ASSAM TEA 



81 



ASTER 



A. serrula'tum (minutely-toothed). Brownish-yellow. 



June. India. 



., stria'tum (striated). See A. SHEPHERDII. 

 sulca'tum (furrowed). Brown. July. VV. Ind. 1827. 

 ,, sylva'ticum. 2. India. 



te'nerum. Brown, yellow. June. Malaya. 1840. 

 ,, ,, elonga' turn. 



ThwaitSsii. i. Ceylon. Syn. Diplatium Thwaitesii. 

 ., tri'lobum. Chili and S. Brazil. See A. PARVULUM. 

 ., vfitchia'num. See A. BELANGERI. 

 Vieilla'rdi. i. New Caledonia. Syn. A. schizodon. 

 ,, apicidens. 

 ,, Bapti'stii. 



fa'cile. J. New Caledonia. 1881. 

 vitttrfo'rme (ribbon-like). Brownish- yellow. Island 



of Luzon. 

 vivi'parum (viviparous). i. Brown. August. 



Mauritius. 1820. 

 vulca'nicum. i to 2. Java and Fiji. Syn. A. 



heterodon. 

 lam&fo'lium (zamia-leaved). 2. Brown. July. 



Caraccas. 1820. 

 teyla'nicum. Ceylon. Syn. Diplazium zcylanicum. 



ASSAM TEA. Cam* Ilia thei'fera assamica. 



ASSO NLA. (After the Spanish botanist, Ignatius de 

 Asso. Nat. ord. Sterculiads [Sterculiaceae]. Linn. 16- 

 Monadelphia, j-Decandrta.) They are now referred to 

 Dombeya. 



Stove trees. Cuttings in sand, in heat, under a glass ; 

 sandy loam. Summer temp., 60 to 75 ; winter, 50 

 to 60. 



A. popu'lnea (poplar-leaved). 10. White. Bourbon. 



1820. 



viburnoi'des (viburnum-like), n. White. Bourbon. 

 1822. 



ASTA'RTEA. (A classical name, after Astarte, a 

 goddess of the Assyrians and Sidonians, called in Scrip- 

 ture Ashtaroth. Nat. ord. Myrtleblooms [M>Ttaceae]. 

 Linn. i8-Polyadelphia, 2-Polyandria.) 



A greenhouse shrub. Cuttings of small shoots, half- 

 ripe, in sandy soil, in close frame, and kept shaded for 

 a time ; sandy loam and peat. Intermediate tempera- 

 ture. 



A. fascicula'ris (bundle-flowered). 3. N. Holland. 1830. 



ASTE'LIA. ( From asielos, wanting a pillar, in reference 

 to its having no stem or trunk. Nat. ord. Liliaceaj. 

 Tribe, Dracamea?.) 



Greenhouse perennials with long, slender, hairy leaves ; 

 propagated by divisions in spring ; light, loamy soil. 



A. Ba'nksii (Hort. Vanh., t. 5). Greenish. New Zea- 

 land. 



bivitta'ta. New Zealand. 1864. 



,. Cunninha'mii (B. M., t. 5175). Green. February. 

 N. Island, New Zealand. 



Sola'ndri (B. M., t. 5503). Greenish. New Zealand. 

 1864. 



ASTELMA. (From a, not, and stdma, a crown ; in 

 reference to the construction of the fruit. Nat ord. 

 Composites [Composite]. Linn. ig-Syngentsia, 2-Super- 

 fiua.) 



A. fragrans, imbricatum, and relortum are now referred 

 to Helichrysum ; the rest to Helipterum. Greenhouse 

 evergreen shrubs ; all natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Seeds sown in a gentle heat ; cuttings in sand and loam, 

 in close frame or hand-glass ; light, fibrous loam and peat, 

 good drainage. Summer temp., 50 to 65 ; winter, 40 

 to 48. 



A. cane'scens (hoary). 2. Purple. June. 1794. 

 exi'mium (fine). 3. Crimson. July. 1793. 

 fra' grans (fragrant). 2. Pink. July. 1803. 

 imbrica'tum (imbricated). 2. White. August. 1820. 

 milleflo'rum (thousand-flowered), i. Pale purple. 



July. 1802. See HELIPTERUM PHLOMOIDES. 

 reto'rtum (twisted-back), i. White. July. 1732. 

 speciosi'ssimum (showiest). 8. White. August. 1691. 

 spira'U (spiral-leaved). See HELIPTERUMVARIEGATUM. 

 Staheli'na (Staehelina-like). See HELIPTERUM SPECIO- 



SISSIMUM. 



variega'tum (variegated). 2. Brown, white. June. 

 i Box. 



ASTETHANUS. (From a, without, and Stephanos, a 

 crown; in reference to the stamens. Nat. ord. Asclepiads 

 [Asclepiadaceae]. Linn. s-Pentandria, 2-Digynia.) 



Greenhouse twining evergreen plants ; division and 

 cuttings ; peat and sandy loam. Winter temp., 40 to 45. 



A. linea'ris (linear). 4. White. July. Cape of Good 



Hope. 1816. 



trifto'rus (three-flowered). 4. White. July. Cape 

 of Good Hope. 1816. 



ASTER. Starwort. (Ftom aster, a star. The flowers 

 of Composites, or Starworts, are called florets, and, being 

 collected together on a receptacle, as in the daisy or 

 dahlia, the rays of their circumference resemble stars. 

 Nat. ord. Composites [Composite]. Linn. ig-Syngenesia, 

 2-Superflua.) 



In this genus we have many variable species, and a 

 large number of garden hybrids. It is those known 

 popularly as Michaelmas Daisies or Starworts that are the 

 most important section. Flowering late in the summer 

 and during the autumn up to the time we get severe 

 frosts they are much appreciated, and though at one 

 time much neglected, in recent years they have come 

 to the front again, and many very pretty garden varieties 

 have been added. There are several distinct sections, 

 yet it is difficult to place some of the garden hybrids. 

 The varieties of AMELLUS are a distinct type and do 

 not appear to intercross with others ; they are of dwarf 

 habit with rather broad leaves, which are covered with 

 short, silky hairs. The flowers are of various shades of 

 blue-violet, and some have a distinct pink shade ; they 

 may be propagated from cuttings or divisions, but the 

 roots do not spread much. ACRIS is another distinct 

 type, and most are dwarf in habit, forming compact 

 clumps, which may be readily divided to increase the 

 stock. CORDIFOLIUS is distinguished by the rather large 

 basal leaves and tall spikes of small starry flowers of 

 various shades from white to deep mauve, and the under- 

 ground rhizomes spread freely. DIFFUSUS may be 

 described as of tufted growth, with broad spreading 

 racemes of medium-sized flowers. There are several 

 distinct varieties, and are of medium height, and though 

 growing compact may be readily divided to increase the 

 stock. ERICOIDES, of which there are some pretty 

 varieties, all have very small flowers, produced in graceful 

 sprays, and very small heath-like foliage. Nov<c- 

 ANGLI* includes some very pretty varieties of erect 

 growth with rather large flowers, varying in colour 

 from pink to deep purple small, woolly leaves, and tufted 

 growth. NOVI-BELGII is perhaps the most important 

 type, and of this the varieties are very numerous, varying 

 in height from about 2 feet to 5 feet, and flowers 

 vary in size, also in colours, from white, pink, to deep 

 blue, the most distinct characteristic being the spreading 

 rhizomes and lance-shaped leaves. The strong-growing 

 sorts of this section prove rather troublesome weeds if 

 allowed to seed, and the rhizomes also spread a great 

 distance when allowed to do so. VIMINEUS forms another 

 distinct group with small starry flowers and of dwarf 

 habit, and garden varieties are numerous. 



In addition to the above there are many other distinct 

 species of which we have no garden varieties, and the 

 hybrids, which cannot be classified, are numerous. All 

 of those known as MICHAELMAS DAISIES are easily culti- 

 vated and are quite hardy. They may be grown in any 

 ordinary garden soil. In planting, due regard should be 

 paid to the heights and habits of the various sorts. 

 They may be specially recommended for supplying cut 

 bloom after the summer flowers are passed, but those of 

 the NovcB-AngUae section, though very showy in the 

 daytime, close their flowers at night. 



The evergreen, greenhouse species are not often seen 

 in cultivation. They may be propagated from cuttings 

 in the spring and grown in any ordinary potting compost. 

 This section is now mostly referred to Olearia and 

 Felicia. 



The Chinese Asters, which are annuals, and known as 

 Aster chinensis, A. sinensis and A. hortensis, are now 

 given under Callistephus hortensis by botanical autho- 

 rities, yet in gardens and in the markets they are still 

 known as Asters, sometimes as German Asters, as we get 

 the largest proportion of seed from Germany. It seems 

 doubtful if the name " Callistephus " will ever become 

 popular, yet it is useful to prevent confusion with the 

 Michaelmas Daisies. For culture, &c., see CALLISTEPHUS, 



