162 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



GAL 



Galto'nia. Named in memory of Francis Gallon, 

 author of " A Narrative of an Explorer in 

 South Africa." Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A genus of hardy bulbs, natives of south 

 Africa. They are well adapted for growing in 

 clumps for lawn decoration. G. candicans, is 

 best known in cultivation as Hyacinthus can- 

 dicans, which see. 



Gama Grass. See Tripsacum. 



Gambler. See Uncaria Gambier. 



Gamboge. A gum resin that is furnished by a 

 number of trees in the East Indies. It was at 

 one time chiefly obtained from Xanthochymus, 

 a native of Ceylon. 



Gamboge-tree. Garcinia Morella, var. pedi- 

 cillata. 



Gamole'pis. From gamos, joined, and lepis, a 

 scale. Nat. Ord. Composite^. 



G. tagetes, the only described species, is a 

 tender annual, with small yellow flowers, a 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope. The 

 flowers somewhat resemble those of the 

 Othonna, to which it is allied. 



Garci'nia. Mangosteen. Named after Dr. L. 

 Garcin, a French botanist and traveler in the 

 East. Nat. Ord. Guttiferce. 



A genus of tropical trees of medium size, 

 highly esteemed for their delicious fruit, and 

 for the valuable gums they furnish. The fruit 

 of G. Mangostana is one of the most delicious 

 that grows, and the tree upon which it is pro- 

 duced is one of the most graceful and beauti- 

 ful anywhere to be met with. It is a native 

 of Sumatra and the islands of the Eastern 

 Archipelago. The stem rises to the height of 

 about twenty feet ; the branches come out in 

 regular order, and give the head of the tree 

 the form of a parabola ; the leaves are about 

 eight inches long, and four broad at the 

 middle, of a beautiful green on the upper side, 

 and a fine olive on the under. The flowers 

 resemble that of a single rose, with some 

 dark red petals. The fruit is round, about 

 the size of an ordinary orange. The shell of 

 the fruit, which is at first gieen, but changes 

 to brown, marked with yellow spots, has some 

 resemblance to that of the Pomegranate, 

 but is thicker and softer, and the contents are 

 more juicy. The flavor of the pulp is said to 

 be that of the finest Grape and Strawberry 

 united ; but those who have tasted the fruit in 

 perfection, and attempted to convey to others 

 some idea of the impression that it had made 



on them , are not agreed as to what it resembles. 

 Abel says that ' ' he and his companions were 

 anxious to carry with them some precise 

 expression of its flavor ; but after satisfying 

 themselves that it partook of the Pine-apple 

 and the Peach, they were obliged to confess 

 that it had many other equally good, but 

 utterly inexpressible flavors." The species may 

 be grown and ripen fruit in the hot-house. 

 They will bear fruit in two years from seed. 

 Some of the species yield a gum resin, known 

 as Gamboge, though not the true sort, but it 

 is said to be nearly as good. 



Garden Cress. See Lepidium aativum. 



Gardener's Garters. A common name for 

 Phalaris arundinacea variegata; applied also 

 to Arundo Donax variegata. 



Garde'nia. Named in compliment of Alexander 

 Garden, M. D., of Charleston, South Carolina, 



GAR 



a correspondent of Ellis and Linnaeus. Nat. 

 Ord. CinchonacecB. 



A genus of splendid green-house shrubs, 

 remarkable for the size, number and fragrance 

 of their flowers, and the noble character of 

 the plant. G. florida and G. Fortunei are 

 natives of China. The former was introduced 

 into the Cape of Good Hope, in 1754, whence it 

 received its common name, Cape Jessamine. 

 They are usually treated as green-house 

 plants, but if kept moderately cool during 

 winter, their season of rest, and planted out in 

 spring they will flower freely during the early 

 part of the summer. They may be taken up in 

 autumn, potted, and kept under the table in the 

 green-house during winter. They are readily 

 increased by cuttings made from half ripened 

 wood. The species, often cultivated under 

 the name of G. citriodora, is now named 

 Mitriostigma axillare, which see. 



Garden Pink. The common name for Dianthus 

 plumarius. 



Garden Walks. See Asphalt and Gas Lime. 



Gardo'quia. Named after Gardoqui a Spaniard, 

 who greatly promoted the publication of 

 the " Flora Peruviana." Nat. Ord. Labiatce. 

 A genus of green-house, low growing shrubs, 

 producing from the axils of the leaves bright 

 scarlet or pink flowers. They thrive well 

 with ordinary green -house culture. In order 

 to make neat and compact plants they should 

 be kept cut well back, or the plants will become 

 straggling; they are readily increased by 

 cuttings. Introduced in 1812 from Peru. 



Garland Flower. A common name for Hedy- 

 chium, the name is also applied to Daphne 

 cneorum. 



Garlic. Allium sativum. This plant belongs to 

 the same genus as the Onion and the Leek. 

 It is a perennial, found growing wild in the 

 southern parts of Europe. It is commonly 

 cultivated in almost every country, and has 

 been highly esteemed from a very early period, 

 not as an article of food, but as a medi- 

 cine. It was introduced into the English 

 gardens in 1548. Every part of the plant, but 

 especially the root has a pungent, acrimonious 

 taste, and a peculiar offensive odor, that is 

 far more penetrating and diffusive than that 

 of the Onion. So powerful is this principle, 

 that when Garlic is applied externally, as to 

 the feet, the smell is said to be observed in 

 the breath and perspiration. The common 

 field Garlic, Allium vineale, was supposed to 

 have been brought into this country by the 

 Welsh, it is now completely naturalized, and 

 in many parts of the country is quite a nuis- 

 ance. A. Canadense, or Wild Garlic, is indi- 

 genous, and common in moist meadows. This 

 differs from the field Garlic in having flat 

 leaves, but is equally to be dreaded. 



Ga'rrya. Named after Mr. Garry, of the Hud- 

 son's Bay Company, who facilitated Mr. 

 Douglass, its discoverer, in his botanical re- 

 searches. Nat. Ord. Cornacece. 



A genus of handsome evergreen shrubs, 

 very similar in appeai'ance to the Viburnum. 

 They were discovered by Mr. Douglass in 

 north-western California, in 1828, and were 

 considered by him as among his most valuable 

 discoveries. The species are common from 

 California to Texas and southward, with a 

 single one in the West Indies. G. elliptica is 



