254 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



WIT 



from Virginia to Illinois and southward. It is 

 an elegant plant of similar habit, though not 

 quite so productive of flowers, and, unlike the 

 other species, the flowers are developed with 

 the foliage. W. mngn(fica is a very fine late- 

 flowering variety with purple flowers. The Ja- 

 n Wistarias are nmch finer than the Chinese. 

 >w years since Mr. Thomas Hogg sent home 

 from Japan a very choice collection, and among 

 them Tr. Japonica, with purple flowers; W. Ja- 

 ponica allxt, with white flowers; W. longi-race- 

 mosa, purple, with panicles exceeding thirty 

 inches in length; also a double variety of this, 

 with fragrant flowers. In addition to these, he 

 sent a species with glossy leaves dotted with 

 gold; and another species which grows only 

 three or four feet high, and flowers in July 

 and August. The English Sparrow is very fond 

 of the buds of the Wistaria, and sometimes robs 

 the plant of much of its beauty. All the Wis- 

 tarias are increased readily from seeds or from 

 layers. 



Witch Hazel. See Hamamelis. 



Withe-Bod. See Viburnum nudum. 



Witsenia. In honor of JH". Witsen, a Dutch pa- 

 tron of botany. Linn. Triandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Iridacece. 



A small genus of green-house herbaceous 

 plants, with showy blue, purple, or yellow flow- 

 ers, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. They 

 closely resemble the Iris, but have small flowers. 

 Propagated by division. 



Wolf-berry. The popular name of Symphoricar- 

 piis occidental}.*, which see. 



Wolfsbane. See Aconitum reclinatum. Known 

 also by the common name of Monkshood. 



Wood Betony. Common name of Peduncularis 

 Canadensis, which see. 



Woodbine. The popular name of the Lonicera 

 grata, one of our native Honeysuckles. See 

 Lonicera. A name also inappropriately applied 



XER 



to the Ampelopsis quinquefolia, the Virginian 

 Creeper. 



Wood Fern. See Aspidium. 



Wood Grass. A common name of some of the 

 varieties or species of Sorghum, or Broom Corn. 

 See Sorghum. 



Wood Nettle. See Lyportea Canadensis. 



Woodruff. See Asperula. 



Wood Bush. See Luzula. 



Wood Sage. See Teucrium. 



Woodsia. Named in honor of Joseph Woods, a 

 British botanist. Linn. Cryplogamia-Fi!i<r*. 

 Nat. Ord. Polypodiaeece. 



A small genus of very beautiful low-growing 

 Ferns. Several of the more beautiful species 

 are natives of this country , and are common in 

 the mountains North and West. The species 

 are also found in Europe and Brazil. It is with 

 much difficulty that they can be grown in the 

 green-house. They are increased by division 

 or from spores. 



Wood Sorrel. See Oxalis. 



Wood- Waxen. One of the common names of 

 Genista tinctoria, which see. 



Wocdwardia. Chain Fern. Named in honor of 

 Ihomas Jenkinson Woodward, an English botan- 

 ist. Linn. Oryptogamia-Filices. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 podiacecK. 



Very handsome native and exotic Ferns of 

 easy culture. Some of the species produce lit- 

 tle hairy bulbs at the axils of the leaves, which 

 either drop off and strike root in the ground, 

 or vegetate while attached to the parent plant, 

 a feature that is common in many other Ferns. 



Woolly Beard Grass. See Erianthus. 



Worm Grass. See Spigelia. 



Worm Seed. The seed of Chenopodium anthelmin- 

 ticum, which see. The utricle which surrounds 

 the seed contains a volatile oil, which is con- 

 sidered a worm-destroying medicine. 



Wormwood. See Artemisia. 



Vanthorhiza. (Some adopt the ortnogra 

 A Xnnthorrldza, following the analogy of Xan- 

 thorraia, etc.) Yellow Root. From xanthoa, yel- 

 low, and rhiza, a root; the roots being of a deep 

 yellow color. Linn. Pentandrui-Polugunia. Nat. 

 Ord. Ranunculacece. 



X. apifolia, the only known species, is an in- 

 teresting half-hardy evergreen shrub, with pret- 

 ty, dark purple flowers in early spring. It is 

 common along the mountains from Florida 

 northward. It is propagated by suckers 

 Xanthoxylum. Prickly Ash, Toothache Tree 

 From xnnthos, yellow, and xylon, wood; the roots 

 are yellow. Linn. Dioecia-Pentandria. Nat. Ord 

 Xanthoxylncea- . 



This is a rather extensive genus, having a 

 wide geographical range, with representatives 

 m most of the tropical countries of the world 

 and in some parts of the temperate regions. 

 The species differ considerably in appearance 

 some being very large trees, while others are 

 erect or climbing shrubs; and they are often 

 furnished with prickles on their branches and 

 leaf-stalks. The leaves are alternate and com- 



pound, either pinnate, (, either with or without 

 an odd terminal leaflet,) trifoliate, or rarely re- 

 duced to a single leaflet, the leaflets being usu- 

 ally marked with pellucid dots. Their flowers 

 are small, unisexual, and disposed in variously 

 formed axillary or terminal panicles. The ripe 

 fruits split into two pieces, and contain one or 

 two shining black seeds. The fruits of most of 

 the species have an aromatic, pungent taste, 

 like pepper. Those of X. piperitum, a Japanese 

 species, are called Japan Pepper; and those of 

 X. hastile are the Tej-bul of Northern India, 

 where they are used for intoxicating fish. The 

 genus is represented in the United States by 

 a few species. X. Americanum, Northern Prick- 

 ly Ash, is a prickly shrub with yellowish green 

 flowers, which appear before the leaves. It is 

 remarkable for its pungent qualities. The bark, 

 when chewed, is said to cure the toothache; 

 whence one of its popular names, Toothache 

 Tree. X. Carolinianum, the Southern Prickly 

 Ash, is a small tree with very sharp prickles, 

 found on the coast of Virginia and southward. 

 Xeranthemum. From xervs, dry, and anthemon, 



