92 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



AFHROFHOKA. See Trog Hopper. 



AFHYItLANTHES (from aphyllos, leafless, and 

 anthoti. a flower; the flowers are on rush-like branches). 

 Ord. Liliarecu. A very pretty rush-like hardy perennialj 

 forming den>e, erect tufts. It thrives best in sandy peat, 

 requires a warm sunny situation, and slight protection 

 in winter. Increased by division of the roots, and seeds ; 

 the latter should be sown in pots in a cool greenhouse as 

 soon as ripe. 



A. monspeliensis (Montpelier).* ^/I., perianth six-cleft, spreadint? 

 at the apex, iluep hhie, nearly an inch across, disposed in a small 

 head, on slender scapes. June. I. absent ; the very slender 

 scapes are leatiike, with membranous sheaths at the base. South 

 of France, 1791. 



AFHYI.I.OUS. Without leaves. 



APICRA (from apin-os, not bitter). Ord. LiliacecB. A 

 group of succulents allied to Aloe, and having the follow- 

 ing among other characters :— Flowers small, loosely sub- 

 spicate; perianth regular, cylindrical, with short spreading 

 segments ; peduncles simple or forked. Plants small ; 

 rosette leaves always elongated. Leaves thick, diffuse, 

 never spinosely dentated. They require treatment similar 

 to Aloes, under which genus they are included by some 

 authors. 



A, aspera (ronsih).* Jl., perianth Mn. long; raceme loose, 3in. to 

 4in. ; pedicels three to four lines long; peduncle slender, simple, 

 nearly 1ft. I. dense, in many rows, spreading", rounded, deltoid, 

 six to' seven lines long and broad ; face rather flat ; middle three 

 to foiu- lines thick ; hack convex hemispherical, ^mnkled. Cape 

 of Good Hope, 1795. 



A, bicarinata (double-keeled).* Jl. unkno\vn. I. dense, in many 

 rows, ascending, deltoiddanceolate, nine to twelve lines long, 

 six lines broad^, dirty gi-een ; face flat; middle two lines thick; 

 margin scabrous ; back copiously tubercled. Cape of Good Hope, 

 1824': 



A. congesta (congested). ^., perianth six to seven lines, whitish ; 

 raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft. ; pedicels short ; peduncles 

 6in. long, simple. I. dense, spreading, in many rows, deltoid-lan- 

 ceolate, eightet-'uto twenty-onu lines ioiig. three to four lines thick; 

 back convex ; top unevenly keeled towards the margins. 1843. 



A. deltoidea (deltuid). /L, perianth greenish, five to six lines 

 Inng; ract'me abnnt 1ft. long, sub-spicate; pedicels short; pe- 

 duncles bin., simple or branched. I. in five regTilar rows, 

 spreading, nine to twelve lines long, deltoid, shining ^Teen ; when 

 mature, iijiper surface rather flat, apex pungent ; middle two to 

 three lines thick ; back distinctly keeled upwards ; margins and 

 keels minutely serrated. South Africa, 1873. 



A. foliolosa (sntall leafy).* /., perianth greenish, five to six lines 

 long ; raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft. ; pedicels two to three 

 lines long; pedinicle 6in., simple. I. dense, spreading, in many 

 rows, rounded deltoid, cuspidate, six to eight lines long and 

 broad, >vithout spots or tubercles ; face rather flat ; middle one 

 and a half to two lines thick ; back obliquely keeled upwards to- 

 wards tlie margins. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. 



A. imbricata (imbricated). Synonymous with A. spiraus. 



A. pentagona (five-angled).* Jl., perianth whitish, Jin. long; 

 raceme al)0ut 1ft., loose; lower pedicels two to three lines long : 

 peduncles 1ft., often branched. I. dense, regular, lower ones 

 spreading, ujjper ones ascending, lanceolate-deltoid, fifteen to 

 eighteen lines long ; bottom six to eight lines broad, shining 

 green ; face flat; middle three to four lines thick ; apex pungent ; 

 margin scabrous ; back irregularly one to two keeled at top. Cape 

 of Good Hope, 1731. 



A. p. bullulata (little-blistered). I. irregularly spiral, five rowed; 

 back w itli spreading close wrinkled tubercles. 



A. p. spirella (small spiral). I. smaller and more deltoid, lin. 

 long, six to eight lines broad at the bottom, irregularly five 

 rowed, or as if in many rows. 



A. spiralis (spiral).* Jl- , perianth reddish-white, ^in. long ; raceme 

 loose, nearly 1ft.; pedicels ascending, two to three lines long; 

 peduncles 6in., simple or branched. I. dense, in many rows, strong, 

 a'^cending. lanceolate-deltoid, twelve to fifteen lines long, six to 

 eight lines broad ; face almost flat, without tubercles ; apex 

 pungent ; back swollen, scarcely keeled ; margins obscurely 

 crenulated. Cape of Good Hope, 1790. Syn. A. \mbHcata. 

 AFICULATE. AFICUI.ATED. Terminated in a 



little point. 



AFIOS (from ayion, a pear; in reference to the form 

 of the tubtirs of the root). Ord. Le<juminosce. An elegant 

 little hardy twining perennial, easily trained into almost 

 any shape. It must have a well-exposed, sunny position, 

 and the soil should be of a warm or light sandy nature 

 Propagated by division of the tubers. 



. 117. API03 TUBER03.V, showing Habit and Flower. 

 A, tuberosa(tuberous\* Ground Nut. /.brownish-purple, sweet- 

 scented, in axillary racemes. Summer and early autumn. I. pin- 

 nate. Tubers edil)le, farinaceous. Habit very light and gi'aceful. 

 Pennsylvania. 1640. 8v,\. Ghjcine Apios. See Kig. 117. 



AFIOS FURMUH. A synonym of Fistia (which 



see). 



AFIUM (from apon, Celtic for water ; in reference 

 to the habitat). Ord. XJmhelUferas. This genus contains 

 no species worth growing for ornament, and nearly all are 

 more or less acrid and poisonous. A. graveolens is the 

 Celery of gardens, for culture of which, see Celery. 



AFLUCTRUM (from a, without, and plectron.'a, spur; 

 flower spurless). OuD. Orchideiv. A monotypic genus 

 from North America. A curious, hardy, terrestrial orchid, 

 requiring a shady spot in light loam and leaf mould, 

 moderately damp. Very difficult to cultivate. 



A, hyemale (wintry).* _fl. greenish-broiiMi, large, racemose, borne 



on a naked scape after the leaves have died down ; labellum as 



long as the sepals ; column sessile, rather long, wingless. Ajuil. 



Stein iiseudo-bulbous, with one large, broad, ribbed leaf. fi. 1ft. 



lt;27. 



AFLOTAXIS. Included under Saussurea (which 

 see). 



AFOCAB*FOUS. Having the carpels or fruit separate, 

 cr disunited. 



AFOCirNACI!.Si. A large order of trees, shrubs, or 

 rarely herbs, usually with a poisonous, milky sap. Flowers 

 regular, solitary or corymbose ; corolla salvor-shaped or 

 campanulate. Leaves simple, opposite, sometimes alter- 

 nate or whorled. Well known genera belonging to this 

 order are: Allayyianda, Nerium, Taherricemoiitana and Vinca. 



AFOCYNUM (from ap)0, away, and hyon, a dog ; 

 adopted by Dioscorides, because the plant was supposed to 

 be poisonous to dogs). Ord. Apocynacew. Dog's Bane. 

 Perennial erect herbs, w^ith cymose flowers and mem- 

 branous, opposite leaves. There are several species be- 

 longing to this genus, but only the one described below is 

 worthy of being cultivated. They are of extremely easy 

 culture, thriving in any ordinary soil ; and may be pro- 

 pagated by suckers, divisions, or seeds. The best time to 

 divide is just as they urn starting into fresh growth in 

 spring. 

 A. androsaemifolium (Tutsan-leaved).* Jl. pale red. with 



darker stripes; corolJa campanulate ; cymes terminal and lateral. 



July. L ovate, glabrous, petiolate, pale beneath, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 



Virginia, and Canada, 1685. A very old garden favourite, thriving 



be^t in pi-aty soil, with Azaleas, &c. See Fig. 110. 



