436 DICTIONAEY OF POPULAR NAMES WATER 



mis Citndhis), a trailing annual of the Gourd family (Cucur- 

 bitace^), grown extensively in warm countries for the sake of its 

 cool refreshing fruit. It is not mucli cultivated in this country, 

 but may sometimes be seen in fruit shops, being imported from 

 Spain and Portugal. It is supposed to be the melon of Egypt, 

 the loss of which the Israelites legretted. 



Water Parsnip (Siiim latifolium), an aquatic perennial of 

 the Carrot family (Umbelliferse), having a stem about a foot in 

 height furnished with winged leaves, and bearing its flowers in 

 umbels. It is, like other water Umbelliferse, highly poisonous. 



Water Tree of Sierra Leone {Tetracera almfolia), a climb- 

 ing shrub of the family Dilleniaceie ; it is called the Water 

 Tree on account of its stems being full of water, which issues 

 from it on its being cut. 



Wattles, a name given in Australia to Acacia fioribunda, 

 A. decurrens, A. dealhata. A, melanoxylon. A, affinis, and others. 

 They are middle-sized trees, having hard wood, especially that of 

 A, melanoxylon, called Black-wood, which takes a fine polish. 

 They are also of high commercial importance for their bark, 

 wliich is astringent, and of late years has foimed one of the 

 principal parts of ships' cargoes to this country. To such an 

 extent has the demand for this baik for tanning increased that 

 whole districts of Acacia forests are fast disappearing in Australia. 



Wax Palm. — There are two so called : 1. Copcrnicia cerifera, 

 a fan palm native of Brazil, its cylindrical stem rising to a 

 height of about 40 feet and measuring a foot in diameter, 

 curiously studded its whole length with the permanent base foot- 

 stalk of the leaves in the form of knobs. The wood is very haid, 

 and is imported into this country for cabinet-work. Its young 

 leaves are covered with a waxy secretion, which is obtained by 

 shaking and beating them ; it is imported into this country for 

 making candles. 



2. CcTOxylon andicola, a tall wing-leaved palm, native of 

 the elevated regions of Few Grenada. The whole of the stem 

 and leaves is covered with a whitish waxy substance, which 

 rs collected from the stem by scraping ; it is principally used 



