time of one revolution of the moon from her ascending node, called caput draconis, to her return thither.

Dracontium, dragons: A genus of the polyandra order, belonging to the gynandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the first order, Palmae. The spathe is cymbiform, or shaped like a boat; the spadix covered all over; there is no calyx; there are five petals; the berries polyspermous. There are five species, all natives of the Indies. The only one which makes any appearance is the pertusum, Dracunculus, with leaves having holes, and a climbing stalk. This is a native of most of the West India islands. It hath trailing stalks which put out roots at every joint, that fall on the trunks of trees, walls, or any support which is near them, and thereby rise to the height of 25 or 30 feet. The leaves are placed alternately upon long footstalks: they are four or five inches long, two and a half broad; and have several oblong holes in each, which at first sight appears as if eaten by insects, but they are natural to the leaves. The flowers are produced at the top of the stalk, which always twines to a much larger size in that part than in any other: these are covered with an oblong spathe or hood of a whitish green colour, which opens longitudinally on one side, and shows the pistil, which is closely covered with flowers of a pale yellow, inclining to white. This plant is easily propagated by cuttings; which if planted in pots filled with poor sandy earth, and plunged into a hot-bed, will soon put out roots; but the plants are so tender, that they must be preserved in a stove.