€I)c Errasfurji al 2Satany. 



1124 



ments. T.pusilla scarcely attains an inch 

 in height. [A. S.J 



TAPENIER, (Fr.) Capparis spinosa. 



TAPER. The opposite of angular; usu- 

 ally employed in contradistinction to that 

 term, when speaking of long bodies. The 

 same as Terete. 



TAPERING. Gradually diminishing in 

 diameter. 



TAPER-POINTED. Terminating very 

 gradually in a point, as the leaf of Salix 

 alba. The same as Acuminate. 



TAPIA. The Garlic Pear, Cratasva Tapia. 



TAPIER. (Fr.) Cratceva. 



TAPINA. The name originally given by 

 Dr. Von Martius to a Brazilian genus of 

 Gesneracece, but which was afterwards 

 altered by M. Decandolle to Tapeinotes, in 

 order to prevent its being confounded 

 with two other genera possessing names 

 of nearly the same orthography— viz., Ta- 

 pinia among fungi, and Tapeinia among 

 irids. It is derived from the Greek word 

 tapeinos 'humble,' the plants belonging 

 to it being of very dwarf habit. [A. S.J 



TAPINANTHUS. Professor Oliver, the 

 most recent writer on Loranthacece, con- 

 siders this to be a mere section of Loran- 

 tlnis, and not worth constituting a distinct 

 genus. The species so named are natives 

 of Africa, and have pentamerous flowers 

 arranged in axillary clusters, each flower 

 provided with a bract. [M. T. M.] 



TAPINOCARPUS. A genus of Aracem, 

 founded on an herbaceous species, grow- 

 ing in damp grassy places in the Concan 

 districts of Western India. The root- 

 stock is fleshy and perennial, and sends 

 up heart-shaped entire leaves. Generical- 

 ly it approaches Arum and Dracunculus, 

 but differs especially in the position of the 

 ovules, of which there are six in each 

 ovary, two or three erect, attached to the 

 base of the ovary, the remainder pendulous 

 from the top. The generic name is derived 

 from the Greek tapeinos ' lowly ' and kar- 

 pos 'fruit,' in allusion to the position of 

 the fruit. [M T M.] 



TAPIOCA, An agglomerated kind of 

 starch prepared from the root of Manthot 

 utihssima, and generally employed as diet 

 for invalids. —.PEARL. A fictitious kind 

 of Tapioca, formed of prepared grain, 



TAPIRIA. The name applied to a tree, 

 native of Guiana, and supposed to consti- 

 tute a genus of Amyridarea, but which is 

 imperfectly known. The calyx has five 

 deciduous segments; the corolla as many 

 petals, inserted on to a disk surrounding 

 the ovary and bearing ten stamens ; stig- 

 mas five; capsule one-celled flve-valved, 

 with five seeds. [M. T. M.J 



TAP-ROOTED. Having a large simple 

 conical root, which forms a centre round 

 which the divisions are arranged. 



TAPURA. The name of a genus of Cliail- 



letiacece, comprising a shrub native of ' 



Guiana. The flowers are small, and have j 



an irregularly flve-lobed calyx; a some- | 

 what two-lipped corolla, to the base of 

 which the five stamens are attached ; of 



these the two lateral ones are much shorter j 



than the rest; ovary sessile three-celled, : 



with two pendulous ovules in each com- j 



partment. The wood of T. guianensis is ; 



employed by the Creoles of Guiana for con- ; 

 structive purposes. [M. T.M.J 



TAQUARUSSA. A Brazilian reed. 



TAR. A thick viscid oleo-resin obtained ! 

 by heat from the wood of the pine-tree, i 

 and chiefly employed as a preservative of \ 

 timber, especially among shipping. 



TARA. An Indian name for Corypha I 

 Tahera, the Talipot Palm. Also a Tahiti 

 name for Colocasia macrorhiza; and a 

 Sandwich Island name for Caladium escu- 

 lentum and others. 



TARACHIA. Asplenium. 



TARASPIC. (FrO Iberis. 



TARATOUF. (Fr.) Helianthus tuberosus. 



TARAXACUM. The technical name of 

 the genus of Compositce to which the 

 familiar Dandelion belongs. The species 

 are herbs, with a perennial rootstock, ter- 

 minated by a tuft of leaves, from the 

 centre of which emerge smooth hollow 

 leafless unbranched stalks, surmounted 

 by a single head of bright-yellow flowers. 

 The involucre consists of an outer row of 

 bracts, which are spreading or reflexed, 

 and an inner row which are erect. The 

 receptacle on which the flowers are placed 

 is flat and smooth , the corollas all strap- 

 shaped and yellow; and the pappus of many 

 simple hairs. The fruit is surmounted by 

 a long beak, like a little column, on the 

 top of which the pappus is placed. If the 

 flowers be examined previous to maturity, 

 this beak is seen to be very short, but it 

 rapidly lengthens as the fruit ripens. The 

 genus is known from Leontodon by the 

 simple not feathery pappus; and from 

 Crepis by the unbranched flower-stalks. 



By many botanists it is considered that 

 there is only one species, T. dens leonis, 

 which admits of many varieties. The 

 plant is universally found in Europe, Cen- 

 tral Asia, North America, and the Arctic 

 regions. The most common variety in this 

 country has broad runcinate leaves, and 

 the outer bracts of its involucre are bent 

 downwards. This well-known plant varies 

 much in stature and appearance according 

 to the locality in which it grows. Another 

 found in boggy places, sometimes consider- 

 ed to constitute a distinct species under 

 the name of T palustre, has nearly entire 

 leaves, and the outer scales of the invo- 

 lucre are ovate and pressed upwards. 



The rootstock of the Dandelion (dent du 

 lion) is extensively used in medicine as an 

 aperient and tonic, especially in liver-com- 

 plaints; it has also diuretic properties. 

 When blanched the leaves may be used as 

 a salad, but are too bitter to be agreeable. 



