zebb] 



Wfyz (Stoafttrg at totalis. 



1248 



the New World was discovered. Same of 

 the varieties are considered to be in a truly 

 wild state as they are found growing in 

 some of the West Indian islands. 



Maize is largely cultivated throughout 

 most of the warmer-temperate regions of 

 the globe, and probably ranks next to rice 

 as the grain which affords nutriment to the 

 largest number of human beings. It has 

 many qualities to recommend it for culture 

 where the climate is sufficiently warm to 

 ripen the grain properly, growing as it 

 does freely in very different kinds of soil, 

 as well as under dissimilar states of mois- 

 ture and dryness. The crop is easily saved, 



Zea Mays (cobs). 



and with ordinary care the grain is as 

 easily preserved. Some of the finest sam- 

 ples which have reached Britain in the 

 cob or ear have been grown in Australia, 

 where the climate is very favourable for 

 producing Indian-corn. It is also exten- 

 sively consumed in many parts of Africa. 

 In India likewise Maize is extensively 

 cultivated, and in the principal towns or 

 their neighbourhood the cobs are roasted 

 and sold in the public thoroughfares, much 

 in the same way that roasted chestnuts 

 are hawked in this country. The imma- 

 ture cobs are sometimes boiled as a vege- 

 table. Latterly a fine flour, called Maizena, 

 has been prepared from the grain, which 

 is getting into repute as an ingredient for 

 light puddings in our hotels and restau- 

 rants. 



Nearly three millions of quarters of 

 Indian-corn were imported into this coun- 

 try in 1863, of which the greater portion 

 was entered for home consumption. The 

 computed value was 4,042,908/. [D. M.] 



ZEBRA-PLANT. Calathea zebrina. 



ZEBRA-WOOD. A beautiful furniture- 

 wood, obtained in Demerara from Ompha- 

 lobium Lamberti. The name is also applied 

 to the woodof a variety of Eugenia fragrans 

 called cuneata ; and, according to some, to 

 Guettarda speciosa. 



ZEBRINA. A name proposed for Ci/ano- 

 tis vittata alias C. zebrina, also known in 

 gardens as Tradescantia zebrina. 



ZEDOAIRE. (Fr.) Kcempferia. 



ZEDOARY. Curcuma Zerumbet, the Long 

 Zedoary of the shops. — , ROUND. Cur- 

 cuma Zedoaria. 



ZEHXERIA. A genus of Caenrbilacea;, 

 comprising certain perennial herbaceous 



species, with toothed or lobed leaves, sim 

 pie tendrils, and axillary flowers. The 

 male flowers are in clusters, the females 

 either solitary or aggregated together. The 

 calyx is bell-shaped, live-toothed ; the co- 

 rolla spreading five-parted, hairy within ; 

 stamens three, the anthers with linear 

 lobes. The female flowers have an adherent 

 three-celled ovary, with numerous ovules ; 

 style cylindrical, terminated by a three to ] 

 four-cleft stigma, and encircled at the base | 

 by a three-lobed gland ; berry ovate, with :■ 

 numerous seeds, thickened at the margin, i 

 The species are natives of the warmer 

 parts of Asia and Africa. [M. T. MJ 



ZELKONA-TREE. Planera Richardi. 



ZENKERIA. A genus of papilionaceous 

 trees, of the family Leguminosce. The spe- 

 cies are natives of Brazil, and have pinnate 

 leaves, and white flowers in tufts at the 

 base of the young branches, expanding 

 before the leaves. The calyx is divided 

 into three equal reflexed segments ; petals 

 three ; stamens three ; ovary stalked com- 

 pressed, with twoovules : style short.thick. 

 The genus is imperfectly known, but has 

 lately been referred to Apuleia. [M. T. M.] 



ZENOBIA. A name proposed by Don for 

 some species of Andromeda, but generally 

 used to denote a section of that genus in 

 which the anthers are tipped with four 

 [ long tubular awns. The filaments are very 

 short, and dilated at the base. The calyx 

 is five-toothed ; the corolla campanulate, 

 with a five-lobed revolute limb; and the 

 stigma is truncate. They are evergreen 

 sh rubs, natives of North America, with few 

 often toothed leaves, and numerous flow- 

 ers in racemes. [W. C] 



ZEPHYRA. A genus of Liliacem from 

 Peru, with blue paniculate salver-shaped 

 flowers, having the lower part of the tube 

 adherent to the base of the ovary ; stamens 

 six, two sterile and longer, the anthers 

 free, one cell produced at the base, the 

 apex opening by twin-pores. [J. T. S.J 



ZEPHYRANTHES. A small genus of 

 Amaryllidacem, found in Chili, Buenos 

 Ayres, Mexico, and other parts of America 

 and the W«st Indies, and by some botanists 

 regarded as^a section of Amaryllis. They , 

 have linear leaves, produced in spring along : 

 with or rather earlier than the flowers. The j 

 scapes support one or sometimes two i 

 showy blossoms, the perianth of which is j 

 erect funnel-shaped and equal: the six sta- i 

 mens inserted in the base of the limb, one ! 

 often separate, the faucial membrane in- 

 conspicuous, the style declinate with a 

 trifld. stigma, and the capsule trilobed. 

 They are very pretty dwarf bulbs, with 

 white or rose-coloured blossoms. [T. MJ 



ZERUMBET. Zingiber Zerumbet and 

 Curcuma Zerumbet ; also Alpinia nutans. 



ZEUGITES. A genus of grasses belong- 

 ing to the tribe Andropogonece. Inflores- 

 cence in panicles; spikelets three to four- 

 flowered, the lower flower female and ses- 

 sile, the male stalked; glumes two, the 



