ZYGO] 



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1254 



tagne. They have a striated pear-shaped 

 capsule, au abortive single or double 

 peristome, and a dimidiate smooth veil. 

 The habit is that of the true Gymnostoma. 

 They are related to Orthotrichei, differing 

 principally in the smooth dimidiate ca- 

 lyptra. A few species of Zygodon occur in 

 Great Britain, but the only one which is at 

 all common is Z. viridissimus, and that 

 seldom bears fruit, as it is dioecious. Z. 

 conoideus, another of our species, occurs 

 also in Tasmania. A few are sprinkled 

 about in hot as well as in temperate 

 or equable climates. [M. J. BJ 



ZYGOLEPIS. A tree, native of the Phi- 

 lippine Islands, and the representative of a 

 genus of Sapindacew, has received this 

 name, in allusion to the scales on the 

 petals. The leaves are pinnate, and the 

 flowers in axillary panicles ; the parts of 

 the flower arranged in rows of Ave, each 

 petal having a two-lobed scale in front of 

 it ; and the ovary having a short style. 

 By these marks the genus may be distin- 

 guished from its nearest allies. [M. T. MJ 



ZYGOPETALTJM. A rather extensive 

 genus of showy terrestrial orchids, re- 

 ferred to the Vandece, inhabiting Tropical 

 America. The leaves are distichous large 

 and plicate ; and the flowers on a long 

 scape, furnished with large boat-shaped 

 bracts. The union of the petals at the 

 base and the curious structure of the 

 anther characterise this genus. Several 

 species are cultivated in our gardens on 

 account of their great beauty. [W. B. H.] 



ZYGOPHYLLACE^E. (Beancapers.) An 

 order of polypetalous dicotyledons closely 

 allied- to liutacece, Simarubacea.', and Gera- 

 niacece, and difficult sometimes to separate 

 from those orders by positive characters, 

 although generally recognised by habit. 

 They are shrubs or herbs, with more or 

 less jointed stems; the leaves usually oppo- 

 site and compound, with one pair or seve- 

 ral pinnate leaflets, and with persistent sti- 

 pules, sometimes converted into prickles ; 

 the flowers white red or yellow, very 

 rarely blue, on axillary peduncles. There 

 are five or rarely four sepals and petals ; as 

 many or twice as many stamens inserted 

 on a fleshy disk; an angular or winged 

 several-celled ovary, with two or more 

 ovules in each cell; a dry fruit, often sepa- 

 rating into distinct cocci ; and pendulous 

 seeds, with a small quantity of albumen. 

 The species are widely dispersed over the 



tropical and warmer parts of the globe, 

 but few occur in temperate climates ; and 

 they are distributed into seventeen genera, 

 including Tribulus, Zygophyllum, Fagonia, 

 Guaiacum, and others. 



ZYGOPHYLLUM, A genus of trees and 

 shrubs, giving its name to the order Zy- 

 gopltyltacece. The species are natives of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, the Cape de Verd Isles, 

 and the Levant. The leaves are opposite, 

 and consist of two leaflets, either flat or 

 cylindrical, and sometimes fleshy ; and the 

 flowers are solitary stalked axillary, with 

 an unequally five-parted calyx, flve-stalked 

 white red or yellow petals, ten stamens 

 each with a scale at the base, arid a short- 

 stalked ovary ripening into a five-sided 

 capsule, which has five compartments open- 

 ing by as many valves, each containing a 

 single seed. Z. Fabago has vermifuge 

 properties, and its flower-buds are used 

 instead of capers. The leaves of Z. simplex 

 are employed bythe Arabs in diseases of the 

 eye. The smell of this plant is so detest- 

 able that no animal will eat the foliage. 

 Z. coccinetim has aromatic seeds, employed 

 by the Arabs in place of pepper. Several 

 species are grown as greenhouse plants, 

 their flowers being handsome. The gene 

 ric name is derived from zvgon 'a yoke 'and 

 phyllon ' a leaf,' in allusion to the pairs of 

 leaflets borne by these plants. [M. T. M.] 



ZYGOSTATES. A small genus of epi- 

 phytal orchids belonging to the tribe 

 Vandece, and inhabiting the forests of 

 South America. The sepals and petals are 

 membranaceous, similar ; and the lip boat- 

 shaped, with an incurved appendage at 

 the base. They form stemless herbs, des- 

 titute of pseudobulbs ; and with few 

 narrow fleshy leaves, and small flowers 

 in pendulous racemes. They are distin- 

 guished from Ornithocephalus by having 

 a linear horizontal arm on each side of the 

 column at its base, and a fleshy incurved 

 process at the base of the lip, standing 

 between the arms. [W. B. H.] 



ZYGOSTIGMA. A name expressive of 

 a peculiarity in the stigmas of the genus 

 of Gentianacece to which it is applied. The 

 species are herbaceous plants of little in- 

 terest, natives of Brazil. The corolla is 

 funnel-shaped, the anthers revolute, the 

 ovary partly two-celled, and surmounted 

 by two stigmas, which are branched, the 

 branches being adherent one to another. 

 The fruit is capsular. [M. T. M.] 



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