124 THE 
DICTIONARY 
OF GARDENING, 
ASPASIA (from aspazomai, I embrace; the column 
embraced by the labellum). ORD: Orchidacew. A genus 
of elegant stove Epidendrum-like epiphytal orchids, with 
the lip united to the column, and broad, thin pseudo-bulbs. 
The name Aspasia is now and then met with attached to a 
totally different genus. Salisbury gave it to a liliaceous 
plant which is now referred to Ornithogalum. For culture 
and propagation, see Stanhopea. 
A, epidendroides (Epidendrum-like).* fl. whitish yellow; 
S AP linear oblong, acute ; petals obtuse, concave, lateral lobes 
of lip roundish, entire, middle lobe crenated emarginate. February. 
Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged. k. lft. Panama, 18. 
A. lunata (crescent-marked).* fl. green, white, and brown, solitary ; 
sepals and petals linear obtuse, spreading; lip three-lobed, lateral 
lobes short, middle one flat, nearly square, wavy. February. 
Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged, A. 1ft. Rio Janeiro, 1843. 
A. papilionacea (butterfly-like).* 7., sepals and petals yellowish, 
mottled with brown lines on their internal inferior halves ; lip 
fiddle-shape, its back by great, elliptic, apiculate ; an orange- 
coloured area stands at i ase, a wide violet disc before and 
around it. h. 9in. Costa Rica, 1876. Distinguished from A. 
lunata in having thirteen keels at the base of the lip, which is 
higher inserted, and in the echinulate anther. It is a beautiful 
but rare novelty. 
A. psittacina (parrot-like).* Jl., sepals and petals light green, with 
brown transverse bars, which sometimes consist of separate stripes, 
at other times of confluent ones; the fiddle-shaped lip shows two 
keels and a few purplish dots over its top; the column is brown at 
its top, then violet, and white at the base. Ecuador, 1878. It has 
a raceme of several flowers, usually one-sided, bent over. 
A. variegata (variegated-flowered).* fl. green, spotted with yel- 
Jowish red; sepals linear oblong; petals somewhat rhomboid, 
acute, lateral lopes of lip recurved, middle one fleshy, serrated, 
February. A. Yin. Panama, 1836. Deliciously sweet-scented in 
the morning. 
ASPEN. See Populus tremula. 
ASPERA. Rough, with hairs or points. ~ 
ASPERULA (from asper, rough; in allusion to the 
leaves). Woodruff. ORD. Rubiacee. Hardy herbaceous, 
rarely small shrubs. Flowers terminal and axillary, in 
fascicles. Leaves opposite, with one, two, or three stipulas 
on each side; they are therefore called four to eight in a 
whorl, but between the uppermost leaves there are no 
Ag stipulas. Stems and branches usually tetragonal. Most 
of the species are very pretty when in flower, and are, 
; therefore, well adapted for borders, rockwork, and shady 
places, in almost any garden soil. Propagated by divisions 
of the roots during spring and early summer, Herbaceous 
perennials, except where otherwise stated. 
A. azurea-setosa (blue-bristly), A synonym of A. orientalis, 
A. cynanchica (Cynanche-like). 1. on erect branches, forming a 
fastigiate corymb, white or bluish-coloured, elegantly marked 
with red lines, or sometimes pure white. Summer. Z. four ina 
whorl; floral ones lanceolate-linear, acuminately awned; lower * 
enes small, oblong, upper ones opposite. Plant glabrous, erectish. 
h. 9in, to 12in. England, 
A. hirta (hairy). fl. white at first, changing to pink, with oblong 
divisions, July and August. /. usually six in a whorl, four 
towards the upper part, linear, hairy, deep green. h. 3in. 
= Pyrenees, 1817. A charming but rare little alpine, thriving best 
_ inarather damp position on the rockery, 
A, (long-flowered).* fl. whitish, yellowish inside, and 
reddish outside; tube of corolla elongated ; fascicles terminal, 
unculate ; as small, subulate. Summer. Z. four in a 
whorl, linear; lower ones small, obovate ; upper ones opposite. 
reo be aa ay tee” from - same neck, erectish, glabrous. 
4. montana (mountain).* fl., corollas pink, four-cleft, scabrous 
apie ee june, July. l. linear i eed kares six 
a > ones 4 ones 0) > BS 
linear, Stem weak, glabrous, pa to ain pete thee 
A, odorata (sweet-scented).* Sweet Woodruff. fi. snowy white; 
corymbs terminal, pedunculate, usually tritid, each division bear- 
ing about four flowers. May, June. i eight in a whorl, lanceo- 
late, smooth, with serrulately scabrous edges, Stems tetragonal, 
simple, erect, or ascending. h. 6in. to 12in. Britain. This very 
add little -plant is scentless when fresh, but, when dried, it 
iffuses an odour like that of spring grass; and when kept among 
clothes, it not only imparts an agreeable perfume to them, but 
preserves them from insects. ; 
A, orientalis (Oriental).* i. sky blue, in terminal heads; bracts 
of im shorter than the flowers, Summer. J. lanceolate, 
bristly, about eight in a whorl. A. 1ft. Caucasus, 1867. A 
rming littl eres blooming, hardy annual, bearing clusters 
pi onli Nang gy adapted for bouquet making, SYN. 
off 
Asperula—continued. 
Fig. 163. ASPERULA ORIENTALIS, showing Habit and Portion 
of Inflorescence. 
A. taurina (bull). j., corollas white, elongated ; corymbs pedun- 
culate, axillary, fasciculately umbellate, involucrated ; bracteas 
ciliated, Aprilto June. l. four in a whorl, ovate-lanceolate, three- 
nerved, with finely ciliated margins. Plant smoothish, erect. 
h. lft. South Europe, 1739. 
A, tinctoria (Dyers’). fl. white, reddish on the outside; usually 
trifid. June. J. linear; lower ones six in a whorl; middle ones 
four ; and the uppermost ones opposite ; floral leaves ovate. Plant 
procumbent, unless supported. Stem lft. to 2ft. long, purplish. 
Europe, 1764, 
ASPHALT. Artificial Asphalt is now generally used 
in England for footpaths, &c. The recipes are various, one 
of the best being the following : Lime rubbish two parts, coal 
ashes one part (both must be very dry), sifted very fine; 
mix them, and leave a hole in the middle of the heap, 
wherein pour boiling hot coal tar; mix well together. 
When as stiff as mortar, lay it down, 3in. thick, on a dry 
and previously well-levelled surface. A boy should follow 
with dry, finely-sifted sand, distributing just enough to 
prevent his boots sticking to the tar. Two men should be 
employed for the tarring, whilst another should attend to 
the boiling operation. Only just enough tar to last ten 
minutes must be taken from the furnace at one time, 
as, if it be not boiling, the walks will become soft under 
the action of very hot sun. This may be repeated every 
three years. 
ashes and sand be perfectly dry, and that the days selected 
for the operation be very fine, the hotter the better. 
Another excellent plan is that of using gas lime and 
coal ashes. ‘There must be a firm foundation and smooth 
surface. Spread the gas lime to about 1}in. deep, and level 
with the back of a spade. Over this place a thin layer of 
coal dust, and well roll. The work is then complete. 
ASPHODEL. See Asphodelus. 
ASPHODELINE. Orb. Liliacee. A genus of plants 
allied to Asphodelus, but distinguished from it by having 
erect leafy stems. They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. 
Propagated by division. 
A. brevicaulis (short-stemmed). in lax, often panicled 
racemes, yellow, veined with green. Î. subulate, ascending, lower 
ones ĝin. to 6in, long. Stem slender, often flexuose. Orient. 
damascena (Damascene). i. white, in dense generally simple 
racemes, bin. to 12in. long. J. in dense rosette, a to Qin. long, 
subulate. Stem simple, erect. h. 1}ft. to 2ft. Asia Minor. 
A. liburnica (Liburnian). f. yellow, striped with green, in 
generally simple lax racemes, bin. to 9in. long. Stem simple, 
erect, strict, 1ft. to 2ft. high, upper half naked. South Europe. 
A. lutea (ycllow). f. yellow, fragrant, in a dense, very long, 
Straight, simple raceme, in the axils of buff-coloured bracts, 
SEUR are nearly as long as the flowers. Summer. l. numerous, 
awl-shaped, triangular, furrowed, smooth, dark green, marked 
with lines of a pe tint; root leaves tufted. Stem 3ft. or 4ft. 
high. Sicily, 1596. The best known and handsomest species. 
SYN. Asphodelus luteus, 
| A. 1, fi-pl. This resembles the species, but the flowers Pipet 
ose typical form ; it is 
double, and last much longer than 
a very pretty plant, 
It is imperative that the surface, lime, coal — 
‘Pi, 
