2516' AKBOHETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PAKT JII 



Jsi'a'ragus L. Corolla six-parted, erect ; the three inner petals reflexed 

 at the tip. Berries 3-celled, 2-seeded. — SufFruticose plants, climbing and 

 erect. Natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



iSt'scus Z. Flowers unisexual. — Male. Calyx 6 sepals. Corolla none. 

 Nectary central, oval, and perforated at the apex. — Female. Calyx, corolla, 

 and nectary like those of the male. Style 1. Berry 3-celled. Seeds 

 2. — Evergreen shrubs, with inconspicuous flowers, which are borne on 

 the leaves. Natives of Europe and Africa. 



Yu'ccA L. Corolla bell-shaped and spreading. Style none. Capsules 3- 

 celled. — Aloe-like shrubs,, with very long, lanceolate, sharp-pointed 

 leaves, and tall spikes of bell-shaped flowers. Natives of North and 

 South America. 



Genus I. 



ylSPA'RAGUS L The Asparagus. Liii. St/st. Hexandria Monogynia. 



Identification. Lin. Gen., No. ■124. ; Reich., 457. ; Schreb., 573. ; Tourn., 154. ; Gsertn., 16. ; Juss., 

 41. ; Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 2., 5. p. 273. ; Mart. Mill. 



Synonynies. Sarmentaceie, part of, Juss., Nees von Esenbeck; Asperges, Fr. ; Spargel, Ger. ; Coral- 

 criiyt ; Dutch ; Sperage, Old English ; Corruda, Span. 



Derivation. According to some, from a, not, and sparasso, to tear ; from the prickles not being very 

 strong : or from asper, rough, and gustus, a taste ; in allusion to the common asparagus being rough, 

 and yet eaten as food. Gerard says that the Latins used the word asparagi to signify the young 

 shoots or sprouts of any plant ; and that this was ajiplied to asparagus, because it is only the young 

 shoots of the common asparagus that are eaten. Coral-cruyt signifies coral-wort, from the coral, 

 like appearance of the berries. 



Description, ^c. Slender-stemmed suffruticose plants ; natives of Europe 

 and Africa, not remarkable for beauty. All the species grow freely in deep 

 dry sandy soil, at the base of a wall with a southern exposure; and they are 

 propagated by division of the root. They are seldom met with, except in 

 botanic gardens. 



i_ I. A. sca'ndens JVilld. The climbing Asparagus. 



Identification. Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p. 152. ; Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 2., 2. p. 273. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Stem unarmed, twining. Leaves lanceolate and sickle- 

 shaped. (^Willd.) A suffruticose, climbing, evergreen shrub; a native of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. Introduced by Mr. Fr. Masson, in 1795. There 

 is a plant against the conservative wall in the Horticultural Society's 

 Garden, which was planted out in 1831. 



n. 2. A. a'lbus L. The white Asparagus. 



Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 449. ; Reich., 2. 70. ; Raii Hist., 684, G85. ; Mart. Mill., No. 7. ; Ait. Hort. 



Kew., 2. p. 279. ; Lodd. Cat., 1836. 

 Synonymes. A. spindsu", &c , Park. Thcat., p. 455. ; A. sylvestris, &c., Gcr. Emac, p. 1611. ; Cor- 



rlida tertia Clus. Hist., 2. p. 178. ; Wild Thong Sperage. 

 Engravings. Park. Theat., p. 455. f. 5. ; Ger. Emac, 1111. f. 5. 



Spec. Char., ^-c. Prickles solitary. Branches angular, flexuose. Leaves fasci- 

 cled, triquetrous, awnless. ( Willd.) Stems shrubby, 3 ft. or 4- ft. high, with 

 very white bark, and armed with strong thorns, which are single, and come 

 out' just below each tuft of Teaves. The stems continue several years, and 

 put out many branches, with short narrow leaves; and these continue green 

 all the winter, if tlie i)iants are screened from severe frost. It is a native 

 of Spain and Portugal, but has been long in cultivation in Briti.sh gardens. 

 According to Gerard, it is mentioned by Belon in his Singularities, Sfc, 

 lib. i. cap. 18., as growing in Candy; that is, Candia. l^arkinson, in 1640, first 

 mentions its being cultivated in Britain. He calls it the " asparagus with 

 cruell sharpe thornes," and says that it grows " in rough uneven places, very 

 plentiful about Lishborne, in the common wayes, and by the river Tagus, 

 and in many other places, both in Spain and Portugall, and in Candy like- 



