AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



471 



URO 



Urospa'tha. From oura, a tail, and spatha, a 

 spathe ; referring to the long-pointed spathe 

 in most of the species. Nat. Ord. Aroidece. 



A genus of warm-house Arads with thick 

 rhizomes, natives of tropical America. U. 

 dehiscens and U. sagittifolia are in cultivation 

 and require a great deal of water when grow- 

 ing. They may be propagated by division of 

 the root-stock. 



Urospe'rmum. Sheep's Beard. From ouros, a 

 tail, and spermum, a seed; alluding to the 

 beaked, hard, dry, one-seeded fruit. Nat. 

 Ord. Composite. 



A small genus of hardy, annual or biennial, 

 slightly-branched plants, natives of the south 

 of Europe. U. Dalechampi is a handsome 

 biennial, of dwarf tufted growth, producing 

 heads of large, lemon-colored blossoms. It 

 thrives in any light soil in an open position 

 and is quite hardy. Syn. Arnopogon. 

 Ursi'nia. A genus of Composites, included un- 

 der Sphenogyne. 



Urti'ca. Nettle. From uro, to bum ; in refer- 

 ence to the stinging properties of most of the 

 species. Nat. Ord. Urticacece. 



The Roman Nettle, U. pilulifera, is some- 

 times grown in gardens as an ornamental 

 annual, but the sting is much worse than that 

 of U. dioica, the common Nettle. Some of 

 the exotic species are very handsome ; as, for 

 example, U. reticulata, a native of Jamaica, 

 which has red and yellow flowers and deep 

 green leaves. The stinging effects of U. uren- 

 tissima (Devil's Leaf), a native of Timor, are 

 said to be so violent as to last for twelve 

 months, and sometimes to cause death. Many 

 species produce excellent fibre, and several 

 are considered to possess medicinal proper- 

 ties. There are several native and natural- 

 ized species, all troublesome weeds. 

 Urtica'ceee. A natural order consisting of 

 trees, shrubs, or herbs, from almost every 

 part of the globe, with alternate and lobed 

 leaves furnished with stipules and small, in- 

 conspicuous, unisexual flowers, usually in 

 cymes or heads, not in catkins. They possess 

 narcotic qualities and yield valuable fibres. 

 Oannabis saliva yields the well-known Hemp, 

 one of our most valuable fibres. It is im- 

 ported in large quantities from Russia, and 

 is produced in a small way in this country. 

 The plant grows naturally in the cooler parts 

 of India, and there develops narcotic quali- 

 ties, which seem to reside in the resin which 

 covers the leaves. What are called Hemp 

 Seeds, used for the food of birds, are in real- 

 ity Hemp fruits, each containing a single 

 seed. Humulus Lupulus, the well-known Hop, 

 possesses both tonic and hypnotic properties, 

 that is, a power to produce sleep. The scales 

 of the Hop heads are covered with resinous 

 matter, which has an aromatic odor. Among 

 the other important numbers of this order 

 may be enumerated the Bread-fruit Tree 

 (Arctocarpus incisa), Elm (Ulmus), Fig (Ficus 

 Carica), India-rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) and 

 Mulberry (Morus alba and M. nigra). Several 

 of the species are valuable as timber trees. 

 It includes nearly one hundred and ten gen- 

 era and fifteen hundred species. 

 Usnea. This word is said to have originated in 

 the Arabic achneh, or achnen, which is, accord- 

 ing to Golius, the name by which the Arabian 



UVU 



physicians designate Lichens in general. A 

 genus of Lichens, the species of which grow 

 on rocks and trunks of trees, from which latter 

 circumstance they are often called Tree Moss 

 or Tree Hair. Some of the southern species, 

 as U. Melaxantha are magnificent. In the 

 stems of this (which attains a considerable 

 size), concentric zones of growth have been 

 observed by Sir J. D. Hooker. 



Ustilago. From ustus, burnt; in allusion to 

 the scorched appearance of the organs of the 

 host-plants, in which the spores are developed. 

 This genus is interesting as including the 

 various kinds of Smut which are so injurious 

 to grasses, wheat, corn, etc. 



Utricle. A small, bladdery pericarp ; any thin, 

 bottle-like body ; the two confluent glumes of 

 Carex. 



Utricula'ria. Bladderwort. From utriculus, a 

 little bladder; applied to the small inflated 

 appendages of the roots. Nat. Ord. Lentibu- 

 lariacecB. 



A genus of curious aquatic plants, common 

 throughout the United States. They are par- 

 ticularly interesting in that during the early 

 stage of the plant, the small, bladder-like ap- 

 pendages at the roots are filled with water ; 

 but when the flowers are ready to expand 

 they become filled with air. After the season 

 of flowering, the vesicles become again filled 

 with water, and the plant descends to ripen 

 its seeds at the I >ottorn. U. minor, U. vulgar is, 

 U. minor and U. neglecta are worthy of being 

 grown as curiosities. U. Endresii (pale lilac), 

 introduced from Costa Rica in 1874, and U. 

 montana (white), from the West Indies in 

 1871, very beautiful stove-house epiphytes 

 with showy, Orchid-like flowers, are often 

 grown in the Orchid-house, and succeed best 

 in baskets of fibry peat and sphagnum, sus- 

 pended near the glass. U. Humboldtii and U. 

 reniformis grow best in large pans of sphagnum 

 partially plunged in water. They are very 

 beautiful and interesting plants. 



TJtriculiform. Having the shape of a bottle. 



Uva'ria. From uva, a cluster of grapes ; allud- 

 ing to the fruits of some of the species. Nat. 

 Ord. Anonacece. 



A genus of twining or climbing shrubby 

 plants, natives of tropical Africa and Asia. 

 Several species, formerly included here, are 

 now referred to other genera. U. Kirkii is a 

 medium-sized undershrub, and U. Ztylanicum, 

 a large woody climber. Both thrive in a com- 

 post of sandy loam and leaf mould, and are 

 increased by cuttings of the ripened wood in 

 heat. 



TJvula'ria. Bellwort. The plants were formerly 

 used in diseases of the uvula; whence the 

 name. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A small genus of very handsome, hardy, 

 herbaceous perennials with lily-like flowers, 

 borne solitary, or rarely in pairs, on slender 

 peduncles, from the uppermost leaves. The 

 flowers are bright and greenish yellow. 17". 

 grandiflora grows from one to two feet high, 

 with long, clear yellow, drooping flowers, very 

 attractive in early summer. It is an excellent 

 plant for a partially shaded position in the 

 rock-garden. There are several other species 

 common throughout the United States, in rich, 

 moist, shady woods. 



