Oreodoxa 



( 144 ) 



Ormosia 



" class." The great Swedish botanist Linnaeus, 

 who gave his name to the Linna=an system of plant 

 classification, arranged plants into twenty-four 

 " classes," according to the number and arrange- 

 ment of the stamens in the flower. The orders 

 belonging to these classes were arranged according 

 to the number of carpels. Thus a plant with one 

 stamen would be placed in the class Monandria, 

 and if it also had one carpel it would be placed in 

 the order Monogynia. 



This artificial grouping has given way to the 

 " natural '' system, by which plants are arranged 

 according to their affinities, distinct features 

 running through all the plants placed in an order. 

 Thus in Crueiferae four petals are arranged in the 

 form of a cross ; in Leguminosae the fruit is a 

 special kind known as a " legume " ; in Composite 

 are found heads containing many flowers, and the 

 stamens united by their anthers, and so on. This 

 natural method of classification has entirely super- 

 seded the artificial Linna;an system. 



OREODOXA. 



Noble stove Palms (ord. Palmje) of easy culture, 

 and answering to the sfuue general treatment as 

 the stove Phoenixes, except that they like a little 

 peat with the soil. Begia is the species usually 

 grown for decorative purposes, and, where it can be 

 given a fair amount of room, there is no more 

 graceful Palm. It does fairly well plunged out of 

 doors in the sub-tropical garden during the summer, 

 but it must have a sheltered corner. Oleracea is 

 the Cabbage Palm, the young leaves of which in 

 bud form constitute the "cabbage" which is 

 esteemed such a delicacy in the West Indies. 

 Granatensis is excellent for table decoration when 

 young, but it gets rather coarse with age. Sancona 

 is remarkable for its reddish bronze leaf petioles ; it 

 is a favourite decorative subject upon the Continent. 

 The leaves of all the species are pinnate or pinnati- 

 sect. 



Principal Species : 



oleracea, 100', Ivs. piu- 

 nate, 4' to 6' long. Cab- 

 bage Palm. 



regia, Ivs. pinnate, 3' to 6' 

 long. 



Saucona. leaf stalks red- 

 . dish bronze when young, 

 ventrioosa of gardens 



(now Gaussia Ghies- 



breghtii). 



ORKOPANAX. 



A large genus of stove shrubs or trees (ord. 

 Araliaceas). Propagation is by cuttings of the 

 young shoots, in heat, preferably in spring. Soil, 

 good loam three parts, leaf mould one part, and 

 sand. Plenty of water is wanted in the growing 

 season, little in winter. The species here enum- 

 erated are chiefly to be found in botanic establish- 

 ments. 



Principal Species : 



andreanum, warm grh., 



flowers in heads in a 



tall, erect raceme, Ivs. 



elliptic, 

 capitatum, 12', st., Ivs. 



elliptic 'syns. Aralia and 



Heder:, capitata). 

 dactylifolium, st. or warm 



grh., Ivs. palmate, 

 epremesnilianum, Ivs. 



digitate ; most probably 



a var. of dactylifolium. 

 jatrophajfolium, grh., Ivs. 



palmate (.;/. Aralia 



jatrophsefolia). 

 peltatum, warm grh., 



flowers greenish wh., 



Ivs. roundish, heart 



shaped, 

 platanifolium, warm grh., 



Orelia (see A llamandd). 

 Orcndaphne (see Ocotea). 

 Oreodaphne (of Nees, see Umlellularia). 



flowers wh., Ivs. seven 

 lobed (syn*. Aralia and 

 Hedera platanifolia). 



sanderiunum, warm grh., 

 Ivs. large and hand- 

 some. 



Thiltautii, Nov., warm 



grh., grn. (si/n. Aralia 

 Thihautii). ' 

 xahipense, 6', Ap., grh. 

 shr., grn. (!//!. Aralia 

 and Hedera xalapensis, 

 and Monopauax Ghies- 

 breghtii). 



ORGYIA. (VAPOURER MOTH.) 



The Vapourer Moth (Orgyia antiqua) is a common 

 and injurious insect. Its larvaa, which fre- 

 quently reach 2" in length, are covered with black 

 and yellow hairs, and prey upon many deciduous 

 trees and shrubs. The male insect is small, and 

 has a dark brown body with rusty brown wings, 

 and clouded with darker brown on the forewings. 

 The female is almost wingless, the wings being 

 reduced to tiny, scale-like processes on either side 

 of the body. When fully fed the larva spins a 

 grey brown silken cocoon, which may frequently 

 be found amongst the leaves of the shrubs it 

 infests. The female emerges in autumn, and lays 

 her eggs upon the cocoon. The larva; are hatched 

 in spring. 



Hand picking both larvae and cocoons, whenever 

 they can be seen, is the best remedy. 



ORIGANUM. (MARJORAM.) 



About twenty-five species of hardy sub-shrubs 

 and herbaceous perennials (ord. Labiatse). Few of 

 the species are of great garden value save the 

 Sweet Marjoram, whose culture is detailed under 

 the head of MARJORAM. Vulgare has also aromatic 

 properties, but they are rarely turned to account. 

 Seeds, cuttings of the young, flowerless shoots, and 

 root division are all available methods of propaga- 

 tion. The undermentioned species are worthy of 

 attention. 



Principal Species and 



Dictamuus, 1', sum., hcly. 

 Rub-shr., pk. Needs a 

 little protection in cold 

 places. 



Majoraua, 1' to 2', sum., 

 hdy., pur. or wh. 

 (syns. majorauoidesand 

 Majorana hortensis). 

 Sweet Marjoram. 



microphyllum, 1', Je., 

 hdy. sub-shr., pk. (syti. 

 Maru of Sibthorp). 



Onites, 1', sum., hdy. 

 sub-shr., wh. Pot Mar- 

 joram ; Onites of Lam. 



Varieties : 



sipyleum, 1' to !!', sum., 

 hdy. procumbent sub- 

 shr., pk. (syii. hybrid- 

 mil). 



.Tournefortii, I', Aug., 

 hdy. sub-shr., pk ; Dit- 

 tany of Amorgos. 



pulchellum. 

 vulgare, 1' to 2', sum., 



hdy., pur. British. 

 Common or Wild Mar- 

 joram. 



album, wh. 



aurcuin, spr., yel. A 

 pretty var. 



ORMOCARPUM. 



Shrubs (ord. Leguminosse) requiring intermediate 

 house treatment. Propagation, by cuttings of half 

 ripened growths in sandy peat. Soil, fibrous loam 

 and peat. 



Principal Species : 



sennoides, 3', sum., wh. (syn. Diphaca cocliin- 

 chinensis). 



ORMOSIA. 



Stove evergreen trees (ord. Leguminosse). allied 

 lo Sophora. Propagation, by cuttings in sand, 



Oreopktla (nf ffnttaU, S3e Pachystima). 

 OritJialia (see Afialmyla). 

 Oritliyia (see Tulijm). 

 Orixa (see Ci-lastrus). 



