An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



15 



Acmena — con! in ued. 



A. floribunda (many-tlowerctl).* Jl. white, in tlirees, lUspospil in 

 a tenniiKil patiit^kul thyrse. May to Sei)tfinber. I. full cif pel- 

 luciil dots, oval-lanceolate, acnniiiiatefl at liotli ends, lleiries 

 globose, bright puiple. Ji. 4ft. New Holliuid, 1790. 



A. ovata (ovate-leaved).* A new species, havinj;. aoeordinK tn Mr. 

 \V. Bull, nvate leaves, whieh. along with the stems and pctinlt's, 

 are dark purple, giving the platits, when making new growth, a 

 striking api'Laranru. It has a neat habit. 



ACOKAXTHERA. See Toxicophlcea. 

 ACONIOFTEBIS. See Acrostichxini. 

 ACONITE. See Aconitum. 

 ACONITE, WINTER. See Eranthis. 

 ACONITUM (from Aruim-. or Acoiie. .a harbour of 

 Heraclea, in Bitliynia, near where it is said to abound). 

 Aconite; Monk'8 Hood; Wolf's Bane. Ord. Ranunciilacem, 

 An extensive genus of very oi-namental hardy perennials. 

 Flowers in terminal racemes; sepals five, the upper one 

 helmet shaped, the two sides broader than the two back 

 ones ; petals five, small, the two upper with long- claws 

 hooded at the tip; the three inferior smaller or undeveloped. 

 Leaves palmate. They thrive well in any ordinary garden 

 soil. If left imdistiirbod for several years, they will attain 

 a goodly size, and produce fine panicles of handsome flowers. 

 They arc invaluable for growing beneath the shade of trees, 

 where they succeed better than almost any other class of 

 plants. All are very easily propagated by divisions of the 

 roots and seeds ; the latter should be sown as soon as ripe 

 in a cold frame. Care should be taken not to leave pieces 

 of the roots about, for, with but one exception, those of all 

 the species are very poisonous. Although very unlike 

 horse-radish, they have frequently been mistaken for it, with 

 fatal results ; and none of the species should be cultivated 

 in or near the kitchen garden. 



Sect. I. Roots Tuberons. 

 A acuminatum (taper-pointed). Jl. bluish pni-ple ; spur capitate ; 

 helmet closed, conical, beaked. Julv. L with cuneate, bipinnate 

 lobes, h, 2ft. to 4ft. Switzerland, 1819. 

 A album (white-flowered ).*_/?. pure white, large, with erect helmet, 

 very freely prodnced. I. dark green, with oblong-cuneate divisions. 

 August, h. 4ft. to 5ft. Levant, 1752. This is a rare and very 

 handsome species. 

 A. alpluum (alpine). Synonymous vrith A. rostratum. 

 A. ampliflorum (large-flowered). Ji. bluish-purple, large; spur 

 obtuse, straight. June. I. with blunt segments, h. 2ft. to 5ft. 

 Austria, 1825. 

 A an^ustlfolium (narrow-leaved).* Jl. deep blue, in spiked 

 panicles; spur capitate; helmet closed, hemispherical; lip bifid. 

 June. I. palmateiy cut into linear lobes, h. 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 

 1824. 

 A blflorum, (twin-flowered).* Jl. pale blue, usually twin, sessile, 

 the iniiMle rather obscure and with yello^vish edges, covered 

 on the back with spreading down ; spur truncate ; helmet de- 

 pressed ; beak drawn out. June. I. lower ones on long stalks, 

 with linear segments, h. 6in. Siberia, 1817, A very rare alpine 

 species. 

 A Cammarum (Cammarura). Jl. rich deep purple, on rather 

 loose sjiikes ; spur capitate; helmet closed, hemisjiherical. Jvily 

 to September. I. with short, bluntish lobes. /*. 3ft. to 4ft. Austria, 

 1752. 

 A. cemuum (drooping). Jl. violet, large, on nodding, loose, hairy 

 racenifs ; spur capitate, or a Uttle hooked ; helmet large, arched, 

 beaked. July and August. I. with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. 

 Branches axillary, spreading, h. 3ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1800. 

 A. delpbinifolium (Oelphinium-leaved).* jl. pale bluish purple, 

 large, on loose racemes ; spur a little hooked ; helmet hemi- 

 spherical. June. I. smooth, deeply cut into five parts. Stems 

 slender, h. bin. to 2ft. North America, 1820. A rare alpine species. 

 A. datum (tall). Jl blue, very large, in loose panicled spikes; 

 jieduncles pubescent; spur capitate, inclining. June. I. with 

 linear acute segments, h. 3ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1822. 

 A. emlnens (eminent).*/, blue, on erectly spreading pubescent 

 peduncles ; spur capitate ; helmet closed ; lip very lojig, refracted. 

 June. I. with cuneate bipinnate lobes, h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe, 

 1800. 

 A. eriostemon (woolly-stamened). fl. bluish-purple, disposed in 

 long, beautiful, erect-spreailing spikes; spur capitate; helmet 

 closed, arched. June. I. with cuneate, bipinnate lobes, h. 4ft, 

 Switzerland, 1821. 

 A. exaltatum (exalted). Jl. blue, on loose panicles, with ascend- 

 ing stiff luanchcs ; spur thick, snniewhat hooked ; helmet conical ; 

 beak elongated. July, I. with trapeziform, piimate lobes, k. 6ffc. 

 Pyrenees, 1819. Syn. A. hainatum. 



Aconitum— con t inned. 



A. flaccidum (tluccid). fl. pale violet, large, on erect spreading 

 iifdiiucK's ; raciMiifs branched ; spur hookeil at the apex; helmet 

 nigh, arched, inclining forwards, g-ai)ing. July and August. 

 I. multifid. ciliated (as well as the petioles), when young, h. 6ft. 

 Siberia, 1822. 



A, gibbosum (swollen). Synonymous with A. na.iutum. 



A. Gmelini (Cmelin's). fl. cream-coloured, middle-si^^eil, on very 

 long louse laci'iues ; spur straight, obtuse; bottom of the helmet 

 rounded, cylindrical. July, ^.'on long stalks, villous beneath and 

 shining aliu\e; lobes divided into narrow segments. h. 2ft 

 Siberia, 1817. SVN. A. nitutum. 



A. gracile (slender).* Jl. pale bine or violet, large, on loose 

 racemes ; spur erect, clavated-hooked ; helmet with a middle sized 

 beak. June. i. snioiith, wth trapeziform, pinnate lobes. Stems 

 slender, h. 2ft. Italy, &c. 



A Halleri (Ilaller's).* rf. opaque violet, on elongated, loose 

 racenii's, witli a few lateral asreiiding ones ; spur ca]>it;ite ; helmet 

 convix ItfTiiisitlierical. giipinii. .June. I. lobes linear, diluted, very 

 long. Sttin straight, long, branched, h. 4ft. to 6ft, Switzerland, 

 1821. 



A. H. bicolor (two-cnloured).* fl. white, variegated with blue, 

 disposed in spikes or panicles. June. 



Fia. 17. Flower op Aconitum Napellus, nearly Full Size. 



A, hamatum (hooked). Synonymous with A. exaltatum. 



A. hebegynum (blunt-styled). Synonymous with A.paniculatttm. 



A. heterophyllum (vari(ms-leaved). jl. pale yellow, and deep 

 blue in front, large, numerous, dense. August. I. petiolate 

 below, sessile above, broadly cordate, coarselv toothed at the 

 edge, and deep green, h. 2ft. Himalay;is, 1874. A new intro- 

 duction, said to be non-poisonous, and used as a tonic in India. 



A. illinltum (anointed), jl. pale or deep violet, on very loose and 

 much blanched panicles, large ; spur thick, long, abruptly pointed ; 

 beak blunt ; helmet sub-conical. July. I, with broad cuneiform 

 lobes, and obtuse lobules, h. 4ft. 1821. 



A. intermedium (intermediate). Ji. blue, on a loose panicle, 

 with ascending stiff branches; .spur supine, soiuewhat hooked; 

 helmet arched. .Ume. /. with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. A. 3ft. 

 to 4ft. Alps of Europe, 1820. 



A. japonlcum (Japanese).* ,/?. flesh-coloured, on loose panicles, 

 witli ascend iug lirancbes ; helmet exactly conical, abi'uptly 

 mncronate ; beak acute, straight. July to September. /, stalked, 

 trifid; lateral lobes bifid, middle h.be tritid. all blunt and deeply 

 toc'tlnd. Stem round, smooth. Ii. 6ft. Japan, 1790. Unu ot 

 the best spe-ies grnwu. 



A. j, coerulcum (blue). /I. blue. Japan. 



A lacinlosum (jagged). /. pale blue, or with a white base, 

 lar^e, on suuiuwhat contracted racemes ; spur clavated-hooked ; 



