WELWITSCHIA OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 437 



for making candles for the Eoman Catholic churches, and forms 

 an article of trade. 



"Wax Tree {Ligustmm lucidwn), a small tree or handsome 

 shrub of the Olive family (Oleaceae), hardy in this country. It 

 is a native of China. An insect that deposits a wax is said to 

 feed on it. This is well known to he the case with L, %bota, a 

 native of Japan, which is cultivated for that purpose. 



Wax Tree, Japanese (Rhus succedanea), an evergieen tree of 

 the Cashew IsTut family (Anacardiacese), with shining winged 

 leaves, native of Japan, having bunches of fruit like small 

 grapes, which by pressure yield a wax analogous to beeswax ; 

 it is sometimes imported into this country, and is used in 

 making candles and night lights. The plant has been long 

 known in our botanic gardens, but is not sufficiently hardy to 

 stand the cold of this climate. 



Wax-work Shrub. {See Staff Tree) 



Weld {Reseda Lidtola), an erect single -stemmed annual 

 of the Mignonette family (Resedaceee), attaining a height of 2 or 

 3 feet, native of this country, at one time much cultivated for 

 the dye afforded by it, which, according to the different mordants 

 employed, was either green, yellow, or blue ; it is chiefly used 

 in colouring paperhangings. The colour called Dutch pink is 

 also obtained from it. 



WelwifcscMa ( WelwiiscMa mimhilis), — This remarkable 

 plant was first discovered by Dr. Welwitsch growing in stony sandy 

 plains on the plateau of Benguela in Africa, and in similar situa- 

 tions by other travellers in Damaraland. It consists of a hard 

 woody obconical mass in old plants, not rising more than a foot 

 above the ground, of nearly a circular form, and according to age 

 varying in diameter from a few inches to 5 or 6 feet, having a long 

 tapering taproot penetrating deeply into the earth. Its surface 

 is nearly flat, rough, and cracked, and depressed towards the 

 centre, seemingly as it were divided in two parts by a furrow. 

 Eound the margin are yearly produced several forked fiower-stalks 

 rising about a foot in height, bearing round or four-sided cones 

 about an inch or more in diameter at the base. It has two leaves, 



