NASTURTIUM. The garden name of 

 Tropceolum. 



NATA. The Bengalee name of the Bon- 

 duc nut tree, Guilandina Bonduc. 



HATANS. Floating under water like a 

 Conferva. 



NATCHNEE. An Indian name for Eleu- 

 sine coracana. 



NATIVE BREAD. Mylitta. 



NATJI. A name in Natal for a small 

 variety of Citrus nobilis. 



NATSIATUM. The name of a genus of 

 Phytocrenacew, represented by a climbing 

 shrub native of tropical Asia, with alter- 

 nate leaves, and small greenish dioecious 

 flowers, arranged in long hairy pendent 

 clusters. The calyx and corolla are five- 

 parted, and the disk five-lobed, each lobe 

 having two linear teeth. In the male flower 

 there are five stamens alternating with the 

 lobes of the corolla, with anthers opening 

 longitudinally ; and in the female the ovary 

 is free, one-celled, with two pendulous 

 ovules. [M. T. MJ 



NATJCLEA. An extensive genus of Cin- 

 chonacece, principally natives of tropical 

 Asia. Of the several sections, one frequent- 

 ly described as a distinct genus under the 

 name of Uncaria, is composed of climbing 

 shrubs having the old or sterile flower- 

 stalks converted into hooked spines ; the 

 others consist of middle-sized trees or 

 shrubs. The leaves are opposite or in whorls 

 of three or four, and the flowers crowded 

 together upon receptacles forming dense 

 globose heads. 



X Gambir, or Uncaria Gambir, a native 

 of the Malayan islands, yields the Gambir 

 or Terra Japonica of commerce. In a wild 

 state it is a rambling climber, but un- 

 der cultivation it forms when trimmed a 

 bushy shrub, seven or eight feet high, with 

 smooth oblong or ovate leaves, and globular 

 heads of green and pink flowers upon the 

 upper flower-stalks, the lower ones being 

 barren and converted into hooked spines. 

 Gambir, or Terra Japonica, is prepared by 

 boiling the leaves for several hours in large 

 cauldrons of water, after which they are 

 taken out and allowed to drain into the caul- 

 dron. The decoction is kept boiling until it 

 thickens.when it is left to cool; and is after- 

 wards poured into oblong moulds, where it 

 remains until it acquires the consistency of 

 clay, and is then cut into small cubes.which 

 are thoroughly dried and hardened in the 

 sun. Among the Malays the chief use of 

 Gambir is as a masticatory, in combina- 

 tion with the areca-nut and the betel-leaf ; 

 but considerable quantities are annually 

 exported to China for tanning purposes, 

 and likewise to this country, where it is 

 used for tanning 'kips' for the upper 

 leather of shoes, and also by dyers and 

 curriers. [A. S.] 



NAVJEA. A genus of Malvace.ee, allied 

 to Lavatera, comprising a single species, 

 native of the Canary Isles. The flower- 

 stalks are axillary or terminal, racemose, 



each of them so twisted that what was 

 the lower part of the flower becomes the 

 upper. The involucel or outer calyx is 

 three to four-leaved, ultimately deciduous ; 

 the true calyx bell-shaped with four to 

 six segments ; petals bluntish, with mem- 

 branous convolute stalks forming little 

 hollow pouches ; column bent downwards ; 

 ovary rounded, depressed, of numerous 

 crested lobes, attached to a central pro- 

 longed axis, each containing a single seed. 

 Fruit indehiscent. N. phcenicea has beauti- 

 ful pink flowers, and is a rare plant in the 

 Canary Isles. The generic name is given 

 in honour of J. de Nava, the founder of 

 the Botanic Garden at Orotava. [M. T. MJ 



NAVARRETIA. A genus of Polemo- 

 niacece, containing nine species, natives of 

 America. They are annual herbs, generally 

 glutinous, often feetid, with pinnatisect 

 alternate leaves, the lower ones sometimes 

 entire, and flowers in dense heads fur- 

 nished with spiny bracts. The calyx is 

 obconical or tubular, campanulate, with 

 five A 7 ery sharp lobes ; the corolla tube 

 slender and the limb spreading, cut into 

 oblong lacinias; the stamens usually ex- 

 serted ; the disk minute ; and the capsule j 

 ovoid and obtuse, with ovoid wingless 

 seeds. This genus can scarcely be sepa- j 

 rated from Collomia or Gilia, except by its 

 habit. [W. C] j 



NAVELWORT. Cotyledon. — VENUS'S. I 

 Omphalodes linifolia. 



NAVE-SHAPED. The same as Modioli- i 

 form. 



NAVET. (Fr.) Brassica Napus. — 

 D'ETE\ Brassica campestris. — D'HIVER. 

 Brassica Napus oleifera. — DU DIABLE. | 

 Bryonia alba. — SAUVAGE. Brassica I 

 Napus. 



XAVETTE. (Fr.) Brassica Napus syl- 

 vestris. 



NA VEW. Brassica campestris. 



NAVIA. A genus of Brazilian herbs 

 belonging to the Bromeliacece, having 

 tufted leaves and downy flower-stalks, 

 bearing tufts of flowers in the axils of the 

 bracts. The perianth is divided into three 

 outer and three inner segments, two of the 

 former larger and more acutely keeled than 

 the third, the three inner petaloid seg- 

 ments conjoined below into a tube; sta- 

 mens six, hypogynous ; ovary free, three- 

 celled ; stigmas three, thread-like ; capsule 

 membranous, three-valved. [M. T. MJ 



NAVICULARIA. A genus of grasses 

 now included in Panicum. 



NAVICULAR. Boat-shaped. The same 

 as Cymbiform. 



NAW. A kind of Ironwood met with in 

 Ceylon. 



NEBBEK. An Arabian name for the 

 fruit of the Jujube. 



NEB-NEB, or NIB-NIB. The pods of JLca- 

 cia vera, which are used for tanning in 

 Egypt. 



