VAN VAS 
VAS VEH 
all require a good strong moist heat, and a plentiful 
supply of water during the growing season, which 
ought to commence about the beginning or middle 
of June, and continue to the end of September, 
from which time they should be kept cool and dry 
until the beginning of March, when they should 
be placed in a strong dry heat to induce them to 
flower. They will, if thus treated, flower most 
abundantly ; whereas, if kept in a continued moist 
atmosphere, they will do nothing but grow from 
year to year, and of course never produce flowers, 
because they are not allowed a proper season to 
elaborate and perfect their flower-buds, neither 
have they a proper season for the development of 
those buds. Propagation is effected by carefully 
detaching the lateral shoots after they have grown 
to the length of about six inches, and fastening 
them to another block of wood in a similar manner 
to the old ones ; but great caution is necessary to 
preserve them from excision by moisture till they 
have recovered from the eflFects of being severed 
from the parent plant, and commenced growing, 
cruenta .... Red . . 8, S. Epi. China . . . 1819 
lamellatd . . . Pa. yel. . 8, S. Epi. Manilla . . 1887 
multifldri . . . Yellow . 6, S. Epi. China. . . 1800 
Roxburghn . . . Wilt pur. 7, S. Epi. China. . . 1810 
tessellata . . . Wht. pur. 7, S. Epi. China . . .1816 
unicbldr . . . Ch. bm. . S. Epi. 
teres Red yeL . 3, S. Epi. Silhet . . 1828 
VandellYa, Linn. In honour of Dominico Vandelli, 
professor of botany at Lisbon. Linn. 14, Or. 2, Nat. 
Or. Scrophulariaceae. These plants require the 
same treatment as other tender annuals. Sy nonymes: 
1. Hornemannia ovaia, Tittmannia ovata. 2. H. vis- 
cosa, T. viscosa. 3. Torenia d\ffusa. 
cnistac^d, 1 . . Blue . . 6, S. A. India . . 1816 
diffusa .... 'White. . 7, S. A. Santa Cruz 1824 
hirsuta, 2 . . . Blue . . 6, H. A. India . . 1823 
Roxburghn, 3 . . Purple . 7> S. A. Coroman. . 1818 
■Vangueria, Commelin. Altered from Voa-Vanguer, 
the name of V. edulis in Madagascar. Linn. 5, Or. 
1, Nat. Or. Cinchonaceas. These plants succeed 
best in a mixture of loam and peat, and they are 
readily increased by cuttings, in the same kind of 
soil, under a glass, in heat. The fruit of V. edulis, 
as the name implies, is succulent and eatable, 
edulis .... Green . . S. Ev. S. India . . 1809 
spin6s4 .... Green . . 6, S. Ev. S. Madagas. . 1816 
veliitind . . . Lgt. gm. . 5, S. Ev. S. Madagas. . 1829 
Vanilla, Plumier. An alteration of Vaynilla, which 
is a diminutive of Vaina,a. Spanish word signifying 
a sheath ; in reference to the cylindrical pt^ being 
like the sheath of a knife. Linn. 20, Or. 1, Nat. 
Or. VanillaceoB. These plants thrive best in a mix- 
ture of moss and turfy peat, in a moist warm at- 
mosphere. They should have the rough bark of a 
piece of wood, or a wall for their long roots, which 
issue from every joint, to cling to ; and they are 
readily increased by cuttings. The fruit is one of 
the most delightful aromatics known, and is exten- 
sively used in the manufacture of liqueurs, choco- 
late, and various articles of confectionary, and also 
for perfuming snuffs. 
aromatica . . . White. . 7, S. Ev. Cl. S. Eur. . .1739 
bicolur .... Dull red . S. Epi. Guiana . . 
planifdira . . . White . . 5, S. Ev. CL W. Ind. . 1800 
Varicose, swollen here and there. 
Variolaria, Persoon. From variolce, measles ; the 
shields of these plants resemble the eruptive spots 
of the measles. Linn. 24, Or. 8, Nat. Or. Lichenes. 
Crustaceous plants, found on rocks, walls, and the 
bark of trees — V. amara, A. discoidid, chlorothBcid, 
cinirid, communis, C. aspergilla, constelldtd, deal- 
butd, globulifird,' grisiO-virSns, IcLctSd, L. arendrid, 
multipnnctd, M. lavigatd, polythScid, terricdld, tdrtd, 
velatd. 
Varronia, see CSrdld. 
Vascoa, Decandolle. In honour of Vasco de Gama, 
the celebrated Portuguese circumnavigator. Linn. 
16, Or. 6, Nat. Or. Leguminosae. Showy plants 
when in blossom. They grow well in a mixture of 
loam and peat ; and young cuttings root readily in 
sand, under a glass. Synonymes : 1. Rafnia am- 
plexicaulia, Crotalaria amplexicaulis, 2. Borbonia 
perfoliata, C. amplexicaulis. 
amplexieaulls, 1 . Yellow . 7, G. Ev. S. C. G. H. . 1816 
perfoliau, 2 . . Yellow . 7. 0. Ev. S. C. G. H. .1812 
[ 327 j 
Vascular, composed of tubes or vessels. 
Vauanthes, see GrammanthSs. 
VaucherIa, Decandolle. In honour of the Rev. M. 
Vaucher of Geneva, a botanical author. Linn. 24, 
Or. 7, Nat. Or. Algce. Found in ditches, &c. — V. 
dichOtomd , D submarind, Dillruijnii, gemindtd, mul- 
ticapsuldris, racemOsd, radicdtd, terrestris. 
Vaulted, formed like a vault. 
Veinlkss, without veins. 
Velezia, Linn. In honour of C. Velez, a physician 
and botanist at Madrid. Linn. 5, Or. 2, Nat. Or. 
Silenaceae. The seeds may be sown in any light 
soil. 
rigida .... 'Wht. pur. 7, H. A. Spain . . 1683 
Vella, Decandolle. From velar, the Celtic name of 
the Cress. Linn. 15, Nat. Or. Cntciferoe. This 
shrub is commonly grown as a greenhouse plant, 
but it is sufficiently hardy to endure the winter 
when planted in a dry, warm, south border; it is 
increased by young cuttings, in sand, under a glass. 
Pseudo -cytisus . Yellow . 4, G. Ev. S. Spain . . 1759 
Vei.leja, Smith, In honour of Major Velley, a gen- 
tleman who paid much attention to marine Algx. 
Linn. 5, Or. 1, Nat. Or. Goodeniaceae. Interesting 
plants, succeeding best in a mixture of loam, peat, 
and sand, and increased by division, or by seeds, 
which are sometimes produced in this country. 
The plants must be sparingly watered in winter, 
lyrata .... Yellow . 4, G. Her. P. N. HoIL . 1319 
paradoxa . . . Yellow . 7, G Her. P. N. Holl. . 1824 
spatulata . . . Yellow . 4, G. Her. P. N. Holl. . 1825 
VeltheImia, Gleditsch. In honour of F. A. Veltheim, 
a German botanist. Linn. 6, Or. 1, Nat. Or. Lili- 
acem. The species of Veltheimia thrive best in a 
light loamy soil ; and are readily increased by 
offsets from the bulbs ; the leaves pulled off close 
to the bulb, and planted in pots of soil, will produce 
bulbs at their beise. 
glauca .... Flesh . . 3, G. Bl. P. C. G. H. . 1781 
• 7. G- Bl- P. C. 0. H. . 1834 
intermedia’. Flesh . . 4, G. Bl. P. C. G. H. . 1800 
viridiffllia . . . Flesh wht. 8, G. Bl. P. 0. G. H. . 1768 
Velvety, covered with down resembling velvet. 
Ventricose, inflated. 
Venus’s comb, see Scdndtx PSctSn-VinSris. 
Venus’s flytrap, see Dionded muscipuld. 
Venus’s hair, see Adiuntnm Capillus-VenSris. 
Venus’s luoking-glass, see Specularid spScdlnnu 
Venus’s navelwort, see Omphalodes. 
Vepris, Commelin. From vepres, a briar or bramble. 
Linn. 21, Or. 8, Nat. Or. Rutaceae For culture and 
propagation, see Toddalia, Synonyme ; 1. Toddalia 
paniculata. 
obovata .... 'White . . S. Ev. S. Maurit. . . 1824 
Veratrum, Linn, From vere, truly, and ater, black ; 
in allusion to the colour of the root. Linn. 23, Or. 
1, Nat. Or. Melanthaceae. A genus of elegant plants 
when in flower. They thrive best in a rich soil, 
and are increased by division or seeds. “ The 
dangerous medicinal properties of the root of Ver- 
atrum are owing to a peculiar alkaline principle, 
called Veratrin, which acts with singular energy on 
the membrane of the nose, exciting violent sneez- 
ings, though taken in very minute quantity. When 
taken internally in very small doses, it produces 
excessive irritation of the raucous coat of the 
stomach and intestines, and a few grains are found 
fatal to the lower animals. V. viride is an acrid, 
emetic, and powerful stimulant, followed by se- 
dative effects.” Lindley’s Nat. Syst. ofBot., 2d Ed. 
p. 348. 
album . . . .White. . 7, H. Her. P. Europe . . 1548 
angustifbllum . . Green . . 6, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1823 
Lobelianum . . 'White . . 6, H. Her. P. S. Eur. . . 1818 
nigrum .... Drk. pur. . 6, H. Her. P, Siberia . . 1596 
parviflOrum . . Green . . 6, H. Her. P. Carolina . 1809 
viride .... Green . . 7, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1742 
Verbascum, Linn. Said to be from barbascum, bearded; 
in allusion to the bearded filaments. Linn. 5, Or. 
1, Nat. Or. Scrophulariaccce. The species of Ver- 
bascum are strong, robust growing plants, producing 
an abundance of showy, yellow flowers, and on 
that account they are well adapted for planting at 
the back of flower borders, or in shrubberies. They 
