: 
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. _ 119 
GN 
eae 
NG 
Tas 
Fic. 156. ARUNDO Donax, | 
ASAFCETIDA. See Narthex asafcetida. 
ASARABACCA. See Asarum europeum. 
ASARUM (from a, not, and saron, feminine ; deriva- 
tion doubtful). ORD. Aristolochiacew. Curious hardy her- 
baceous perennials, with bell-shaped, three-cleft perianths. 
They should be planted at the foot of the rockery, or in 
borders or woodlands, as they are not very showy, but 
are, nevertheless, worth growing, and easily propagated by 
divisions, in spring. 
A. canadense (Canadian).* f. brown, campanulate, on a short 
eduncle, sometimes nearly buried. May and June. Z. in pairs, 
roadly reniform. 
h. 1ft. Canada, &c., 1713. 
Fig. 157. ASARUM CAUDATUM. 
‘A. incarnata (flesh-coloured).* 
Asarum—continued. 
A. caudatum (tailed).* brownish- ith attenuated or cau- 
date calyx crag July. f cordate-reniform, hooded, sub-acute, 
or bluntish, slightly pubescent. California, 1880. A rare and 
pretty species. See Fig. 157. 
A. europæum (European). Asarabacca. fl. dull brown, solitary, 
rather large, drooping; segments of perianth incurved. May. 
l. two on each stem, roundish-reniform, stalked, slightly waved. 
h. 1ft. England. 
ASCENDING. Directed upwards; as the stem, 
which is the ascending axis. 
ASCLEPIADACEÆ. A large order of, for the most 
part, lactescent, climbing shrubs. Flowers sub-umbellate, 
fascicled or racemose, interpetiolar ; pollen collected in the 
form of waxy masses, coalescing to the cells of the anthers ; 
follicles two, one of which is abortive. Leaves entire, 
usually opposite. 
ASCLEPIAS (the Greek name of Æsculapius of the 
Latins). Swallow-wort. ORD. Asclepiadacee. Erect hardy 
herbaceous or sub-shrubby perennials, except where other- 
wise specified. Corolla five-parted, reflexed; umbels in- 
terpetiolar ; corona seated on the upper part of the tube 
of the filaments, five-leaved. Leaves opposite, verticil- - 
late, sometimes alternate. Most of the hardy species 
are very handsome border plants, thriving in peaty, 
or light rich soil, and are increased by dividing the 
roots in spring, and sometimes also by seeds. The doubt- 
fully hardy or rarer species should always be grown in 
a peat soil, and have a little protection during severe frost, 
by mulching the roots. The most important of the green- 
house and stove species is A. curassavica. In order to 
obtain good bushy specimens of this, it will be necessary to 
cut the plants back annually, after keeping them slightly 
dry, and resting for a month or two in midwinter. When 
growth has sufficiently advanced, they should be shaken out 
and repotted. At this stage, a close, moist atmosphere will 
be needful to produce the usually very free growth. The 
points of the shoots must be nipped ont, in order to pro- 
mote a bushy habit. When the pots have become filled 
with roots, liquid manure may be applied; but it must be 
quite clear and not over strong. All the indoor spéties 
grow best in good fibry loam and leaf mould, and require to 
be potted firmly. Cuttings should be secured in spring, 
struck in gentle heat, under a bell glass, and as soon as 
they are well rooted, potted into 60-size pots. A shift 
must be given as often as the pots become filled with 
roots, up to the time when the plant commences bloom- 
ing. Seeds may be sown in pots in spring, pricked ont 
singly when large enough, and then treated similarly to 
cuttings, 
acuminata (taper-pointed).* jl. red and white ; umbels lateral, 
solitary, erect. July. J. ovate, sub-cordate, acuminated, on short 
petioles ; superior ones sessile, glabrous, but rough on the edges. 
_ Stems erect, glabrous, simple. A. 2ft. New Jersey, 1826. Hardy, 
herbaceous, 
A. amoena gnp fl. beautiful purple; umbels terminal, 
erect; appendages of corona exserted, red. July. l. opposite, 
almost sessile, oblong-oval, downy beneath, with a large purple 
middle nerve. Stem simple, with two rows of down. h. 2ft. to 
Sft. New England, 1732. Hardy, herbaceous. 
A. Cornuti (Cornuti’s).* Synonymous with A. syriaca. 
A. curassavica (Curassavian). fl. reddish orange-scarlet ; umbels 
erect, solitary, lateral. July to September. J. opposite, oblong- 
lanceolate, tapering at both ends. Stem rather owny, simple, 
seldom a little branched. R. 1ft. to 3ft. Tropical America, 1692. 
herbaceous, 
A. Douglasii (Douglas’s).* Jl. large, waxy, purplish-lilac, sweet- 
scented, in many-flowered umbels. Summer, l opposite, ovate- 
— hg hapa ftin. bag D Sin. or more sE oft, to 
above, downy beneath. Stem thick, woolly, simple. . 
3ft. West America, 1846. 3 s ; 
A. hybrida (hybrid). A synonym of A. purpurascens. 
fl. red or ` ish; umbels 
numerous, usually twin. July. Ų opposite, lanceolate, rather 
woolly on both surfaces. Stem erect, hed and tomentose at 
the top. h. 2ft. Canada (on the banks of rivers), 1710. Hardy, 
herbaceous. 
A. me: Mexican), fl. white; umbels many-flowered. 
te, pL ed Ah with revolute edges; 
The white-flowered variety is a very pretty contrast. Stove ct 
xicana 
July. 4 vertic 
