174 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



GBA 



of CrasauLa, to which It is allied. 

 in 1774. 



Introduced 

 m 1774. 



Grammatooa'rpus. A synonym of Scyphanthvs, 

 which see. 



Grammatophy'llum. Fiom grammata, letters, 

 and pkyllon, a leaf ; referring to the marliings 

 on the leaves. Nat. Ord. OrchidaceoB. 



The species of this genus are but few in 

 number, and are rarely seen in collections of 

 Orchids, because of the difficulty in manage- 

 ment. Those who have had the good fortune 

 to flower them say that it is at the expense of 

 years of patience and labor that their rare and 

 curious flowers are produced. They are 

 natives of Manilla ; introduced in 1837. 



Grauadi'lla. A name given in the West Indies 

 to the fruits of different species of the genus 

 " "ora. 



Granxdar. Divided into little knobs and knots, 

 as the roots of Samfraga granulata ; covered 

 as if with small grains. 



Grape. Vitia vinifera. Like many extensively 

 cultivated plants, the native country of the 

 Grape is unknown, or at least doubtful. It is 

 among the plants spoken of in the Books of 

 Moses, and it appears to have been cultivated 

 and the fruit used then as at the present day. 

 Noah planted a vineyard, and wine is men- 

 tioned as a beverage among the earliest 

 nations of the world. The oldest profane 

 writers ascribe its introduction to their gods. 

 According to the tradition of the Egyptians, 

 Osiris first paid attention to the Yine, and 

 instructed other men in the manuer of plant- 

 ing and using it. The inhabitants of Africa 

 ascribe the same gift to the ancient Bacchus. 

 Wine was among the first oblations to the 

 Divinity. " Melchisedek, King of Salem, 

 brought forth bread and wine, and he was the 

 priest of the Most High God." Humboldt 

 says the Vine does not belong to Europe, but 

 is indigenous in Asia between the Blajk Sea 

 and the Caspian, on Mount Ararat and on the 

 Taurus. In the forests on Mongrelia it flour- 

 ishes in great magnificence, climbing to the 

 tops of the highest trees, bearing bunches of 

 fruit of delicious flavor. We have no authentic 

 account of the introduction of the Vine into 

 the present grape-growing countries, or of 

 the origin of the many varieties now under 

 cultivation. More than one hundred varieties 

 have been introduced into our graperies, and 

 into the Southern States and California, where 

 the climate will permit of their being grown 

 in the open air. The Grapes grown through- 

 out the United States have their origin in the 

 species indigenous to North America. V. lab- 

 rusca, the Fox Grape, common in swampy 

 grounds from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, is 

 the parent of our best garden varieties, 

 among others the Isabella, which originated 

 in South Carolina, and the Concord, which 

 originated in Massachusetts. The Catawba 

 had its parentage in V. riparia, the common 

 Frost Grape, or at least it is so accredited. 

 The Diana, a seedling of the Catawba, was 

 raised by Mrs. Diana Crehore of Boston. The 

 introduction of new varieties, from seed, of 

 various crossings, is being rapidly carried on 

 by our enterprising horticulturists. See Vilis. 



Grape Hyacinth. See Muacari. 



Graptophy'llum. Caricature Plant. From 

 grapho, to write, and phyllon, a leaf ; refer- 



GEA 



ring to the markings on the leaves. Nat. Ord. 

 Acanthacece. 



A genus of tropical shrubs, inhabiting both 

 hemispheres. A few of the species have been 

 Introduced into the hot-house for the beauty 

 of their variegated foliage and their racemes 

 of white flowers. O. hortmse, syn. G. pictum, 

 is properly called the Caricature Plant, from 

 the fact that, when its leaf is held up to the 

 light. It often presents nearly an exact profile 

 of the human face. G. h. lurido-sanguinea, a 

 more recent introduction, is a very distinct 

 and beautiful species, with rich rose-colored 

 spots or markings. Propagated by cuttings ; 

 first introduced in 1780. 



Grass. A general name for all graminaceous 

 plants. 



Arrow. Triglochin. 



Artificial. A name given by agriculturists 

 to various fodder plants, as Clover, iMceme, 

 Sainfoin, Sorghum, etc. 



Awned Hair. Muhlenbergia capillaris. 



Barnyard. Panicwm, Cms Galli. 



Bear. Yucca JilameMosa. 



Beard. The genus Andropogon and Polypogon 

 Monspdiensia. 



Bermuda. Cynodon Dactylon. 



Black. Alopecurus agrestis. 



Black Oat. Stipa avenacea. 



Blue. Poa compreaaa. 



Blue Eyed. Siayrinchium Bermudianum. 



Bottle. Setaria glauea. 



Brome. The genus Bromua. 



Canary. Phalaris Canarienaia, the grain of 

 which is the Canary seed of commerce 



Cat's-Tail. Phkum pratenae. 



China. The fibre of the Ramie, Baehmeria 

 nivea. 



Cock's-Comb. Cynoauma echinatua. 



Cock's-Foot. Dactylis glomerata. 



Cord. Spartinia striata. 



Cotton. The genus Eriophorum. 



Couch. Triticum repens. 



Crab. Panicwm aanguinale, it is also applied to 

 Eleusine, and Salicomia herbacea. 



Crested Hair. Kaeleria criatala. 



Cuckoo. lyuzula campeatria^ 

 Darnel. Lolium temulentu/m. 

 Deer. Rhexia Virginica. 

 Dog. Triticum caninum. 

 Dog's Tail. Cynoauma cristatua. 

 Dog's Tooth. Triticum caninum. 

 Drop-Seed. Sporobolua and Muhlenbergia. 

 Eel. Zostera and Vallisneria apiralis. 

 Elephant's. Typha elephantina. 

 False Ked-Top. Poa aerotina. 

 Feather. Stipa pennata. 

 Fescue. The genus Festuca. 

 Finger. The genus DigUaria. 

 Florin. Agroatia vulgaris, and commonly ap- 

 plied to A. alba and A. atolonifora. 

 Flote or Float. Olyceriafluitana. 

 Four-leaved. Paris quadrifolia. 

 Foxtail. Alopecurus pratenaia. 

 Frog. Salicomia herbacea. 

 Gama. Tripaacum dactyloidea. 

 Ginger. Andropogon Nardua. 

 Goat's beard. Galium aparine, also Potentilla 



anserina, and Polygonum aviculare. 

 Great Goose. ' Aaperugo procumbens. 

 Grip. Galium aparine. 

 Guinea. Panicumjumentorum. 

 Hair. Aira; also Trichochloa, and Agrostis 



acabra. 



