HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



255 



XER 



a flower; alluding to the dry nature of the 

 flower, which retains its form and color for 

 years. Linn. Syngenesici-Supeiflua. Nat. Ord. 

 AsteracecK. 



Hardy annuals of the cosiest culture, merely 

 requiring to be sown where they are desired to 

 bloom. Tke flowers, from their peculiar dry 

 character, may be preserved a very long time 

 after they are cut from the plants, and this cir- 

 cumstance has given rise to the English name 

 Everlasting. The several species are natives of 

 the south of Europe and the Levant. Some of 

 them have been under cultivation more than 

 two hundred years. Sow through April and 

 May in the open border, or in a hot-bed, and 

 transplant in March. 



Xerophyllum. Turkey's Beard. From xeros, 

 dry, and phytton, a leal; in reference to the dry 

 grassy leaves. Linn, Hexandria-Trigynia. Nat. 

 Ord. MdantJiacece. 



ZAM 



A small genus of interesting hardy herbaceous 

 plants, mostly natives. X. asphoddoides, one of 

 the most interesting species, is a native of the 

 Pine barrens of New Jersey and southward. It 

 has long, very narrow, bristle-shaped leaves, 

 which form a dense tuft, from which rises a stem 

 bearing a large raceme of showy white flow- 

 ers in June. They are propagated by seeds or 

 from division, and succeed well in any dry sit- 

 uation. 



Xyris. From xyros, acute; the leaves terminate 

 in points. Linn. Triandria-Jfonofjynia. Nat. 

 Ord. XyridacecK. 



A genus of curious plants, mostly indigenous, 

 though some are natives of tropical Asia and 

 Africa. They are all sedge-like plants, with 

 narrow, radical leaves, and small flower heads 

 terminating the simple scapes, the yellow petals 

 being very fugacious. They are of no special 

 interest. 



Y, 



Yam. The common name of the large tuberous 

 roots of several species of Dioscorea, used as 

 food. See Dioscorea. 



Yard Grass. A common name for the genus 

 Eleusine. It is also known as Crab Grass. See 

 Eleusine. 



Yarrow. See AchUlea miUefolium. 



Yaupon. The name of a tea or drink made from 

 the leaves of the Ilex Cassine by the North Caro- 

 lina Indians. 



Yellow-eyed Grass. The common name of the 

 genus Xyris, a curious rush-like plant, common 

 im New Jersey and southward. See Xyris. 



Yellow (False) Jessamine of the Southern 

 States is Gelsemium sempervirens, which see. 



Yellow Pond Lily. See Nuphar. 



Yellow Battle. A common weed. See Rhinan- 

 thns Crista-galli. 



Yellow Boot. See Xanthorhiza. 



Yellow Wood. Cladrasiis tinctoria, or Virgilea 

 lutea, a small and handsome deciduous tree, with 

 showy white flowers drooping from the ends of 

 its branches, common on the rich hillsides from 

 Kentucky southward. See also Podocarpus. 



Yew. See Taxus. 



Yucca. Adam's Needle, Spanish Bayonet, Bear 

 Grass. Yucca is the name of the plant in Peru. 

 Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



An extend re genus of evergreen plants, with 

 leaves somewhat like the Aloe. Y.filamentosa, pop- 

 ularly called Adam's Needle, is common from 

 Virginia southward, and is a beautiful plant for 

 cemetery or lawn decoration. Many of the spe- 

 cies are hardy enough to withstand our winters 

 North, and are desirable plants, as well for the 

 flowers as the foliage. The flowers are pro- 

 duced on an erect, branching spike, often six 

 feet high, proceeding from the heart of the 

 plant. It is not uncommon for a single spike 

 to furnish three hundred blossoms, which are 

 creamy white and very showy. The half-hardy 

 or tender species may be grown in pots or tubs, 

 and kept dormant through the winter in a cel- 

 lar or room free from frost. They grow freely 

 in any soil, preferring a light sandy one. Y. 

 aloifolia variesjata is one of the most beautiful 

 of our green-house ornamental leaved plants. 

 Its propagation, which is by cuttings, is slow, 

 and hence it is always a scarce and expensive 

 plant. Y. faimentosa vftriegata somewhat resem- 

 bles it in its young state, and has occasionally 

 been sold for it; but it is far inferior. Most of 

 the herbaceous species of the genus seed freely, 

 and are thus rapidly increased. 

 Youth and Old Age. A popular name of the 

 Zinnia, which see. 



z. 



Zamia. From zamia, loss; in allusion to the bar- 

 ren appearance of the male flowers. Linn. Di- 

 wift-lcosandria. Nat. Ord. Cycadacew. 



An extensive genus of very beautiful and re- 

 markable plants, intermediate between the Ferns 

 and Palms. They are natives of the West Indies, 

 Central America, the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 Southeastern Africa, where they frequently con- 

 stitute a conspicuous feature in the vegetation. 

 These extraordinary plants are remarkable for 



their bony fronds or leaves, which are for the 

 most part armed with spines or sharp angles. 

 The species Z. horrida has thorns several inches 

 in length, and as hard as horn. Several of the 

 species are known in cultivation, and are ob- 

 jects of much interest. They require a hot- 

 house, and should be grown in sandy loam. 

 Rapid progress in growth is material to the per- 

 fect development of the leaves, and this is only 

 secured by heat and moisture. They may be 



