AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



503 



ZIZ 



Agriculturist," 1878. Mr. R. Valentine, of Wis- 

 consin, says he has sold a thousand bushels 

 of this Wild Rice during the past five years. 

 The " Agriculturist " says : " It is the thick 

 growth of this Rice that makes the borders of 

 the Delaware such a favorite resort for gun- 

 ners in the Reed Bird season, and elsewhere 

 it attracts numerous ducks. Mr. V. says that 

 he has sent the seeds to nearly every State 

 and Territory, to be planted along water 

 courses to attract wild fowl. It is also sown 

 in artificial fish ponds to afford cover and 

 shade for the young fry, a purpose for which 

 it is especially suited. It succeeds best where 

 there is a muddy bottom, and six inches to 

 two feet of water, and care should be taken to 

 place it where its roots will be covered with 

 water at all times." Syn. Hydropyrum. 



Zizi'phora. From Zizi, which is said to be the 

 Indian name of the flower, and phoreo, I bear. 

 Nat. Ord. Labiates,. 



A genus of about twelve species of hardy, 

 dwarf, annual herbs, or diffuse sub-shrubs; 

 natives of Central and Western Asia, and the 

 south Mediterranean' region. Some three or 

 four species are in cultivation, and are of in- 

 terest in a herbaceous collection. 



Zi'zyphus. Jujube. Zizouf, in Arabic, is the 

 name of the Lotus. Nat. Ord. Rhamnacece. 



An interesting genus of plants, inhabitants 

 of both hemispheres. They are all very pretty, 

 and deserve to be grown in every collection. 

 The green-house and hot-house species do 

 well with ordinary treatment. The genus is 

 chiefly characterized by having a fleshy, berry- 

 like fruit, containing a one, two or three- 

 celled stone, with a single flattened seed in 

 each. The species are mostly stiff shrubs, or 

 sometimes small trees with more or less spiny 

 branches, their alternate, three-nerved leaves 

 being furnished with one or two thorny stip- 

 ules. The fruits of several of the species have 

 an agreeable flavor. Z. vulgarls, the best 

 known species, when fully developed attains 

 a height of t-hirty feet. The fruits of this 

 species are commonly eaten in Europe, both 

 in a fresh and a dried state, and afford the 

 Jujubes of the shops, or rather used to, for 

 they are now chiefly made up of gum and 

 sugar, and a little tartarie acid, without the 

 Jujubes. The fruits are rather acid when 

 fresh, but when dried they are more agreeable, 

 and are given to allay cough. Perhaps the 

 most useful purpose to which this species can 

 be applied is a hedge plant. Mr. William 

 Smith, the superintendent of the Botanic 

 Garden at Washington, D. C., has been ex- 

 perimenting with it for a number of years, 

 and thinks it has no equal as a hedge plant, 

 and predicts that it is certain to be largely 

 used for that purpose. It is perfectly hardy 

 at Washington, and it is Mr. Smith's opinion 

 that it is likely to prove hardy a great deal 

 farther north. Z. Jujuba, an East Indian 

 species, yields an excellent dessert fruit, and 

 is largely cultivated by the Chinese, who rec- 

 ognize a great number of varieties, differing 

 in the shape, color and size of the fruits. 

 Those of one variety are called Chinese Dates, 

 from their resemblance to that fruit. Z. Lotus, 

 an African species, is one of the plants sup- 

 posed to have yielded the seductive sweet 

 fruits from whicji the ancient Lotophagi took 

 thoir name. Another African species, Z. 



ZYG 



Baclei, is the Lotus mentioned by Mungo 

 Park as being used for making into bread, 

 tasting like gingerbread, and also for the pre- 

 paration of a pleasant beverage. Z. spina- 

 Christi is supposed by some to have furnished 

 the crown of thorns put on our Saviour's head. 

 Propagated by cuttings or from seed. First 

 introduced in 1640. 



Zomica'rpa. From zomo, a skirt, and karpos, a 

 fruit; the pericarp of the fruit, when ripe, 

 bursts at the bottom and remains covering 

 the seeds like a skirt. Nat. Ord. Aroidece. 



A small genus whose species are natives of 

 Brazil. The leaves appear before the flowers 

 and are cut into five segments. They make 

 rather pretty, decorative plants, requiring, 

 like all the rest of the family, plenty of water 

 during the growing season. Z. Pithonium is 

 regarded as an antidote in cases of serpent 

 bites. The plants grow about a foot high and 

 are increased by seeds, or by division. Intro- 

 duced in 1860. 



Zonal Geranium. See Pelargonium. 



Zygade'nua. From zigos, a yoke, and aden, a 

 gland ; the glands are arranged in pairs. Nat. 

 Ord. Liliacece. 



A genus of smooth, somewhat glaucous, 

 herbs, with creeping rhizomes or coated bulbs, 

 grass-like leaves and panicles of rather large, 

 greenish-white flowers. The best known and 

 most ornamental species are all natives of 

 America, from Maine to Mexico. Propagation 

 may be readily effected by division, or by 

 seed. 



Zygope'talum. From zygos, a yoke, wndpelalon, 

 a petal ; in allusion to the adhesion of the 

 segments of the perianth by their bases in the 

 original species. Nat. Ord. Orchidac?ce. 



A genus of very handsome, free-flowering 

 Orchids, natives of South America. They are 

 terrestrial evergreens, and generally flower 

 during the winter or early spring months, 

 which makes them desirable. The pseudo- 

 bulbs should be well elevated in potting and 

 have plenty of water in the growing season, 

 which is usually from May to September; 

 after which less moisture is required until 

 their season of blooming. They will succeed 

 well in an ordinary green-house, and are 

 propagated by division. Introduced in 1828. 



Zygophylla'cese. A natural order of shrubs or 

 herbs, rarely trees ; natives of the Cape of 

 Good Hope, the Cape de Verde Islands and 

 the Levant. Several of the genera have 

 medicinal properties. The species are widely 

 dispersed and are divided into seventeen 

 genera, including Tribulus, Zygophyllum, and 

 Guaiacum. 



Zygophy'llum. Bean Caper. From zygon, a 

 yoke, and phyllon, a leaf ; alluding to the pairs 

 of leaflets. A genus of trees, shrubs and per- 

 ennial herbs, giving its name to the Nat. Ord. 

 Zigop hyllaceoR. 



The species are natives of the Cape of Good 

 Hope, the Cape de Verde Islands, the Levant 

 and Australia. Their very handsome flowers 

 are red or white, generally with a purple or 

 red basilar spot. Several of the species have 

 medicinal properties ; the flower-buds of 

 E. Fabago are used instead of capers, and the 

 seeds of E. coccineum are employed by the 

 Arabs in place of pepper. Propagated by cut- 

 tings or by seeds when obtainable. 



