AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



201 



IMP 



elasticity of the valves of the seed-pod, which 

 discharge the seeds when ripe. A genus of 

 Geraniacece, chiefly found in India, though a 

 few species occur in Europe and North Amer- 

 ica. They are generally glabrous herbs, with 

 thick succulent stems, enlarged at the joints, 

 where the undivided leaves are given off. The 

 flowers are axillary, often handsome, and so 

 very irregular that considerable difference of 

 opinion exists as to which parts belong to the 

 calyx, and which to the corolla. The green- 

 house species may be propagated from cut- 

 tings or from seeds, when these are to be 

 obtained. /. Sultani, introduced from Zanzi- 

 bar, is one of the most beautiful and useful 

 flowering plants of late introduction, produc- 

 ing its bright rose -scarlet flowers almost con- 

 tinually. It succeeds well in a green-house in 

 spring and summer, but requires a warm 

 house for winter. /. Hawkerii, introduced 

 from the South Sea Islands, has very large 

 flatly expanded flowers of the most brilliant, 

 rich deep carmine color, relieved by a lustrous 

 bluish tinge round the small white eye, the 

 spur being red and about two inches long. It 

 is of free growth and produces its flowers in 

 great profusion from March until October. I. 

 Jerdonice, a dwarf species, is best grown as a 

 basket plant, started into growth in April, and 

 rested during winter. 



Our native species of this genus are gener- 

 ally known as Touch-Me-Nots, from the sudden 

 bursting of the pods when touched. They are 

 interesting annuals, common in damp ground 

 throughout the United States. The Balsam 

 of our gardens is /. Balsamina, and is de- 

 scribed under Balsam, which see. 



Imphee. See Sorghum. 



Incised. Regularly divided by deep incisions. 



Incurved, Incurvate. Bending inwards; as 

 where the stamens curve towards the pistil. 



Indian Bean. See Catalpa. 



Indian Corn. See Zea. 



Indian Cress. The genus Tropceolum. 



Indian Crocus. The genus Pleione. 



Indian Cucumber Root. See Medeola. 



Indian Currant. The common name of the 

 fruit of the Symphoricarpus vulgaris, 



Indian Fig. See Opuntia. 

 Indian Hawthorn. See Raphiolepw. 

 Indian Hemp. See Apocynum. 

 Indian Hill-Guava. See Rhodomyrtus. 



Indian Mallow. A common name of Abutilon 

 Avicennce, a troublesome weed in fields and 

 waste places. It is a native of India, and was 

 introduced into our gardens as an ornamental 

 plant, but is now naturalized, and is spoken of 

 as valuable for its fibre. 



Indian Millet. One of the popular names of 

 Sorghum vulgare, to which species belong 

 Broom Corn, Sweet Sorghum, and other cul- 

 tivated varieties. 



Indian Pink. One of the popular names for 

 Dianthus Chinensis. 



Indian Pipe. A common name of the Monotropa 

 uniflora. See Corpse Plant. 



Indian Plantain. The popular name of the 

 genus Cacalia, common in rich, damp woods 

 in most of the States. 



INS 



Indian Poke. Veratrum viride, or White Helle- 

 bore. 



Indian Rice or Water Rice. See Zizania. 



Indian Shot. See Canna. 



Indian Strawberry. Fragaria indica. 



Indian Tobacco. See Lobelia inflata. 



Indian Turnip. See Ariscema. 



India Rubber Tree. See Ficus elastica. 



Indigenous. A plant which is the natural pro- 

 duction of any country ; not exotic. 



Indigo. See Indigofera tinctoria. 

 Wild. Baptisia tinctoria. 



Indigo'fera. From indigo, a blue dyestuff ; a 

 corruption of Indicum, Indian, and fero, to 

 bear ; most of the species produce the well- 

 known dye called Indigo. Nat. Ord. Legumi- 

 nosce. 



An extensive genus of rather ornamental 

 herbaceous perennials, tender annuals, and 

 evergreen shrubs, grown almost wholly for 

 the commercial value of the dyes they pro- 

 duce. /. tinctoria, the species most commonly 

 cultivated, is a native of the East Indies and 

 other parts of Asia, but it has been intro- 

 duced into, and become naturalized in, the 

 Southern States, and was formerly extensively 

 cultivated, as was /. anil, the West India In- 

 digo, a stronger growing species, from both 

 of which large quantities of Indigo were 

 made. They are tender shrubs, growing from 

 four to six feet high, with very pinnate leaves, 

 and axillary racemes of pink and purple flow- 

 ers. The shrubby species are propagated by 

 cuttings, and the annuals from seeds. 



Indusium. The membraneous covering of the 

 spore-cases of many Ferns. 



Inferior. When one organ is placed below an- 

 other; thus an inferior calyx grows below 

 the ovary, while an inferior ovary grows, or 

 seems to grow, below a calyx. 



Inflated. Thin, membraneous, slightly trans- 

 parent, swelling equally, as if inflated with 

 air. 



I'nga. The South American name of /. vera, 

 adopted by Marcgraff. Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 

 A very extensive genus of ornamental 

 shrubs and trees, numbering upward of one 

 hundred and fifty species, natives of the 

 warmer parts of South America, principally of 

 Brazil and 'Guiana. The flowers are white, 

 pink, crimson, etc., and are borne in vari- 

 ously-shaped spikes, or in nearly globular 

 heads, growing singly or in clusters from the 

 angles of the leaves. /. pulcherrima, a native 

 of Mexico, is one of the most beautiful of the 

 genus. The foliage is smaller than most of 

 the species, and is very ornamental. The 

 tassel-like flowers are of a bright crimson, 

 and very showy. The shape of the flower- 

 heads has given it the name of Bottle Brush. 

 All the species are propagated from cuttings 

 of young wood in summer. Introduced in 

 1822. 



Ink-Berry. The fruit of Hex (Prinos) glabra, an 

 evergreen shrub, common on the Atlantic 

 coast. 



Insecticides. The enormous damage done by 

 insects to our fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., 

 is almost beyond belief, amounting, it is 

 claimed, to over two hundred millions of dol- 

 lars yearly in the United States alone ; their 



