Flacourtia
(named after Etienne de Flacourt, 1607-1661, a Director of the French East India Company). ORD. Bixineae. A genus comprising about a dozen species of fruit-bearing, often thorny, stove trees or shrubs, from the warmer regions of Asia and Africa. Stamens densely crowded upon the hemispherical receptacle; the sepals whitish, and the stamens and anthers yellow. Fruit baccate, indehiscent. Leaves shortly stalked, dentate. The species are rarely seen in cultivation.
FLAT-BODY MOTH, COMMON (Depressaria cicutella). In this moth, like the rest of the genus, the body seems depressed, hence the common name. The fore wings are pale ochreous-reddish, irregularly freckled with brown and black specks; a pale mark runs from the base along the front edge, and two or three white dots, in black rings, are seen towards the middle; the whole having a glossy appearance. The hind wings are shining, but more grey, and without markings. The common Flat-body Moth produces two, or perhaps more, broods in a year. The caterpillars are found in June, and again in September, and the moths in August and November; the latter live in a dormant state through the winter, and re-appear in the spring. Two or three species of this genus, very similar in appearance and habit, infest the leaves, flowers, and seeds of Carrot crops, sometimes doing considerable damage. The other kinds are D. daucella and D. depressella. See Carrot Blossom Moth and Purple Carrot-seed Moth. Remedies. The larvae draw the leaves or flower-heads together by means of silken threads, which make their domicile very conspicuous. These may be gathered and destroyed; but as the caterpillar is likely to wriggle out and drop, by means of a silken thread, at the moment the plant is touched, some receptacle should be placed under the curled part before attempting to pluck it off. Solitary wasps, and insectivorous birds, are very useful in clearing away these small grubs.