110 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Areca continued. 



loam should preponderate to the extent of about two- 

 thirds, and some rotten cow-manure may be added. Pro- 

 pagated from seeds, which should be sown in a compost 

 similar to above, and placed in a moist gentle heat. They 

 are employed, when young, with much succesa for the 

 decoration of drawing rooms and dinner tables. 

 A. Allcise (Princess Alice's). I pinnatisect ; segments sessile. 

 North Australia. A very handsome species, with a comparatively 

 dwarf habit ; it is a valuable decorative plant. 

 A. Catechu (Catechu). I. pinnate, from 3ft. to 6ft. long ; leaflets 

 12in. to 24in. in length, and about 2in. broad, light green ; petioles 

 broadly .sheathed at the base. A. 30ft. India, 1690. One of 

 the best and oldest species in cultivation, very effective, in a 

 young state, for dinner table decoration. It produces the Betel 

 nut, of which enormous quantities are used in India. 

 A. concinna (neat). I. pinnatisect, sub-glabrous; segments 

 sickle-shaped, much acuminated. Stem green, 8ft. to 12ft. high, 

 lin. to 2in. in diameter. Ceylon. The Cingalese chew the albu- 

 men of the seeds with their Betel. 



A. gigantea (gigantic). A synonym of Pinanga ternatensis. 



A. glandiformis (gland-formed). I. pinnatisect, 9ft. to 12ft. long 



when fully grown, h. 30ft. Moluccas. A handsome stove palm, of 



bold aspect, and very suitable, when young, for decorative purposes. 



A. Nonnanbyl (Normanby's). A synonym of Ptychosperma 



Korinanbyi. 



A. trlandra (three-stamened). I. pinnate, Hke those of A. Catechu 

 in size, <fcc. A. 20ft. India, introduced to Britain about 1810. 



ARE N ARIA (from arena, sand ; in which most of the 

 species are found). Sandwort. ORD. Caryophyllece. TRIBE 

 Alsinece. A very large genus of hardy herbaceous plants, 

 consisting of about 150 species. It is distinguished by 

 having generally three styles. The perennials only are 

 worth growing ; these are extremely pretty little alpine 

 plants, and will thrive in any ordinary soil in exposed 

 places ; the rarer species may be grown in small pots, well 

 drained, in a mixture of sand, loam, and leaf soil, or in well- 

 drained crannies of the rockery. They may be increased 

 by either division, seeds, or cuttings ; the latter, placed 

 under a hand-glass, will root freely. The best time to 

 divide the plants is early spring, or July and August. 

 Seeds should be sown in spring in a cold frame. 



A. balearica (Balearic).* JL white, sepals erect; peduncles 

 elongated, one-flowered. March to August. I. very small, ovate, 

 shining, rather fleshy, ciliated, h. Sin. Corsica, 1787. A pretty 

 little creeper, one of the best plants for covering damp borders of 

 the rockwork. 



A. csespitosa (tufted). Synonymous with A. verm ecespitosa. 



A. ciliata (ciliated). /. white, usually solitary ; sepals ovate, 

 acute, five to seven ribbed ; petals obovate, twice as long as the 

 sepals. July. I. ovate, or obovate, roughish, with a few hairs, 

 one-nerved, and ciliated. Ireland. A. 6in. A thick, tufted, 

 spreading, procumbent plant. 



A. gramlnlfolla (grass-leaved).* /. white ; panicle three-forked, 

 hairy, loose; sepals very blunt, much shorter than the obovate 

 petals. June. I. long, awl-shaped, filiform, scabrous on the 

 margins from serratures. Stem erect, simple, h. 6in. to 9in. 

 Caucasus, 1817. 



A. 



pe , 



smaller than the petals. June. I. awl-shaped, broadish, flat, 

 three-nerved, ciliated, radical ones crowded. h. Sin. to 6in. 

 France, 1783. A. g. biflora is a two-flowered, and A. g. triflora 

 a three-flowered, variety. 



A. lariolfolia (Larch-leaved).* fl. white ; sepals blnntish, triple 

 nerved, hairy ; petals twice as long as the sepals ; stems ascend- 

 ing, one, three, or six flowered, somewhat scabrous ; calyx cylin- 

 drical. June. I. awl-shaped, denticulately ciliated, h. '6in. 

 Switzerland, 1816. 



A. longlfolia (long-leaved), fl. white ; sepals ovate, obtuse, not 

 half the length of the obovate petals; panicle three-forked, 

 glabrous, crowded. June. I. awl-shaped, filiform, serrulated. 

 Stem erect, simple, h. 6in. to Sin. Siberia, 1823. 



A. montana (mountain), fl. large, white ; peduncles terminal, 

 very long, one-flowered; sepals lanceolate, acuminated, much 

 shorter than the corolla. April. I. lanceolate-linear ; sterile 

 stems very long, procumbent. A. Sin. France and Spain, 1800. 



A. peploldes (Peplis-like). fl. white ; sepals ovate, shorter than 

 the oblong petals. May to July. I. ovate, light green, rather 

 fleshy ; branches procumbent, fleshy, deciduous/ A. 3in. to 4in. 

 Sea shores of Britain. SYN. Honckenya peplmdes. 



A. purpurascens (purplish).* fl. purplish ; pedicels tomentose, 

 scarcely exceeding the leaves ; sepals lanceolate, smooth, with 

 shrivelled margins, longer than the corolla ; branches two to throe- 



grandlflora (large-flowered).* fl. white, usually solitary ; 

 eduncles very long, pubescent ; sepals ovate, awned, three-nerved, 



A. v. caespltosa (turfy). 

 Calyces and peduncles 



Arenaria continued. 



flowered. May. I. ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, glabrous. Plant 

 tufted, decumbent. A. 6in. Higher Pyrenees. 



A. rotundifolia (round-leaved).* fl. white, solitary; petals 

 roundish-ovate, longer than the sepals. July and August. I. 

 about Jin. across, roundish, ciliated, on spreading tufted branches. 

 A. 4in. to 6in. Siberia. 



A. tetraquetra (four-angled). /. white, somewhat capitate ; 

 sepals stiff, acute, keeled, ciliated, almost equal in length to the 

 corolla. August. I. ovate, keeled, recurved, edged, imbricated in 

 four rows. Stem straight, pubescent. A. Sin. to 6in. France, 

 1731. 



A. verna (spring-flowering), fl. small, white ; sepals ovate, lanceo- 

 late, acuminated, with three remote equal ribs, longer than the 

 obovate petals. May. I. awl-shaped, blunti.sh. Stems panicled 

 elongated. A. about Sin. 



A variety having very leafy stems, 

 thish. Europe. SYN. A. ccespitosa. 



ARENGA (name of doubtful origin). SYN. Saguerus. 

 ORD. Palmes. An extremely useful and interesting Palm. 

 The medulla of the trunk is used as sago, and the sac- 

 charine juice forms excellent sngar. It requires a strong 

 heat and rich mould. Propagated by seeds only. 

 A. saccharlfera (sugar-bearing), fl. striped. June. A. 40ft. 



Moluccas, 1829. 



AREOLATE. Divided into distinct angular spaces, 

 or areolse. 



ARETHUSA (mythological : named after a nymph of 

 Diana's, who was changed into a fountain ; in allusion to 

 the habit of the plants). ORD. Orchidece. A small genus 

 of very pretty, but rare, terrestrial Orchids. They require 

 a moist shady spot with a northern aspect, and thrive best 

 in a compost of well-rotted manure and sphagnum. A 

 mulching in winter, by way of protection, is needed. 



A. bulbosa (bulbous).* fl. large, bright rose purple, solitary, 

 sweet-scented, terminal ; lip dilated, recurved, spreading towards 

 the summit, bearded-crested down the face ; scape one-leaved. 

 May. I. linear, nerved. A. 8in. Carolina. 



ARETIA. See Androsace. x 



ARGANTA (from argam, its aboriginal name). ORD. 

 SapotacecB. A very fine greenhouse evergreen tree, said by 

 Don to flourish against a south wall, out of doors, with tho 

 protection of a mat in severe weather. It will thrive in 

 ordinary garden soil. Increased by layers and cuttings 

 in autumn and spring, the latter requiring a bell glass 

 covering ; both operations must be performed in a 

 moderately heated greenhouse. 



A. Sideroxylon (Iron-wood), fl., corolla greenish yellow, cup- 

 shaped, five-parted, with ovate-lanceolate, sub-emarginate seg- 

 ments ; lateral and axillary, scattered, crowded, sessile, fr. dotted 

 with white, size of a plum, full of white, milky juice. July. I. 

 lanceolate, entire, bluntish, glabrous, paler beneath ; branches 

 terminated by strong spines. A. 15ft. to 20ft. Morocco, 1711. As 

 the specific name implies, the wood is excessively close and hard, 

 so much so that it sinks in water. SYNS. Elceoaendron Argan, 

 Sideroxylon spinosum. 



ARGEMONE (from argema, cataract of the eye ; in 

 allusion to some real or fancied medicinal properties 

 possessed by the plants). ORD. Papaveracece. A genus 

 of very handsome and showy annual or perennial herbs, 

 abounding with a yellowish juice, and covered with stiff 

 prickles. Sepals two or three, concave, mucronate ; petals 

 four to eight; peduncles axillary, always erect. Leaves 

 sessile, repand-sinuate, usually spotted with white; re- 

 cesses spiny-toothed. The five species here described 

 are hardy annuals, and will thrive in almost any ordinary 

 garden soil in the open border. Seed may be sown out 

 of doors about the end of March ; those of the rarer species 

 on a hotbed, the seedlings being planted out about the 

 end of June. 



A. albiflora (white-flowered).* fl. white ; petals usually three. 

 July and August. 1. sessile, feather-nerved. A. 1ft. Georgia, 



A. grandiflora (large-flowered).* /. white, with yellow anthers, 

 large, panicled. July. 1. sinuate, smooth, glaucous, spiny- 

 toothed ; nerves unarmed. A. 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1827. See 

 Fig. 147. 



A. hirsuta (hairy).* fl. pure white, Sin. to 5in. in diameter. 

 September. I. pinnatifid, bristly. A. 2ft. California, 1879. A 

 very beautiful plant. 



