing- 

 ton, D. C., where it luxuriates. T. heterophylla 

 has larger leaves than the preceding; they are 

 smooth and bright green above, and silvery 

 white underneath. It does not grow to so great 

 a size, but the lumber is far more valuable, be- 

 ing almost pure white, and works more easily 

 and smoother. The two species are designated 

 as Red and White Basswood. The inner bark 

 of the Linden is popularly known as Bass, and 

 was formerly much used for tying, but is now 

 almost entirely superseded by Kqffia, which see. 



Tillandsia. Long Moss, Black Moss, Gray Moss, 

 and Florida Moss. Named in honor of Elias 

 Tillands, Professor of Physic at Abo. Linn. Hex- 

 andria-Monoyynia. Nat. Ord. Bromeliacece. 



An interesting genus of epiphytal plants, na- 

 tives of the United States from the Carolinas and 

 southward, the West Indies, and South America. 

 They generally grow upon trees in dense forests. 

 "Some of these plants serve as reservoirs for 

 water, which flows down the channeled leaves ; 

 these are dilated at the base, so as to form a 

 bottle-like cavity capable of holding a pint or 

 more. Travelers tap these vegetable pitchers 

 for the sake of the grateful fluid they contain. 

 T. utriculata, a native of Jamaica, and many 

 others, have this desirable property of storing up 

 water. Dr. Gardner, in his Travels in Brazil, re- 

 lates that a certain species of Utricularia grows 

 only in the water collected in the bottom of the 

 leaves of a large Tillandsia. The aquatic plant 

 throws out runners, which direct themselves to 

 the nearest Tillandsia, and there form new plants; 

 and in this way no less than six Tillandsias may 

 sometimes be seen connected together." Florida 

 Moss is T. tutneoides, and grows as far north as 

 the Dismal Swamp in Virginia. It is collected 

 in great quantities, steeped in water, or buried 

 in the earth, until the outer surface is rotted off, 

 when it leaves a dark, coarse, tough fiber, not 

 unlike horse-hair, which is used for stuffing 

 cushions, mattresses, and various forms of up- 

 holstery. This moss, as gathered, is used to or- 

 nament frames or rustic work in drawing-rooms, 

 and for these and other ornamental purposes 

 large quantities of it are sent annually to all our 

 large cities. In moist rooms like a conservatory, 

 it will grow very well when thrown loosely over 

 a frame, or suspended in any other way. It is a 

 singular circumstance that two such widely dif- 

 ferent-appearing plants as the "Florida Moss" 

 and the delicious Pineapple should belong to 

 the same natural order. 



Timothy. Herd's Grass, PMeumpratense, which see. 



lipilaria. Crane-Fly Orchis. Name from a fan- 

 cied resemblance of the flowers to. insects of the 

 genus Tipitla. Linn. Gynandria-Monandria Nat 

 Ord. OrckidacfCK. 



A low-growing Orchid, rarely met, a native of 

 the Northern States from Massachusetts to Mich- 

 igan. The flower scape is from twelve to eigh- 

 teen inches high, and bears numerous small 

 greenish flowers tinged with purple. 



Toad Flax. See Linaria. 



Toad Stools. The common name of various spe- 

 cies of Fungi, frequently mistaken for Mush- 

 rooms. 



Tobacco. See Nicoliana. 



Todea. In honor of Hmry Julius Tode, of Meck- 

 lenburg, an able and experienced mycologist. 

 Linn. Oryplogamia-Filices. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



TOE 



A small genus of very beautiful Ferns from 

 Africa and New Zealand. They are only oc- 

 casionally met in choice collections in this coun- 

 try, but are now beginning to receive the atten- 

 tion they deserve. They require special treat- 

 ment, however, and are rarely found in good 

 condition, unless in places where great care and 

 attention can be given. 



Tofieldia. False Asphodel. Named after Mr. 

 Tqfteld, an English botanist of the last century. 

 Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Melan thacea;. 

 A small genus of native herbaceous perennials. 

 The flowers are small and whitish, borne on 

 slender racemes. The plants are not very orna- 

 mental. 



Tomato. (Lycopersicum escidentum.) The Tomato 

 belongs to the Nat. Ord. Solanacece, and to the 

 class Feniandria, and order Monogynia, of the 

 Linnaean arrangement. The genus is composed 

 of a number of species, all natives of South 

 America. The name is derived from lykos, a 

 wolf, and persicon, a peach; in allusion to the 

 beautiful appearance and deceitful value of the 

 fruit. This application; at the present day, when 

 we consider the importance of the Tomato to 

 the household, seems to be rather inappropriate. 

 Its first introduction into England was in 1596, 

 and it was for many years grown only as an or- 

 namental plant, or for its medicinal properties. 

 It was then known by the common name of Love 

 Apple. The " Virtues " of the Tomato were de- 

 scribed as follows by Parkinson in 1629: ' In hot 

 countries, where they naturally growe, they are 

 much eaten of the people, to coole and quench 

 the heate and thirst of their hot stomaches. The 

 Apples are also boyled, or infused in oyle in the 

 sunne." The Tomato was first used as a vege- 

 table in Italy, and soon after in France and Eng- 

 land; it is, however, but comparatively little 

 grown in the open air in England, as their sum- 

 mers are not warm enough to ripen the fruit to 

 anything like perfection; but it is a favorite 

 food there grown under glass. The Tomato has 

 not been in general use in this country for more 

 than fifty years, and most of our choice varieties 

 are of recent introduction. New varieties, ob- 

 tained by selection, are offered annually, each 

 one claiming to be superior in earliness and 



Sroductiveness ; but there has really been but 

 ttle improvement in the past ten years, and 

 we are almost inclined to believe that we have 

 reached the point where "improvement" must 

 stop. Tomatoes are now extensively grown for 

 canning, and tens of thousands of acres are used 

 in growing them for that purpose. 



Tonquin Bean. See Dipterix, odorata. 



Toothache Grass. See Otenium Americanum. 



Toothache Tree. See Zanthoxylum. 



Toothwort, Pepper-root. See Dentaria. 



Torenia. In honor of Olof Toren, a Swedish cler- 

 gyman, who discovered T. Asiatica and other 

 plants in China. Linn. Didynamia-Angiospermia. 

 Nat. Ord. Scrophulariacen. 



A small genus of very beautiful trailing an- 

 nuals and perennials, natives of China and the 

 East Indies. For the green-house or conserva- 

 tory these plants, with their numerous dark 

 purple flowers, are a- great attraction. They 

 also succeed well in a moist, shady border, but 

 will not endure our hot, sunny weather. They 

 are all readily increased by cuttings or from 

 seed. T. Fbttrnierii, of recent introduction, is an 

 upright-growing plant, of branching and grace- 

 tul habit, with a profusion of beautiful violet 

 flowers. T. Baillonia, introduced in 1878, is an 



