A R U 



A S A 



imbricate, and uncmial ; it varies in colour, Iie- 

 ing commonly pur|jli--li, but sometimes whitish: 

 the peduncles in pairs or three together, the 

 h)\\er outs connected at the base, havnic: a sharp 

 little scale for a bracle : the llorcts imbricate, 

 pointing one wav, when flowering divcruing on 

 very short pedicels. The valves of the calyx 

 with two ribs on each side, not nuuh loniicr 

 than the corolla, the outer valve a little less than 

 the other. The valves of the corolla liairv at the 

 edges, and furnished with a small, slender, hairv 

 appendage on each side, the outer valve not rolleil 

 in. The nectaries two, lanecolate-aeuminate, 

 with one tooth on the outer edge. The seed 

 oval, flatted, brown, and shining. 



There is a varietv of this grass cultivated in 

 gardens, which has beautiful striped leaves, ge- 

 nerally green and white, but sometimes with a 

 purplish cast. It is known by the names of 

 ladies' laces, painted grass, and ril'Laiid grass. 



Culture. The first species, though a native 

 of a warm climate, is sometimes capable of re- 

 sisting the cold of our winters in warm situations, 

 where the soil is not too retentive of nic)isturc, 

 especially if a little litter be applied over the 

 roots, when thev prove severe. 



It is propagated by parting the roots in the 

 latter end of February or beginning of March, 

 previous to the shooting forth of the new stems. 

 They mostly shoot the same season, but seldom 

 in a vigorous manner until the second or third 

 year, when several stems proceed from the same 

 stool. 



The chief culture which it requires is that of 

 being well supplied with water in dry seasons, 

 and having the stems cut down and cleared away 

 annually in the autumn. 



The variegated variety, as being more tender, 

 should be protected from the frost during the 

 winter season. 



The second sort only admits of being raised 

 in well-regulated stoves in this eountrv, in 

 which it is sometimes capable of attaining con- 

 siderable growth. It is propagated by taking 

 off slips from the roots in the verv earlv spring 

 months, and planting them in large pots or 

 tubs filled uilh good earth, which should then 

 be plunged in the bark-bed in the stove or hot- 

 house, full supplies of water being carefully 

 aflbrded. If the roots of the plants be per- 

 mitted to extend themselves in the tan of the 

 beds, as the tubs decay they will grow with 

 greater vigour; but great care must be taken in 

 these cases not to disturb their roots on the re- 

 freshing or renewal of the beds. 



The \ariely of the third species usually em- 

 ployed may be easily multiplied by dividing the 

 roots in the autumnal season, and planting them 



out again in the clumps, borders, or oilier places 

 where they arc intended to grow. Tlic plants re- 

 quire no further culture, except that of cleariii"- 

 away the stems in the autunui. 



The first kind aflbrds variety by the singularity 

 of its growth among the larger ])lants in the 

 borders and other parts ol' pleasure-cround^. 

 The second is preserved in the stove forlhe sake 

 of ciniosity. And the last is chieliv valuable 

 for the diversity which it creates among the 

 smaller herbaceous |)lanis in clumps and borders. 



ASAHUM, a genus containing plants of the 

 low herbaceous perennial kiml. 



It belongs to the class and order Dodccandria 

 Mwiogi/nia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Surtnciifaceie. 



The characters of which are: that the calvx 

 is a one-leafed bell-shaped, three- or four- cleft, 

 coriaceous, coloured, permanent perianthiuni ; 

 the clefts are erect and bent in at the top; no 

 corolla; the stamina consist of twelve subulate 

 filaments, half the length of the calvx; the 

 anthers oblontr, and fastened to the middle par- 

 tition of the filaments : the pistillum is an in- 

 ferior or concealed germ within the substance of 

 the calyx : the style is cylindric, the lencih of 

 the stamina : the stigma is stellate, six-parted, 

 the parts reflex : the pcricarpium is a coriaceous 

 capsule within the substance of the calyx, bein" 

 mostly six-celled. There are several ovate seeds. 



The species of most note in garden cidture 

 arc: 1. ^. Canadeine, Canadian Asarabaeca. 

 2. .'7. I'irginicum, Virginian Sweet-scented Asa- 

 rabaeca. 



In the first the roots are perennial, thick, and 

 fleshy, sending out many fibres. The leaves rise 

 from the root, are mu;;h larger than in those of 

 common asarabaeca, and stand on longer foot- 

 stalks; they are pointed and hairy. The flowers 

 are like those of the other sort, growing close to 

 the root, but are more inclining to green on 

 the outside. It is a native of Canada, and 

 flowers from April to July. 



In the second species the leaves are veined 

 and spotted on their upper surface, like those of 

 the autumnal Cyclamen. The flowers are shaped 

 like the others, but stand on longer peduncles, 

 and are of a darker purple colour. They cnmc 

 out in April and May, and their seeds ripen in 

 July and August. It is a native of Virginia and 

 Carolina. 



Culture. — These are hardy plants, of easy 

 culture, .'i'hey succeed to most advantage in 

 situations which are moist and shady. They arc 

 propasiated by parting the roots in the autunmal 

 months, w hieh should be planted out in the I'ronis 

 of tlum])s or borders where they are to remain. 

 In the Canadian sort, w lieu the soil is too leten- 

 T 



