136 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



ASTEFKANUS (from a, without, and etephanos, a 

 corona ; corona abHent). Ord. Asclepiadew, A g-enns of 

 pretty evergreen greenhouse twiners. Flowers few, small, 

 disposed in interpetiolar umbels ; corolla campanulate. 

 Leaves small, opposite. Thoy tlirive in a compost of turfy 

 peat, leaf soil, and loam, in equal parts. Very little water 

 is required when the plants are at rest. Lhitting-s root 

 readily in sandy soil in a moderate heat. Propagation may 

 also be effected by division. 



A. linearis (linear). Jl. white, ; umbels dividing in threes, lateral 

 and terminal. July. I. lin. Inrtfi, opposite, linear-lanceolate. 

 Stem glabrous. Capo of Good iltipe, 1816. 



A trlflorus (three-flowered).* Ji. white; umbels generally three- 

 flowered. July. L opposite, lanceolate, villous beneath. Stems 

 hairy. Cape of Gooil Hope, 1816. 



ASTER (from aster, a star ; general shape of flower- 

 heads). Michaelmas Daisy ; Star-wort. Syn. Pinardia 

 (of Neoker). Ord. Compositm. Hardy herbaceous peren- 

 nials, except where otherwise stated. Heads solitary, 

 corymbose, or panicled, heterogamous, rayed ; ray florets 

 pistiliferous, one or two-seriate, fertile or neuter ; ligulo 

 elongated, white, blue, or purple ; disk florets hermaphro- 

 dite, fertile, tubular, yellow, five-cleft; involucre cam- 

 panulate or hemispheric ; bracts few or many-seriate, 

 outer smaller or larger; receptacle flat or convex; pappus 

 hairs few or copious, scabrid, outer sometimes shorter, 

 rigid, and paleaceous. Leaves alternate. This large genus 

 contains many handsome border and alpine deciduous per- 

 ennials (rarely biennials) of easy culture in ordinary soil. 

 They may be propagated by divisions in autumn or spring, 

 or by seeds in spring. The greenhouse species are mostly 

 evergreen shrubs, requiring a compost of peat, leaf soil, and 

 loam. Cuttings root readily in a sandy soil, under a hand 

 glass, with very little heat. 



A. acris (acrid), fi.-headx blue; involucre imbricated, 

 twice as short as the disk. August. I, linear-lanceo- 

 late, nut dotted, three-nerved, h, 2ft. South Europe, 

 1731. 



A acaminatns (taper-pointed).* Jl.-hrat/s white ; 

 panicle coryniltose. September. I. broad-lariLvulate, 

 narrowed at ha.se, entire, with a very lonj; jioint. 

 Stem siniple, flexuous, angular. h. 2ft. North 

 America, 1806. 



A. adulterinus (false), fi.-headx violet; involucre 

 squarrose, shorter than the disk. September. I. 

 amplexicaul, lanceolate ; lower ones sub-serrate, 

 smooth ; those of the branches linear squarrose. h. 

 3ft. North America. 



A. cestivus (summer-flowering).* fi. -heads \>\\\e. July. 

 I. lanceolate, somewhat amplexicaul, narrowed at the 

 end, scabrous at edge. Stem erect, hispid ; branchlets 

 pilose, h. 2ft. North America, 1776. 



A albescens (wliitish). Jl.-heads purple or whitish, 

 nearly lin. across; corymbosely panicled; scales of 

 involucre ovatu-Iincar, apiculate ; ray twenty-flnwered, 

 August, l. lanceolate on short petioles, denticulate, 

 downy. Plant beset with rusty down. k. 3ft. Nepal, 

 1842. ^ 



A. alplnns (alpine).* Jl. -heads bright purple, lin. to 

 2in. across ; scales of involucre nearly equal, lanceo- 

 late, bluntish. July. I., radical ones lanceolate- 

 spathulate ; those of the stem lanceolate. Stem one- 

 flowered, h. 6in. to 9in. Europe, 1658. A very 

 attractive species, having a dwarf, stout habit ; it 

 forms a useful and handsome sulyect for edging, and 

 its flowers are valuable for cuttmg purposes. See 

 rig. 177. 



A. a. albus (white).* jl.-hcads white, in other respects 

 resembling' tlie type ; but it is much less desirable, 

 and has not nearly so vigorous a habit. Europe. 

 1827. 



A. altaiciis (Altaian).* Ji.-heads blue-purple, abont 

 2in. across ; stem simple, corymliose, downy. June, 

 July. /. linear-lanceolate, entire, blunt uiiicronate, 

 three-nerved at base, veiny, h. 1ft. Siberia, 1804. 

 This, which is frequently consi<lered a variety of A, 

 alpinns, is one of the handsomest. 



A. alwartensis (Alwart). Jl. -heads red ; ray very fine ; 

 involucre loosely squarrose. May. I. ovate, narrowed 

 at base, entire, about iive-nerved. h. 1ft. Caucasus, 

 1807. 



A. Amellus (Amellus).* jl.-hcads purple, solitary, nuinorous ; 

 invohicre iuiliricated squarrose; leaveslilunt ; inner membranous, 

 cidoared at edge. August. I. oblong-lanceolate, scabrous, h. 2ft. 

 Italy, 1596. One of the best border kinds. 



Kn;. 177. ASTF.Ii ALI'INUS. 



A. A. bessarabicas (Bessarabian).* A most desirable variety, 

 fr<quently seen in gardens ; it is rather taller than the type, with 

 larger flower-heads, of a deep purple colour. One of the showiest 

 of all the Asters. See Fig. 178. 



Fi<;. 178. Asii.R Amki.i.us iiKssAUAntcus. 



A. amplexicaulis(steni-clasping). ^.-Acrtf/s violet. July. 2. ovate- 

 oblong, acute, auijilexicaul, cordate, serrated, sniuotli. Stem 

 panicled, smooth ; branches onu to two-headed, h. 3ft. North 

 America. 



