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Saxifrage: Thymelaceoe

MEZEREON is an Arabic name, and signifies "the destroyer of life," from its caustic properties. Of the generic name Daphne it cannot be needful here to speak. N.O., Thymelaceoe, or Daphnads. LINNAEAN: 8, Octandria; 1, Monogynia.--It is necessary to speak a word of caution here. The Thymelaceoe, it will be observed, are Daphnads and not Labiates. Our sweet old friend the thyme, or thymus, is not in the story at all; that fragrant herb is a labiate, as are very many of our most valued aromatic pot-herbs. The Daphnes are spurge laurels, and poisonous, although in many cases useful for their active properties. In this group of plants we find the beautiful pimelea, the curious banksia, the lovely daphne, and the thymelaea. The mezereon is not without renown as an operative agent, for in Siberia the dandies (and the ladies too, perhaps) rub their cheeks with its berries to produce by irritation a red colour, the hue of the rose or the poppy being preferred. The lace-bark tree (Lagetta lintearia) belongs to this family, and the eagle-wood (Aquilaria ovata) is another important member, furnishing one of the lign-aloes. DOUBLE PRIMROSE is of scientific interest as illustrating the physiological changes that accompany the doubling process. The double varieties demand more care than the single, and are more difficult to multiply, as they produce no seed, or so little and in such an uncertain manner that we cannot reasonably expect to secure it except by systematic attention and aided by experience in the matter. The leading characters of the primulas have been briefly set forth in previous volumes.

HELIANTHEMUM, from helios, the sun, and anthemon, a flower. N.O., Cistaceoe, or Rock-roses. LINNAEAN: 13, Polyandria; 1, Monogynia.--A family of herbs and shrubs, often with gummy branches and a resinous juice. The flowers are hermaphrodite, fugaceous, three or five divided, the fruit a globular capsule. The chief home of the cistus family is the southern shore of the Mediterranean and the warmer parts of Europe; there are few in America or Asia. The gum cistus (Cistus ladanifera) is a well-known garden shrub; this and other species supply the resinous substance known in commerce as labdanum, an inflammable substance used in the manufacture of torches, also as a cosmetic, and occasionally as a stimulant in cases of catarrh and dysentery. ANEMONE, from anemos, the wind, in allusion to the breezy spots the more hardy species love. N.O., Ranunculaceoe, or Crowfoots. LINNAEAN: 13, Polyandria; 6, Polygynia.--The crowfoot or buttercup order is arranged in five groups or tribes, comprising severally--(1) the clematis and its near kindred, such as the atragene, &c.; (2) the anemone, adonis, thalictrum, &c.; (3) the ranunculus and ficaria; (4) the hellebore, caltha, trollius, aconite, delphinium, &c.; (5) the actaea and podophyllum. The plants of this order are scattered all over the world, most plentifully in temperate and arctic climes, most rarely in the tropics, except in high altitudes where a temperate climate prevails. Comparatively few of them are serviceable to man otherwise than by their beauty. The buttercups are never willingly eaten by cattle, but when made into hay are innocuous and possibly serviceable. A curious exception to the dislike of cattle to plants of the buttercup order is afforded by the water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis), which in many parts of the country is drawn from the streams where it grows plentifully as fodder for cows that eat it greedily. All true Ranunculaceoe have a watery juice, divided leaves, and the flowers are divided in threes and sixes; the petals distinct, inserted under the ovary. The anemones have a coloured calyx, and often the seed-vessels have a long bearded style.

CYCLAMEN, from kyclicos, circular, referring to the bulb-like root. N.O., Primulaceoe. LINNAEAN: 5, Pentandria; 1, Monogynia.--The plant appears to the casual eye to be far separated from the primulus, its round fleshy root or corm being a quite distinguishing feature. But it agrees in all essential particulars, and is placed in the second group comprising the primulas, androsaces, soldanellas, lysimachias, and dodecatheons. PELARGONIUM, from pelargos, a stork, in reference to the shape of the seed-pod, which resembles a stock's bill. N.O., Geraniaceoe. LINNAEAN: 16, Monadelphia; 4, Heptandria.--This interesting order consist of soft-stemmed shrubs and herbs which may be grouped in two great divisions. In one division we have the true geraniums, which are distinguished by the regularity of the corolla, as may be seen in such beautiful British plants as Geranium pratense and G. sanguineum. In the other we have the true pelargoniums, which have an irregular corolla as seen in the familiar scarlet, ivy-leaved, and other species grown in gardens, of which for present purposes Pelargonium lateripes is a suitable example. The geraniums are mostly hardy and the pelargoniums are mostly tender; the first belong more especially to the northern hemisphere, the second to the southern. There is one hardy pelargonium known to a few cultivators, the curious and unattractive P. endlicherianum, the flowers of which appear to have only two petals.

PYRETHRUM, from purinos, fiery, sparkling. N.O., Asteraceoe, or Composites. LINNAEAN: 19, Syngenesia; 2, Superflua.--This "fiery" genus comprises for the most part plants with white flowers, but our P. roseum, one of the finest of all known hardy flowers, brings the best of fire into the garden to warm the greensward in the often chilly month of May. This plant is the source of the celebrated insecticide known as Persian powder. It is a near relation of the chrysanthemum and aster, and might properly be called the starwort of the spring.

ORNITHOGALUM, from ornis, a bird, and gala, milk. N.O., Liliaceoe, or Lilyworts. LINNAEAN: 6, Hexandria; 1, Monogynia.--The star of Bethlehem belongs to the hyacinth group of lilaceous plants, having for associates the muscari, eucomis, allium, and the very lovely chionodoxa. The hyacinth and the scilla are, however, the two most important members of this section. IXIA, from ixia, bird-lime, the plant having a clammy juice. N.O., Iridaceoe. LINNAEAN: 3, Triandria; 1, Monogynia.--All the irids are herbs with tuberous or fibrous roots, alternate leaves, which are often sheathing at the base. The flowers are regular or irregular, three or six divided, the fruit a three-celled capsule. The members of the order are widely scattered, flourishing splendidly in the southern hemisphere, more particularly the Cape of Good Hope. Ixia, sparaxis, tritonia, and Watsonia are relations, and require nearly the same management, being fairly hardy near London, but braving all seasons in the Channel Islands, more particularly in Guernsey. CYPRIPEDIUM, from Kypris, Venus, and podion, a slipper. N.O., Orchidaceoe or Orchids. LINNAEAN: 20, Gynandria; 1, Monandria.--The immense family of orchids has a few common and very striking characteristics which in structural detail undergo endless modifications, so that we are continually called on to account for appearances that when understood prove to be but variations of the strongly declared primary structure. The plants are herbs or shrubs, the latter usually having a climbing habit. The leaves are always simple and arise directly from the stem, or from swollen stems called pseudobulbs. The flowers are irregular and consist of a series of five threes, making fifteen parts in all, whereof frequently some are suppressed and others enormously developed. The special structure of the cypripedium is explained in the text. ERYTHRONIUM, from erythros, red, in allusion to the colour of the flowers and leaves of the species first discovered. N.O., Liliaceoe. LINNAEAN: 6, Hexandria; 1, Monogynia.