AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



53 



Aloe continued. 



A tricolor (three-coloured).* /.-, perianth coral red, fleshy; 

 raceme loose, oblong, 3in. to 4in. long, and 2in. broad ; pedicels as- 

 cending, three to four lines long ; scape lift long, glaucous purple ; 

 panicle deltoid. I. twelve to sixteen in a close rosette, lanceolate, 

 pin. to 6in. long, Hin. to 2in. broad at bottom, slowly narrow- 

 ing from below the middle to apex ; middle five to six lines 

 thick ; back rounded ; face slightly swollen, copiously spotted, not 

 lined ; marginal prickles close, spreading, about one line long. 

 Stem short, simple. South Africa, 1875. 



A variegata (variegated).* fl-, perianth reddish, fifteen to 

 sixteen lines long ; raceme simple, loose, Sin. to 4in. long and 

 about 3in. in diameter ; pedicels three to four lines long ; scape 

 simple, tapering, 6in. to Sin. L close, erecto-patent, lanceolate, 

 n. to 5in. long, lin. broad; face concave; back keeled, bright 

 green, copiously spotted grey on both sides; margin whitish, 

 denticulated. 1790. This is the variegated Aloe so frequently 

 seen in windows. 



Fro. 61. ALOE v 



A vera (true).* JL, perianth yellow, cylindrical, jin. to lin. long ; 

 raceme dense, 6in. to 12in. long ; scape strong, 2ft. to 3ft long, simple 

 or branched. L ensiform, dense, aggregate, 2in. to 4in. broad, 

 narrowing from the base to apex, pale green ; middle about lin. 

 thick ; face channelled above the base ; marginal prickles sub- 

 distant, deltoid, horny. Stem rarely more than 1ft or 2ft. 1596. 

 STJJS. A. barbadmtit, A. vulgaru. See Fig. 6L 

 A vnlgaris (common). Synonymous with A. vera. 

 A xant.tiarantna (yellow-spined). A mere form of A. mitre* 



formis. 

 A Zeyheri (Zeyher's). A garden synonym of A. Bainetii. 



AIiOMIA (from a, not, and loma, a fringe). OBD. 

 Composite. Allied to Eupatorium. An ornamental half- 

 hardy evergreen plant. Grows freely in sandy loam, and 

 may be propagated by cuttings. 



A ageratoides (Ageratum-like). JL-heads white, many flowered; 

 involucnun campanulate, imbricate; scales narrow, acute; re- 

 ceptable naked, convex. July. I. opposite, or upper ones alter- 

 nate, petiolate, denticulated, h. IJft New Spain, 1824. 



ALOHA (primitive name, Nolanar letters transposed ; 

 from nola, a little bell, in allusion to the shape of the 

 flowers). OBD. Nclanaeea. A genna of pretty evergreen 

 shrubs closely allied to Nolana, but differing principally in 

 having several ovaries from one to six-celled, whereas 

 Nolana. has five four-celled ovaries. Leaves fasciculate; 

 stems woody. They require ordinary greenhouse treatment, 

 in a peat and loam compost. Cuttings root freely in sandy 

 loam, with a very gentle bottom heat, in about a fortnight. 

 A. ccelestis (sky-blueX*/. pale blue, very large, axillary, solitary ; 

 peduncle elongated. July. L terete, fascicled; plant nearly 

 glabrous, h, 2ft. Chili, 1843. This pretty species is an excellent 

 one for growing out-of-doors during summer months. 

 AIiONSOA (in honour of Z. Alonso, formerly Spanish 

 secretary for Santa Fe de Bogota). OBD. Scrophularinea. 

 A genus of very pretty little half-hardy shrubs, herbaceous 

 perennials, or annnali!, with axillary, sub-racemose flowers, 

 which are resnpinate, with a sub-rotate five-cleft limb. 

 Leaves opposite, or ternately whorled. They will grow freely 

 in light rich soil ; and are readily increased by cuttings in 

 August or March, which should be placed in sandy soil in 

 gentle heat, or by seeds sown in March. The herbaceous 

 species may be treated as outdoor summer annn.1 > and 

 should be raised in a little heat, and planted out early in May. 

 A. albifiora (white-floweredX* JL pure white, with yellow eye, 

 in long terminal spikes, h. lift to 2ft Mexico, 1877. This 

 is recommended for pot culture, as in the conservatory it will pro- 

 vide a succession of flowers throughout the autumn and winter. 

 ^canllalata (wing-stemmed). JL scarlet, racemose. June, 

 ovate, acute, serrated. Stems and branches quadrangular, 

 winged. A. 1ft Peru, 1823. Half-hardy, herbaceous. 



A inciaifolia (cut-leaved).* JL scarlet; peduncles long, alternate, 

 disposed in terminal racemes. May to October. I. opposite, ovate, 

 acute, deeply toothed, or serrate. A. 1ft to 2ft Chili, 1795. 

 Glabrous greenhouse shrub. Srx. Hemimerit urticifolia. 



A linearis (linear-leaved). JL scarlet, with a dark bottom, like 

 most of the species. May to October. L opposite, or three in a 

 whorl, linear, entire or remotely denticulated; young leaves 

 fascicled in the axils of the old ones. A. If t to 2ft Pern, 1790. 

 Greenhouse shrub. SY.N. Hemimerit coccinea, 



A linifolia (Flax-leaved).- JL scarlet A. 1ft. to lift New Hol- 

 land. This is an elegant little annual, forming symmetrical, 

 graceful, and very free flowering plants, either for pot or out- 

 door culture. 



A Matthe wsU (Matthews'). JL scarlet, in loose, terminal racemes. 

 July. L lanceolate, toothed, about lin. long. Stem slender, 

 quadrangular. A. 1ft Peru, 1871. Greenhouse shrub. 



A. myrtifolia (Myrtle-leaved). /L scarlet, very large. New and 

 pretty species. 



A Warscewiczii (Warscewicz's).* JL rosy scarlet A. lift 

 Chili, 1858. This is probably a herbaceous variety of A. incit\folia, 

 and one of the best annuals. 



ALOPHIA. See Trifurcia. 



AIiOYSIA (in honour of Maria Louisa, mother of 

 Ferdinand VII., King of Spain). Sweet-scented Verbena. 

 ORD. Verbenaceos. This genus is nearly allied to Verbena-, 

 which see for generic characters. A greenhouse deciduous 

 shrub, with a very fine perfume and graceful habit. The 

 most satisfactory plan of culture is to obtain well-grown 

 thrifty young plants in spring, and grow then on for the 

 season. As the wood ripens, give less water until they are 

 at rest, when it must be nearly withheld. About the end of 

 January, bring into the light and warmth, and water 

 thoroughly. As soon as the plants break, cut back to three 

 or four eyes ; and when the young shoots are about an inch 

 long, transfer into rich sandy soil, using pots a size or two 

 smaller than those they were in before. When the pots are 

 full of roots, transfer to those that are to hold the plants for 

 the season. By this mode of culture, good plants are to be 

 maintained for any length of time. Aloysias form excel- 

 lent pillar subjects for either a cold greenhouse, or out-of- 

 doors, in which latter situation they thrive remarkably 

 well, but require thorough protection, with straw bands 

 or mats, from November until March, and afterwards at 

 night, until danger from severe frosts has passed. They 

 require no summer training, their young growth being 

 continually cut off for decoration. They are easily 

 increased in spring by young cuttings, placed in sandy 

 soil and gentle heat ; they will root in about three weeks. 



