AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



27 



AOT 



Ao'tua. From a, not, and otis, ear ; tlie ear-like 

 appendages to the calyx are wanting. Nat. 

 Urd. LeguminostB. 



A somewhat extensive genus of small ever- 

 green shrubs from New Holland They are 

 slender plants, with heath-like leaves, 

 arranged in whorls around the stem. The 

 flowers are pea-shaped, bright yellow, on short 

 stalks. A. gracilUma, a native of West Aus- 

 tralia, is a favorite species for the green-house. 

 It is a slender shrub, with copious yellow 

 flowers, which are so thickly set on the stems 

 as to hide the leaves from view. Botanists 

 report several very beautiful species not yet 

 in cultivation. Propagated by seeds or cut- 

 tings. Introduced in 1844. 



ApetaloJS. Without petals. 



Apliela'ndra. From apheles, simple, and mier, 

 a, male ; the anthers being one-celled. Nat. 

 Ord. Acanthacece. 



A small genus of dwarf shrubs from tropical 

 America, allied to the Justicia. A. cristata is 

 a remarkably handsome hot-house plant, pro- 

 ducing large spikes of orange-scarlet flowers. 

 A. aurantiara has no less hand-^ome flowers of 

 Ught orange color, and grows freely in the 

 green-house. A. Margaritce. has bright orange 

 or apricot-colored flowers, growing in short, 

 terminal spikes. The leaves are barred with 

 ivhite on each side of the midrib ; underneath 

 they are of a clear, rose color ; a very showy 

 species, introduced from Central America in 

 1S84. They are increased by cuttings. 



Aphele'xis. From apheles, simple, and exis, 

 habit. Nat. Ord. Composites. 



Green-house evergreen shrubs, from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, having much resemblance 

 to that class of everlasting flowers known as 

 Helichrysum. The genus is composed of five 

 species, all of them having very small leaves, 

 which are closely pressed to the stem like 

 those of club-moss. The flowers are solitary, 

 of a pink or yellow color, in small clusters of 

 two or three. A. humilis and its varieties 

 are most showy and valuable green-house 

 plants. When in bloom they remain in per- 

 fection for six or seven weeks. Propagated 

 by cuttings, or from seeds. Introduced in 

 1796. 



Aphides. See Insects. 



Aphylla'nthes. Its stems are like a rush, and 

 bear on their summits a littie tuft of flowers ; 

 hence the name, from aphyllos, leafless, and 

 anthos, a flower. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A small genus of hardy, herbaceous, rush- 

 like perennials, common in Southern Europe. 

 The flower scape is very slender and gi-ass- 

 like and bears a cluster of small blue flowers, 

 that are of but short duration. This plant is 

 of considerable interest to the botanist, but 

 not of the slightest use to the florist or gar- 

 dener. 



Aphy'llon. Naked Broom Rape. A genus of 

 OrobanchacetE, comprising two species, both 

 natives of this country. They are character- 

 ized by their solitary bractless flowers, regu- 

 larly five-cleft calyx, and almost regular 

 corolla. The flowers are perfect, purpUsh, on 

 long, naked scapes or peduncles. The plants 

 are brownish or yellowish. 



Aphy'Uous. Destitute of leaves. It sometimes 

 signifies their partial or imperfect produc- 

 tion. 



APO 



Api'cra. A division of succulents allied to the 

 Aloe, and comprising along with Haworthia a 

 group of species of very different aspect from 

 the great cj'lindrical or tubular-flowered Aloes 

 more commonly associated with the name. 

 The present are dwarf or stemless plants, with 

 very crowded leaves and slender flower scapes, 

 bearing erect greenish-white flowers. 



Apiculate. Terminated in a little point. 



A'pios. From apion, a pear , in reference to the 

 form of the roots. Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



A. tuberosa, the only species, is found in the 

 woods and hedges from Massachusetts to the 

 Carolinas. It is an elegant climbing plant, 

 allied to the Wistaria. It bears large clusters 

 of brownish-purple, sweet-scented flowers in 

 July. Readily propagated by division of 

 tubers, which are edible. Commonly known 

 as Ground-nut, and erroneously as Tuberous 

 Wistaria. 



A'pium. From apon, Celtic for water ; in refer- 

 ence to the habitat of the genus. Nat. Ord. 

 UmbeUifercB. 



Tliough this genus contains but a few spe- 

 cies, two of our best known vegetables belong 

 to it, viz. : The "Celery," A. graveolens, and 

 "Parsley," A. petroselinum, for culture of 

 ■which, see under their respective names. 



Aple'ctrum. Putty Root. Adam and Eve. 

 From a, not, and plektron, a spur ; the flower 

 without spurs. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A. hyemale, the only species, is a hardy 

 bulbous Orchid. The flowers are produced in 

 summer in a raceme a foot or more high, and 

 are of a dingy color, more curious than beau- 

 tiful. The plant is occasionally found in the 

 Northern and Eastern States. 



Aplopa'ppus. A synonym of Haplopappus, 

 a genus of ComposiUe, of but little interest. 



Apocyna'ceae. A large natural order of trees, 

 shrubs and herbs, with simple, opposite, some- 

 times alternate or whorled leaves. Most of 

 the species inhabit tropical countries ; the 

 northern forms are the Vinca or Periwinkle, 

 Neriiun or Oleander, and a few more. In gen- 

 eral the species form a poisonous, acrid, milky 

 secretion, which renders them dangerous ; but 

 others are mild enough in their action to be 

 useful in medicine, and in a few cases the milk 

 is bland enough to form a palatable beverage. 

 Well-known genera belonging to this order 

 are Allamanda, Nerium, Taberncemoyitana, and 

 Vinca. About 600 species are known, distri- 

 buted through about 100 genera. 



Apo'cynum. Indian Hemp. From ajw, from, 

 and kyon, a dog; poisonous to dogs. Nat. 

 Ord. Apocynacece. 



A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, in- 

 digenous throughout the United States. A. 

 cannabinum is commonly called Indian Hemp, 

 from the fact of the Indians using the fibrous 

 bark as a substitute for hemp in making their 

 fishing-nets, mats, clothing, and various other 

 articles for which the true Hemp is generally 

 used. A. androscBmifolium is termed by Eng- 

 lish botanists the "'Fly Trap of North Amer- 

 ica," and is cultivated as an object of curiosity. 

 They do not class it as insectiverous further 

 than that its flt)wers catch and kill the flies, 

 but do not feed upon them. None of the spe- 

 cies possesses sufficient beauty to warrant its 

 introduction into the garden. 



