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VEXILLART. An aestivation in which 

 one piece is much larger than the others, 

 and is folded over them, they being ar- 

 ranged face to face, as in papilionaceous 

 flowers. 



VEXILLrM. The standard or fifth petal 

 placed at the hack of a papilionaceous 

 corolla. 



YIBORGIA. This name commemorates 

 a Danish botanist, and is applied to a 

 genus of Leguminosce. The species are 

 natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 have shrubby stems, somewhat spiny 

 branches, palmate leaves, and yellow papi 

 lionaceous flowers. The calyx is bell- 

 shaped, five-toothed; the vexilluin deflect- 

 ed, the wings shorter than the keel, the 

 stamens ten, monadelphous, the ovary 

 stalked, with six ovules, and a thread-like 

 sryle ; and the pod stalked compressed 

 winged, leathery or membranous, one or 

 two-seeded. [M. T. M.] 



YIBRISSEA. A small genus of Fungi 

 closely allied to Peziza, but remarkable for 

 the asci and thread-shaped sporidia burst- 

 ing from the hymenium, though still re- 

 maining attached to it so as to render it 

 velvety. The only well-known species, F, 

 truncorum, is of a golden-yellow colour, and 

 grows upon sticks or wood in water. It is 

 very rare in this country The genus derives 

 its name from the vibrating of the sporidia 

 and asci on the hymenium. When taken 

 from the water it is perfectly smooth, but 

 when exposed to the air and sun it is soon 

 covered with threads, which are shot out of 

 the hymenium, and wave to and fro with 

 an oscillating motion. This very singular 

 process is sometimes continued for several 

 hours. [M. J. B.] 



VIBURNUM. An extensive genus of 

 Cdprifohaeem, consisting of shrubs, natives 

 of Europe, Asia, and North America, but 

 not found in tropical regions. The leaves 

 are opposite, and the flowers numerous, in 

 large terminal cymes. Each flower has a 

 minutely five-toothed calyx ; a rotate or 

 bell-shaped corolla, which is five-lobed at 

 the edge; five stamens; two or three 

 nearly sessile stigmas ; and an ovary pos- 

 sessing in the young state two or 'three 

 cells, but becoming one-celled and one- 

 seeded as it ripens into the berry. The 

 name of the genus is said to be derived 

 from vieo ' to tie.' The ancients made use 

 of the word viburna to sisnifv any pliant 

 branched plant, that could be used for 

 tying or binding. 



Two of the species errowwild in Britain, 

 V. Lantana and V. Opulus. The former, 

 commonly known by the name of the Way- 

 faring-tree, is a large shrub generally 

 found growing in hedges or woods. 

 Its leaves are broad, toothed, downy be- 

 neath, its flowers all perfect, and its ber- 

 ries flattened, first red, then black. The 

 leaves and berries are astringent. The 

 latter are used in Switzerland in the 

 manufacture of ink, whiie the former 

 yield with alum a yellow dye. The wood is 

 white and hard, and useful for turnery 



purposes. The rind of the root is used to i 

 make birdlime. 



The other British species, V. Opulus, the 

 Gueldres Rose, has smooth three to five- 

 iobed leaves, and the outermost flowers are 

 destitute of stamens, while by way of com- 

 pensation the corolla is much enlarered. In 

 the cultivated variety of V. Opulus all the 

 flowers are affected in this way, so that the 

 inflorescence becomes, globular— whence 

 the name Snowball-tree, by which it is fre- 

 quently known. The red fruit is very orna- 

 mental in autumn. It is eaten in Norway I 

 and Sweden with honey and flour A spirit ! 

 is also distilled from it. The branches yield I 

 a yellow dye. The wood is used in Norway | 

 for making weavers' combs, shoemakers' 

 pegs, tobacco-pipes, &c. 



Many other kinds are grown in gardens, 

 especially V Tinus, the Common Laures- 

 tine, a native of the South of Europe, &c. 

 In Corsica it forms large woods. Its leaves 

 are oblong permanent, hairy beneath, its 

 flowers pinkish or white, appearing in 

 winter, its berries dark-blue. This is a 

 very valuable shrub, from its dense ever- 

 green foliage and cheerful flowers. There 

 are several varieties in cultivation. When 

 grown as a standard for hall or conserva- 

 tory decoration, the Laurestine rivals the 

 bay in the beauty of its foliage and excels 

 it in its flowers. PIT 11 J 



VICENI. Growing in twenties. 



VICIA. A large genus of papilionaceous 

 Leguminosce, whose species are distributee 1 

 throughout the temperate regions of the 

 globe, and are occasionally found in moun- 

 tainous districts in the Tropics, but have 

 not hitherto been met with in Australia. 

 They are weak plants, generally of climbing 

 habit, with pinnate leaves, which latter 

 terminate in tendrils, and have at their i 

 base lunate stipules. The flowers are soli- j 

 tary tufted or in stalked clusters. The : 

 style is cylindrical, with a tuft of hairs on j 

 the under-side, or with a slight downy 

 ring around the stigma. 



V. Faba, the common Field Bean, differs \ 

 in habit from the rest of the genus in i 

 being erect ; its tendrils are very minute, 

 and its leaves somewhat fleshy. The flow- 

 ers are large, white with a black spot, and | 

 very fragrant. The pod is leathery, tumid, 

 spongy. It is sometimes considered as the | 

 representative of a distinct genus, Faba : J 

 which see. Mr. Church has recently shown i 

 that there exists at the base of the ripe 

 pod, on the lower surface, a minute aper- 

 ture, through which an evaporation of 

 water takes place, so that the seeds become ' 

 dry before the dehiscing of the pod. The \ 

 plant is a native of Persia and the borders j 

 of the Caspian Sea, but is cultivated ex- 

 tensively in almost every quarter of the , ! 

 globe. Its roots are diuretic, while its j 

 seeds, in spite of their nutritious qualities, J 

 are not wholly destitute of poisonous in- j 

 gredients. In this country the ripe seeds, i 

 or beans, are used in enormous quantities j 

 for feeding hones, and although largely 

 cultivated here for that purpose, yet a con- | 

 siderable bulk is imported from Egypt. 



