Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/359

 VIBURNUM There are about a dozen species in the United States, some of which, in the northern por- tions at least, form a considerable part of the coppice and undergrowth of woods. In two of our species the flowers upon the margin <f the cyme are sterile and their corollas ar& greatly enlarged, forming a showy border to the cluster; a garden form of one of these, F. opulus (also a native of Europe), has all of the flowers sterile and showy. (See GUELDEB ROSE.) The other species with sterile flowers is called hobble-bush, for the reason that its straggling reclining branches take root where they touch the ground, and impede the travel- ler ; it is found in cold woods from New Eng- land to Pennsylvania, and further south along the mountains; its round-ovate leaves are heart-shaped at base, serrate, 4 to 8 in. across, with the veins and stalk covered with a rusty scurf; the heads of flowers are broad and showy, and the crimson fruit is not edible. This species is named V. lantanoides from its resemblance in leaves, though not in flowers, to V. lantana of Europe, which is there called the wayfaring tree on account of its frequent occurrence on the roadside ; and our shrub is sometimes called the American wayfaring tree. Of the remaining species, without the conspic- uous sterile flowers, the following deserve a special mention. The sweet viburnum, or sheep berry ( F. lentago), is one of the most frequent northern species ; it has ovate, strongly point- ed, very sharply serrate leaves, with margined petioles ; the flower clusters are terminal and VICENTE 339 Maple-leaved Viburnum (V. acerifolium). axillary, appearing in great abundance in May and June, and have a pleasant fragrance ; the oval fruit, shining blue-black, half an inch or more long, is showy, sweet, and edible. This is one of our most beautiful shrubs, and when unmutilated (for cattle are fond of browsing on it) is sometimes a tree 20 to 30 ft. high. It has been successfully used to form an orna- mental hedge. Arrowwood is the common name for another abundant species ( F. denta- tum), which is widely distributed ; it sometimes reaches 15 ft., but is usually only 5 or 8 ft. high ; its leaves, from half an inch to an inch long! have very large and sharp teeth and strong veins; the fruit is bright blue. The maple- leaved viburnum (F. acerifolium), which in some parts of the country is called dockmac- kie, rarely grows above 6 ft., and may be read- Laurestinus (Viburnum tinus). ily mistaken when not in flower for a young maple sapling ; its three-ribbed and three-lobed leaves are from 2 to 4 in. long and broad, and irregularly toothed on the margin ; the fruit, at first crimson, turns to blackish purple and is inedible ; it is very common in rocky woods. The most important exotic species is F. tinus, which is not rare as a house plant under the name of laurestinus ; it is a native of southern Europe; it has evergreen leaves and clusters of flowers which are rose-colored in the bud, but white when open ; it continues long in flower, and is much valued for the house and for decoration. YIENTE, Gil, a Portuguese dramatist, born about 1470, died in 1557 (according to some, about 1540). He belonged to the nobility, and studied law at Lisbon. His first work was a monologue written in 1502 on occasion of the birth of Prince John, afterward John III., which was recited before the royal fam- ily, and pleased the queen mother so much that she requested the author to repeat it at Christmas, adapting it to the birth of the Sa- viour. From this time he continued to produce dramatic works at the court, and he has been called the Plautus of Portugal and the father of the Portuguese drama. He wrote 42 pieces, consisting of autos or miracle plays, comedies, tragi-comedies, and farces, of which 10 were written wholly and 15 partly in Castilian. His works were edited by his son Luiz (Lisbon, 1561), and in an edition of 1585 much was suppressed by the inquisition. A complete '