442 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



SWI 



Swiete'nla. Mahogany. In honor of Gerard 

 Van Swieten, a Dutch botanist and author. 

 Nat. Ord. Meliacece. 



" The Mahogany Tree, S. Mahagoni, is a na- 

 tive of the West Indies, Central America, and 

 Mexico, and is one of the most majestic of 

 trees ; for though some rise to a greater height, 

 this tree, like the Oak and the Cedar, impresses 

 the spectator with the strongest feelings of 

 its firmness and duration. In the rich valleys 

 among the mountains of Cuba, and those that 

 open upon the bay of Honduras, the Mahogany 

 expands to BO huge a trunk, divides into so 

 many massive arms, and throws the shade of 

 so many shiny green leaves, spotted with tufts 

 of pearly flowers, over so vast an extent of 

 surface, that it is difficult to imagine a vege- 

 table production combining in such a degree 

 the qualities of elegance and strength, of 

 beauty and sublimity. The Mahogany tree is 

 found in great quantities on the low and 

 woody* lands, and even upon the rocks in the 

 countries upon the western shores of the 

 Caribbean Sea, about Honduras and- Cam- 

 peachy. It is also abundant in the islands of 

 Cuba and Hayti, and it used to be plentiful in 

 Jamaica, where it was of excellent quality, 

 but most of the larger trees have been cut 

 down. It was formerly abundant on the 

 Bahamas, where it grew to a great height, 

 with the trunks four feet In diameter. When 

 it grows in favorable situations the timber is 

 larger and plain ; the better portion, such as 

 is used for veneers, comes from the junction 

 of the branches with the body, or crotches, as 

 they are commonly termed. The trees that 

 grow in rocky and exposed situations do not 

 grow as large* but the timber is more solid, 

 has a greater variety and shade of grain, is 

 much stronger, and in all ways preferable for 

 cabinet work." The Baywood and Spanish 

 Cedar of commerce are of the same species, 

 but are of larger growth, and the wood is very 

 coarse and soft. It is used principally in mak- 

 ing cigar boxes or similar work. 



Swiss Chard. See Beta. 



Swiss Stone Pine. Pinus Cembra, 



Sword Lily. A popular name for Gladiolus. 



Sya'grus. The old Greek name of a Palm, 

 mentioned by Pliny. Nat. Ord. Palmacece. 



A small genus of unarmed Palms now in- 

 cluded by Bentham and Hooker under Cocos. 



Sycamore Tree. Acer Pseudo-platanus. The 

 name is also applied to Platanus occidenlalis 

 and other species. The Sycamore of the New 

 Testament is Ficus Sycomorus (syn. Sycomorus 

 antiquorum). 



Sylvestris, Sylvaticus. Growing in woods. 



Bymphorica'rpus. St. Peter's Wort. Snow- 

 berry. From gymphoreo, to accumulate, and 

 karpoa, a fruit; in allusion to its clustered 

 bunches of fruit. Nat. Ord. Caprifoliacece. 



A genus of hardy, deciduous shrubs, common 

 in most of the States. Some of them are quite 

 ornamental, and are cultivated in the shrub- 

 bery border. They grow so freely and sucker 

 BO much that it is difficult to keep them un- 

 der subjection. 8. racemosus, the Snowberry, 

 has pinkish flowers, disposed in loose racemes, 

 which are succeeded by large white berries, 

 which are very ornamental, and remain on 

 the bush until nearly winter, making it con- 



SYN 



spicuous in the border., The variegated varie- 

 ty is a fine plant. 



Symphya'ndra. From symphio, to grow to- 

 gether, and aner, andros, an anther; the 

 anthers are connate. Nat. Ord. Campanulacece. 

 A genus of hardy, perennial herbs, natives of 

 the Caucasus. The flowers are white, yellow 

 or blue ; large and often nodding. Propa- 

 gated by seeds or by cuttings in spring. 



Sy'mphytum. Comfrey From symphyo, to 

 make unite, and phyton, a plant ; in reference 

 to its healing qualities. Nat. Ord. Boraginacece. 

 A genus of coarse-growing, weedy plants, 

 formerly esteemed for their medicinal prop- 

 erties, and of the first importance in a col- 

 lection of herbs. They have become natural- 

 ized in this country from Europe, and are 

 common around old gardens and in moist 

 places. /S. ojficinalis luleo-marginalis is a very 

 ornamental, hardy variety, the leaves being 

 broadly margined with creamy-white ; it is 

 an excellent plant for the herbaceous tforder. 

 S. asperrimum was introduced into this coun- 

 try for use as a forage plant in 1875, but has 

 proved to be entirely valueless for that pur- 

 pose. Propagated by seeds "or by division. 



Symploca'rpus. Skunk Cabbage. From sym- 

 ploke, connection, and karpos, fruit ; descrip- 

 tive of the plant. Nat. Old. Aroidece. 



A rather coarse-growing plant, common in 



swamps and wet meadows from Virginia to 



Maine. S. foztidus. the only known species, 



is the common Skunk Cabbage, and is readily 



. known by its skunk-like odor when the leaves 



' are bruised. 



Sy'mplocos. From symploke, a connection ; 

 the stamens are united at the base. Nat. 

 Ord. StyracacecB. 



A large genus of trees and shrubs, broadly 

 dispersed over the warmer parts of Asia, Aus- 

 tralia and America. The leaves of S. tinc- 

 loria, the Horse Sugar or Sweet-leaf of the 

 Southern States, are greedily eaten by cattle, 

 and in Georgia and Carolina are used for dye- 

 ing'yellow; the leaves of other species are 

 used for thB same purpose in Nepal. In 

 India the bark of S. racemosa, called Lodh, is 

 used both as a dyeing material and as a mor- 

 dant for other dyes. S. Japonica, with yellow 

 flowers, introduced from Japan in 1850, and 

 S. sinica, with white fragrant flowers from 

 China, are both cultivated as green-house 

 shrubs. A still later introduction, however, 

 from the mountains of northern Japan, S. 

 paniculatus, has white, sweet-scented flowers, 

 and ultra-marine-blue fruit making the shrub 

 conspicuous among those which are valued 

 for their ornamental fruit. Mr. Jackson Daw- 

 son, of the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, assures 

 us that itjs perfectly hardy there, and speaks 

 of it as one of the very best of late introduc- 

 tions to our list of hardy shrubs. 



Synade'nium. African Milk Bush. From syn, 

 united, and aden, a gland ; the glands of the 

 involucre are united in a cup or disc. 



A genus of Euphorbiacea, closely allied to 

 Euphorbia, and of which S. Graniii, an African 

 species, introduced in 1867, is cultivated for 

 its bright crimson flowers, which are showy 

 and attractive. It is also an excellent plant 

 for summer hanging baskets, vases, etc.,, 

 especially in exposed situations, and is in- 

 creased by cuttings, thoroughly dried at the 

 base before insertion. 



