AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



37 



ASP 



Aspidi'stra. From aspidiseon, a little round 

 shield ; the form of the flower. Nat. Ord. 

 LiliacecB. 



A small genus found in Ciiina and Japan, 

 remarkable for producing their flowers under 

 the surface of the earth. They are useful 

 house plants, and ai'e propagated Ity sucl^ers. 

 The foliage of A. elatior variegaia (green with 

 broad stripes of white) contrasts finely with 

 ornamental-foliaged plants. For the produc- 

 tion of well-marked plants, the pots in which 

 they are grown should be small, and the soil 

 liberally mixed Avith sand. Introduced in 

 1835. 



Aspi'diuni. Shield Fern, Wood Fern. From 

 aspidio7i, a little buckler; the shape of the 

 indusium. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



An extensive genus of hardy and green- 

 house Ferns. Manj' of the species are com- 

 mon in moist, shady places throughout the 

 United States. The green-house varieties are 

 mostly from the West Indies. All the species 

 are of easy culture. Many of them are 

 deservedly popular in the fern-house or shady 

 border. 



Asple'nieae. A section of polypodineous Ferns, 

 in which the simple linear or oblong sori are 

 parallel witli the veins, and oblique to the 

 midrib, produced on one side of the veins, 

 and covered by indusia of the same form. 



Asple'nium. Spleen wort. From a, privative, 

 and splen, spleen ; referring to its supposed 

 medicinal properties. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 

 This genus, as establislied by Linneeus, was 

 a very extensive one, and tlie species exceed- 

 ingly varied. So much confusion existed in 

 regard to it, that modern botanists have 

 divided and sub-divided it; yet it contains a 

 large number of hardy and tropical species, 

 many of which are exceedingly beautiful and 

 interesting, and are commonly found in our 

 green- houses. Some of the species have the 

 very singulai- property of bearing little buds on 

 their surface, from which young plants are 

 formed. It is not an uncwnmon thing to see 

 fifteen or twenty of these young plants, all 

 perfectly developed, from one to two inches 

 high, on a single frond. They are popularlj- 

 known as bulb-bearing Ferns. Several of the 

 species are indigenous throughout the United 

 States, and there is scarcely a country in 

 which some of the species may not be found. 



Aste'lma. Strawberry Everlasting. From a, 

 not, and stelma, a crown ; in reference to the 

 construction of the fruit. Green-house ever- 

 green shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 The bi'acts of the flowers of A. eximium are of 

 a rich rosy tint, and are incurved so as to 

 form close heads, bearing some resemblance 

 to Strawberries. It has been long introduced 

 but is comparatively rare in cultivation. 



A'ster. Star-wort. Michaelmas Daisy. From 

 aster, a star. Nat. Ord. CompositcB. 



There are upward of one hundred and fifty 

 species included in this gt^nus, chiefly hardy 

 herbaceous plants, useful for ornamenting,' the 

 flower borders in the autumn; generally at- 

 taining a height of from two to four feet, and 

 producing white, purple or b.ue flowers. They 

 are easily increased by separating the old 

 stools. The well-known German and China 

 Asters are now classed under CallistephuH. 



ATA 



The sweet, musk-scented plant known as 

 Aster Argophyllus is now placed under Eurybia, 

 which see. 

 Asti'lbe. From a, privative, and stilbe, bright- 

 ness ; flowers not very striking. Nat. Ord. 

 Saxifragacece. 



A. Japonica, sometimes called SpirceaJaponi- 

 ca, Hoteia Jajjonica&nd A. harbata, is a native of 

 Japan, and a perfectly hardy herbaceous plant. 

 The dark green cut leaves form a handsome 

 tuft, from which arise numerous crowded 

 panicles of feathery white flowers. Excellent 

 for forcing in pots, and fine for cutting. There 

 is a variety Avith variegated foliage, green and 

 yellow, not so vigorous in habit, but in all 

 other respects similar. Propagated by divi- 

 sion. See SpircEa. 



Astra'galus. Milk Vetch. The ancient Greek 

 name for some leguminous plant. Nat. Ord. 

 Legimninosm. 



An extensive genus of hardy annuals, per- 

 ennials, and deciduous trees and shrubs. 

 Many of the species are beautiful plants 

 for the flower garden. They ai-e vigorous 

 growers, and succeed in a well-drained, sandy 

 soil. The genus is widely distributed, there 

 being scarcely a country where it is not indig- 

 enous. The flowers are pea-shaped, and 

 mostly yellow or purple. Several of our na- 

 tive species produce a fruit resembling greeti 

 plums, that are edible. On the prairies th<'y 

 are called Ground Plums. A. viollissim'ns, 

 popularly known as "Loco," or "Crazy 

 Weed," is the notorious cattle-poisoning 

 weed of Colorado and California. Cattle and 

 horses eating it show many of the symptoms 

 of drunkenness, and under certain circum- 

 stances the results are fatal. The gum-like 

 substance called Tragacanth is the produce 

 of several species growing in Persia, Asia 

 Minor, and Kurdistan. The gum exudes 

 naturall}^ from the bark in the same waj- that 

 gum exudes from the bark of Cherrj' or Plum 

 trees. While many of the species are useful 

 or ornamental, by far the larger number are 

 troublesome weeds. 



Astra'ntia. A. genus ot Umbelliferce. Native of 

 Europe and Western Asia, containing ten or 

 twelve species. They are hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, with black aromatic roots, aiid 

 generally white or pink flowers. A. Carniola 

 and A. Major are the most distinct and orna- 

 mental species, easily increased by root divi- 

 sion. 



Astroca'ryum. From astron, a star, and 

 karyon, a nut ; referring to the distribution 

 of the fruit. Nat. Ord. Palmac ce. 



A small genus of Palms allied to Cocos, 

 chiefly natives of the Upper Amazon. They 

 have large pinnate leaves, and are armed with 

 spines, sometimes a foot long, and exceedingly 

 sharp. The fruit of some of the species fur- 

 nishes food for cattle and swine. The young 

 leaves of A. vulgare yield a fine thread, froiu 

 which the best hammocks are woven. 



Ata'ccia. Malay name. Nat. Ord. Taccacece. 

 There are few more remarkable-looking 

 plants than A. cristata, sometimes met in the 

 gardens under the incorrect name of Tacca 

 hdegrifolia. It has a short, conical, under- 

 ground caudex, or rhizome, and produces 

 from this caudex three or four large, oblong, 

 acuminate, purplish-green stalked leaves. 



