510 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



repeated macerations yields an excellent tapioca, wliicli con- 

 stitutes a great part of the food of the Indians. 



The family SchizandracecB consists of about a dozen species, 

 natives chiefly of India and Japan. They are trailing or 

 twining climbers. 



Kadsura japonica yields, by boiling, a mucilage used in 

 Japan for paperr-making. They are handsome creepers; 

 several species have been long cultivated at Kew. 



Another family, Lardizahalacece, consists of a dozen species, 

 having alternate trifoliate or digitate leaves. Flowers small, 

 unisexual or bisexual. Fruit a berry. 



About a dozen species are enumerated of this family, 

 chiefly natives of the cooler parts of India, Chili, and South 

 America. The juicy fruit of some of them is eaten, espe- 

 cially of Decaisma insignis, native of Bhotan, where it is 

 eagerly sought after by the natives. It is thought that it 

 would even be hardy and fruit in this country. Stauntonia 

 latifolia, of India, and Lardizahala triternata^ live in the open 

 air in this country, and are handsome evergreen climbers. 



The Grape Vine Family. 



(YlTACE^.) 



Trailing and climbing ampelids, some rising from a gouty 

 base. Leaves usually alternate, entire, lobed or digitate. 

 Flowers small, in spikes or panicled racemes. Fruit a pulpy 

 berry, containing one or more seeds. 



About 300 species are recorded of this family, chiefly 

 natives of the warmer regions of both hemispheres, some 

 growing to a great length, and adhering to trees by their 

 claw-like tendrils. 



Grape Vine {Vitis viniferd). The fruit is a berry, growing 

 in bunches, and called Grapes. The chief manufactured 

 products of the grape are wine and brandy ; the former 

 obtained from the juice by fermentation, the latter by distil- 

 lation. From the history of Noah we learn that the vine 

 was cultivated, and wine made at a very early period. The 



