Botany for Ladies: or, A Popular Introduction to the Natural System of Plants, According to the Classification of De Candolle.Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Science
Botany for Ladies: or, A Popular Introduction to the Natural System of Plants, According to the Classification of De Candolle.
Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Botany; Plants -- Classification
There are three genera in this order: viz., Philadelphus, the
Mock-Orange or Syringa; Decumaria and Deutzia, all which have white
flowers. There are many species of Philadelphus, all of which are
easily known by their large white flowers, and large coarse-looking
leaves. The flowers of the common species (_P. coronarius_) smell like
those of the Orange, and the leaves taste like cucumber. There is only
one species of Decumaria (_D. barbara_), which is a native of Virginia
and Carolina, and is a climbing shrub, with terminal corymbs of white,
sweet-scented flowers. _Deutzia scabra_, though only introduced in
1833, is already common in gardens; and it is a general favourite from
the great abundance of its flowers. Though it said to be not a true
climber, its stems are too weak to stand without support. It is a
native of Japan, and though generally kept in pots, it is supposed to
be quite hardy.
ORDER LXXXIV.—MYRTACEÆ.—THE MYRTLE TRIBE.
No plants are more easily recognized than those belonging to this
tribe; as they are easily distinguished by their entire leaves, which
have no stipules, and which, when held up to the light, appear to
be not only full of transparent dots, but to have a transparent line
round the margin. The flowers have also abundance of stamens on long
slender filaments which look like tufts of silk, and only four or five
petals. The whole of the plants are fragrant, and every part of them
seems full of an aromatic oil, which is particularly visible in the
flower-buds of _Caryophyllus aromaticus_, which when dried form what
are commonly called cloves; and in the leaves of some of the kinds of
Eucalyptus. The genera may be divided into two sections, viz., those
with a dry capsule for the fruit; in which are included _Melaleuca_
and its allied genera, _Eucalyptus, Callistemon, Metrosideros and
Leptospermum_; and those with berry-like fruit, the most interesting of
which are _Psidium_, the Guava; _Myrtus_, the Myrtle; _Caryophyllus_,
the Clove; _Eugenia or Myrtus pimenta_, Jamaica Allspice; and _Jambosa
Vulgaris or Eugenia Jambosa_, the Rose Apple. In some of the genera, as
for example in Eucalyptus, the sepals of the calyx become detached at
the base, and being united above form a sort of cap or calyptra, which
is pushed off by the stamens when the flower begins to expand. Besides
the plants already enumerated, some botanists add another section to
Myrtaceæ, which others consider a separate order; under the name of
_Lecythideæ_. This section contains three genera, the most remarkable
plants in which are the Cannon Ball-tree (_Lecythis Ollaria_), and
the Brazil Nut (_Bertholletia excelsa_). The fruit of this last plant
is fleshy, and as large as a child’s head, opening with a lid, and
containing sixteen or twenty triangular seeds, laid over each other in
a regular manner, which are the Brazil-nuts sold in the shops.
ORDER LXXXV.—CUCURBITACEÆ.—THE GOURD TRIBE.
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