124 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



ASPASIA (irom aspazomai, 1 embrace ; the column 



embraced by the labellum). SYN. Trophiantlius. ORD. 



Orchidece. A genus of elegant, stove, Epidendrnm-like, 



epiphytal Orchids, with the lip united to the column, and 



broad, thin pseudo-bulbs. The name Aspasia is now and 



then met with attached to another genus. Salisbury gave 



it to a liliaceous plant which is now referred to Ornitho- 



galum. For culture and propagation, see Stanhopea. 



A. epldondroides (Epidendrum-like).* fl. whitish yellow; 



sepals linear oblong, acute ; petals obtuse, concave, lateral lobes 



of lip roundish, entire, middle lobe crenated emarginate. February. 



Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged, h. 1ft. Panama, 1853. 



A. lunata (crescent-marked).* fl. green, white, and brown, solitary ; 



sepals and petals linear obtuse, spreading; lip three-lobed, lateral 



lobes short, middle one flat, nearly square, wavy. February. 



Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged, h. 1ft. Bio Janeiro, 1843. 



A. papUionacea (butterfly-like).* fl., sepals and petals yellowish, 



mottled with brown lines on their internal inferior halves ; lip 



fiddle-shape, its back very great, elliptic, apiculate ; an orange- 



coloured area stands at its base, a wide violet disc before and 



around it. A. 9in. Costa Rica, 1876. Distinguished from A. 



lunata in having thirteen keels at the base of the lip, which is 



higher inserted, and in the echinulate anther. It is a beautiful 



but rare novelty. 



A. psittacina (parrot-like). ' fl. , sepals and petals light green, with 

 brown transverse bars, which sometimes consist of separate stripes, 

 at other times of confluent ones ; the fiddle-shaped lip shows two 

 keels and a few purplish dots over its top ; the column is brown at 

 its top, then violet, and white at the base. Ecuador, 1878. It has 

 a raceme of several flowers, usually one-sided, bent over. 

 A. variegata (variegated).* fl. green, spotted with yellowish red ; 

 sepals linear oblong ; petals somewhat rhomboid, acute ; lateral 

 lobes of lip recurved, middle one fleshy, serrated. February. A. 

 Sin. Panama, 1836. Deliciously sweet-scented in the morning. 



ASPEN. See Populus tremula. 

 ASPERA. Bough, with hairs or points. 

 ASPERULA (from asper, rough; in allusion to the 

 leaves). Woodruff. ORD. Rubiacece. Hardy herbs, rarely 

 small shrubs. Flowers terminal and axillary, in fas- 

 cicles. Leaves opposite, with one, two, or three stipulas 

 on each side ; they are therefore called four to eight in a 

 whorl, but between the uppermost leaves there are no 

 stipulas. Stems and branches usually tetragonal. Most 

 of the species are very pretty when in flower, and are, 

 therefore, well adapted for borders, rockwork, and shady 

 places, in almost any garden soil. Propagated by divisions 

 of the roots during spring and early summer. Herbaceous 

 perennials, except where otherwise stated. 

 A, azurea-setosa (blue-bristly). A synonym of A. orientalig. 

 A. calabiica (Calabrian). A synonym of Putoria calabrica. 

 A, cynanchlca (Cynanche-like). fl. on erect branches, forming a 

 fastigiate corymb, white or bluish-coloured, elegantly marked 

 with red lines, or sometimes pure white. Summer. I. four in a 

 whorl ; floral ones lanceolate-linear, acuminately awned ; lower 

 ones small, oblong, upper ones opposite. Plant glabrous, erectish. 

 h. 9in. to 12in. England. 



A. hlrta (hairy), fl. white at first, changing to pink, with oblong 

 divisions. July and August. I. usually six in a whorl, four 

 towards the upper part, linear, hairy, deep green. A. Sin. 

 Pyrenees, 1817. A charming but rare little alpi 

 in a rather damp position on the rockery. 



. . . 

 lpine, thriving best 



A. longiflora (long-floweved).* fl. whitish, yellowish inside, and 

 reddish outside ; tube of corolla elongated ; fascicles terminal, 

 pedunculate ; bracteas small, subulate. Summer. I. four in a 

 whorl, linear ; lower ones small, obovate ; upper ones opposite. 

 Stems weak, numerous, from the same neck, erectish, glabrous. 

 A. 6in. Hungary, 1821. 



A. montana (mountain).* /., corollas pink, four-cleft, scabrous 

 externally ; in fascicles. June, July. I. linear ; lower ones six 

 in a whorl ; middle ones four ; upper ones opposite ; floral leaves 

 linear. Stem weak, glabrous. A. 6in. to Sin. Hungary, 1801. 



A. odorata (sweet-scented).* Sweet Woodruff, fl. snowy white ; 

 corymbs terminal, pedunculate, usually trifid, eacn division bear- 

 ing about four flowers. May, June. I. eight in a whorl, lanceo- 

 late, smooth, with serrulately scabrous edges. Stems tetragonal, 

 simple, erect, or ascending, h. 6in. to 12in. Britain. This very 

 pretty little plant is scentless when fresh, but, when dried, it 

 diffuses an odour like that of spring grass ; and when kept among 

 clothes, it not only imparts an agreeable perfume to them, but 

 preserves them from insects. 



A. orientalis (Oriental).* /. sky-blue, in terminal heads ; bracts 

 of involucre shorter than the flowers. Summer. I. lanceolate, 

 bristly, about eight in a whorl, h. 1ft. Caucasus, 1867. A 

 charming little, prof use-blossoming, hardy annual, bearing clusters 

 of fragrant flowers, admirably adapted for bouquet-making. SYN 

 A. azurea-gctoga. See Fig. 163. 



Asperula continued. 



FIG. 163. ASPERULA ORIENTAUS, showing Habit and Portion 

 of Inflorescence. 



A. taurina (bull), /..corollas white, elongated ; corymbs pedun- 

 culate, axillary, fasciculately umbellate, involucrated ; bracteas 

 ciliated. April to June. I. four in a whorl, ovate-lanceolate, three- 

 nerved, with finely ciliated margins. Plant smoothish, erect. 

 A. 1ft. South Europe. 1739. 



A. tlnctoria (Dyers'). /. white, reddish on the outside ; usually 

 trifld. June. I. linear ; lower ones six in a whorl ; mid<" 



four ; and the u 

 procumbent, ur 

 Europe, 1764. 



ddle 



fioral leaves ovate. Plant 

 supported. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. long, purplish. 



ASPHALT. Artificial Asphalt is now generally used 

 in England for footpaths, &o. The recipes are various, one 

 of the best being the following : Lime rubbish two parts, coal 

 ashes one part (both must be very dry), sifted very fine ; 

 mix them, and leave a hole in the middle of the heap, 

 wherein pour boiling hot coal tar; mix well together. 

 When as stiff as mortar, lay it down, Sin. thick, on a dry 

 and previously well-levelled surface. A boy should follow 

 with dry, finely-sifted sand, distributing just enough to 

 prevent his boots sticking to the tar. Two men should be 

 employed for the tarring, whilst another should attend to 

 the boiling operation. Only just enough tar to last ten 

 minutes must be taken from the furnace at one time, 

 as, if it be not boiling, the walks will become soft under 

 the action of very hot sun. This may be repeated every 

 three years. It is imperative that the surface, lime, coal 

 ashes and sand be perfectly dry, and that the days selected 

 for the operation be very fine, the hotter the better. 

 Another excellent plan is that of using gas lime and 

 coal ashes. There must be a firm foundation and smooth 

 surface. Spread the gas lime to about l^in. deep, and level 

 with the back of a spade. Over this place a thin layer of 

 coal dust, and well roll. The work is then complete. 

 ASPHODEL. See Asphodelus. 

 ASPHODELINE. ORD. LiliaceoB. A genus of plants 

 allied to Asphodelus, but distinguished from it by having 

 erect leafy stems. They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. 

 Propagated by division. 



A. brevicaulis (short-stemmed). /. in lax, often panicled 

 racemes, yellow, veined with green. I. subulate, ascending, lower 

 ones 4in. to 6in. long. Stem slender, often flexuose. Orient. 

 A. damascena (Damascene), fl. white, in dense generally simple 

 racemes, 6in. to 12in. long. I. in dense rosette, 6m. to 9m. long, 

 subulate. Stem simple, erect. A. IJft. to 2ft. Asia Minor. 

 A. liburnica (Liburnian). /. yellow, striped with green, in 

 generally simple lax racemes, 6in. to 9in. long. Stem simple, 

 erect, strict, 1ft. to 2ft. high, upper half naked. South Europe. 

 A. lutea (yellow), fl. yellow, fragrant, in a dense, very long, 

 straight, simple raceme, in the axils of buff-coloured bracts, 

 which are nearly as long as the flowers. Summer. I. numerous, 

 awl-shaped, triangular, furrowed, smooth, dark green, marked 

 with lines of a paler tint ; root leaves tufted. Stem 3ft. or 4ft. 

 high. Sicily, 1596. The best known and handsomest species. 

 SYN. Asphodelus luteus. 



A. L fl.-pl. This resembles the species, but the flowers are 

 double, and last much longer than those of the typical form ; it i.s 

 a very pretty plant. 



