206 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



INS 



the foreign vine grown under glass, especially 

 in parts of Ehode Island, making it necessary, 

 in some cases, to renew both the vines and 

 the borders. 



COLORADO BUG, OB POTATO BEETLE, so 

 destructive some years ago, has now been 

 well-nigh driven off by the persistent use of 

 Paris Green by farmers and gardeners. 

 Insertion. The manner in which one part is 

 inserted into, or adheres to, or originates from 

 another ; as the leaf on the branch, the branch 

 on the stem, etc. 



Inula. A word of doubtful origin, but said to 

 be a corruption of Helenium. Nat. Ord. Com- 

 positce. 



A genus of coarse-growing annuals and her- 

 baceous perennials, not worth growing as 

 flowering plants. I. Helenium is the Elecam- 

 pane, common in the roadsides throughout the 

 States. 



Involucre. A ring or rings of bracts sur- 

 rounding several flowers, such as the whorled 

 bracts at the base of an umbel, a head, or a 

 single flower. 



Involute. Rolled inward ; when edges are rolled 

 inward on each side. 



lochro'ma. From ion, violet, and chroma, color ; 

 color of the flower. Nat. Ord. SolanacecB. 



A genus of green-house trees or shrubs, 

 natives of western tropical America. It con- 

 tains about fifteen species, bearing blue, 

 violet, white, yellowish, or scarlet flowers. 

 The fruit is succulent, two-celled, and many 

 seeded, inclosed in a bladdery calyx. I. lan- 

 ceolata and /. tubulosa have very showy, rich, 

 deep purplish-blue flowers, and they would 

 doubtless prove hardy in the Southern States. 



lonopsi'dium. From ionopsis, violet-faced, and 

 eidos, resemblance ; alluding to the resem- 

 blance to some of the tufted Violets. Nat. 

 Ord. Cruciferm. 



A small genus of hardy annuals, natives of 

 Portugal and Algeria. I. acaule, the only 

 cultivated species, makes a beautiful little 

 plant for rockeries or shaded situations ; its 

 flowers are of a clear lilac, and the foliage of 

 a delicate green. It is increased by seeds and 

 also by runners, which root freely in the damp 

 soil. Introduced 1845. 



lono'psis. From ton, violet, and opsis, like. 

 Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A small genus of free-flowering, low-grow- 

 ing, beautiful little Orchids. They are difficult 

 to manage, and are, therefore, seldom seen in 

 collections. 



Ipecacua'nha. The root of Cephcelis Ipecacu- 

 anha. A Brazilian plant, the cultivation of 

 which has been introduced into India. The 

 roots afford the important emetic, and the 

 only known specific for dysentery. 



Ipomce'a. Morning Glory. From ips, bind- 

 weed, and homoios, similar; alluding to the 

 twining habit of the plants. Nat. Ord. Con- 

 volvulacece. 



A very extensive genus of twining plants, 

 consisting of hardy and tender annuals, hardy 

 tuberous-rooted perennials, and green-house 

 perennials. They are remarkable for their 

 showy flowers of white, pink, blue and purple 

 colors. /. purpurea, with its varieties, is the 

 common Morning Glory of the garden. It is a 

 native of South America, but has escaped 



IPS 



from cultivation and become thoroughly nat- 

 uralized. /. pandurala, Man-of-the-Earth, a 

 native species, having very large tuberous 

 roots, when well established will cover a very 

 large space, and produce an immense number 

 of very large, pure white flowers. They re- 

 main open much longer than the annual 

 varieties. The tuberous-rooted species are 

 increased by division, by cuttings, or from 

 seeds. The beautiful Moon Flower, Ipomaa 

 (Cakmyction) grandiftora, known also in com- 

 merce as /. noctiphiton, etc., is a tropical per- 

 ennial species, with immense pure white, 

 sweet-scented flowers, which, contrary to the 

 habits of this splendid family, open at night 

 instead of the morning. Being a free 

 bloomer, the effect, especially, on a moon- 

 light night, is charming, particularly when it 

 is growing on a tree. This species requires 

 protection during winter, and is increased 

 by cuttings or seeds. /. Mexicana and /. 

 Bona Nox, natives of Florida and New 

 Mexico, etc., are also white-flowered, night- 

 blooming species, but neither of them is so 

 large or floriferous as the foregoing. /. Learii, 

 the blue Dawn flower, a tender perennial 

 species, is perhaps the most beautiful and 

 useful of all the Ipomoeas. It is useful in the 

 open air for rapidly covering an outbuilding, 

 a wall, or a trellis, and will flower abundantly 

 from midsummer till fall. In the green-house 

 it will bloom the whole year, but it is well to 

 cut it in rather severely in September to keep 

 it within bounds. The flowers, which are 

 large, and of that pure sky-blue so rare among 

 flowers, are produced in the greatest profu- 

 sion. It is propagated by cuttings. We 

 have tried many times to raise it from im- 

 ported seed, but have never found it to come 

 true. /. leptophylla is a hardy perennial 

 species of half-climbing habit, with an im- 

 mense tuberous root, and is a desirable plant. 

 It is found from Nebraska to New Mexico, 

 and is propagated by division and from seed. 

 /. cocdnea, or Star Ipomoea, a native of the 

 West Indies, bears a profusion of scarlet 

 flowers, and is a very desirable plant. Nearly 

 all the Ipomceas are popular plants, especi- 

 ally with those who have an eye for grace and 

 beauty combined. 



Ipomo'psis. Standing Cypress. From ipo, to 

 strike forcibly, and opsis, sight ; alluding to 

 the dazzling color of the flowers. Nat. Ord. 

 Polemoniacem. 



I. elegans and I. picta are the only species. 

 They are beautiful hardy biennials, natives of 

 South Carolina and southward. They grow 

 from four to six feet high, and are covered 

 nearly their whole length with brilliant scar- 

 let flowers. Seed should be sown in early 

 summer, in a dry, sandy soil, where the water 

 will not stand in winter ; they Avill be greatly 

 benefited with a slight mulching of leaves, 

 not as a protection against cold, but against 

 wet and sudden changes. This genus is now 

 included under Oilia, by some authorities. 



I'psea. Derivation of name unknown. Nat. 

 Ord. OrchidacecB. 



This genus of Orchids is represented by I. 

 speciosa, a beautiful and rare species from 

 Ceylon. The flowers are clear yellow with a 

 carmine stripe on the lip. It requires the 

 same treatment as the Blelia, which it re- 

 sembles in habit ; introduced in 1840. 



