142 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Astragfalus — continued. 



A. pannosus (Hoully),* jl. rose-coloured, in compact globose 

 licails, with pciliiiicles shorter tlian the leaves. Julv. ;. with 

 four, tivf, to Tiine pairs of ovate-lanceolate leaflets, thickly coateil 

 with Ion;; white woolly hairs, /i. 6iii. to 9in. Siberia. Perennial. 



A. ponticus (Pontic), .rt. yellow ; spikes sessile, ahnost globose. 

 ■Inly. /. olilcing, snioothLsh ; .stipules lanceolate. Steiij rather 

 hairy, /i. 2ft. Tauria, 1820. A very showy, erect, border pereiniial. 



A. purpureus (purple). /. purplish blue, disposed in capitate 

 spikes ; peduncles longer than the leave.s. June. /., leaflets i.ho- 

 vate, bidentate at the ape.x ; stipules connate, oppo^ite the 

 leaves. Plant diffuse, procumbent, rather hairy. Ii. 3in to 6in 

 Provence, 1820. Perennial. 



A. sulcatus (furrowed).* /. pale violet, but with a white keel, 

 ti|>pcd with brown ; racemes pedunculate, longer than the leaves. 

 .July. /. with linear-lanceolate leaflets. Plant erect, glabrous; 

 stem furrowed, h. 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 1783. Perennial. 



A. Tragacantba (great gf.at's thorn).* Uum Ti-agacanth. fl. 

 pale violet, two to five togetlicr, axillary, sessile. June, /.with 

 eight to nine pairs of linear liispiil leatiets; young stipules connate, 

 clothed with silky hairs; adult ones glabrous; petioles perma- 

 nent, at length becoming hardened sidiies. h. Hft. to 3ft. Levant, 

 1610. Evergreen shrub. Tiaga.anth, a partially siduble gum, 

 was formerly supposed to be furnished by this ]dant. It is, how- 

 ever, now known that A. Tr,i;mcaiith,i yields none. Several species 

 from mountainous regions in .\sia iMinor, iVc. furnish the gum. 



A. vaglnatus (.sheatbed-stiimled). Jl. rosy-purple, with white- 

 tipped wings ; calyx ratluM intiated, covered with soft white and 

 black hairs ; sjiikes dense, summer. I. impari-piimate, with 

 seven or eight pairs of elongated-oblong leaflets, both surfaces 

 covered with short silvery hairs, h. 1ft. Siberia. Perennial. 



A. vesicarius (bladdery), jl., upper petal purple, the wings 

 yellow, and the keel white, tipped with yellow; calyx clothed 

 with black adpressed down and long white spreading hairs ; 

 peduncles longer than the leaves. July. l. with five to seven 

 jiaiis of illijitic leaflets. Plant diffusely procumbent, hoary from 

 ail|nessed silky down. h. 6in. to Sin. France, 1737. Perennial 

 trailer. 



A.yimineus (twiggy), fl., upper petal purplish rose, much longer 

 than the pure white wings ; caly.\ clotheil with black hairs ; spikes 

 somewhat capitate, pedunculate, longer than the leaves. June 

 i. with four to si-i pairs of lanceolate acute leaflets, beset with 

 adpressed hairs, h. 6iu. to 1ft. Siberia, 1816. A handsome 

 perennial. 



A. virescens (greenish). Synonymous with A. faleata. 



A. vulpinus (fox).* /. pale yellow ; spikes nearly globose, on very 

 short peduncles. June. (. with obovate, obtuse, emarginate, 

 rather velvety leaflets. Plant erect ; stem glabrous, h. 2ft. to 3ft. 

 Caucasus, 1815. A handsome border perennial. 



ASTRAITTIA (from astron, a star, and aiifi, in com- 

 position sig-nifying- comparison ; in reference to the appear- 

 ance of the umbels of flower.s). Obd. Vmhellifenp. Orna- 

 mental, hardy, herbaceous perennials, natires of Europe and 

 Caucasus. Universal umbels in-egular, of few rays, sur- 

 rounded by Tariable inTolucre ; partial umbels regular, and 

 containing many iiowers, sm-rounded by many-leaved in- 

 Tolucels. Radical leaves petiolate, palmately lobed ; cauline 

 ones few, sessile. Boots blackish. These are suited for 

 borders, banks, and woodlands, growing well in any ordi- 

 nary garden soil, but preferring a damp position. Easily 

 increased by root divisions in autumn or spring. 



A. camioltca (Caminlan).* _ii. white. Mav. I. of involucre 

 twelve to thirteen, ipiite entire, white, with a "green line runnin" 

 along the niiildle of each, tinged with red ; radical ones palmate" 

 loliesflveto seven, oblong, acuminated, unequally serrated. h. 

 6in. to 12in. Caniiola, 1812. A pretty species. 

 •*■• helleborifolia (Hellebore-leaved).* fl. (and involucre) pink, 

 pediceUate. June. (. of involucre twelve to thirteen, ovate- 

 lanceolate, exceeding the umbel a little, bristly; radical ones 

 palmate ; lobes three, ovate-lanceolate, unequally serrated, h. 1ft 

 to 2ft. Eastern Caucjisus, 1804. Svx. A. maxima. 

 A. major (greater).* /. pinkish, pedicellate. May. ;. of in- 

 volucre fifteen to twenty, linear-lanceolate, quite entire, hardly 

 longer than the umbel ; radical ones palmate ; lobes five, ovate- 

 lanceolate, acute, rather trifld, toothed, h. 1ft. to 2ft. Europe 

 1596. Very distinct and ornamental. ' 



A. maxima (greatest). Synonymous with A. hellehori/olia. 



ASTKAFiEA (from astrnpe, lightning; alluding to the 

 brightness of the flowers). Oed. Sterrullacece. Elegant 

 stove evergreen trees. Peduncles axillary, long, bearing on 

 their apex an umbel of large sessile flowers, enclosed in a 

 leafy involucre. Leaves alternate, stalked, cordate, three 

 to five-lobed. They thrive well in a mixture of loam and 

 peat, and require a plentiful supply of water ; but the best 

 results accrue if the bottom of the pot can be stood in a 

 saucer or tub of water. Propagated by cuttings of young 



Astrapsea — continued. 



wood, made in April, placed in a compost of loam and 



peat, or sand, under a bell glass, in heat. 



A. tUiaeflora (Lime-tree leaved), fl. pink. A. 20ft. Isle of 

 nuurli.,11, 1824. 



A. vlscosa (clammy). /. pink. h. 20ft. Madagascar, 1823. 



A. Walliclili (Wallich's).* ;/. scarlet ; umbels droo|ung. July. 

 (. large, cordate, angularly lobed ; stipulas leafy, ovate-acumi- 

 nated ; peduncles long, hairy, h. 30ft. Madagascar, 1820. This 

 splendid species has often been described as being one of the 

 finest jdants ever introduced into this country ; and, when in full 

 flower, nothing can exceed it in beauty and grtmdeur. 



ASTKOCABYUra (from itgtron, a star, and kar[inn, a. 

 nut ; referring to the disposition of the fruit). Syn. Phoinico- 

 pliorum. Ori). Palinacew. Very ornamental stove palms, 

 allied to Cocos, having the trunk (when present), foliage, 

 fruit-stalks, spathes, and sometimes the fruit, covered with 

 spines. The flowers develop from the axils of the old decayed 

 leaves. Drupes oval, one-seeded, orange or yellow, in some 

 species fragrant. Leaves pinnate, with linear segments, 

 dark green above, and often of a silvery white below. The 

 species thrive in a compost of two-thirds rich loam and 

 one-third vegetable mould ; water may be given copiously. 

 Propagation may be effected by seeds, which should be 

 sown in spring in a hotbed ; or by suckers, if they are to be 

 obtained. 



A, acaule (stcmless). I. pinnate, 3ft. to 10ft. long, slender and 

 spreading ; juiiiue narrow, arranged in clusters, pendent. Spines 

 very numerous, long, flat, black. /(. 10ft. Brazil, 1820. 



A. aculeatum (prickly), h. 40ft. tiuiana, 1824. 



A, argenteum (silvery).* I. arching, wedge-shaped, pinnate, 

 distinctly plic^ite, bright green on the upper surface, the under 

 surface, as well as the stalks, covered with a tine white scurf, 

 which gives them a silvered appearance. Columbia, 1875. One of 

 the best of silver palms. 



A. filare (thready).* I. erect, narrowly cuneate, with two divergent 

 lobes ; petioles covered with white scurf, both on the upper and 

 under surfaces. Distinct and elegant, with a comparatively small 

 ami slender growth. Columbia, 1875. 



A. gr ana tense (New Orenadan). /. pinnate, with oblong-acumi- 

 nate segments ; the rachis is spiny, like the petiole, both on the 

 upper and lower surfaces ; leafstalks lirowuish, armed with nume- 

 rous scattered needle-shaped dark-coluured spines. Columbia, 

 1876. 



A. mexicanum (Mexican). Mexico, 1864. 



A. Miiru-Itluru (Murumuru). I. pinnate, 10ft. to 12ft. long ; 

 leaflets lanceolate, sub-falcate, dark green above, silvery white 

 lielow. Stem 12ft. to 15ft. high, densely clothed with strong 

 reflexeil black spines, over 6in. long. b. 40ft. Brazil, 1825. 



A. rostratum (beak-sheathed). ;. iiTegularly pinnate, 3ft. to 8ft. 

 long; piuuc'e 12in. to 18in. long; terminal lobe much larger and 

 bitid, dark green above, silvery white below ; petioles broadly 

 sheathing at the base, densely armed with black spines, some- 

 times 2in. long. Stem slender, densely clothed mth long black 

 spines. A slow grower, ultimately becoming 30ft. high. Brazil, 

 1854. 



A. VUlgare (common). A. 30ft. Brazil, 1825. 



ASTKOLOBIUM. >SVc Ornitliopus. 



ASTBiOIiOMA (from n.sfron, a star, and lotna, a fringe ; 

 in reference to the bearded limb of the corolla). Ord. 

 Epaeridacece. Very handsome, little, diffuse, greenhouse, 

 evergreen shrubs. Flowers solitary, axillary ; corolla 

 tubular, distended above the middle, and with five bundles 

 of hairs in the inside, near its base. Leaves crowded, 

 alternate, linear, or obovate-lanceolate and mucronate. 

 They thrive best in an equal mixture of sand, loam, and 

 peat, with thorough drainage. Propagated by young out- 

 tings, which root readily in sandy soil, under a bell glass, 

 in a cool house. 



A. denticulatum (finely-toothed), fl. axillary, erect ; corolla 

 pale red, with a ventricose tube. May to .July. I. scattered, 

 lanceolate, ciliated, usually procumbent, but sometimes slightly 

 erect. /,. 1ft. New Holland, 1824. 



A. humifusum (trailing), fl. scarlet, similar to the foregoing. 

 May and June. (. lanceolate-linear, rather convex above, with 

 ciliated eilges. Shrub prostrate, much branched, h. 1ft. New 

 Holland, 1807. 



ASTROPHTTUM MYRIOSTIGMA. See Echi- 

 nocactus myriostig'nia. 



ASYSTASIA (meaning not clear). Ord. Acanthacew. 

 Stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers disposed in axillary or 



