70 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



CAN 



Ca'ntua. From Cantu, the name of one of the 

 species in Peru. Nat. Ord. Polemoniacece. 



A genus of green-house evergreen shrubs 

 from Peru. The foliage is fleshy, the flowers 

 large and showy, produced in terminal 

 corymbs, the colors being white, scarlet, 

 yellow and blue. They require the same 

 treatment as the Fuchsia. C. buxifolia is the 

 Magic Tree of the Peruvian Indians, and was 

 formerly used to decorate their houses on 

 feast days. All the species are readily 

 increased by cuttings, C. coronopifolia, a native 

 of South Carolina, is Gilia coronopifolia of 

 Ruiz and Pavon. 



Caoutchouc. The elastic, gummy substance 

 known as Indian Rubber, which is the juice 

 of various plants growing in tropical climates 

 in different parts of the world. It is chiefly 

 obtained from the Ficus elastica, Castilloa 

 elastica, Urceola elastica, etc. The milky juice 

 of Siphocampylos caoutchouc is quite different 

 from the Caoutchouc of commerce. 



Cape Bulbs. A term employed to designate a 

 large number of bulbs from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, that require the protection of a frame 

 to be grown in this latitude. They are not 

 sufficiently hardy to endure our winters with- 

 out protection. Among the class may bo 

 found Ixias, Babianas, Sparaxis, Tritonias, 

 Geissorhiza, etc. 



Cape Figwort. See Phygelius. 

 Cape Gooseberry. Physalis Peruviana. 

 Cape Jessamine. See Gardenia florida. 

 Cape Poison Bulb. Buphane disticha (Syn. 



Brunsvigia toxicaria). 



Cape Pond Weed. Aponogeton distachyon. 

 Cape Treasure Flower. Gazania pavonia. 

 Caper tree. See Capparis. 



Capitate. Having a head ; pin-headed, as the 

 stigma of the Primrose. Also, growing in a 

 head, or close terminal clusters, as the 

 flowers of Composite, etc. 



Capparida'ceae. A natural order composed of 

 herbs, shrubs, or trees with alternate leaves 

 and solitary or clustered flowers. The order 

 is divided into two sub-orders : Cleomece, 

 with dry, dehiscent (splitting) fruit, and Cap- 

 parece, with a berry fruit. The plants are 

 chiefly tropical, and abound in Africa and 

 India. Some are found in Europe and in 

 North America. They have pungent and 

 stimulant qualities, and have been used for 

 scurvy. The flower buds of Capparis spinosa 

 furnish the well-known Capers. C. JEgyptiaca 

 is thought by some to be the Hyssop of Scrip- 

 ture. There are thirty-three known genera 

 and 3?>5 species. Capparis, Cleome, Polanisia, 

 and CratcBoa, are examples of the genera. 



Ca'pparis. Caper-tree. From kabar, the Arabic 

 name for Capers. Nat. Ord. Capparidacece. 



An extensive genus of tender or half-hardy 

 climbing or trailing plants. The best known 

 of the species is C. spinosa, a native of the 

 south of Europe. In habit it resembles the 

 common bramble. The Capers are the buds, 

 which are gathered just before expanding, and 

 pickled. In Italy the unripe fruit is some- 

 times pickled in vinegar in the same manner 

 as the buds. Capers are chiefly imported from 

 Sicily, though they are extensively grown in 

 the south of France. 



CAR 



Caprifolia'ceae. A natural order of shrubs or 

 herbs, often twining, natives of the northern 

 parts of Europe, Asia and America, found 

 sparingly in northern Africa, and unknown in 

 the southern hemisphere. Some are astrin- 

 gent, and others have emetic and purgative 

 qualities. Many have showy and fragrant 

 flowers. The common Honeysuckle (Lonicera) 

 is one of the most esteemed of our climbing 

 or twining plants. Among other plants of the 

 order may be mentioned the Snowball or 

 Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus), the Snow- 

 berry (Symphoricarpus racemosus), the Elder 

 (Sambucus nigra), and the Laurustinus (Vi- 

 burnum Tinus), as well as Linncea borealis. 

 The black berries of the species of Viburnum 

 found on the Himalaya Mountains are eatable 

 and agreeable. 



Capse'lla. A common weed belonging to Nat. 

 Ord. Cruciferce. 



C. Bursa-pastoris, Shepherd's Purse, a native 

 of Europe, is so called from the resemblance 

 of its pods to some ancient form of purse. 

 It has accompanied Europeans in all their 

 migrations, and established itself wherever 

 they have settled. It is a troublesome weed, 

 hence its utilitarian popular name, " Pick- 

 pocket," is more appropriate perhaps, than 

 the sentimental one "Shepherd's Purse." 



Ca'psicum. Chili Pepper. From kapto, to 

 bite; referring to its pungency. Nat. Ord. 

 Solanacece. 



An extensive genus of tender annual and 

 biennial plants, natives of the East and West 

 Indies, China, Brazil and Egypt. C. annuum 

 is the common garden pepper, a native of 

 India, from which many varieties have origi- 

 nated. C. frutescens, a native of Chili, is the 

 species that furnishes the Cayenne Pepper of 

 commerce, and is also used in the preparation 

 known as Pepper Sauce. C. grossum, a native 

 of India, is the Bell Pepper of our gardens. 



Capsule. A dry dehiscent seed vessel or fruit. 



Caraga'na. Siberian Pea-tree. So called from 

 Carachana,, its name in Tartary. Nat. Ord. 

 Leguminosce. 



An Asiatic genus of shrubs or low growing 

 trees. One of the best known of the species 

 is, C. Arborescens, the Siberian Pea-tree, a low 

 sized shrubby tree, with numerous yellow, 

 tapering twigs, and very small, pinnate leaves 

 of the same character as those of the Acacias, 

 but much smaller and of a rare golden-green 

 color ; the flowers are small, yellow, and pro- 

 duced singly or in clusters, at the axils of the 

 leaves. It is a tree of marked beauty in early 

 summer, by the contrast it presents with 

 shrubs of dark and less delicate foliage. C. 

 Chamlagu, a Chinese species, is a low spread- 

 ing shrub, two to four feet high, with branches 

 at first upright and then decumbent. Loudon 

 says: "When grafted on C. arborescens, it 

 forms a singularly picturesque pendulous 

 tree ; beautiful not only when it is in leaf 

 or in flower, but from the graceful lines 

 formed by its branches, even in the midst of 

 winter, when they are completely stripped of 

 their leaves." The flowers are produced 

 freely in large clusters, yellow or reddish, in 

 May or June. 



Carageen or Carrageen. Irish Moss. A name 

 given in Ireland to Chondrus criapus and some 

 other allied Algae,. Vast quantities are col- 



