COR 
COREOPSIS, in botany, a genus of tlie 
Syngenesia Polygamia Frustianea class and 
order. Natural order of Compositze Oppo- 
sitifolise. Corynibifera Jussieu. Essential 
character: calyx erect, many-leaved, sur- 
rounded at the base with spreading rays ; 
down two-horned ; receptacle chaffy. There 
are twenty species. 
CORIANDRUM, in botany, a genus of 
(he Pentandria Digynia class and order. 
Natural order of Uinbellatae. Essential 
character : corolla rayed ; petal inflex emar- 
ginate ; involucre universal, one-leafed ; par- 
tial halved ; fruit spherical. There are two 
species, viz. C. sativum, common or great 
coriander, has an annual root, the^ stein 
about a foot and half in height; universal 
involucre one-leafed or none, the 
leaflets of the partial involucre small, fili- 
form ; petals white or reddish. It flovvers 
in June or July in corn fields. C. testicu- 
latum, small or twin-fruited coriander ; root 
annual; stem angular; umbel usually sim- 
ple, very seldom compound ; universal in- 
volucre one-leafed; partial none; petals 
not rayed ; anthers purplish. The leaves 
of this sort, as well as the former, have 
a strong disagreeable scent. The seeds 
are grateful to the taste, and incrusted 
witli sugar are sold by the confectioners. 
The first sort, though found wild in Essex, 
where it has been long cultivated, is not 
a native of this country. They are both 
brought from the South of Europe, China, 
and Cochin China. 
CORIARIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Dioecia Decandria class and order. Essen- 
tiar character: calyx five leaved; corolla 
five petaUed, very like the calyx. Male, 
anthers two parted. Female, styles five ; 
seeds five, covered with succulent berried 
petals. There are three species. 
CORIS, in botany, a genus of the Pen- 
tandria Monogynia class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Lykniachire, J ussieu. Essential 
character: corolla one-petalled, irregular; 
calyx spinous ; capsule five- valVcd, superior. 
There is but one species, viz. C. inonspc- 
liensis, Montpelier coris. This plant is sel- 
dom more than six inches high, and spreads 
near the surface of the ground like heath. 
It flowers in June, and makes a very pretty 
appearance. There are two varieties ot 
this plant, one with a red and the other 
with a white flower. Native of the South 
of France. 
CdRISPERMUM, in botany, a genus 
of the Monaudria Digynia class and order. 
COR 
Natural order of Oleraceae. Atriplices, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : calyx none ; 
petals two ; seed one, oval, naked. There 
are two species, viz. C. hyssopifolium, hys- 
sop-leaved tickseed, and C. squarrosum, 
rough-spiked tickseed. These plants hav- 
ing little beauty are seldom cultivated, ex- 
cept in botanic gardens. They are iratives 
of Russia. 
CORK, is a substance analogous to wood, 
it is the exterior bark of a tree belonging to 
the genus oak, which grows wild in the 
southern parts of Europe. When the tree 
is fourteen or fifteen years old it is fit to be 
barked, and may be done successively for 
several years. The bark always grows up 
again, and its quality improves as the age 
of the tree increases. If the bark is not 
taken off in due time it splits and peels off 
by itself, being pushed away by the second 
growth. The best bark comes from Spain 
and Portugal : it is taken off in sheets, care 
being used in keeping them as large as pos- 
sible. After it is detached from the tree 
the Portuguese burn or char it, laying the. 
convex side of the bark to the fire in order 
to straighten and swell it. It is then piled 
in stacks ready for sale. 
Cork is formed into soles for shoes, into 
corks and bungs for stopping bottles, &c. 
into a floatage for the nets of fishermen; it 
is employed generally, though perhaps with 
a considerable degree of error, in teaching 
the art of swimming ; it is also ingeniously 
used, on account of its lightness, when an 
amputation of the human leg has been 
necessary, to supply the deficiency;, the 
Spaniards line stone walls with it, which not 
only renders their houses very warm but 
corrects the moisture of the air ; tire Egyp- 
tians made coffins of it, which being cover- 
ed in the inside with a resinous composition 
preserved their dead bodies. It is burnt to 
make that light black substance called 
Spanish black, from its having been first 
made in Spain. 
Cork bark has not only been applied as 
above, but also in the preservation of life 
when eirdangered by shipwreck ; the most 
conspicuous exhibition of its advantages is 
in the application of it in the construction 
of the “ life boat,” or “ cork boat,” as it 
was originally called. See Boat, life. 
A coik jacket too has been revived from 
an old German discovery, by Mr. Dubourg ; 
to preserve the lives of persons in danger of 
drowning, which is constructed as follows: 
pieces of cork about three inches long, by 
two wide, and the usual thickness of the 
