HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



347 



EPH 



ternate leaves, and regular and perfect 

 flowers in spikes or racemes. The fruit is 

 either fleshy or capsular; embryo with 

 albumen and very small cotyledons. The 

 plants are natives of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago and Australia. The Epacris is a 

 beautiful flowering green-house plant. 

 There are thirty-two known genera and 

 336 species. Epacris, Styphelia, and-Draco- 

 phyllum are examples of the order. 



Ephemerus, Ephemeral. Existing for, or 

 less than, one day ; as where a corolla 

 expands for a few hours at most, and 

 then fades. 



Epi. In Greek compounds means upon. 



Epiblast. A small transverse plate (a sec- 

 ond cotyledon) found on the embryo of 

 some grasses. 



Epiblema. An epidermis consisting of 

 thick-sided flattened cells. 



Epicalyx. The involucelluni, or external 

 series of envelopes beyond the calyx, as 

 in Malva. 



Epicarp. The outer skin or coat of the 

 pericarp, when ripened into a fruit. 



EpichUe. The upper half of the lip of an 

 Orchid, when that organ is once jointed 

 or strangulated. 



Epiclinal. Placed upon the disk or recep- 

 tacle of a flower. 



Epidermis. The true skin of a plant, im- 

 mediately underlying the cuticle. 



Epigceus. Growing on land, in contradis- 

 tinction to growing in the water. Also 

 when any part of a terrestrial plant grows 

 close to the earth. 



Epigenous. Growing upon the surface of a 

 part, as many Fungi on the surface of 

 leaves. 



Epigone. The membraneous bag or flask 

 wliich incloses the spore-case of a Liver- 

 wort or scale Moss when young. Also, 

 the nucleus of a Chara. 



EQU 



Epigynom. Upon the ovary; a term ap- 

 plied when the outer whorls of the flower 

 adhere to the ovary, so that their upper 

 portions alone are free, and appear to be 

 seated on it, as in Cmbelliferce, etc. 



Epipelalous. Inserted or growing on a 

 petal 



Epiphlwum. The layer of bark immediately 

 below the epiderm. The cellular integu- 

 ment of the bark. 



Epiphragm. A membrane drawn over the 

 mouth of the spore-case in Urn Mosses, 

 and closing it up. 



Epiphyllous. Either growing upon or in- 

 serted on a leaf. 



Epiphyte, (adj. Epiphytal.) Plants which 

 grow upon the surface of others, without 

 deriving any nutriment from them, as 

 many Mosses and Orchids. 



Epipterous. Having a wing at the summit. 



Epirhizous. Growing on a root. 



Epispertn. The skin of a seed. 



Epiapore. A skin that covers some spores. 



Epithelium. An epidermis consisting of 

 young, thin-sided cells, filled with homo- 

 geneous, transparent, colorless sap. 



Equal. Where one part is of the same gen- 

 eral form, disposition, and size, as some 

 other part with which it is compared; 

 applied to petals and sepals when they 

 are equal in size and shape with each 

 other. 



Eqw&ateraL Having equal sides. 



Equinoctial. Plants whose flowers expand 

 and close at particular hours of the day. 



EquisetaceoB, (Equisetum.) A natural order 

 and genus of the higher Cryptogamia, re- 

 markable for the external resemblance 

 which they bear in habit to Gasuarina or 

 Ephedra, and, as regards the heads of 

 fructification, to Zanua. All resemblance, 

 however, ceases there, and the natural 

 affinities of the plants are with Ferns. 



