HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



307 



CAP 



Snowberry, (Symphoricarjms racemosu*,) 

 the Elder, (Sambucus nigra,) and the 

 Laurustinus, (Viburnum Tinus,) as well 

 as Linncea borealix. The black berries of 

 the species of Viburnum found on the 

 Himalaya Mountains are eatable and 

 agreeable. 

 Caprifoils. The English name of C'aprifoli- 



Capsomania, An unnatural development of 

 pistils, which may consist of an excessive 

 multiplication or of such a derangement 

 as impedes their functions. In the first 

 case the unusual demands for nutritive 

 matter cannot be met, and the fruit be- 

 comes small and abortive; in the latter, 

 as in green-centered Roses, bladder 

 Plums, etc., the ovules, being imperfect, 

 do not come to perfection. 



Capsule. Any dry, dehiscent (which see) 

 seed vessel, with one or more cells. A 

 spurious capsule is any dry seed vessel 

 that is not dehiscent, or does not split 

 open. Also employed to denote, among 

 Fungi, certain kinds of receptacles. 



Gaput. The peridium (which see) of cer- 

 tain Fungi. Caput radicis means the 

 crown of a root; also, the very short 

 stem, or rather bud, which terminates 

 the roots of herbaceous plants. 



Carageen or Carrageen, (Irish Moss.) A 

 name given in Ireland to Gkondrus cris- 

 pus and some other allied Algae. Vast 

 quantities are collected for sale, and sup- 

 ply a useful article for feeding cattle and 

 making jelly for invalids. Its decided 

 sea taste and odor are against its being a 

 perfect substitute for isinglass. There is 

 no doubt, however, that in the sick cham- 

 ber it is a far better substitute than gela- 

 tine, as that has very small, if any nutri- 

 tive qualities, a fact not perhaps suffi- 

 ciently known. 



CAB 



Carcerule. An indehiscent, many-celled, 

 superior fruit, such as that of the Lin- 

 den. Also employed among Fungi to 

 denote their spore-cases. 



Carcinodes. A term applied to what is 

 commonly called Canker in trees, which 

 may be characterized as a slow decay, 

 and in regard to which the Rev. M. J. 

 Berkeley, an excellent authority, says: 

 " The appearances are very different in 

 different plants, and the causes different. 

 The same plant, as the Apple, may even ex- 

 hibit three or four different kinds of Cank- 

 er. One form arises from the attack of the 

 Woolly Aphis; a, second from the devel- 

 opment of bundles of adventitious roots, 

 whose tips decay and harbor moisture, 

 and contaminate the subjacent tissues; 

 a third exhibits itself without any appar- 

 ent cause, in the form of broad, dark, 

 or even black patches, spreading in every 

 direction; while a fourth shows pale, de- 

 pressed streaks, which soon become con- 

 fluent, and eventually kill, first the bark, 

 and then, as a necessary consequence, 

 the underlying wood. The only remedy 

 is to cut out completely the affected parts, 

 and that is not always efficacious. The 

 Canker of the Plum and Apricot is 

 brought on by gumming. In many cases, 

 Canker arises doubtless from the roots 

 penetrating into some ungenial soil, 

 which vitiates the juices and induces 

 death to the weaker cells, from which it 

 spreads to surrounding tissue. The rug- 

 ged appearance is generally due to a 

 struggle between the vital powers of the 

 plant and the diseased action." 



Carcinoma. A disease in trees when the 

 bark separates, an acrid sap exuding and 

 ulcerating the surrounding parts. 



Carcithium. The mycelium (which see) of 

 certain Fungi. 



