AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



67 



Amphicome continued. 



soil in gentle heat ; or by seed, which should be sown in 

 early spring, in pots of sandy soil placed in a greenhouse. 

 A. arguta (finely-cut).* fl. red, drooping ; racemes axillary, ter- 

 minal ; corolla tubular near the base, ventricose above. August. 

 1. alternate, impari-pinnate ; leaflets opposite, on short petioles, 

 three to four pairs, lanceolate, acuminated, deeply serrated. A. 3ft. 



Himalaya, 1837. 

 A. Emodi (Emodian).* ft. rose a 



I orange, erect ; racemes axillary ; 



corolla IJin. to 2in. long, bell-shaped, slightly tubular below. 

 August to October. I. impari-pinnate, with numerous leaflets. 



A. 1ft. to IJft. 

 plant. 



India, at high altitudes, 1852. A very beautiful 



AMPHILOPHIUM (from amphilophos, crested on all 

 sides ; limb of corolla much curled). STN. Amphilobium. 

 ORD. Bignoniacece. A handsome stove evergreen climber. 

 Corolla somewhat coriaceous, with a short tube, and a large 

 ventricose throat. Loam and peat, well mixed, suit it best ; 

 cuttings from young shoots root readily in sand, under a 

 hand glass, with bottom heat, during the spring months. 



A.paniculatum(panicle<l).* fl. rose; panicle terminal, composed 

 or three-flowered peduncles. June. I. joined by pairs, opposite ; 

 leaflets ovate-roundish, acuminated, subcordate. Westlndies, 1738. 



AMPHION. A synonym of Semele (which see). 

 AMPLEXICAULIS. Embracing the stem; usually 

 applied to leaves. 



AMPULLACEOUS. Resembling a bladder or flask. 



AMSONIA (in honour of Charles Amson, a scientific 

 traveller in America). ORD. Apocynacew. Very pretty 

 hardy, herbaceous perennials, with alternate leaves, and 

 terminal panicles of pale blue flowers ; corolla with linear 

 lobes, and a narrow funnel-shaped tube. They thrive in 

 half shady positions in borders, or the edges of shrubberies, 

 where they will not need to be frequently transplanted. 

 Propagated by cuttings during the summer months, or by 

 divisions of the roots in spring. 



A. latifolia (broad-leaved). Synonymous with A. TabernaniurH- 

 tana. 



Fio. 82. AMSONIA SAL.ICIFOLIA, showing Habit and Flower. 



A. sallciiblia (willow-leaved).* A. light blue, in terminal corym- 

 bose cymes ; corolla small, funnel-shaped, with a rounded tube ; 

 throat whitish, bearded. Summer, t. lanceolate, smooth, acute. 

 A. IJft. to 2Jft. North America, 1812. Habit less erect than the 

 following species. See Fig. 82. 



A. Tabernaemontana (Tabernaemontana-like).* fl. pale blue, 

 in cymes ; petals lanceolate, acute, slightly hairy on the outside; 

 sepals also lanceolate, acute. Summer. I. ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute, shortly stalked, A. IJft. to 2Jft. North America, 1759. 

 SYNS. A. latifolia, Tabernaemontana, Amsonia. 

 AMYGDALUS (from amysso, to lacerate; fissured 

 channels in the stone of the fruit). Almond. ORD. 

 Rosaceae. TRIBE Drwpacece. Well known, ornamental, 

 deciduous spring flowering shrubs. Drupe clothed with 

 velvety pubescence, with a fibrous dry rind, separating 

 irregularly, having the stone of the fruit pitted or smooth. 

 The larger-growing species are very excellent for shrub- 

 beries, or as specimen trees; being in blossom before 

 most other trees, they make a fine appearance in early 

 spring. The dwarfer kinds are also well fitted for small 



Amygdalus continued. 



shrubberies or the fronts of large ones. For greenhouse 

 culture they should be obtained in a small pyramidal 

 shape ; they are not, however, suited to a small house, 

 as the plants, to bloom well and be effective, ought to 

 be at least 2ft. or 3ft. high, and proportionately wide. 

 Plenty of root room is essential. After potting, water 

 thoroughly, and place the trees in an orchard house for a 

 few weeks, when they may be removed to their permanent 

 station. A temperature of about SOdeg. or 55deg. is 

 sufficient to hasten the flowering ; a higher temperature is 

 apt to frustrate the object in view. After flowering, 

 gradually harden off the plants until about the end of 

 May, when they may be plunged out of doors for the 

 season. Repotting should be done as soon as the leaves 

 fall. Increased by budding upon seedling plum-stocks 

 in summer. The Almond is grown on the Continent for its 

 fruit. See also Pmnus. 



A. argentea (silvery). A synonym of A. orientalis. 

 A. Besseriana (Besser's). A synonym of A. nana. 

 A. cochinehinensis (Cochin China), fl. white ; racemes small, 



sub-terminal, fr. ovate, ventricose, acute at the apex. March. 



I. oval, quite entire. A. 30ft. to 40ft. Cochin China, 1825 



Greenhouse. 



PIG. 83. FLOWERING BRANCH OF AMTODALUS COMMUNIS. 



A. communls (common).* Common Almond, fl. white or rose 

 coloured, solitary. March, fr. compressed, egg-shaped, tomen- 

 tose. I. oblong lanceolate, serrulated. A. 10ft to 30ft Barbary, 

 1548. See Fig. 83. 



A. C. amara (bitter).* Bitter Almond, fl. larger, white, but rose 

 coloured at the base. April Seeds bitter. 



A. c. dulcis (sweet). Sweet Almond, fl. red, earlier ; fruit ovate, 

 compressed, acuminated. Seeds sweet I. of a greyish green 

 colour. 



A. C. flore-pleno (double-blossomed).* fl. flesh colour, fuU 

 double, rosy in the bud. J. oval-eUiptic, acuminate. 



A. c. fragilis (brittle), fl. pale rose coloured, rising with the 

 leaves ; petals broader, deeply emarginate. I. shorter than those 

 of the type. 



A. c. macrooarpa (large-fruited).* /. whitish rose colour, large, 

 rising before the leaves, with broadly obconlate undulated petals. 

 fr. larger than that of the type, umbilicate at the base, but acumi- 

 nated at the apex. I. broader than the type, acuminated, lucre 

 are also numerous other varieties. 



A. incana (hoary).* fl. red, solitary. April. Drupe compressed, 

 pubescent L obovate, serrated, clothed with white tomentum 

 beneath. A. 2ft. A handsome dwarf shrub. Caucasus, 1815. 



A. nana (dwarf).* /. rose coloured, solitary March, fr. of the 

 same form as that of A. communit, but much smaller, t. oblong- 



