An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



141 



Astilbe — continued. 



A. Thnnbergi (Thunbcrfr's).* ft. small, white, very numerous, in 

 erect, niucli lu;inrlieil, pwamiilal panicles, with reuditsh and 

 slightly ilowny st;ilks. May. L uneiiually pinnate or hipinnate ; 

 leariets liroad, yillowish fincii. sharply toothed, h. lift. Japan, 

 1878. Tliis pretty littU' suU-shrub is extensively propagated on 

 the Continent for forcing; purposes. 



ASTKAGAIaUS (a name applied to a shrub by Greek 



writers). Milk Vetch. Ord. Leguminosw. A very large 

 genus of hardy herbs or sub-shrubs. Flowers in axillary 

 clusters ; standard larger than the wings. Leaves unequally 

 pinnate. About one hundred species have from time to 

 time been introduced in English gardens ; many of these 

 are lost to cultivation ; the comparative few here described 

 are still generally grow^n, and are good representative species. 

 They are all of easy culture. The shrubby kinds grow well 

 in any light dry soil, and are slowly increased by cuttings 

 placed in a cold frame, or by seeds. The herbaceous 

 perennials prefer a dry light soil, and may bo increased by 

 divisions or seeds ; the latter mode is preferable, as many 

 species are very liable to die if transplanted or divided, 

 which is at best but a .slow method. Seed should be sown 

 in pots of sandy soil placed in a cold frame as soon as ripe, 

 or very early in the spring, as they may lie a long time 

 before germinating. ^ The dwarfer species constitute ad- 

 mirable rockwork plants, and can be grown in pots con- 

 taining a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Seeds of the 

 two annual species, A. Cirev and .4. Glau.r, merely require 

 to be sown in the open border early in spring. 



A adsurgens (ailsurgent).* .rf. bluish purple ; spikes oblong, 

 pedunculate, longer than the leaves, densely packed. June. I. 

 with eleven to twelve pairs of ovatedanceolate acute leaflets ; 

 stipules acuminated, length of leaves. Plant asceudiiiii, smoothish. 

 Siberia, 1818. A very handsome and rare perennial species. 



A. aduncus (honked), fl. rose purple, in oblong spikes ; peduncles 

 rather ^liorter tlian the leaves. June and July. I. with nume- 

 rous pairs of romidisli-ovate, smooth leaflets, sometimes downy. 

 A. 6in. to 9in. C'aucasus, 1819. Perennial. 



A alopecuroides (foxtail-like).* Ji. yellow, disposed in thick 

 dense ovate-olilung spikes, on short axillary peduncles. June. I, 

 with numerous ovate-lanreolate, pubescent leaflets ; stipules 

 ovatedanceolate, acuminated. Plant erect, /l 2ft. to 5ft. Siberia, 

 1737. One of the finest i>erennial species grown. 



A alpinus (alpine). Jl. bluish-purple, sometimes whitish, droop- 

 ing, disi)i>sed in racemes of about ^in. long. Summer. I. impari- 

 pinnate, with eight to twelve pairs of ovate or (d>long leaflets. 

 Britain. A very desiral)le, hairy, prostrate perennial. 



A arenarius (sand-loving).* Jl. blue ; peduncles few-flowered, 

 rather shorter than the leaves. June. I. with linear-obtuse 

 leaflets ; stipules connate, opposite the leaves. Plant diffuse, 

 tomentn.se from white adpressed down. A. 6iu. Denmark, 

 1800. I'erennial. 



A. austriacns (Austrian).* fl. few ; upper petal, or vexillum, blue, 

 the rest purple ; racemes pedunculate, longer than the leaves. 

 May. I., leaflets glabrous, linear, truncately eniarginate. 

 Plant diffusely procumbent. South Europe, 1640. Perennial. 



A. canadensis (('anadian). /I. yellow, disposed in spikes ; 

 peduncles about as long as the leaves. July. I. with ten to 

 twelve pairs of elliptic-oblong, liluntish leaflets. Plant nearly 

 erect, rather hairy. k. 2ft. to 3ft. North America, 1732. 

 Perennial. 



A Cicer (Vetch-like). Jf. pale yellow, disposed in spike-like 

 heads ; peduncles longer than the "leaves. July. /. with ten to 

 thirteen pairs of elliptic-oblong mucronate leaflets. Plant 

 diffusely procumbent. Europe, 1570. Annual. 



A. dahuricus (Dahurian). /. purple, in dense racemes, which 

 are hinger than the leaves. July. /., leaflets, seven to nine pairs, 

 oblong, nuicronate. Plant erect, pilose, k. 1ft. to 2ft. Dahuria 

 to ("hhia, 1822. l^erennial. 



A. dasyglottis (thick-tongued). Jl. purple, blue, and white 

 mixed, in capitate spikes ; peihmcles a little longer than the 

 leave.s. June. /., leaflets elliptic-oblong, somewhat emarginate; 

 stipules connate, opposite tlie leaves. h. Sin. to 4in. Plant 

 dittuse. Siberia, 1818. A charming little alpine perennial. 



A. falcatus (honked). /. KTcenish yellow, in spikes; peduncles 

 ratlier loniier than the leaves. June. /. with sixteen to twenty 

 pairs of elliptic-obluim, acute leaflets. Plant erect, rather hairy. 

 fi. 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia (in wet, grassy places). Perennial. yvN. 

 A. viirsn'/t.s. 



A. galegiformis (Galega-like).* Jl. pale yellow, pendulous, race- 

 uiose ; pedvuicles longer than the leaves. June. I. with twelve 

 to thirteen pairs of elliptic-oblong leaflets. Plant erect, glabrous. 

 h. 5ft. to 5ft. Siberia, 1729. A showy perennial species. 



A. Glaux (Milkwort). _rf. purplish, in dense heads ; peduncles 

 lunger than the leaves. June. I. with eight to thirteen pairs of 



Astrag'alns — continued. 



small, olilong, acutish leaflets. Spain, 1596. Procumbent annual, 

 clothed with whitish hair. 



A. glycyphyllos (sweet-leaved).* Jl. sulphur coloured, in ovate- 

 oblong spikes ; peduncles sliorter than the leaves. June. /. mth 

 four, five, to seven jiairs of oval, bluntish, smooth leaflets; 

 stij>ules ovate-lanceolate, entire, h. 2ft. to 3ft. Britain. A 

 perennial prostrate trailer. 



A. hypoglottis (under-tongued).* rf. varieuated with purplish, 

 blue and white, dispn.sed in roundish heads; peduncles longer 

 than the leaves, ascending. Jiuie. I. with numerous little 

 ovate, obtuse, dark ;;reen leaflets, somewhat emarginate ; stipules 

 connate, ovate. Stems ])rostrate, rather hairy, h. 3in. Britain, 

 &c. Perennial trailer. 



A. h. alba (white-flowered).* This resembles the type, except 

 in the ctibmr of the flowers. 



A. leucophyllus (hoary-leaved).* Ji. pale yellow, about ^in. long, 

 in dense racemes ; peduncles much longer than the leaves. July 

 and August. I., leaflets in numerous pairs, br(padly-linear, 

 covered with soft, silky pubescence. h. 2ft. to 3ft. North 

 America. Perennial. 



A. maximus (largest).* Jl. yellow ; spike sessile, cylindrical, 

 nearly terminal. June. I. with ovate-lanceolate, pubescent 

 leaflets ; stipules oblong-lanceolate. k. 2ft. to 3ft. Armenia. A 

 very handsome, erect, pereimial species. 



Fig. 188. Astragalus mon.spessulanus, showing Habit and 

 Flower. 



A. monspessulanus(Montpelier).* Ji. usually inni'Iish. spirate; 

 peduncles loniicr than tlie leaves. June. /., leaflets twenty-one to 

 forty-one, ovate or lanceolate, outer ones ratlier the smallest. 

 Leaves hoary, and plant almost stemless when gmwing in dry 

 exposed situations; but in rich earth or moist jilaces the leaves 

 are almost glabrous, and the stem becomes elongated. South 

 Europe, 1710. This si>ecies is much appreciated, and well de- 

 serves a place in all collections. Evergi-een trailer. See Fig. 188. 



A. narbonensis (Narltonue). yf. yellow, disposed in somewhat 

 gloltnse sjiikes, on sliort axillary peduncles. June. I. with oblong- 

 linear leaflets ; stipules lanceolate. It. 2ft. to 3ft. Narbonne and 

 Madrid, 1789. An erect hairy perennial. 



A odoratus (sweet-scented). Jl. pale yellow, sweet-scented, 

 disposed in spikes; peduncles same length as leaves. June. 

 I. with eleven to fourteen pairs of oblong acute leaflets; stipules 

 connate. Plant erect, rather ascentlhig. h. 6in. Levant, 1820. 

 Perennial. 



A onobrychioides (<»nobrychis-like).* /. beautiful purple, in 

 capitate sjiikes on long peiluncles. July. I. with eight to ten 

 pairs of elliptic leaflets ; stipules connate, opposite the leaves. 

 Plant rather diffuse, shrul>by at the base, clothed with adpressed 

 hairs, h. 9in. to 12in. Iberia, Persia, t-tc, 1819. A very hand- 

 some perennial species. 



A Onobrychis (Onobrychis). Jl. purple ; spikes oblong-ovate, 

 pedunculate, longer than the leaves. June. I. with seven to six- 

 teen pairs of oblong leaflets, h. lAft., or procumbent. Mountains 

 Southern Europe, 1640. This is an elegant perennial, and ranks 

 among tlie very best. The varieties, all white flowered, are : 

 aljthntt!, major, micrfiphi/llus and iiioldavicii.s, but only the first- 

 named is now in cultivation. 



