COIWKTT 



COCCOLOBA 



339 



period before orcharding over large areas gave rise to 

 i --cutially American horticultural writings. Unfortu- 

 tiiiiatt'ly for horticulturists of the present day, Cobbett's 

 thunder seems forever silenced. He has the fatal 

 faults of being old and amusing. Yet, to the discrimi- 

 nating mind. Cobbett's horticultural writings, especially 

 "The American (Jardener" (which is still not uncommon 

 in second-hand book stores), are full of suggestiveness 

 and refreshment. \\r_ ]yf 



COBOEA (after Father Cobo, Spanish Jesuit of the 

 seventeenth century, naturalist, and resident of America 

 for many years). Polemoniacece. A genus of 6 tropical 

 American climbers, of which C. scdndens, a tender per- 

 ennial plant, is amongst the dozen most popular vines 

 commonly treated as annuals. This is the only genus of 

 climbers in the order. Prop, by seeds, which should be 

 placed in moist earth, edge down. It is a rapid grower. 



COCCfNEA (Latin, scarlet; referring to the orna- 

 mental gourds). ('/ r/i it dcew. Thirteen species of 

 tender perennial vines, from the tropics of Asia and 

 Africa, usually with tuberous roots. Lvs. angled or 



502. Cobcea scandens (X 



scandens, Cav. Figs. 502, 503, 504. Height 10-20 ft. : 

 Ifts. in 2 or 3 pairs, the lowest close to the stem, and 

 more or less eared : Us. bell-shaped, 1-1% in. across, 

 light violet or greenish purple, with protruding style 

 and stamens: tendrils branched. Mex. B.M. 851. There 

 is a white-fld. form (C. alba, Hort. ), and one with varie- 

 gated Ivs., var. variegata, Hort. The terminal 1ft. is 

 represented by a tendril (Fig. 502). Sometimes there 

 are indications of tendrils on other Ifts. (Fig. 504), mak- 

 ing the plant an interesting one for students of mor- 

 phology. 



macrostemma, Pav. Taller, later-flowering, the stems 

 and foliage not purple-tinged : fls. yellow-green, with 

 exserted stamens. Guatemala. ^y ^ 



COBNUT. Consult Cory Jus. 

 COBURGIA. See Stenomesson. 



COCA. The Ivs. of Erythroxylon Coca, used in 

 licine. Sold chiefly as a fluid extract. Cocaine is the 

 aous local anaesthetic. 



503. Normal leaf of Cobcea scandens. 



lobed, sometimes glandular : fls. white or yellowish, 

 large : fr. a small, scarlet gourd, sometimes marbled, 

 with an insipid pulp. A. Coigneaux in DC., Mon. Phan. 

 3:528. C.cordifolia is treated as a tender annual, re- 

 quiring an early start and no special culture. 



A. Tendrils simple : male fls . solitary : Ivs. small. 



cordifdlia, Cogn. (C. Indica, Wight & Arn.). Height 

 about 10 ft.: Ivs. small, 1-2 in. long, glossy, ivy-like, 

 short-petioled, obtusely 5-angled: fls.white, bell-shaped: 

 fr. roundish at both ends, about 2 in. long, 1 in. thick. 

 India. 



AA. Tendrils bifid: male fls. in racemes: Ivs. large. 

 palmata, Cogn. (Cephaldndra palmdta, Lond.). At- 

 taining 30 ft. : Ivs. large, 3-4 in. long and wide, long- 

 petioled, palmately 5-lobed : fls. yellowish : fr. ovate, 

 acute. Natal. Int. by P. Henderson & Co.. 1890. -A rare 

 greenhouse plant. -^ ]yj 



COCC6LOBA (Greek, lobed berry; referring to the 

 ends of the pear-shaped fr.). Polygonacece. This genus, 

 which contains the 2 interesting fruits described below, 

 consists of about 80 tropical trees and shrubs, some- 

 times tall climbers, with alternate, usually leathery, en- 

 tire Ivs., which are sometimes very large, sometimes 

 very small: sheath or ocrea various: fls. in racemes, on 

 short pedicels between small, ocrea-like bracts. For C. 

 platyclada, see Muehlenbeckia. 



504. Monstrous or abnormal leaf of Cobcea. 



Coccoloba is a genus of tropical evergreen shrubs and 

 trees, mostly of an ornamental character. C. uvifera, 

 the Sea-grape or Shore-grape of the West Indies, bears 

 an edible fruit, and has particulary beautiful foliage. 

 This species is the most important of the genus, and is 



