292 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



ORT 



again in racemes at the ends of the branches, 

 the stamens projecting a long way. It was 

 introduced from tropical Asia in 1869, and is 

 increased by cuttings of the half-ripened 

 shoots. 



Orthrosa'nthes. From orihros, morning, and 

 anthos, a flower ; the flowers expand early in 

 the day. Nat. Ord. Iridacece. 



A genus of green-house herbaceous peren- 

 nial plants, natives of extra-tropical South 

 America and western Australia. M. multi- 

 florus is a pretty little plant with beautiful 

 sky-blue colored flowers, of easy culture in a 

 compost of turfy peat and leaf-mould. It is 

 propagated by division of the tufted root- 

 stocks, or by seeds. Syn. Sisyrinchium cyan- 

 eum. 



Orva'la. Said to be from Orvale,, the French 

 name for Clary. Nat. Ord. Labiates. 



O. Lamoides, the only described species, is a 

 hardy herbaceous plant, producing its pretty 

 purplish red and white flowers in April. It is 

 a native of the south of Europe, and is easily 

 increased by division or by seeds. Bentham 

 and Hooker now include this genus under 

 Lamium. 



Orychopra'gmus Sonchifolius. A showy plant 

 belonging to the Nat. Ord. Cruciferce. It 

 is a very attractive plant, as its flowers 

 are of a bright violet-blue color, and under 

 good cultivation it attains a height of two 

 feet, the loose terminal racemes of flowers 

 being about half that height. It succeeds well 

 in sheltered localities treated as a half-hardy 

 annual. Syn. Moricandia. 



Ory'za. . Rice. Derived from the Arabic name, 

 CTU.Z. Nat. Ord. Graminacece. 



A small genus of grasses, only one of which, 

 O. saliva, the common Rice of commerce is of 

 any great importance ; and this is one of the 

 most useful and extensively cultivated of all 

 grains, supplying as it does the principal food 

 of nearly one-third of the human race. Like 

 that of all other grains, its native place is 

 unknown, but it is generally supposed to- be 

 of Asiatic origin, though recent travellers in 

 South America mention finding the rice-plant 

 apparently in a wild state on the banks of 

 some rivers there. Wherever it may have 

 originated, it is now cultivated in all parts of 

 the globe where the conditions of heat and 

 moisture are favorable for its development. 

 It is adapted to tropical and sub-tropical 

 climates, rather to the latter than the former, 

 and requires much moisture, rather, however, 

 in the soil than in the air. Rice is an annual, 

 varying from one foot to six feet in height. 

 There are as many other distinguishing char- 

 acteristics of the varieties under cultivation, as 

 there are in the varieties of wheat, barley, or 

 corn. The seed or grain of rice grows on 

 little separate stalks springing from the main 

 stalk ; and the whole appearance of the plant, 

 when the grain is ripe, may be said to be in- 

 termediate between that of barley and of 

 oats. It flourishes best in low marshy 

 grounds which can be overflowed, and tide- 

 water swamps are particularly favorable for 

 the crop. 



There is another species, Oryza mutica, 

 which grows upon dry lands and the sides of 

 mountains, largely cultivated in Ceylon and 

 Java, and to some extent in southern Eu- 

 rope. There is a variety of this species known 



OST 



as " Cochin China," which is considerably 

 grown in dry soils in North Carolina, Virginia, 

 and to some extent in Maryland. It is not 

 equal in quality to that grown in marshy 

 soils, neither is it as productive, as its yield 

 hardly exceeds fifteen to twenty bushels per 

 acre, while the rice grown in wet ground, 

 and flooded, produces thirty to sixty and 

 under the most favorable circumstances 

 nearly one hundred bushels to the acre, each 

 bushel weighing from forty-five to forty-eight 

 pounds of clean rice. 



Osage Orange. See Maclura aurantiaca. 



Osbe'ckia. Named after Peter Osbeck, a Swedish 

 naturalist. Nat. Ord. Melastomacece. 



A genus of green-house evergreen and 

 deciduous shrubs and herbs, natives of tropi- 

 cal Asia, Africa, and the adjoining Islands. 

 The rose, purple, or violet flowers are borne 

 in terminal racemes. O. Nepaleiisis (syn. 

 Melastoma Nepalen&is) has large, handsome, 

 purplish, rose-colored flowers, and is well 

 worthy of a place in any collection. Several 

 other species are in cultivation ; they are all 

 easily propagated by cuttings of the half- 

 ripened shoots. 



Osier. Any of the Willows grown for their long 

 flexible shoots, which are largely used in 

 basket-making, are called Osiers. The one 

 most extensively grown, and considered the 

 best for this purpose, and to which the name 

 is generally applied, is Salix viminalis, or 

 Basket Osier. 



Osma'nthus. From osme, perfume, and anthos, 

 a flower, in allusion to the fragrance of the 

 flowers. Nat. Ord. Oleacece. 



A small genus of half-hardy glabrous 

 shrubs or trees, natives of eastern Asia, North 

 America, and the Pacific Islands. O. fragrans 

 (syn. Olea fragrans), a native of Japan, China, 

 etc., is a handsome shrub with serrated 

 leathery leaves, and yellowish or almost white, 

 exceedingly fragrant flowers. O. aqnifolium 

 (syn. O. illicifolium) is a very handsome ever- 

 green shrub, somewhat resembling a Holly, 

 with leathery, smooth, shining leaves, varying 

 considerably in their size and toothing. There 

 are several white and yellow variegated 

 varieties in cultivation, all well deserving a 

 place in the cool green-house. They may be 

 propagated by cuttings, but are more rapidly 

 increased by grafting on the Privet. 



Osmorhi'za. Sweet Cicely. From osme, scent, 

 and rhiza, a root ; roots sweet scented. Nat. 

 Ord. Umbelliferce. 



A small genus of uninteresting herbaceous 

 perennials. They are common in rich, 

 moist woods, and are popularly known as 

 Sweet Cicely. 



Osmu'nda. Flowering Fern. From Osmunda, 

 one of the names of Thor, a Celtic deity. Nat. 

 Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A genus of ornamental Ferns, found widely 

 distributed throughout the temperate regions 

 of both hemispheres. A well-known species 

 is O. regalis, or Royal Fern. There are several 

 species common in swamps and wet places 

 throughout the United States. Most of them 

 bear transplanting well, and make beautiful 

 plants for a shady border. 



Osteospe'rmum. From osteon, a bone, and 

 sperma, seed ; referring to the hardness of the 

 seed. Nat. Ord. Composites. 



