COR 



COR 



CORCULUM, in botany, a term used 

 by Linnaeus for the heart, or, more pro- 

 perly, embryo of a seed, alluding to its 

 shape, which, in the walnut, and many 

 other seeds, resembles the animal heart 

 in miniature, it is the most important, 

 and even essential part of a perfect seed, 

 to which all the rest are subservient, be- 

 ing the point whence the future plant 

 originates. In unimpregnated seeds it 

 is deficient, or rather abortive ; in fertile 

 ones it is closely connected with the 

 cotyledons, on which it depends for the 

 first supplies of nutriment, and other ex- 

 citing causes of its evolution. The cor- 

 culum consists of the radicle, which de- 

 scends to become a root, and the plumu- 

 la or feather, which ascends and becomes 

 the stem and leaves. 



COUD, magical, an instrument in great 

 use among the Laplanders, and supposed 

 to possess considerable virtues in certain 

 magical rites and ceremonies. When 

 .properly prepared with knots, it is sup- 

 posed to have power over the winds ; 

 and by means of it they will sell a favour- 

 able wind to any one that has faith 

 enough to become a purchaser. If they 

 untie only one of these knots, a moderate 

 gale is to succeed; if two, it is much 

 stronger ; and if three, there is to be a 

 storm. 



COBD of -woody a certain quantity of 

 wood for burning, so called, because 

 formerly measured with a cord. The di- 

 mensions of a statute cord of wood are 

 eight feet long, four feet high, and four 

 feet broad. 



CORDAGE, a term used, in general, 

 for all sorts of cord, whether small, mid- 

 dling, or great, made use of in the rig- 

 ging of ships. Cordage, cable-laid, as the 

 seamen term it, is made with nine 

 strands, i. e. the first three strands are laid 

 slack, and then three of them, being 

 closed together, make a cable, or cablet. 

 See CABLE, ROPE, Stc. 



CORDATE, a term used in Natural 

 History, signifying heart-shaped. 



CORDIA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Pentandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Natural order of Asperifoliae. Borraginese, 

 Jussieu. Essential character : corolla 

 funnel-form ; style dichotomous ; drupe 

 with two-celled nuts. There are twelve 

 species, of which one is C. myxa, smooth 

 leaved cordia, sebesten,or Assyrian plum. 

 The leaves of this tree are about three 

 inches long, opposite, flat, entire, on a 

 round petiole, half an inch in. length ; 

 peduncles panicled, terminating, sub- 

 corymbed ; petals white, revolute ; fruit 

 inferior, red, nearly an inch in diameter. 



The timber of this tree is tough and 

 solid ; it is used for procuring fire by 

 friction. A native of Arabia and the East 

 Indies. 



CORDIAL, in medicine, whatever rais- 

 es the spirits, and gives them a sudden 

 strength and cheerfulness. 



CORDON, in fortification, a row of 

 stones, made round on the outside, and 

 set between the wall of the fortress, 

 which lies aslope, and the parapet, which 

 stands perpendicular, af-er such a man- 

 ner, that this difference may not be of- 

 fensive to the eye : whence the cordons 

 serve only as an ornament, ranging 

 round about the place, being only used 

 in fortification of stone- work. For in 

 those made with earth, the void space is 

 filled up with pointed stakes. 



CORDWAINERS, a term whereby 

 shoemakers are denominated in statutes. 

 By a statute of Jac. I. the master and war- 

 dens of the cordvvainers company, &c. 

 are to appoint searchers and triers of 

 leather ; and no leather is to be sold, be- 

 fore searched, sealed, &c. 



CORDYLOCARPUS, in botany, a ge- 

 nus of the Tetradynamia Siliquosa class 

 and order. Silique cylindrical, swelling 

 into knobs, jointed, the uppermost joint 

 distinct; calyx closed. Two species 

 found in the Archipelago. 



COREOPSIS, in botany, a genus of 

 the Syngenesia Polygamia Frustranea 

 class and order. Natural order of Com- 

 posite Oppositifoliae. Corymbiferse, Jus- 

 sieu. Essential character: calyx erect, 

 many-leaved, surrounded at the base 

 with spreading rays; down two-horned; 

 receptacle chaffy. There are twenty 

 species. 



CORIACEOUS, a term used in Natural 

 History, of a leather-like consistence. 



CORIANDRUM, in botany, a genus of 

 the Pentandria Digynia class and order. 

 Natural order of Umbellatae. Essential 

 character : corolla rayed ; petal inflex 

 emarginate ; involucre universal, one- 

 leafed ; partial halved ; fruit spherical. 

 There are two species, viz. C. sativum, 

 common or great coriander, has an an- 

 nual root, the stem about a foot and a half 

 in height ; universal involucre, one-leafed 

 or none, the three leaflets of the partial 

 involucre small, filiform ; petals white or 

 reddish. It flowers in June or July in 

 corn fields. C. testiculatum, small or 

 twin-fruited coriander ; root annual ; stem 

 angular ; umbel usually simple, very sel- 

 dom compound ; universal involucre one- 

 leafed ; partial none ; petals not rayed ; 

 anthers purplish. The leaves of this sort, 

 as well as the former, have a strong dis- 



