ASPHODELINE 



THE BULB BOOK 



ASPIDISTRA 



spindle-shaped tuberous and fibrous 

 roots as shown in the sketch. The 

 stems are more or less decumbent, 3 

 to 4 ft. long, and furnished with 

 clusters of narrow sickle-shaped 

 bright glossy green leaves or 

 "cladodes." 



This species is now extensively 

 grown in hanging pots or baskets, for 

 its ornamental appearance. It is 

 scarcely hardy even in the mildest 

 parts of the Kingdom, and yet will 

 stand much rough usage. To secure 

 nice plants the temperature of a 

 greenhouse is necessary, and a com- 

 post of sandy loam and leaf -soil will 

 give good results. The stems are cut 

 in large quantities for floral decora- 

 tions. Propagation is effected by 

 dividing the root-stocks, or by raising 

 the plants from seeds. 



ASPHODELINE (from Asphodelus). 

 Nat Ord. Liliaceae. A genus closely 

 related to Asphodelus, with fourteen 

 species of herbaceous plants, having 

 short rhizomes or clusters of fleshy 

 roots. 



A. lutea (Asphodelus luteus) is the 

 best-known and most ornamental 

 species. It is a native of S. Europe, 

 and grows 3 to 4 ft. high, its erect 

 stems being covered with deep green, 

 awl-shaped, three - sided, furrowed 

 leaves, with distinct paler veins. The 

 beautiful, sweet - scented, yellow 

 flowers are borne in summer in a long, 

 dense, straight raceme, each blossom 

 springing from the axils of a buff- 

 coloured bract. The double-flowered 

 variety (flore pleno) is a pretty plant, 

 like the type in habit, but having 

 double flowers. (Bot. Mag. t. 773 ; 

 Red. Lil. t. 223; Bot. Reg. t. 1507.) 

 It flourishes in ordinary good garden 

 soil, and is easily increased by divid- 

 ing the root-stocks in spring. 



ASPHODELUS (a, not; spkello, 

 to supplant; in allusion to the 



9G 



beauty of the flowers), ASPHODEL. 

 Nat. Ord. Liliaceae. A small genus 

 of herbaceous plants, natives of the 

 Mediterranean region, E. Indies, and 

 Mascarene Islands. They have small 

 rhizomes or clusters of thick, fleshy, 

 subtuberous roots, and narrow, strap- 

 shaped leaves, more or less three- 

 sided, or roundish-hollow. 



The species mentioned below 

 flourish in sandy soil that has been 

 deeply dug and well manured. Grown 

 in bold clumps they are fairly effec- 

 tive as border plants, and may be 

 increased by division of the roots in 

 spring. It is scarcely worth while 

 trying to raise plants from seeds, 

 as it takes a few years to do so. 



A. rainosus. This seems to be the 

 best of the Asphodels. It is a native 

 of S. Europe, and grows from 4 to 

 5 ft. high, having stiffish sword- 

 shaped leaves, channelled above and 

 strongly keeled beneath. The large 

 white flowers, with a reddish-brown 

 line down the centre of each petal, 

 appear during the summer on long, 

 dense racemes. The variety albus is 

 pure white. Closely related to it is A . 

 comosus, a Himalayan species, 1 to 2j 

 ft. high, the white flowers of which 

 have greenish keels to the petals. 

 A.Jistulosus is another white-flowered 

 species from S. Europe, recognised 

 by its hollow, awl-shaped leaves ; and 

 A. creticus, from Crete, has yellow 

 blossoms on stalks about 2 ft. high. 



ASPIDISTRA (aspidiseon, a little 

 round shield ; in allusion probably to 

 the stigma), PARLOUR PALM. Nat. 

 Ord. Liliacese. A genus with three 

 species of herbaceous plants, natives 

 of India, China, and Japan ; having 

 short, thickish, creeping rhizomes, 

 large ornamental leaves, and dull 

 purple or greenish-yellow, bell-shaped 

 flowers springing up from the root- 

 stocks just above the surface of the 



