cape] 



Cfje Creasfurn nf 38otang. 



218 



often causes groovings in them. The 

 elder (Sambucus nigra), the Guelder rose 

 (Viburnum Opulus), the laurustnms (Vibur- 

 num Tinus), the snowberry (Symphori- 

 carpus racemosus), as well as the Linncea 

 borealis, belong to the order. The black 

 berries of the species of Viburnum, found 

 on the Himalaya, are eatable and agreeable. 

 There are sixteen genera and 230 species. 

 Illustrative genera : Linncea, Lonicera, 

 Viburnum, Sambucus. [J. H. B.] 



OAPRIFOLIUM. A family of well-known 

 twining shrubs giving name to the order 

 Caprifoliaceai. No British shrub claims 

 our favourable notice so early in the season 

 as the Honeysuckle (C. Periclymenum) ; 

 for even before the frosts of January have 

 attained their greatest intensity, we may 

 discover in the sheltered wood or hedge- 

 bank its wiry stem throwing out tufts of 

 tender green leaves from the extremity of 

 every twig. Later in the season it engages 

 our attention by its twisting stems clinging 

 for support to some lustier neighbour 

 till it has reached air and light, when it 

 asserts its independence, loses a good deal 

 of its twining character, and displays its 

 numerous clusters of trumpet-shaped 

 cream-coloured flowers, tinged with crim- 

 son, and shedding a perfume which in 

 sweetness is surpassed by no other British 

 plant. As the coils made by the honey- 

 suckle in its effort to reach the summit of 

 a tree never enlarge, but on the contrary, 

 rather contract as the diameter of its 

 stem increases, it is mischievous to any 

 growing tree round which it twines ; it 

 should, therefore, be discouraged in young 

 plantations ; but trained against a wall or 

 allowed to twine round a pole or the bole 

 of a full-grown tree, it is harmless and j 

 always beautiful. The scarlet berries are I 

 clammy to the touch, glutinous and sweet 

 to the taste, but mawkish. In October the 

 woodbine endeavours to impart a grace to \ 

 the fading year by producing a new crop \ 

 of flowers, which, though not so luxuriant j 

 nor so numerous as the first, are quite as j 

 fragrant. Clusters of flowers and of ripe 

 berries may then be found on the same 

 twig, uniting autumn with summer as the 

 early foliage united winter with spring. 

 A variety with leaves sinuated like the oak 

 is not of uncommon occurrence ; and 

 another variety, called Dutch Honeysuckle, 

 is valued as a garden plant on account of 

 its extreme fragrance (especially in the 

 evening) and its early flowering. 



The Perfoliate Honeysuckle (G. italicum, 

 sometimes called Lonicera Caprifoli am) 

 resembles the last in habit. It is a native 

 of the middle and South of Europe, and is 

 said to be naturalised in some parts of 

 England. It may be distinguished from 

 the common kind by having its upper 

 leaves united at the base so as to form a 

 kind of cup, and it bears whorls of flowers 

 in the axils of these leaves as well as at | 

 the extremity of the shoot. 



Anions the other cultivated species, C.fla- 

 vum, a native of America, has very fragrant 

 yellow flowers, which as they fade become 



orange-coloured. The Trumpet Honey- 

 suckle (C. sempervirens) is an evergreen 

 twining shrub, the upper leaves of which 

 are united at the base (connate), and the 

 flowers, which are scarlet outside, and 

 yellow within, are arranged in several 

 terminal whorls ; this is also a native of 

 America, but thrives well in Great Britain 

 ina dry open situation, bearing a profusion 

 of beautiful but scentless flowers from 

 May till August. C. etruscum approaches 

 C. italicum in habit, but the leaves are more 

 obtuse and downy, and it flowers during a 

 greater portion of the year. In France 

 this species is more frequently cultivated 

 than any other. [C. A. J.] 



C APSELL A. A common weed belonging 

 to the cruciferous order, well marked by 

 its heart-shaped pods, which when ripe 

 separate into two boat-shaped valves, each 

 enclosing numerous yellow seeds. There 

 is but one species, G. Bursa-pastoris, 

 Shepherd's Purse, so called from the 

 resemblance of the pods to some ancient 

 form of purse. A native of Europe, it has 

 accompanied Europeans in all their migra- 

 tions, and established itself wherever 

 they have settled to till the soil. It is a 

 troublesome weed, not refusing to growand 

 leave seed even in the poorest soil, but lux- 

 uriating in the richest. Hence its utilita- 

 rian popular name, 'Pickpocket,' is more 

 appropriate perhaps than the sentimental 

 one ' Shepherd's Purse.' When not in flower, 

 it may be distinguished by its radiating 

 leaves, of which the outer lie close pressed 

 to the ground. It is less acrid than most 

 of the cruciferous tribe, but was formerly 

 used as a potherb, as is said to be still the 

 custom in some parts of North America. 

 French, Bourse de Pasteur; German, Hirt- 

 entasche. [C.A. J.] 



CAPSICUM. One of the genera of 

 Solanacece, deriving its name from the 

 Greek word signifying 'to bite,' in allu- 

 sion to the hot pungent properties pos- 

 sessed by the fruits and seeds. The genus 

 consists of annual or biennial plants, 

 frequently with a somewhat woody and 

 bushy stem ; a wheel-shaped corolla ; five 

 stamens protruding from the corolla, their 

 anthers converging at their points, and 

 opening by longitudinal slits; and a two to 

 four-celled ovary, becoming, when ripe, a 

 membranous pod containing several seeds. 

 The shape of the fruit varies very much in 

 the different species of the genus. 



C. annuum, a native originally of South 

 America, but introduced into India and 

 elsewhere, furnishes the fruits known as 

 Chillies; these, as well as the fruits of G. 

 frutescens, and several other species or 

 varieties, are used to form Cayenne pepper. 

 For this purpose the ripe fruits are dried 

 in the sun or in an oven, and then ground 

 to powder, which is mixed with a large 

 quantity of wheat flour. The mixed 

 powder is then made into cakes with 

 leavpn, these are baked till they are as 

 hard as biscuit, and are then ground and 

 sifted. The Cayenne pepper of the shops 

 is, however, usually largely adulterated 



