98 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



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varieties of the same species. If anyone at all 

 conversant with plants will bring any family 

 of them to mind, it will at once be seen how 

 undeviating is this law. In the Dahlia we 

 have scarlet and yellow, but no approach to 

 blue, and so in the Eose, Hollyhock, etc. 

 Again, in the Verbena, Salvia, etc., we have 

 scarlet and blue, but no yellow! In the 

 Hyacinth we have blue and a fairly good 

 yellow, but no scarlet. Some have contended 

 that in this family we have the combination, 

 for of course we have crimson ; but crimson 

 is not scarlet any more than blue is purple. 

 If we reflect it will be seen that there is 

 nothing out of the order of Nature in this ar- 

 rangement. We never expect to see among 

 our poultry, with their varied but sombre 

 plumage, any assume the azure hues of our 

 spring Blue-bird or the dazzling tints of the 

 Oriole ; why, then, should we expect Nature 

 to step out of what seems her fixed laws, and 

 give us a blue Kose, a blue Dahlia, or a yellow 

 Verbena? 



Colt's Foot. See Tussilago. 

 Columbine. See AqvMegia. 

 Columbo. American. See Prasera. 

 Column. The combined stamens and styles 

 forming a solid central body, as in Orchids, etc. 



Colu'mnea. Named after Fahius Colvmna, an 

 Italian nobleman. Nat. Ord. Gesneraceoe. 



A small genus of curious and beautiful green- 

 house plants, natives of New Grenada. The 

 species are divided between climbers and 

 shrubs. The flowers of the climbers are 

 mostly yellow and orange ; of the shrubs, rose 

 and purple. They are propagated by cuttings, 

 and should be carefully watered. They will 

 grow on blocks of wood, with moss, sus- 

 pended in the green-house. Introduced in 

 1850. 



Colu'tea. Bladder-senna. From kolovtea, a 

 name adopted from Theophrastus. Nat. Ord. 

 Legv/mino8ce. 



C. arborescens, the common bladder-senna, 

 is a hardy deciduous shrub, with delicate 

 Acacia-like leaves of a warm light-green 

 color. Its flowers are small, butterfly-shaped, 

 and yellow, produced in July or August, and 

 are followed by large bladder-like pods, of a 

 reddish tinge when ripe, which explode with 

 a slight pressure. It is a native of the south 

 of Europe, and is said to grow on the crater 

 of Vesuvius, where there is little other vege- 

 tation. It is increased by suckers or from 

 seed. 



Combreta'ceae. A natural order of trees or 

 shrubs, with alternate or opposite entire 

 leaves without stipules. They are natives of 

 the tropical parts of Asia, Africa, and America. 

 Some of the plants are cultivated for orna- 

 ment, and others furnish timber. They have 

 astringent qualities, Terminalia Bellerica and 

 T. Chebula yielding the astringent fruit called 

 Myrobalan. The bark of Bueida Buceras is 

 used for tanning. There are twenty-three 

 known genera and upward of 200 species. 

 Combretwm, Terminalia, and Gyrocarpiis illus- 

 trate the order. 



Combre'tum. An ancient name adopted from 

 Pliny. Nat. Ord. Combreta,cecB. 



This genus contains several species, all re- 

 markable for the elegance and brilliant colors 



COM 



of the flowers, which are produced in large 

 panicles. They are desirable for covering the 

 roof or columns of an extensive hot-house, 

 and they grow well in a mixture of leaf mould 

 and loam, requiring to be pruned back closely 

 every winter, as it is on the young wood only 

 that flowers are produced. Most of the species 

 are from South America and Africa. Propa- 

 gated by cuttings of weU-ripened wood. The 

 plant known as C.purpwrevm, is now placed 

 under Poivrea, which see. 



Comespe'rma. Prom home, hair, and sperma, a 

 seed ; in reference to the seeds being enveloped 

 with hairs. Nat. Ord. PolygalacecB. 



A small genus of green-house evergreen 

 herbs or shrubs, natives of Australia. Their 

 handsome flowers of yellow, white, or purple, 

 borne on terminal or axillary racemes, make 

 them desirable plants. They are easily grown 

 in an ordinary green-house. Propagated by 

 cuttings. 



Comfrey. See Symphytum. 



Commeli'na. Day Flower. Named after J. and 

 O. Commelin, famous Dutch botanists. Nat. 

 Ord. CommeUnacem. 



An extensive genus of annuals and peren- 

 nials, hardy and green-house trailers, found 

 throughout the Southern States and in South 

 America. It is only the hardier species that 

 can now be considered worth cultivation. C. 

 ccelestis forms an excellent border plant. Its 

 flowers are. blue, of a brighter shade than 

 perhaps is to be found elsewhere in the whole 

 range of vegetable forms. The tubers of this 

 plant should be taken up in winter, and, in- 

 deed, receive the treatment of Dahlias, except 

 that they do not require to be placed in any 

 elevated temperature to induce them to start 

 into growth. The annual species should be 

 sown in March where they are to remain. 



Commelina'ceae. An extensive, widely dis- 

 persed order of herbaceous plants, with usually 

 flat leaves sheathing at the base. Flowers with 

 the outer perianth of three segments,, the 

 inner also of three and colored. They are 

 natives of New HoUand, the East dnd West 

 Indies, and a few are found in North America, 

 but none in northern Asia or Europe. The 

 underground stems of many yield starch and 

 are used for food. The filaments of the 

 Tradescavtias have jointed hairs, in which a 

 granular movement is seen under the micro- 

 scope. There are sixteen known genera, and 

 260 species. Commelina, Tradescantia, and 

 Cyanotis are examples of the order. 



Common Petiole. The first and principal leaf- 

 stalk in compound leaves ; the secondary pet- 

 ioles are called partial. 



Compare'ttia. Named after Compairetti, an Ital- 

 ian botanist. Nat. Ord. OrchidacetB. 



A genus of epiphytal Orchids, with small 

 rose, purple, or scarlet flowers, produced in 

 small bunches on long stalks. They are 

 natives of Mexico and South America, and 

 succeed best when grown on cork, with a 

 little moss, in a shaded house. The flowers 

 retain their beauty a long time. Introduced 

 in 1838. 



Compass Plant. Se 



Compo'sitae, including Astera'cese. This is 

 the largest natural order of plants, the species 

 occurring in all parts of the world, and in all 



