10 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



ADE 



Adena'ndra. From aden, a gland, and aner, the 

 stamen or male organ ; referring to the aspect 

 of the anthers. Nat. Ord. Rutacem. 



A somewhat extensive genus of green-house 

 evergreen shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Some of them are cultivated for their large 

 terminal corymbs of bright pink flowers, which 

 are produced in June. All the species are in- 

 creased by cuttings of the young wood. Intro- 

 duced in 1812. 



Adenanthe'ra. The name is derived from ade7i, 

 a gland, and anthera, an anther, in allusion to 

 a gland on each anther. Nat. Ord. Leguvii- 

 noscB. 



A small genus of handsome tropical ever- 

 green trees. A. pavonia grows to a great size 

 in the East Indies, and yields a solid, useful 

 timber, called Red Sandal wood. A dye is 

 obtained by simply rubbing the wood against 

 a wet stone ; and this is used by the Brahmins 

 for marking their foreheads after religious 

 bathing. The seeds are of a bright scarlet 

 color, and are used by the jewellers in the 

 East as weights, each seed weighing uniformly 

 four grains. 



Adena'nthos. From aden, a gland, and anthos, 

 a flower ; referring to the glands on the flow- 

 ers. Nat. Ord. Proteacece. 



Ornamental evergreen pilose shrubs with 

 red flowers, natives of New Holland. Prop- 

 agated by cuttings. First introduced iu 

 1824. 



Adenoca'rpus. From aden, a gland, and karpos, 

 fruit; reteTing to the glands on the fruit. 

 Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



This genus is allied to Cytisus, and furnishes 

 some remarkably handsome plants because of 

 their profuse racemes of yellow flowers. A. 

 hispajiicus is a low, compact, rigid bush, re- 

 markable for the number of its short lateral 

 branches. It is very common on the hillsides 

 of Southern Europe. A. decorticans is a beau- 

 tiful evergreen shrub with bright yellow flow- 

 ers, having the general appearance of Furze. 

 It was introduced from Spain in 1883. 



Adeno'phora. A genus of hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, allied to Campanula. The flow ers 

 are bell-shaped, and produced in branching 

 panicles. They are readily increased by seeds, 

 but will not bear division, and dislike being 

 removed. Flowers blue. Native of Siberia. 



Ade'smla. An extensive genus of South Amer- 

 ican plants, belonging to the Nat. Ord. Legu- 

 minoscB. They are mostly plants of but little 

 interest. A. balsamifera, a Chilian species, 

 called Jarilla, is a plant of great beauty when 

 in flower. It yields a balsam which has a very 

 pleasant odor, perceptible at a great distance. 



Adha'toda. Native name. Nat. Ord. Acan- 

 thacece. 



A small genus of green-house shrubs, na- 

 tives of India. The few species composing 

 this genus were formerly included in Justida. 

 One of the more common species, A. vasica, 

 was formerly called Justida Adhatoda. A. 

 cydonicefolia produces its flowers in panicles 

 at the point of every branch. They are of a 

 rich purple color, the large lower lip having a 

 white stripe in the centre. It is very showy 

 when in bloom, and makes an excellent plant 

 for training up pillars or rafters. They bear 

 a close resemblance to the Justiciaa, and re- 

 quire the same treatment. 



ADL 



Adia'nteae. A section of polypodiaceous Ferns, 

 in which the receptacles to which the spore 

 cases are attached are placed on the under 

 surface of the indusium itself, so that the 

 fructification is, as it were, upside down, and 

 is hence said to be resupinate. 



Adi'anto'psis. From adiantum and opsia, like ; 

 resembling the Maiden-hair. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 podiaceoB. 



A small genus of elegant little Ferns from 

 South America, the West Indies, and Africa. 

 A. radiata, one of the best known species, is 

 common in the West Indies. The fronds rise 

 about a foot high from a tufted crown, and 

 radiate in a regular manner from a common 

 center. The species are often seen in cultiva- 

 tion, on account of their small size and elegant 

 character. Propagated from seed. Some au- 

 thorities now place this genus under Cheil- 

 anthes. 



Adia'ntum. Maiden-hair Fern. From adiantos, 

 dry ; the smooth foliage repelling rain-drops. 

 Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



Of this extensive and much-admired genus 

 of Ferns, this country furnishes but one va- 

 riety, A. pedatum, our common Maiden-hair, 

 which grows in moist woods in neai'ly every 

 section. Taken up in early spring and trans- 

 planted into shady corners of our gardens, it 

 grows readily, and is indispensable in the nat- 

 ural arrangement of flowers in vases or bas- 

 kets. Some of the exotic species of this genus 

 may safely be pronounced the most beautiful 

 Ferns known, which is a very broad assertion, 

 in view of the very many rare and beautiful 

 plants to be found in this natural order. All 

 doubts, however, of the truth of the assertion 

 will be removed when we see a well-grown 

 plant of A. Farleyense in the fern-house. This 

 interesting plant is a native of Barbadoes, 

 whence it was introduced in 1864. It is the 

 most distinct and beautiful of all the Maiden- 

 hair Ferns, and the most dilficult to grow to 

 perfection. It requires a warm, moist atmos- 

 phere. A. gracillimuin and A. cunealum are 

 magnificent plants, and are grown in large 

 numbers, the young plants, as well as the cut 

 fronds, being used extensively in floral decora- 

 tion. There are many other rare species under 

 cultivation. The growing of this genus from 

 spores has for a long time been practiced, and 

 the several species, with the exception of Far- 

 leyense, have been increased at a rapid rate in 

 this way. But getting new varieties from 

 spores, after hybridizing some of the finer spe- 

 cies, is a new and unexpected result that has 

 been achieved in a most astonishing and satis- 

 factory manner by F. Eoenbeck, of Bayonne, 

 N. J. , who has not only given us several varie- 

 ties, but one, A. Roenheckii, which bears his 

 name, that is, without exception, the most 

 useful as well as the most graceful of any yet 

 introduced. The fronds are erect, with a me- 

 tallic luster, combined with the delicacy and 

 grace of the finer species. It is well adapted 

 for specimen culture, and is particularly' useful 

 in the arrangement of cut flowers, and when 

 so used looks like a lace veil hung over the 

 flowers. This variety was first exhibited in 

 1876. 



Adlu'mia. Mountain Fringe. Dedicated by 

 Kaflnesque to Major Adlum, an American au- 

 thor. Nat. Ord. Fumariacece. 



