An Encyclopedia 



Horticulture 



Asphodeline — continued. 



wliito, stripi'd with gi'een, in 

 ■iiiit's, 6iii. t(p 12in. loni;, liii. to 

 L-i.c-t, 1ft. to 2ft. hi.-^lC tlensely 



Asi;i Minor, Ac. SYN. Aapho- 



A. taurica (Tunnan). 



i;fiH'i:i!l> siiiiph' (Iciisr i 

 2iii. w itii-. Slum siMlpIe 

 leafy at hasc of i-;icenie. 

 ileliis tiitiricu^. 

 A. tenuior (slenderer)- A- yellow, in simple lax-flowered 

 nut-niL's, 3in. to 4in. lony:, 2iii. wide. Stem simple lower 

 luilf leiif, upper naked, 1ft. Orient. Syn. Asphodt'las 

 teiiuiur. 



ASFHODEIiUS (from a, not, and sphallo, 

 to suiiplant; in allusion to the beauty of the 

 tiowers). Asphodel. Ord. JAliacew. Very pretty 

 hardy horbaecous perennials, with fleshy fascicu- 

 lated roots. Perianth w lute or yellow, of six equal 

 spreading" segments ; stamens six, hypogynous, 

 alternately lon^^ and short. Leaves usually radi- 

 cal, tufted, narrow, or triquetrous. All the species 

 enumerated thrive in good deep sandy loam, and 

 are very suitable for borders and shrubberies. 

 Propagated by division of the root, which is best 

 done in early spring-. 



AsBStivus (sinunier).yf. white. Summer. A. 2ft. Spain,1820. 

 A albus (wiiite).* /. white ; peduncles clustered the 



length of the bracts. May. I. linear, keeled, smooth. 



Stem naked, simple, h. 2ft. South Europe, 1596. 

 A creticus (Cretan).* //. yellow. July. L filiform, 



striated, toothed, ciliated. Stem leafy, naked above, 



!)raTu-lunl h. 2ft. Crete, 1821. 

 A fistulosus (pipe-stalked), jl. white. July, Aujrust. I . . . 



striatLMl, subulate, tistulur. Stem naked. /(.18in, South Europe, 1596. 

 A lutcus (yellow). A synonym oi Aspliodclhie luUm. 

 A. ramosus (bvanchy). jl. large, white, with a reddish-brown 



line in the middle of each seguient, springing from the axils of 



ovati'-Iaiiiritlate l»raets, and in veiy long dense racemes. Summer. 



I. swoid->iiapid. stilf, -sharply keeled below, channelled above. 



Stem nmch branched, h. 4ft. to 5fL. South Europe, 1829. 



r 



. upright, 



Fig. 165. A.si-iuisi iia hiuid\. 



A. lurida (lurid), jl. purple. July. I. oblong-lanceolate, on 

 long petioles. //. ]ft. to l/,ft. China, 1822. A very graceful 

 .species, with long evergieen leaves. It is an effective plant for 

 tiie outdcjor garden during sununer, and is nearly, if not quite, 

 hardy. See tig. 165. 



A. punctata (dotted). I. lanceolate, on long stalks, h. Ift. 

 China. This is very closely allied to A. i'lafior, but of inferior 

 value. 



ASFIDIUM (from aspidion, a little buckler ; in 

 allusion to the form of the involucre). Shield Fern. Ord. 

 Filires. Including Gyclodium, Oyclopeltis, Cyriomium, 

 Phanerophlebia, and PolijsticlLUin. Stove, greenhouse, or 

 hardy fern.s. Sori sub-globose, dorsal or terminal on the 

 veinlets ; involucre orbicular, fixed by the centre. They 

 thrive in a compost of sandy peat with a little loam. 

 Several species are admirably adax>ted for the indoor 

 fernery. The hardy species are best grown in the shade ; 

 a little sandstone should be incorporated with the soil. 

 For general culture, see Ferns. 



Fig. 161. Asphodklus Villausii, showing Habit and Flower. 



A. Villarsii (Villars') .rf. white; raceme dense, elongated; bracts 

 dark Inuwn. Stem simple or rarely branched. /*. 1ft. to 2ft. 

 Eastern Erance. See Eig. 164. 



ASPIDISTRA (from aspidiseon, a little round shield ; 

 in reference to the form of the flower). Syn. Porpax (of 

 Salisbury). Including Plectocjyne. OiiD. LiliacecE. Hardy, 

 or nearly hardy, evergreen, foliage plants. Flowers insig- 

 nificant, produced close to the ground, remarkable for the 

 cnrious mushroom-like stigma, by which this genus is 

 characterised. They thrive in almost any ordinary garden 

 soil, but are best grown in rich loam, leaf soil, and sand ; 

 plenty of moisture being allowed. Propagated by suckers. 

 A. elatior (taller).* I. oblong, large, on long petioles, leathery ; 

 plant stemless. h. \'^lt. to 2ft. Japan, 1835. This very easily 

 cultivated and quite hardy foliage plant is much prown for window 

 gardening and other decorative purposes, for which it is well suited. 

 A e. variegata (variegated).* A tine variety with alternately- 

 striped green and white leaves. 



FM;. 166. ASIMOIUM ACULEATUM. 



A. acrostichoides (Aciostichnni-like).* ftti. 6iu. to Sin. long, 

 densely scaly below, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, 2in. to 6in. broad ; 

 pinn% of the lower half barren, 2in. to 3in. long, iin. broad. 



