198 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



HYD 



very superior sort for pot culture for decora- 

 tive purposes. H. h. rosea is another variety 

 with large deep rose-pink-colored globular 

 trusses, very free flowering and desirable. H. 

 atellata prolifera introduced from Japan in 

 1868, is a most beautiful free flowering double 

 pink variety, with large trusses of flowers 

 often nine inches in diameter. 



Hydra'stis. Yellow Boot. Yellow Puccoon. 

 From hydor, water; referring to the marshy 

 places where it grows. Nat. Ord. Ranuncu- 

 laoecB. 



H. Canadensis, the only species, is a hardy 

 herbaceous perennial, common in moist 

 woods in the Northern and Eastern States, 

 where it was formerly esteemed in domestic 

 medicine. It has a thick knotty yellow un- 

 derground stem or root, which in early spring 

 sends up a simple stem, about a foot high, 

 bearing near the top two (or rarely three) 

 hand-shaped leaves, the upper leaf growing 

 close upon the stem, while the lower one has 

 a longish stalk. The flower is solitary, incon- 

 spicuous, and produced at the top of the 

 stem. The fruit greatly resembles a red 

 raspberry. The yellow root of this plant was 

 formerly employed by the Indians for dyeing 

 a bright yellow color, and it is occasionally 

 used for the same purpose at the present day. 

 The root is also used in medicine as a nar- 

 cotic. 



Hydriaste'le. From hydria, a water vessel or 

 fountain, and stele., a column ; in allusion to 

 the tall stems growing near springs. Nat. 

 Ord. Palmacece. 



H. Wendlandiana is the name now given to 

 the beautiful Australian Palm, known in cul- 

 tivation as Kentia Wendlandiana. 



Hydro'charis. From hydor, water, and charis, 

 grace ; a pretty water plant. Nat. Ord. 

 Hydrocharidacece. 



A small floating aquatic giving name to the 

 small order which contains the Stratioides or 

 Water Soldier, and the curious Vallisneria or 

 Eel Grass. H. morsus ranee, or Frog-bit is an 

 elegant little plant inhabiting ditches, ponds, 

 and the still back waters of rivers. It is one 

 of the most desirable plants for the fresh 

 water aquarium. 



Hydroco'tyle. From hydor, water, and cotyle, 

 a cavity ; in reference to the plants growing 

 in moist situations, and the leaves being hol- 

 lowed like cups. Nat. Ord. UmbellifercB. 



A genus of uninteresting, marshy plants, 

 common throughout the United States, and 

 popularly known as Water Pennywort. There 

 are about a dozen species. 



Hydrophylla'ceae. A small natural order of 

 annual or perennial herbs or small trees, 

 natives chiefly of north-west America. A few 

 are found in the East Indies and the Cape of 

 Good Hope. They have usually alternate and 

 lobed, hispid leaves, with chiefly white or 

 blue flowers, in one-sided cymes or racemes, 

 which are mostly bractles-s and coiled from 

 the apex when young, as in the Borage family. 

 Well known genera are Nemophila, Eutoca, 

 Phacelia and Whitlavia. 



Hydrophy'llum. Water Leaf. From hydor, 

 . water, and phyllon, a leaf; leaves loaded with 



water in spring-time. Nat. Ord. Hydrophyl- 



lacece. 



HYO 



A genus of herbaceous perennials, natives 

 chiefly of the Western States. The flowers 

 are pale white or blue, bell-shaped, in cymose 

 clusters, and the species grow generally 

 among moist shady rocks. 



Hydropy'rum. Canada, or Indian Eice. A 

 synonym for Zizania, which see. 



Hyema'lis. Of or belonging to winter ; gener- 

 ally applied to plants that bloom in winter. 



Hymenoca'llis. From hymen, a membrane, 

 and kaloa, beautiful; referring to the mem- 

 branous cup inside of the flower. Nat. Ord. 

 Amaryllidacece. 



A genus of hardy and green-house bulbs, 

 producing large white flowers similar to the 

 Pancratium, to which class they are closely 

 allied, and under which name they are 

 described in " Chapman's Flora of the South- 

 ern States." H. rotatum, H. occidentals and 

 other species are found in great abundance in 

 the swamps of Virginia and southward, and 

 are sent to market in large quantities, and 

 sold on the streets of all our large cities 

 as "Spanish Lilies." They are considered 

 poor tenants for the green-house, as they do 

 not pay in beauty for the required room and 

 care. The genus Ismene is included under 

 Hymenocallis by some authors. See Ismene 

 and Pancratium. 



Hymeno'dium. A synonym of Acrostichum. 



Hymenophy'llum. Filmy-leaf Fern. From 

 hymen, a membrane, and phyllon, a leaf. Nat. 

 Ord. PolypodiacecB. 



A genus of very beautiful Ferns, mostly 

 natives of Chili and New Zealand, where they 

 grow in moist ravines. The fronds are varia- 

 ble, some being very minute, and others of 

 large size ; some single, others compound. 

 Several of the species are highly esteemed for 

 cultivation in the green-house. 



Hymenospo'rum. From hymen, a membrane, 

 and sporos, seed ; the seeds are girded by 

 membranous wings. Nat. Ord. Pittosporacece. 

 H. flavum, the only species, is a handsome 

 evergreen plant from eastern Australia. It is 

 of branching habit, with broadly obovate- 

 lanceolate, glaucous leaves. The flowers 

 form a compound terminal corymb, and are 

 yellow, marked with orange-red at the mouth 

 of the tube-like portion, and clothed outside 

 with silky hairs. Syn. Pittosporumjlavum. 



Hyopho'rbe. From hyos, a hog, and phorbus, 

 pasturage. Nat. Ord. Palmacece. 



A small genus of Palms, inhabiting the island 

 of Bourbon and Mauritius, and having tall 

 cylindrical stems, marked with circular scars, 

 and a crown of graceful pinnate leaves. The 

 male and female flowers grow on distinct 

 trees, or a few males are occasionally inter- 

 spersed among the females, the flower-spikes 

 being simply branched and growing out from 

 beneath the leaves, with a single spathe at 

 their base. The fruit has a fibrous, fleshy 

 rind, and contains a single seed. H. Versch- 

 affeltii, formerly known as Areca VerschaffeUii, 

 is one of the most ornamental species. Young 

 plants are produced from seed. 



Hyoscy'amus. Henbane. From hyos, a hog, 

 and kyamos, a bean ; the fruit is eaten by hogs. 

 Nat. Ord. Solanacece. 



