An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



59 



Alternanthera— CO n tinued. 

 some liotise or pit in the full light and warmth of the snn ; 

 for, unless so grown, green or badly coloured plants will be 

 the result. The best and quickest way of pi-oducing- this 

 class of plants in large quantities, is to make up a special 

 hotbed for them about the end of March or beginning of 

 April. If a pit be used, it should be filled up within 

 6in. of the glass with leaves and manure, or any other 

 material that will produce a steady bottom heat of SOdeg. 

 or 85deg., and will last for three weeks or so at that 

 point ; which, at this season, will be an easy matter. 

 When the heat has become regular and steady, about 4in. 

 or Sin. of light, rich, sandy soil should be placed all over 

 the surface, adding, at the same time, a sprinkling of silver 

 sancl on the top, and pressing it moderately firm with a 

 flat board. The cuttings may now be prepared and dibbled 

 in, lin. apart each way. If kept close, moist, and shaded 

 from bright sunshine, in a few days they will be forming 

 roots, and so soon as that takes place the shading should 

 be discontinued, and the ventilation gradually increased 

 until they are finally hardened off and planted out. If 

 carefully lifted, and placed in trays or baskets, with a 

 rhubarb leaf over them, they may be taken any distance, 

 and planted without flagging ; with this advantage— that 

 the plants being in good colour, the beds are effective 

 at once. April is early enough to commence striking them, 

 and these will be fit to plant out by the middle of June. 

 The several species quoted in various dictionaries hitherto 

 are unknown in English gardens. 



A. amabilis (lovely).* I. elliptic, acuminate, greenish in some 

 stages, with the principal ribs stained with red, but under free 

 gTowth becoming almost entirely suffused with rose colour, mixed 

 with orange, the midribs continuing to be of a deep red hue. 

 Brazil, 1868. 



A. a^ amoona (charming).* I small, spathiUate, orange red and 

 purple in colour, which is shaded with deep green and Frunze, 

 lirazil, 1865. A most elegant little plant, with a spreading tuihit. 



A. a. tricolor (tliree-colourert).* /. broadly ovate, glabrous, dark 

 green at the edge, and have a centre of vivid rose, traversed by 

 purple veins, an irregular band of orange yellow intervening 

 between the centre and margin. Brazil, 1862. 



A. Bettzichiana (Bettzich's). I. olive and red. Brazil, 1862. 



A. B. spathulata (spathulate-leaved). /. spathulate, >>ut more 

 elnnguted than the others ; the principal colours are reddish pink 

 and liglit brown ; these are shaded with bronze and green. 

 Brazil, 1865. A rather tall species. 



A. ficoidea (tig-like).* /. variegated with green, rose, and red. 



India, 1365. 



A. paronychioides (Paronychia-like).* I. narrow spathulate, 

 gTound colour deep orange red, beautifully shaded with olive 

 green. Dense anti compact grower, forming a little elunip 

 about 4in. hinh. 



A. p. magnifica (magnificeut).* A very tine variety, with a much 

 higher culuur tluiii the type. 



A, p. major (greater).* /. bronze, with rich orange tips ; very 

 etfective. 



A. p. m. aurea (greater-golden).* I, bright golden yellow, 

 which colour they retain all through the season. 



A. versicolor (various-colour).* I. medium sized, ovate, bright 

 ros> pink and crimson, shaded with bronzy gi-een, branchnig 

 lieely, and making a compact and handsome plant. Brazil, 1865. 



AIiTERNATE. Placed on opposite sides of an axis 

 on a ditiV'rent line, as in alternate leaves. 



AZiTHiEA (from aWieo, to cure ; in reference to the 

 medicinal qualities of some of the species). Marsh Mal- 

 low. Okd. M'ih'ace(p. Hardy biennials or perennials, 

 closely allied to Malm. Outer calyx six to nine-cleft, inner 

 one five-cleft. Mo.st species belonging to thi.s genus are 

 worthy of cultivation, particularly in woods, coppices, and 

 shrubberies ; they will thrive in almost any kind of soil. 

 They may be either increased by dividing the plants at the 

 roots, or by seeds ; the biennial species must be raised from 

 seed every year, which may be sown in spring where they are 

 intended to remain, or in pans placed in a cold frame, from 

 which the young plants may be removed when large enough. 



A> cannabina (Hemp leaved).* /?. rose-coloured; peduncles axU- 

 hiry, niany-tlowered. loose, longti than the leaves. June. /. pu- 

 bescent, lower ones pahiiately jiaited, npi)er ones three-parted ; 

 lobes narrow, and grossly toothed, h. 5ft. to 6ft. South France, 

 1597. Perennial. 



Althaea — continued. 



A. caribsea (Carihean).* Jl. rose coloured, with a yellow base, 

 solitary, almost sessile. March. I. conlate, roundish, lobed, 

 crenate-serrated. Stem straight, hispid. A. 3ft. Caribbee Islands, 

 1816. Biennial. 



A. flclfolla (fig-leaved). Antwerp Hollyhock, jl. generally yellow 

 or orange coloured, in terminal spikes, large, single or double. 

 June. I. divided beyond the middle into seven lobes ; lobe.s 

 oblong, obtuse, irregularly toothed, h. 6ft. Siberia, 1597. Bi- 

 ennial. 



A. flexuosa (zigzag).* Jl. scarlet, axillary, solitary, stalked ; petals 

 ohcordate. June. I. cordate, somewhat seven lobed, obtuse, on 

 long footstalks, k. 2ft. to 5ft. North India, 1803. Perennial. 



A. frutex (shrubby). Synonymous with Illbi-scus syriacttg. 



A. narbonensls (Narbonne),* yf. pale red ; peduncles many- 

 flowered, loose, longer than the leaves. August. I. puhesceiit, 

 lower ones five or seven-lobed, upper ones three-lobed. h. 3ft. to 

 6ft. France, 1780. Perennial. 



Fig, 69. Flower a.no Buds of Altii.ea oi-i'icinalis. 



A. officinalis (officinal). Common Marsh Mallow. /J. of a delicate, 

 uniform blush colour; peduncles axillary, many-flowered, mucli 

 shorter than the leaves. July. I. clothed with soft, white tonien- 

 tum on both surfaces, cordate or ovate, toothed, undivided, or 

 somewhat flve-lobed. k. 3ft. to 4ft. Marshes, Britain. Peieu- 

 nial. See Fig. 69. 



A. rosea (rose).* Hollyhock. Ji. rose-coloured, large, axilhuy. 

 sessile, somewhat spiked at the top. July. I. cordate, with five 

 or. seven angles, crenated. rough. Stem straight, hairy. /*. 8ft. 

 China, 1573. l^'or special culture and varieties, see Hollyhock. 



A. striata (streaked). Ji. white, 2J*in. in diameter, solitary, on 

 short pedicels ; calyx striped. .Inly. I. cordate, bluntly three- 

 lobed, crenated. Stem puberulous, and somewhat scabrous, h. 

 5ft. Biennial. 



AIiUSIINOUS. Pertaining to, or containing alum, 

 or alumina ; as Aluminous soils. 

 ALUM-ROOT. See Heuchera. 



AIiYSSUM (from k, not, and lyssd, rage ; in reference 

 to a fable that the plant allayed anger). Madwort. In- 

 cluding Peilonema, Ptilotrichum, ScJiivereckia. Ord. 

 Cruciferce. Annuals or dwarf, branching, shrubby pe- 

 rennials, often clothed with hoary, stellate hairs. Flowers 

 small, cruciform, white or yellow. Leaves distant, or the 

 radical ones tufted, usually entire. Several of the species 

 are very much alike. They are excellent plants for the 

 rockery, or for the front of borders, gromng freely in 

 common but well-drained garden soil. They may bo in- 

 creased by cuttings, by division of the roots, or by t-eed. 

 The cuttings should be made from young shoots, 2in. to 3in. 

 iu length, inserted in sandy loam, early in the season, in a 



