cocc] 



Elje CnraSurj} of JSotang. 



304 



with a cellular wall continued from the 

 substance of the frond, whether partly 

 confluent with it or free, and not opening 

 in general by a terminal pore. Examples 

 are afforded by Rhodymenia and Gracilaria. 

 The elongated processes in such algte as 

 Gigartina rtmniillosaare simply called tuber- 

 cles. In this species, at least, there is a pore 

 for the exit of the spores. [M. J. B.] 



COCCIGROLE. (Fr.) Fritillaria Melea" 

 gris. 



COCCFSTEFS. Pure carmine colour, 

 slightly tinged with yellow. 



COCCINTA. A climbing shrub of the 

 gourd family, common in the hedges of 

 India, where it grows like our bryony. G. 

 indica, the only species, has large white 

 dioecious flowers, with five stamens united 

 together by their filaments into a column 

 bearing three parcels of wavy anthers. The 

 female flower has three sterile stamens, 

 united in three parcels ; and the style is 

 short and trifid. The fruit is oblong, 

 marked with ten white lines ; when ripe it 

 is of a red colour, bursting irregularly, 

 and having several seeds provided with a 

 gelatinous covering. The ripe fruit is 

 used by the natives in their curries ; the 

 leaves and other portions are also used 

 medicinally. [M. T. M.] 



COCCOBRYON. A South African climb- 

 ing shrub of tne pepper family has been 

 made the type of a genus with the above 

 name. The flowers are perfect, in densely 

 crowded stalked spikes placed opposite 

 to the leaves, and each flower protected 

 by stalked peltate roundish bracts ; there 

 are two ^stamens, and sometimes a third; 

 and the ovary is sessile, the style short. 

 The fruit is a berry, crowned by the per- 

 sistent style. C. capense possesses sto- 

 machic properties. [M.T. MJ 



COCCOCYPSELFM. A genus of Cincho- 

 nacece with a four-parted calyx ; a funnel- 

 shaped inflated corolla; a two-celled, 

 many-seeded berry ; and a style partly 

 divided into two. The name refers to the 

 vase-like form of the fruit. C. repens, a 

 "West Indian creeping-plant, is in cultiva- 

 tion, and is interesting from its blue- 

 purple berries. [M. T. M.] 



COCCODES. Resembling pills ; consist- 

 ing of spheroidal granulations. 



COCCOLOBA. A genus of polygon- 

 aceous plants, one of which, C. uvifera, is 

 known in the West Indies as the Seaside 

 Grape, from the peculiarity of the peri- 

 anth, which becomes pulpy, and of aviolet 

 colour, and surrounds the ripe fruit. By 

 this character also the genus is distin- 

 guished among its fellows. The pulpy pe- 

 rianth has an agreeable acid flavour. An 

 extract is prepared from the plant, which 

 is so astringent as to rival kino in its 

 effects. [M. T. M.] 



COCCFLFS. This name is liable to mis- 

 lead the general reader, who might sup- 

 1 <>~e it to apply to the plant producing the 

 poisonous berries called Cocculus Indicus. 



These, however, are the produce of an 

 allied genus Anamirta: which see. Coc- 

 culus belongs to the same family, 2Inus- 

 r>ermacece, and consists of climbing shrubs 

 with unisexual flowers having six sepal*' 

 six petals, and six stamens ; the female 

 flowers have three ovaries placed on a 

 short stalk, the styles erect, cylindrical. 

 The fruit is a drupe with a bony shell, con- 

 taining a curved seed. C. laurifolla forms 

 an exception to the general rule in this 

 genus, inasmuch as its stems are erect, 

 not climbing. The plant producing Ca- 

 lumba root was formerly referred to this 

 genus, but is now included in Jateorhiza. 

 The root of C. villosus, an Indian species, 

 is used in decoction in cases of rheu- 

 matism, &c, while the fruits furnish a kind 

 of ink. See also Tinospora. [M. T. M.] 



COCCUS. A shell ; a carpel, which separ- 

 ates with elasticity from an axis common 

 to itself and others. 



COCE DOLCE. The Italian name for the 



seeds of Sweet Fennel, Fceniculum dulce. 



COCHENE. (Fr.) Pyrus Aucuparia. 



COCHINEAL-FIG. Opuntia cochinillifera. 



COCHLEAR. A term used in describing 

 ■Estivation ; when one piece, being larger 

 than the others, and hollowed like a helmet 

 or bowl, covers all the others; as in 

 Aconitum. 



COCHLEARIA. A genus of Gruciferce, 

 represented in this country by the dis- 

 similar-looking Horse-radish and the Scur- 

 vy-grass, in the essential parts of whose 

 flowers, however, the correspondence is 

 close. The points of distinction between 

 this genus and its allies are the entire white 

 petals, the stamens not being toothed, 

 and especially the roundish pod or silicnla, 

 the valves of which are very convex, the 

 partition between them very broad. The 

 embyro is so folded up that the young 

 root or radicle lies along the edge of the 

 two flat cotyledons or seed leaves. 



C. Armor aciais the common Horse-radish 

 whose large coarsely-toothed rough leaves, 

 and tall stem bearing a profusion of white 

 flowers, are well known. The lowest leaves 

 are frequently deeply and irregularly divi- 

 ded like the teeth of a comb, the upper ones 

 become smaller and narrower. The root- 

 stock is the part used for culinary purposes 

 for its pungent taste. Dreadful accidents 

 have occurred from mistaking the root of 

 aconite for Horse-radish, as mentioned 

 under Aconitum. The plant very rarely 

 perfects its fruit in this country. C. offici- 

 nalis, the Scurvy-grass, is a small low 

 growing • plant, with thick egg-shaped- 

 cordate leaves, the upper of which clasp 

 the stem ; unlike the preceding species, the 

 pods have a very prominent rib in the 

 centre of each valve. This plant was for- 

 merly used as an antiscorbutic, and is still 

 used in salads, as watercress is. It is com- 

 mon in some parts of Scotland. C. danica 

 and C. anglica are probably only varieties of 

 this species. [M. T. M.] 



