An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



53 



Aloe — contitiued. 



A. tricolor (three-coloured).* /., perianth coral red, fleshy ; 

 raceme loose, oblong. 3in. to ijin. long, and2in. broad ; pedicels as- 

 cending, three to four lines lon^ ; scape lAft. long, glaucous purple ; 

 panicle deltoid. I. twelve to sixteen in a close rosette, lanceolate, 

 bin. to 6in. long. IHn. to 2in. broad at bottom, slowly nan-ow- 

 ing from below the middle to apex ; middle five to six lines 

 thick ; back rounded ; face slightly swollen, copiously spotted, not 

 lined ; marginjU prickles close, spreading, about one line long. 

 Stem short, simple. South Africa, 1875. 



A. variegata (variegated).* Ji., perianth reddish, fifteen to 

 sixteen lines long ; raceme simple, loose. Sin. to 4in. long and 

 about 3in. in diameter ; pedicels three to four lines long ; scape 

 simple, tapering, 6in. to Sin. (. close, erecto-patent, lanceolate, 

 4in. to Sin. long, lin. broad ; face concave ; back keeled, bright 

 gTeen, copiously spotted grey on both sides ; margin whitish, 

 denticulated. 1790. This is the variegated Aloe so frequently 

 seen in cottage windows. 



Fig. 61. Aloe vera. 



A. vera (true).* /!., perianth yellow, cylindrical, Jin. to lin lou" ■ 

 raceme dense, 6in. tol2in. long ; scape strong, 2ft. to 3ft. long, simple' 

 or branched. I. ensiforni, dense, aggregate, 2in. to 4in. broad 

 narrowing froni the base to apex, pale green ; middle about *in. 

 thick ; face channelled above the base ; marginal prickles .sub- 

 distant, deltoid, horny. Stem rarely more than 1ft. or 2ft 1596 

 Sv.NS. A. hnrba(i>^nfti!<, A. rtilr/arls. See Fig. 61. 



A. vulgaris (common). Synonymous with A. rem. 



A. xantbacantba (yellow-spined). A mere form of J. inilrw- 



foriii IS. 



A. Zeyheri (Zeyher's). A garden s>Tionym of A. Balnesii. 



AIiOMIA (from a, not, and loma, a fringe). Oed. 

 Compoaitcv. Allied to Eupatoria. An ornamontal half- 

 hardy evergreen plant. Grows freely in sandy loam, and 

 may be propagated by cutting.s. 



A. ageratoides fageratum-like). ft -/ic«rfs white, many flowered- 

 involuiruiii c;nii]ianulate, imbrica'te ; scales naiTow, acute- re- 

 ceptable naked, convex. July. I. opposite, or upper ones alter- 

 nate, petiolate, denticulated, h. Uft. New Spain, 1824 



AZiONA (primitiTe name, Nolana — letters transposed ; 



from nola, a little bell, in allusion to the shape oi the 



flowers). Okd. Nolanacece. A genus of pretty evergreen 



shrubs closely allied to Nolana, but differing principally in 



having several ovaries from one to six-celled, whereas 



Nolana has five four-celled ovaries. Leaves fasciculate ; 



stems woody. They require ordinary greenhouse treatment, 



in a peat and loam compost. Cuttings root freely in sandy 



loam, with a very gentle bottom heat, in about a fortnight. 



A. coelestis (sky-blue).* Jl. pale blue, very large, axillary, solitary ; 



peduncle elongated. July. (, terete, fascicled ; plant nearly 



glabrous. It. 2ft. Chili, 1843. This pretty species is an excellent 



one for growing out-of-doors during summer months. 



AIiONSOA (in honour of Z. Alonso, formerly Spanish 

 secretary for Santa Fe de Bogota). Ord. Scrophularineai. 

 A genus of very pretty little half-hardy shrubs, herbaceous 

 perennials, or annuals, with axillary, sub-racemose flowers, 

 which are resupinate, with a sub-rotate five-cleft limb. 

 Leaves opposite, or ternately whorled. They will grow freely 

 in light rich soil ; and are readily increased by cuttings in 

 August or March, which should be placed in sandy soil in 

 gentle heat, or by seeds sown in March. The herbaceous 

 species may be treated as outdoor summer annuals, and 

 should be raised in a little heat, and planted out early in May. 

 A. albiflora (white-flowered).* /. pure white, with yellow eye, 

 in long terminal spikes, h. IMt. to 2ft. Mexico, 1877. This 

 is recommended for pot culture, as in the conservatory it will pro- 

 vide a succession of (dowers throughout the autumn and winter. 

 A. caulialata (wing-stemmed), fl, scarlet, racemose. June. 

 ;. ovate, acute, serrated. Stems and branches quadrangular, 

 winged, h. 1ft. Peru, 1823. Half-hardy, herbaceous. 

 A. inclsifolla (cut-leaved).* /. scarlet; peduncles long, alternate, 

 disposed in terminal racemes. May to October. (. opposite, ovate, 

 acute, deeply toothed, or serrate, h. 1ft. to 2ft. ChUi, 1795. 

 Glabrous greenhouse shrub. Syn. Hemimeris tirfici/olia. 

 A. linearis (Hnear-leaved). /. scarlet, with a dark bottom, like 

 most of the species. May to October. I. opposite, or three in a 

 whorl, linear, entire or remotely denticulated ; young leaves 

 fascicled in the axils of the old ones. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Peru, 1790. 

 Greenhouse shrub. Syn. Hemimeris coccitiea. 

 A. linifolla (flax-leaved).* /. scarlet, h. 1ft. to lift. New Hol- 

 land. This is an elegant little annual, forming symmetrical, 

 gracefid, and very free flowering plants, either for pot or out- 

 door culture. 

 A. Mattbe^rsli (Slatthew's). ,ii. scarlet, in loose, terminal racemes. 

 July. (. lanceolate, toothed, about lin. long. Stem slender, 

 quadrangular, h. 1ft. Peru, 1871. Greenhouse shrub. 

 A. myrtifolia (myi-tle-leaved). fl. scarlet, very large. New and 

 pretty species. 



I ■*• WarscewiczU (Warscewicz's).* Jl. rosy scarlet, h. IJft. 

 I Chili, 1858. This is probably a herbaceous variety of A. inciMfoiia, 

 I and one of the best annuals. 



AtOYSIA (in honour of Maria Louisa, mother of 

 I Ferdinand VII., King of Spain). Sweet-scented Verbena. 

 : Oed. Verbenacea;. This genus is nearly allied to Verbena, 

 \ which see for generic characters. A greenhouse deciduous 

 \ shrub, with a very fine perfume and graceful habit. The 

 I most satisfactory plan of culture is to obtain weU-grown 

 I thrifty young plants in spring, and grow them on for the 

 I season. As the wood ripens, give less water until they are 

 I at rest, when it must be nearly withheld. Abou* Ihe end of 

 January, bring into the light and warmth, a,id water 

 thoroughly. As soon as the plants break, cut back to three 

 or four eyes ; and when the young shoots are about an inch 

 long, transfer into rich sandy soil, using pots a size or two 

 smaller than those they were in before. When the pots are 

 full of roots, transfer to those that are to hold the plants for 

 the season. By this mode of culture, good plants are to be 

 maintained for any length of time. Aloysias form excel- 

 lent piUar subjects for either a cold greenliouse, or out-of- 

 doors, in which latter situation they thrive remarkably 

 well, but require thorough protection, with straw bands 

 or mats, from November until March, and afterwards at 

 night, until danger from severe frosts has passed. They 

 requii-e no summer training, their young growth being con- 

 tinually cut off for the many purposes of decoration to 

 which they are applied, and to which they are so well 

 adapted. They are easily increased by young cuttings in 

 spring, which should be placed in sandy soil and gentle 

 heat, when they will root in about three weeks. 



