VENl] 



&I)c flftxatfurg at 2Satanp. 



1208 



leafy scales outside, the inner ones being 

 membranous ; the receptacle is flat, usually 

 destitute of scales; the corollas of the ray 

 ligulate, female, those of the disk tubular, 

 perfect. The achenes are smooth, each 

 with three dorsal wings, the two side ones 

 with infolded margins, and larger than 

 the central one, which is straight. Pappus 

 none, or of four small scales. [M. T. MJ 



VENIVEL. Coscinium fenestratum. 



"VENOSE. Having many branched veins, 

 as in reticulated leaves. Indirectly venose 

 is when lateral veins are combined within 

 the margin, and emit other little veins. 



VENTENATIA. The only known species 

 of this genus of Ternstromiacem is a native 

 of Benin, on the coast of Western Tropical 

 Africa. It forms a small tree, and has egg- 

 shaped taper-pointed stalked glaucous 

 leaves, and large scarlet flowers, having a 

 trilobed calyx, eleven or twelve spread- 

 ing oblong petals blunt at the top and 

 tapering to the base, numerous free sta- 

 mens, a five-celled ovary containing nume- 

 rous ascending ovules attached to the 

 central angle, and a simple long style bear- 

 ing a somewhat flve-lobed stigma. [A. S.] 



VENTILAGO. A name, derived from the 

 Latin words ventilo ' to blow ' and ago ' to 

 drive away,' given to a small genus of 

 BhamnacecB, in consequence of its fruits 

 terminating in an oblong flat thin wing, by 

 means of which they are scattered by the 

 wind. These fruits are one-seeded woody 

 nuts, seated upon or surrounded by the per- 

 sistent base of the calyx. The species all 

 belong to the tropics of the Eastern Hemi- 

 sphere, and are tall climbing shrubs with 

 stiff woody branches, and alternate short- 

 stalked leathery feather-veined leaves, 

 which are marked on the upper side with 

 close transverse veinlets. The flowers grow 

 in small axillary or terminal panicles, and 

 have a spreading five-cleft calyx, five pe- 

 tals, as many stamens, and a two-celled 

 ovary immersed in the flat fleshy disk, and 

 terminating upwards in two short conical 

 styles or stigmas. 



V. maderaspatana, a common plant in 

 Ceylon and the Indian Peninsula, and found 

 also inTenasserim, is employed by the na- 

 tive dyers of Mysore for producing an 

 orange-red dye. Another Indian species, 

 V. calyculata, a native of the central and 

 northern parts of India, has until recently 

 been confounded with V. maderaspatava, 

 and is probably equally serviceable for dye- 

 ing purposes. [A. SJ 



VENTRAL. Belonging to the anterior 

 surface of anything, as a vertical section, 

 which is the line running down the front 

 of a carpel on the side next the axis. 



VENTRICOSE. Swelling unequally on 

 one side, as the corolla of many labiate 

 and personate plants. 



VENULE PROPRLE. The veinlets 

 which first leave the costal or primary 

 veins. 



VENUS' BATH. Dipsacus sylvestris : so 



named from water collecting in the con- 

 nate bases of the opposite leaves. 

 VENUS' COMB. Scandix Pecten-veneris. 



VENUS' FLYTRAP. Dioncea ' musci- 

 pula. 



VENUS' HAIR, Adiantwm Capillus- 

 veneris. 



VENUS' LOOKING-GLASS. Specularid 

 Speculuin. 



VENUS' 

 linifolia. 



NAVELWORT. Omphalodes 



VEPRIS. A genus of Rutacece, compris- 

 ing a small tree native of the Mauritius. 

 The flowers are of a whitish colour, the 

 males and females on the ends of different 

 branches. The calyx is short, four-parted ; 

 petals four, longer than the calyx, spread- 

 ing. In the males are eight stamens, those 

 opposite to the petals being dwarfer than 

 the rest, all inserted on a short stalk sup- 

 porting the four rudimentary ovaries. In 

 the females the ovaries are placed on a 

 short gland-like eight-lobed stalk, or gyno- 

 I phore surrounded by eight minute scales. 

 j The fruit is fleshy dotted, four-furrowed 

 I and four-celled. The generic name is deriv- 

 ed from the Greek vepres, a 'briar' or 

 'bramble.' [M. T. M.] 



I VERATRIA, or VERATRINE. An acrid 

 I alkaline principle found in Veratrum and 

 Asagrcea, 



VERATRUM. A genus of perennial 

 herbs, natives of mountainous regions of 

 Europe and North America. The genus is 

 included in the order Melanthacece, and 

 comprises plants with creeping roots, erect 

 stalks, ovate pointed leaves, and panicles 

 of polygamous flowers. The perianth has 



Veratrum album. 



six spreading lobes and a very short tube ; 

 there are six stamens, inserted into the 

 base of the segments, the anthers opening 



