leaves of Great Bindweed are lopped at the base; the petals of Periwinkle are lopped at the end. Pl. 8. f. 63. LYRE-SHAPED (lyratus) as the leaves of Herb Bennet, or Pl. 8. f. 62. MALE (masculi) FLOWERS, are such as contain one or more Stamens, but no Pistils; see Barren. MARCES'CENS, shrivelling. MAS'CULI, male (flowers.) MATTED (caespitosus) thickly interwoven together, as the fibres in turfbogs. Sometimes also it signifies many stems rising from the same root. MEASURES, when used to designate the size of any particular parts of plants, are generally expressed by mentioning the proportion which those parts bear to other parts, but sometimes reference is made to certain standards of measures: as A HAIR'S-BREADTH, a twelfth part of a line. A LINE (linea) the twelfth part of an inch, or the breadth of the white at the root of the nail of the middle finger. A NAIL (unguis) about half an inch. AN INCH (pollex) the breadth of the broadest part of the thumb. A HAND'S-BREADTH (palmus) about three inches, or the breadth of the four fingers. A SPAN (spithama) the space between the end of the thumb and the fore-finger, when extended; about seven inches. PALM (dodrans) the space between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger, when fully extended; about nine inches. This is nearly the palm of foreign nations, and is something more than a quarter of the English yard. to the A FOOT (pes) from the outer bend of the elbow, to the lower joint of the thumb; or from the inner bend of the arm, second joint of the thumb; about twelve inches. A CUBIT (cubitus) from the outer bend of the elbow, to the end of the middle finger; about eighteen inches, or half an English yard. AN ARM (brachium) from the armpit to the base of the middle finger; about twenty-four inches, or two feet. A FATHOM (orgya) about six feet, or the space between the ends of the fingers when the arms are both widely stretched out. MEDULLA, pith. (MEMBRA'NA; the finer film which in some cases lines the skin of the seed. E.) MEMBRANACEOUS (membranaceus) thin, skinny, and semi-transparent, like parchment. VOL. I. LEAF; so thin that the cuticle of the one surface F appears almost closely applied to the other; as in most trees and shrubs. E.) MEMBRANACEOUS STEM; when the edges of the stem are bordered with a thin leafy substance, as in Water Figwort and Broad-Leaved Pea Everlasting. WING; the dilated appendage of certain seeds and seed-vessels. E.) MENSU'RA, measure. MID-RIB, the principal nerve which runs from the base towards the end of a leaf, along its middle. MONADELPHIA, united threads or filaments; the name of a Class in the Linnæan System; see the Introduction to that Class. MONAN'DRIA, one stamen; the name of the first Class in the Linnæan System. (MONOCOTYLEDONOUS; plants with a simple, undivided Embryo; the upper end of that organ being presumed to perform the necessary functions of a Cotyledon, with respect to air, in the earliest stage of germination. Sm. Gram. E.) MONOE'CIA, one house; the name of the twenty-first Class in the Linnæan System. In the plants of this Class, the Stamens and Pistils 44 are in different flowers, but on the same plant. These plants are now distributed among the other Classes, according to the number of their Stamens. MONOGY'NIA, one Pistil in each flower. an Order in several of the Classes. MONOPETALA, monopetalous. This circumstance characterizes MONOPETALOUS (flower) having a blossom consisting of only one petal, as Convolvulus or Primrose. MONOPHYLLUS, one-leafed. MONOSPERMA, one-seeded. MOUTH (faux) the upper and opening part of the tube, in blossoms consisting of a single petal; as Borage, Houndstongue, Dead-nettle. Pl. 4. f. 9. (d. d.) MUCRONA'TUM (leaf) sharp-pointed at the end. Dagger-pointed. MULES, see Hybrid. MULTANGULARIS, many-cornered. MULTIF'IDUS, many-cleft. MULTIFLORES, many-flowered. MULTILOCULA'RE, many-celled. MULTIPARTITA, having many deep divisions. MULTIVAL VIS, many-valved; more than two. MURICA'TUS, set with sharp points. Mus'cr, Mosses; the name of a natural assemblage of plants constituting the third Order of the Class Cryptogamia. MU'TICUS, awn-less. NAIL (unguis) see Measure. NARROW (ligulatus) the florets in some species of compound flowers are tubular at the bottom, but flat and narrow like a strap or fillet at the top. In Dandelion the florets are all narrow in the common Daisy the florets in the circumference only, are narrow. Pl. 4. f. 10. f. 21. f. 24. The term linearis (strap-shaped) seems to convey the same idea, but has been more particularly appropriated to leaves. NAKED (nudus) destitute of leaves; as the stalk of the Tulip or Cowslip. MOUTH; when the mouth of the tube of a blossom is not closed by valves or hairs. The mouth of the blossom of Borage is closed by five valves, or teeth; but that of Gromwell is open and naked. RECEPTICLE; neither chaffy nor hairy; as that of the Daisy. LEAVES; leaves destitute of hairs. NAP, or NAPPY, see Cottony, from which this term does not appear to differ. NATANS, floating. NAVICULA'RIS, boat-shaped. NECTA'RIUM, a nectary. NECTARY, or HONEY-CUP, the part of a flower designed to secrete and contain honey; (Linnæus has been supposed to extend the term too generally, from analogy so deeming every supernumerary part of a flower; though it must be admitted that either with or without some such apparatus, almost every flower is more or less provided with this secretion. Jussieu appears more sceptical. The most indubitable of all Nectaries, as Sir J. E. Smith observes, are those of a glandular kind, actually secreting honey; as in the Cruciferæ, &c. The chief use of honey to the flower is supposed to be to attract insects, who in collecting it disperse the farina of the stamens so as to ensure fecundation. E.) In flowers that have only one petal, the tube of the blossom contains the honey; or else it is contained in a sort of horn-shaped appendage, as in Butterwort. In the Violet, Larkspur, Columbine, and Fumitory, it is a sort of spur or horn. In Ranunculus, Lily, and Crown Imperial, it is a hollow cavity in the substance of the petals. In Daffodil and Hellebore it is tubular. In Fraxinella and Campanula it is fixed to the Anthers; in Gilliflower and Turnip it is placed on the Germen in the form of a gland. Its structure is no where more singular or beautiful than in Grass of Parnassus. Pl. 5. f. 1. (a.) f. 2. (a. a. a. a. a.) f. 3. (a. a.) f. 4. (a.) NEEDLE-SHAPED (acicularis.) NERVO'SUM, fibrous (leaf.) NEUTRAL flowers or florets; such as contain neither Stamens nor Pistils and of course produce no seeds. NIDULAN'TIA (semina) seeds dispersed in pulp. NITIDUS, glossy. NODDING (nutans) FLOWER; when the fruit-stalk is bent near the end, as in Chequered Daffodil, Narcissus, and Jonquil. Pl, 3. f. 9. but in a smaller degree than is meant by the term crooked. NO'DUS, a knot. NOTCHED (emarginate, or nicked, E.) (emarginatus) at the END; as the petals of the Small Campion, and Dove's-foot Crane's-bill; the little leaves of Vetch; the leaves of Common Maple. Pl. 7. f. 16. 36. NOTCHED (runcinate or lion-toothed, E.) (runcinatus) LEAVES; the edges cut something like the teeth of a large timber saw. Dandelion, Broad-leaved Watercress, Long-rooted Hawk's-eye, and Smooth Succory-Hawkweed, are examples. NU'CLEUS, a kernel. NU'DUS, naked (sometimes applied to designate flowers destitute of the calyx. E.) NU'TANS, nodding; but applied to a panicle more properly drooping: (sometimes rendered incumbent. E.) Nux, a nut. NUT (nux) a seed covered by a hard woody shell; e. g. the Hazel Nut. This woody shell is sometimes covered by a soft pulpy or fleshy substance, as in a Peach or Apricot, and then it is called a stone. Pl. 5. f. 21. (b. b.) OB, inversely; thus OB-CO'NICUM, signifies inversely conical. OB-CORDA'TUM, inversely heart-shaped; which see. OBLIQUUS, slanting, (oblique, or twisted, as is the position of some leaves. E.) OBLONG (oblongus) considerably longer than broad, and narrowed, though rounded at the ends; as the leaves of the Daisy; the anthers of Honeysuckle. Pl. 7. f. 5. OBLONGIUS/CULUS, rather oblong. OBLON'GO-OVA'TUM, oblong-egg-shaped. OBLONG-EGG-SHAPED, oblong at the base, but egg-shaped towards the end. OB-OVA'TUM, inversely egg-shaped; that is, egg-shaped, but with the small end downwards. OBSOLE'TUS, indistinct. OBTU'SUS, blunt. OBTUSIUS'CULUS, bluntish. OCTAN'DRIA, eight-stamened. The name of a Class. OCTOFIDUS, eight-cleft. OCTOGY'NIA, eight Pistils; the name of some of the Linnæan Orders. OCTO-PARTI'TUS, having eight divisions. OPEN (patulus) standing open, or spreading wide. OPERCULA'TUM, covered with a lid. OPER'CULUM, a lid. OPPOSITE (Oppositus) growing on the opposite sides of the stem, but at the same height from the ground, as the leaves of the Nettle. In Pl. 9. f. 5. all the leaves are opposite. OPPOSITIFOLIUM, opposite the leaf. OPPOSITUS, opposite. ORBICULA'TUs, round and flat. OR'DO, order; see the Introduction. OS'SEUS, hard as bone. OVAL (ovale) leaf; as the leaves of Box. Pl. 7. f. 4. OVA'TO-OBLONGUM, egg-shaped, but lengthened out towards the end. OVA'TO-SUBULATA (capsule) egg-awl-shaped. That is, egg-shaped at the base, but tapering into awl-shaped towards the other extremity. PAGI'NA, the surface of a leaf. PAIRS (binatus: geminus) leaves, or fruit-stalks, sometimes grow in pairs. Pl. 7. f. 50. See also Juga. PALATE (palatum) the inner part of the mouth of gaping blossoms. Pl. 4. f. 10. (c.) It is frequently closed, or nearly so, by a projecting plait of the lower lip; this part is called the palate. Pl. 4. f. 10. (c.) PALE'A, chaff. PALEA'CEUS, chaffy: (which see; as applied to the Receptacle, Flower, or Husk. E.) PALM (dodrans) see Measure. PANDURIFORMIS, fiddle-shaped. PANICLE (panicula) an assemblage of flowers growing without any very regular order, upon fruit-stalks which are variously subdivided; e. g. Oats. Pl. 6. f. 6. It is said to be SPREADING; (or lax, diffusa. E.) when the partial fruit-stalks diverge and stand wide asunder, as in Common and Reed Meadowgrass. COMPACT; (dense, coarctata. E.) when they stand near toge ther, as in Sheep's Fescue and Purple Hairgrass. Golden PANICLED (paniculatus) BUNCH; an assemblage of flowers partaking the properties of a panicle and a bunch. See those terms. Rod may serve as an example. SPIKE; an assemblage of flowers partaking the properties of a panicle and a spike; as Wall Fescue and Manured CanaryGrass; in which the collections of florets resemble a spike in their general appearance, but are furnished with fruit-stalks, shorter than themselves. PAPILIONA CEUS, butterfly-shaped. PAPILLO'SUS, pimpled. PARALLEL'US, parallel. PARASITICAL (parasiticus) PLANTS; not taking root in the earth, but growing upon other vegetables. Thus Misletoe is found to grow upon the Apple Tree, the Pear, Lime, Elm, Poplar, Hawthorn, and Buckthorn, but never upon the ground: (Dodder upon Heath, Gorse, &c.; many Lichens and Mosses; with numerous Fungi follow the same habit. E.) PARTIAL (partialis) expressive of a part, not of the whole. Thus the Umbellules, or small Umbels, composing a large Umbel, are sometimes called partial Umbels; and the Involucellum or fence at the base of these partial Umbels, is sometimes called the partial Invo lucre. See pl. 6. f. 9. (d. d. d. d.) |