AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 141 
PEE EE Astragalus—continued. 
A. Thunbergi (Thunberg’s).* fl. small, white, v small, oblong, acutish leaflets. Spain, 1596. Procumbent annual, 
numerous, in 
erect, much branched, pyramidal panicles, an reddish and 
ciently downy stalks, May. J. unequally pinnate or bi Pasei 
Jeaflets d, yellowish green, sharply toothed. h. 14ft. nee 
1878. This pretty little Sebatirab ts is extensively propaga 
the Continent for forcing purposes. 
ASTRAGALUS (a name applied to a shrub by Greek 
writers). Milk Vetch. ORD. Leguminose. A very large 
genus of hardy herbs or sub-shrubs. Flowers in axillary 
clusters ; standard larger than the wings. Leaves unequally 
pinnate, About one hundred species have from time to 
time been introduced in English gardens; many of these 
are lost to cultivation ; the comparative few here described 
are still generally grown, and are good representative species. 
They are all of easy culture. The shrubby kinds grow well 
in any light dry soil, and are slowly increased by cuttings 
placed in a cold frame, or by seeds. The herbaceous 
perennials prefer a dry light soil, and may be increased by 
divisions or seeds; the latter mode is preferable, as many 
species are very liable to die if transplanted or divided, 
which is at best but a slow method. Seed should be sown 
in pots of sandy soil placed in a cold frame as soon as ripe, 
or very early in the spring, as they may lie a long time 
before germinating. The dwarfer species constitute ad- 
mirable rockwork plants, and can be grown in pots con- 
taining a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Seeds of the 
two annual species, A. Cicer and A. Glave, merely require 
to be sown in the open border early in spring. 
gens adsurg * 
pre a amet ‘ane the E lag: ch al oe ket wa Ý 
with eleven to twelve pairs of ovate-lanceo ae yore leaflets ; 
stipules acuminated, length of leaves. Plant ascending, smoothish. 
Siberia, 1818. A very handsome and rare perennial species. 
A. aduncus (hooked). /l. rose purple, in oblong spikes ; peduncles 
rather shorter than the leaves. ` June and July. J. with nume- 
rous pairs of roundish-ovate, smooth leaflets, sometimes downy. 
h. 6in, to Yin. Caucasus, 1819. S aime 
A, alopecuroides (föátail-like).* fl, yellow, disposed in thick 
dense ovate-oblong spikes, on s orti axillary peduncles. June. l 
with numerous ovate-lanceolate, pubescent leaflets ; stipules 
oyate-Janceolate, acuminated. Plant erect. h, 2ft. to 5ft. Siberia, 
1737. One of the finest perennial species grown, 
; 4; alpinus (alpine). jl. bluish-purple, sometimes indy droop- 
twine). es of about sin. long. Summ i impari- 
ne with eight t to aii pairs of ovate or r oblong 
tain. A very desirable, hairy, prostrate perennial. 
sonic ).* fl. blue; ee few-flowered, 
“athe shorter ves. pae : l with Penna ro 
eaflets ; posi! ea diffuse, 
tomentose white p he s aner down. aa 6in. Steno 
ee, fi. few; ‘upper petal, or vexillum, blue, 
the rest p popes racemes pedun culate, longer than the leaves. 
May. eaflets glabrous, linear, emarginate. 
Plant diffusele procumbent. South Europe, 1 — 
A. canadensis (Canadian). fl. a ee ee By h 
peduncles about as long as the leaves, 
twelve pairs of elliptic-oblong, a ata a Bank nearl 
erect, rather hairy. A. 2ft. to 3ft. North 1732. 
Perennial. 
A. Cicer (Vetch-like). f, pale yellow, disposed in spike-like 
heads ; peduncles longer than the leaves. July. Z. with ten to 
thirteen pairs of elliptic-obl mucronate leaflets. Plant 
_ diffusely procumbent. Europe, 1570, Annual, 
A. dahuricus (Dahurian). _ jl. purple, in dense racemes, which 
are longer than the leaves. July. l., leaflets, seven to nine pairs, 
ae: mucronate. Plant erect, pilose. A. lft. to 2ft. Dahuria 
_ to China, 1822, Perennial. 
A, das “fn cant (thick-tongued).* 
= aate spikes ; dipte- 
Aa d el Ate somewhat emarginate; 
ae purple, blue, and white 
cles a little longer than the 
tee Sis leaves. A. 3in. to 4in. Plant 
Siberia’ 1A A sere little alpine perennial. 
| (hooked), greenish yellow, in spikes; peduncles 
EET than ringed Taa Po June. with aitoon to a 
-oblong, acu ets. ant erect, rather hairy 
lft. to 2ft. 
vie pages (in wet, grassy places), Perennial, Syn. 
A (Galega-like),* e yellow, pendulous, race- 
reg uncles lon er fib the aves, {gman 1, with twelve 
htt. to Oe Biber c-o re tee ets. ao 1. 
Fe perennial species. ; 
lish 
“A posh m 
Glaux (Milk dense 
g Bererii ag eee J eight to a george 
thirteen pairs of» 
clothed with whitish hair. 
A slycyphyllos (sweet-leaved).* fl. sulphur coloured, in ovate- 
oblong spikes ; peduncles shorter than the leaves. June. l with 
four, five, to seven pairs of oval, bluntish, smooth leafiets ; 
stipules ovate-lanceolate, entire. A. 2ft. to 3ft. Britain. A 
perennial prostrate trailer. 
A. hypogiottis (under-tongued).* fl. variegated with purplish, 
blue and white, disposed in Patch heads; peduncles longer 
than the leaves, ascending. June, L with numerous little 
ovate, obtuse, dark green leaflets, somewhat emarginate ; mo 
connate, ovate, Stems prostrate, rather hairy. h: Sin. n, 
&c. Perennial trailer. 
A. h. alba (white-flowered).* 
in the colour of the flowers. 
A, leucophyllus (hoary-leaved).* fl. pale Piura nag ta jin. I 
in dense raoin; peduncles 1 much longer than the leaves. “duly 
and August. l, leaflets in numerous pairs, a 
covered with soft, silky pubescence. A. 2ft. to 3ft. North 
erica. Perennial. 
A. moe hes ol P yellow ; spike sessile, cylindrical, 
nearly term with ovate-lanceolate, et oped 
This resembles the type, except 
leaflets ; pre Misan Domenie h. 2ft. to 3ft. 
very handsome, erect, erage species, 
A. monspessulanus 
jors-ane longer tiene leaves. June. l, leaflets twenty-one re] 
See Fig. 188. 
A, narbonensis (Hazbonne) fl. yellow, disponed in somewhat 
* elobose spikes, on short axillary rot tomer June. J. with oblong- 
ear leaflets ; stipules nos h. 2ft. to 3ft. Narbonne and 
Madrid, 1789. ” An erect hairy perennial. 
A. odoratus (sweet-scented). fl. pale yellow, sw 
in spikes; peduncles same length as leaves. June. — a 
disposed 
a gale e fourteen ee of oblong acute leaflets; 
conna! er rather ascending. 
Perennial. + = Levin J 
A, onobrychioides (Onobrychis-like).* fl, beautiful, nrpl 
capitate spikes on long peduncles, July, i with at 
pairs of elliptic leaflets ; stipules connate, opposite the leaves. 
lant rather diffuse, shrubby at the base, clothed with adpressed 
hairs, R. 9in. to12in. Iberia, Persia, &c., 1819. A very hand- 
some perennial species, 
ee oblong-ovate, 
with seven to six- 
Mountains 
A. Onobrychis (Onobrychis). urple ; 
unculate, oS thax the | Pies June. 
