92 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



APHROFHORA. See Frog Hopper. 



AFHYLLANTHES (from aphyllos, leafless, and 

 anthos, a flower; the flowers are on Bush-like branches). 

 OBD. LiUacece. A very pretty Rush-like hardy perennial, 

 forming dense, erect tufts. It thrives best in sandy peat, 

 requires a warm sunny situation, and slight protection 

 in winter. Increased by division of the roots, and seeds ; 

 the latter should be sown in pots in a cool greenhouse as 

 soon as ripe. 



A. monspeliensis (Montpelier).* fl., perianth six-cleft, spreading 

 at the apex, deep blue, nearly an inch across, disposed in a small 

 head, on slender scapes. June. I. absent ; the very slender 

 scapes are leaflike, with membranous sheaths at the base. South 

 of France, 1791. 



APHYLLOUS. Without leaves. 

 APICRA (from apicros, not bitter). OBD. LMaceae. A 

 group of succulents allied to Aloe, and having the follow- 

 ing among other characters : Flowers small, loosely sub- 

 spicate; perianth regular, cylindrical, with short spreading 

 segments ; peduncles simple or forked. Plants small ; 

 rosette leaves always elongated. Leaves thick, diffuse, 

 never spinosely dentated. They require treatment similar 

 to Aloe, under which genus they are included by some 

 authors. 



A. aspera (rough).* fl., perianth Jin. long; raceme loose, 3in. to 

 4in. ; pedicels three to four lines long ; peduncle slender, simple, 

 nearly 1ft. I. dense, in many rows, spreading, rounded, deltoid, 

 six to seven lines long and broad ; face rather flat ; middle three 

 to four lines thick ; back convex hemispherical, wrinkled. Cape 

 of Good Hope, 1795. 



A. bicarinata (double-keeled).* fl. unknown. I. dense, in many 

 rows, ascending, deltoid-lanceolate, nine to twelve lines long, 

 six lines broad, dirty green ; face flat ; middle two lines thick ; 

 margin scabrous ; back copiously tubercled. Cape of Good Hope, 

 1824. 



A. congesta (congested), fl., perianth six to seven lines, whitish ; 

 raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft. ; pedicels short ; peduncles 

 6in. long, simple. I. dense, spreading, in many rows, deltoid-lan- 

 ceolate, eighteen to twenty-one lines long, three to four lines thick ; 

 back convex ; top unevenly keeled towards the margins. 1843. 

 A. deltoidca (deltoid), fl., perianth greenish, five to six lines 

 long; raceme about 1ft. long, sub-spicate; pedicels short; pe- 

 duncles 6in., simple or branched. I. in five regular rows, 

 spreading, nine to twelve lines long, deltoid, shining green ; when 

 mature, upper surface rather flat, apex pungent ; middle two to 

 three lines thick ; back distinctly keeled upwards ; margins and 

 keels minutely serrated. South Africa, 1873. 

 A. foliolosa (small-leafy).* fl., perianth greenish, five to six lines 

 long ; raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft. ; pedicels two to three 

 lines long; peduncle 6m., simple. L dense, spreading, in many 

 rows, rounded deltoid, cuspidate, six to eight lines long and 

 broad, without spots or tubercles ; face rather flat ; middle one 

 and a half to two lines thick ; back obliquely keeled upwards to- 

 wards the margins. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. 

 A. imbricata (imbricated). Synonymous with A. npiralit. 



raceme about 1ft., loose ; lower pedicels two to three fines long : 

 - 1 '- "* "ftn branched. I. dense, regular, lower onls 

 ones ascending, lanceolate-deltoid, fifteen to 



spreading, upper on* 



eighteen lines long; bottom six" to eight ImeT broad, Thining 



green ; face flat; middle three to four lines thick ; apex pungent 



sa&gstar* *"*** one to tw keeied at top - cape 

 ^wsaessst^ 



A. p. spirella (small spiral). 1. smaller and more deltoid, lin. 

 long, six to eight lines broad at the bottom, irregularly five 

 rowed, or as it in many rows. 



A. spiralis (spiral).* fl. , perianth reddish-white, Jin. long ; raceme 

 loose, nearly 1ft. ; pedicels ascending, two to three lines long ; 

 peduncles 6in., simple or branched. 1. dense, in mapy rows, strong, 

 ascending, lanceolate-deltoid, twelve to fifteen lines long, six to 

 eight lines broad ; face almost flat, without tubercles ; apex 

 pungent ; back swollen, scarcely keeled ; margins obscurely 

 crenulated. Cape of Good Hope, 1790. SYN. A. imbricata. 



APICULATE, AFICULATED. Terminated in a 

 little point. 



AFIOS (from apion, a pear; in reference to the form 

 of the tubers of the root). OBD. Legumitiosae. An elegant 

 little hardy twining perennial, easily trained into almost 

 any shape. It must have a well-exposed, sunny position, 

 and the soil should be of a warm or light sandy nature. 

 Propagated by division of the tubers. 



urouna j^ui. ji. orownisn-purpie, sweet- 

 ies. Summer and early autumn. I. pin- 

 inaceous. Habit very light and graceful. 

 . Glyeine Apiots. See Fig. 117. 



FIG. 117. APIOS TUBKROSA, showing Habit and Flower. 

 A. tuberosa (tuberous).* Ground Nut. fl. brownish-purple, sweet. 



scented, in axillary racemes. Sum 



nate. Tubers edible, farinaceous. 



Pennsylvania, 1640. SYN. 

 APIOSPERMUM. A synonym of Pistia (which 

 see). 



APIUM (from apon, Celtic for water ; in reference 

 to the habitat). ORD. Vmbelliferce. This genus contains 

 no species worth growing for ornament, and nearly all are 

 more or less acrid and poisonous. A. graveolens is the 

 Celery of gardens, for culture of which, see Celery. 



AFLECTRUM (from a, without, and plectron, a spur ; 

 flower spurless). OBD. Orchideai. A monotypic genus 

 from North America. A curious, hardy, terrestrial orchid, 

 requiring a shady spot in light loam and leaf mould, 

 moderately damp. Very difficult to cultivate. 

 A. hyemale (wintry).* fl. greenish-brown, large, racemose, borne 



on a naked scape after the leaves have died down ; labellum as 



long as the sepals ; column sessile, rather long, wingless. April. 



Stem pseudo-bulbous, with one large, broad, ribbed leaf. A. 1ft 



AFLOTAXIS. Included under Saussurea (which 

 see). 



APOCARPOUS. Having the carpels or fruit separate, 

 or disunited. 



AFOCYNACE2E. A large order of trees, shrubs, or 

 rarely herbs, usually with a poisonous, milky sap. Flowers 

 regular, solitary or corymbose; corolla salver-shaped or 

 campanulate. Leaves simple, opposite, sometimes alter- 

 nate or whorled. Well known genera belonging to this 

 order are : Allamanda, Nerium, Taberncemontana and Vinca. 



AFOCYNUM (from apo, away, and kyon, a dog; 

 adopted by Dioscorides, because the plant was supposed to 

 be poisonous to dogs). OBD. Apocynacece. Dog's Bane. 

 Perennial erect herbs, with cymose flowers and mem- 

 branous, opposite leaves. There are several species be- 

 longing to this genus, but only the one described below is 

 worthy of being cultivated. They are of extremely easy 

 culture, thriving in any ordinary soil ; and may be pro- 

 pagated by suckers, divisions, or seeds. The best time to 

 divide is just as they are starting into fresh growth in 

 spring. 

 A. androsaemifolium (Tutsan-leaved).* fl. pale red, with 



darker stripes ; corolla campanulate ; cymes terminal and lateral. 



July. I. ovate, glabrous, petiolate, pale beneath, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 



Virginia, and Canada, 1683. A very old garden favourite, thriving 



best in peaty soil, with Azaleas, &c. See Fig. 11?. 



