U' IN D FA LLS . 



377 



The Rose of Jericho. — The above name issufficiently 

 familiar, but few are acquainted with the plant itself. 

 In the first place it is not a rose, nor is it at all like one, 

 having neither the rose's form, color, perfume or any 

 other characteristic. 



Imagine a number of grayish stems rolled tightly up 

 into a sphere about as large as a billiard ball, each stem 

 bearing a number of oblong leaves and a terminal clus- 

 ter of exceedingly small dull white flowers ; below is a 

 tap-root which is commonly taken for a stem. 



The plant belongs to the order Crucifera; ; its botan- 

 ical name is Anastatica hierochiintina . It is found in the 

 sandy deserts of Arabia, Palestine and Syria, where it 

 is called Kaf-maryum , or " Mary's Hand," for like many 

 other plants, it has its legend. This legend is a very 

 singular one, but before recounting it I must mention 

 the curious property to which this marvel of the vege- 

 table world chiefly owes its fame. In very hot weather, 

 when the fiery sun scorches the sandy soil, the plant 

 stops growing, its branches bend together and curl up 

 into the ball mentioned above, which is so light and so 

 loosely attached to the soil that the slightest breeze car- 

 ries it away. If in this condition, dry aud apparently 

 dead, it is placed in water or simply exposed to moisture, 

 it revives, the branches unroll and extend themselves, 

 and the plant resumes its former appearance. 



The legend connected with the Rose of Jericho says, 

 that this is the plant which the Angel Gabriel brought 

 to the Virgin Mary, and it is a sacrilege in the eyes of 

 the superstitious to bring the dead plant to life at any 

 other time than Christmas eve. 



The vitality of the Rose of Jericho is truly remark- 

 able. Ritter states that a plant brought from Palestine 

 in the time of the crusades was resurrected after a lapse 

 of seven hundred (700) years. This palingenesis has 

 given rise to numerous marvelous tales that need not be 

 repeated here. It is also of great scientific interest in 

 view of its connection with the reproduction of the plant, 

 for the seed ripens at the very time when the parched 

 soil is unable to give it sustenance. The seed falling on 

 the hot sand would be scorched and killed by the sun, 

 but the capsules remain tightly closed and the seed is 

 still further sheltered by the branches which now begin 

 to curl up. The hotter the sun, the drier is the air and 

 the more tightly the branches curl. Finally the plant 

 is borne away by the wind, and eventually finding some 

 spot moistened by a slight shower or a heavy dew, the 

 process which has already been described at once takes 

 place. The branches expand, the capsules open and the 

 seed, falling on the damp ground, germinates in a single 

 night with the astonishing rapidity characteristic of the 

 common cress which belongs to the same botanical fam- 

 ily ; hence it will be seen that the Terose, as this plant 

 is also callled, has much to recommend it to lovers of 

 the marvelous, and though not an European plant, its 

 curious proceedings may be easily observed, for it 

 may be obtained from the dealers in Oriental goods for 

 a few sous. The Arabs of the Esplanade des Invalides 



at the exposition offered plants of all sizes, and the visitor 

 could there observe the curious phenomena above de- 

 scribed. — Albert Larbaletrier, in Le Jardiu. 



The Flower Clock. — The hour at which each flower 

 opens is itself so uniform that, by watching them, floral 

 clocks of sufficient accuracy can be arranged. Father 

 Kircher had dreamed of it, but vaguely and without 

 pointing out anything ; it is to Linnaeus that we must 

 ascribe the ingenious idea of indicating all the hours by 

 the time at which plants open or shut their corollas. The 

 Swedish botanist had created a flower clock for the cli- 

 mate which he inhabited ; but, as in our latitudes, a more 

 brilliant and radiant dawn makes the flowers earlier, 

 Lamarck was obliged to construct for France another 

 clock, which is a little in advance of the Swedish one. 

 'We quote from Pouchet ; 



Hours at which ike 



flowers open. Plants on zi hich the obsvj vations 



Morntnf^ . 7L'ere made. 



3 to 5 o'clock Tragopojjon pratense (yellow goatsheard 



or salsify). 



4 to 5 " Cichorium Intybus (chicory). 



5 " Sonchus oleraceus (sow-thistle). 



5 to 6 " Leontodon tara.xacum (dandelion). 



6 " Hieracium umbellatuni (umbellate hawk- 



weed). 



6 to 7 " Hieracium niuroriini (wall hawkweed). 



7 " Lactuca sativa (lettuce). 



" Nymphaea alba (white water lily). 



7 to S " Mesembryanthemum barbatum. 



8 '• Anagallis arvensis (field pimpernel or poor 



man s weather glass). 



9 " Calendula arvensis (field marigold). 



9 to 10 " Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice 



plant). 



10 to II " ... .Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum. 



Ei'ening. 



5 o'clock Nyctago hortensis. 



6 " Geranium triste. 



6 " Silene noctiflora. 



9 to 10 " Cereus grandiflorus. 



— Nature's Realm. 



Begonia Socotrana. — This beautiful winter flower- 

 ing begonia was discovered by Prof. Bayley Balfour, 

 in the Island of Socotra in 1880. He sent a few bulbels 

 to the Royal Gardens, Kew, where they flowered in 

 1881. The plants were then given to Messrs. Veitch, 

 and they sent them out in 1882. It is a dwarf grower, 

 and has an annual stem ; the flowers are a bright rose 

 color, and are one inch and a-half wide, they are pro- 

 duced very freely and last an exceptionally long time 

 when cut. The leaves are orbicular, peltate and are 

 about six inches in diameter. Its culture is very simple. 

 Its growing season is from the end of September to 

 March. Then it goes to rest during the summer. When 

 it shows signs of growth in September it should be 

 shaken out of the old soil and repotted in soil the same 

 as used for ordinary begonias, and grown on in a house 

 where a temperature of 55 degrees is maintained. With 

 all its good qualities it has never become a popular 

 plant in gardens. — R. Cameron, Mass. 



Flower Notes. — The hunnemannia is a fine flower 

 of tulip shape, and a bright beautiful yellow. This is 



