An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



143 



Asystasia — continued. 

 terminal clusters ; corolla somewhat funnel-shaped, five- 

 lobed ; calyx five-lobed, reg-ular. Branches slender. They 

 require a compost of peat and loam, with a little sand, 

 and, to induce a vigoroiis growth, a little dry cow-dung 

 may be applied. Propagated by cuttings of young shoots, 

 placed in .sandy soU, under a bell glass, in April, with a 

 brisk bottom heat. 



A. chelonloldes (Chelonia-like).* rt. in terminal racemes, reddish 

 I>uri>le, the bordt-r wliite. L opposite, ovate-acute, h. 34ft. India, 

 1871. A iiri-tty ilwarf sub-shiub. 

 A. coromandeliana (Cnr.iinandel). ./?. deep lilac; racemes 

 axillarv, ehmiiated, secuiiii, strict. .luly. L opposite, cordate- 

 ovate ;"l>ranchcs diffuse. /(.Aft. India, 1845. S\x. JiiMcia gau- 

 ge tica. 

 A, macropbylla (large-leaved).* /. bilabiate, bell-shaped, rosy 

 jvirple outside, and almost pure white within : spikes terminal, 

 erect, 1ft. lorn;. June. I. very large, obovate-l.anceolate. h. 

 8ft. til 20ft. Fernanda Po, 1867. 

 A. scandens (climbing).* ./f. cream-cohmred ; tube of corolla 

 widened and recurved^ above, lobes of limb crenately curved ; 

 racemes terminal, compact, thyrse-formed. .luly. ?. obovate or 

 ovate acute, glabrous. /(. 6ft. Sierra Leone, 1845. This hand- 

 some stove climber requires a high, moist temperature after 

 shifting. SvN. Ileiifrctja scandens. 

 A* violacea (violet).* fl. violet purple, striped with white, in 

 terminal racemes. I. shortly-stalked, ovate-acuminate, deep 

 green, minutely hairv on both surfaces, h. 1ft. to 2ft. India, 

 1870. A pretty ilwaif plant, 



ATACCIA CRISTATA. See Tacca integfrifolia. 



ATAIiANTIA (mythological : Atalanta, the daughter 

 of Sehcuneus). Ord. Rutareiv. A genus of ornamental 

 stove evergreen shrubs, having the eight stamens united 

 below into a tube, and with undi\'ided leaves. It comprises 

 about ten species. Tiiey thrive well in a mixture of loam 

 and peat. Propagated by means of ripened cuttings, which 

 will root readily if planted in sand under a hand glass, in 

 heat. 



A. monophylla (one-leaved), fl. small, white, in axillary ra- 

 cemes, /r. golden yellow, about the size of a nutmeg. June. t. 

 simple, ovate-olilong. euiargiuate at the apex. Spines small, 

 simple. 7i. 8ft. India, 1777. A thorny slirub. 



ATAMASCO LILT. See ZephyrantHes Ata- 

 masco. 



ATHAMAXTA (named from Mount Athamas, in 

 Sicily, where some .species are found). Obd. Umbelliferce. 

 A genus of greenhouse or hardy herbaceous plants, usually 

 velvety from villi on the stem, leaves, and fruit. Flowers 

 white ; involucra of one or few leaves ; involucel of many 

 leaves. The undermentioned is the only species in cultiva- 

 tion, and is a very graceful perennial, with Fennel-like 

 foliage. It thrives well in any ordinary soil. Increased 

 by divisions, or by seeds sown in spring. 



A* Matthioli (Matthioli's). fl. white, twelve to twenty-five to an 

 umbel. Summer. t. three or four ternate ; leaflets linear-fili- 

 form, elongated, divaricate, h. 1ft. to 2ft. Alps of Carinthia, 

 1802. 



ATHAITASIA (from n, not, and thanaios, death; 

 alluding to the length of time which the flowers last). 

 Ord. CompotiitLV. Rather ornamental greenhoitse ever- 

 green shrubs with yellow flowers, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. They grow well in a soil consisting of three parts 

 loam and one part peat. Propagation is effected by 

 cuttings, taken from half-ripened wood in spring, and 

 placed in sand, under a hand glass. 



A. capltata (headed).* fl. -heads yellow. March. (. pinnati- 



partite ; younger hoary, older smooth, h. lift. Cape of (iood 



Hope, 1774. 

 A pubescens (downy), fl. -heads yellow. July. I. oblong, entire 



(or tridentate), softly hairv on both sides ; when old, sub-glabrous. 



h. 6ft. Cape of (iood Hope, 1768. 



ATHEKOSFERKIA (from nther, an awn, and .iperma, 

 seed; seeds awned). Ord. Monimiareee. A beautiful 

 greenhouse evergreen tree, with the aspect of a stately 

 conifer. Flowers panicled, dicecions ; perianth flve to 

 eigbt-fid. Leaves opposite, aromatic. A compost of loam 

 and peat, in about eipial proportions, is necessary. It can 

 be readily propagated by cuttings. 



A. moschata (Musk-scented). Plume Nutmeg, fl. white. June. 

 h. 40ft, New HoUand, 1824. 



ATHEROSFERIVIES:. See Moninuacese. 



ATHRIXIA (from a. not, and thrix, a hair; the re- 

 ceptacle being destitute of hairs). Obd. Coinposita. A 

 greenhouse evergreen shrub. It succeeds best in tirrfy 

 loam, peat, and sand, and requires to be potted firmly. 

 Propagated by cuttings of young wood, placed under a beU 

 glass in sandy soil, and treated like Ericas (which see). 

 A. capensis (Cape).* fl.. heads liright crimson, solitary, terminal, 



April, t. narrow, lanceolate, alternate, entire, h. 3ft. Cape 



of Hood Hope, 1821. 



ATHROTAXIS (from athros, crowded together, and 

 taxis, arrangement ; in reference to the disposition of the 

 scales of the cones). Ord. Conifer(V. A small genus of 

 Tasmanian evergreen dioecious trees or shrubs, with small 

 .scale-like leaves, and small globular cones of many imbri- 

 cated scales, witli from three to six carpels under each 

 scale. In very sheltered situations tliey will probably 

 prove hardy : but, otherwise, they are only suitable for 

 botanical collections. Increased by cuttings. This genus 

 is almost universally misspelt Arthmtaxis. 



A. cupressoides (Cypress-like). I. small, thick, leathery, spirally 

 arranged, closely imbricated, deep glossy green, h. 30ft. A small, 

 erect, and very slow growing tree, with numerous slender 

 branchlets. 



A. Donlana (Don's). A synonym of A. taxl/<dia. 



A. imbrlcata (imbricated). A garden synonym of A. selaginaidea. 



A, laxifolia (loose-leaved), niffering from A. ciq)ressoides in 

 having longer, nuire pointed, open, and spreading leaves, which 

 stand out from the stem in a Juniper-like f;ishion. Its lateral 

 growths are rather pendulous. Ii. 20ft, to 25ft. SyN. A. Doniana. 



A. selaglnoides (Sehi;;o.like), ;, f;l(issy green, scale-like, spirally 

 disposed, closely ;ii)i)ressed to the shoots, branches and their 

 ramifications very numerous, h. vari;ible, up to 40ft. Very inte- 

 resting, and quite distinct. SvN. A. imhricata (of gardens). 



ATHTRIUM. See Asplenium. 



ATRAGENE (a name originally given to Clematis 

 Titalha by Theopbrastus). Obd. Ranunrvlacew. A genua 

 of ornamental, hardy, climbing, deciduous shrubs, closely 

 allied to Clematis, from which they differ in having 

 numerous petals. They are increased by cuttings, which 

 should be pricked in light sandy soil and placed under a 

 hand glass ; also by layering in the autumn. Both methods 

 are slow ; the layers .should not be separated for about a 

 year, when they will be vigorous plants. Seeds must be sown 

 in early spring, in gentle heat ; when the seedlings are 

 large enough to handle, tliey should be pricked off and 

 grown on in pots till they are strong plants. 



Fig. 189. Atragene alpin.i, showing Habit, Twining Leafstalk, and 

 Flower. 



A. alpina (alpine).* fl. blue, varying to white ; petals ten to 

 twelve, linear at the base, but dilated at the apex ; peduncles one- 

 flowered, loiiRer than the leaves. May. /. biternate ; leaflets 

 ovate-lanceiilate, acuminated, serrate. Mountainous parts of 

 Europe, 1792. The white-flowered variety, named alba, is in culti- 

 vation. Syns. a. aiistrlaca and .1. sibirica. See Fig. 189. 



A. americana (American).* fl. large, purplish-blue ; petals 

 acute ; peduncles one-flowered. JIay. (. whorled, in fours 



