AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



125 



Asphodeline continued. 

 A. taurica (Taurian). fl. white, striped with green, In 



generally simple dense racemes, 6in. to 12in. long, lin. to 



Sin. wide. Stem simple, erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high, densely 



leafy at base of raceme. Asia Minor, &c. SYN. Aspho- 



delus tauricus. 

 A. tenuior (slenderer), fl. yellow, in simple lax -flowered 



racemes, 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. wide. Stem simple lower 



half leaf, upper naked, 1ft. Orient. SYN. Agphodeliu 



tenuior. 



ASFHODELUS (from a, not, and spliallo, 

 to supplant; in allusion to the beauty of the 

 flowers). Asphodel. ORD. Liliacea. Very pretty 

 hardy herbaceous perennials, with fleshy fascicu- 

 lated roots. Perianth white or yellow, of six equal 

 spreading segments ; stamens six, hypogynons, 

 alternately long and short. Leaves usually radi- 

 cal, tufted, narrow, or triquetrous. All the species 

 enumerated thrive in good deep sandy loam, and 

 are very suitable for borders and shrubberies. 

 Propagated by division of the root, which is best 

 done in early spring. 



A^BStlvus (summer). /.white. Summer. fc.2ft. Spain,1820. 

 A. albas (white).* ft. white ; peduncles clustered the 



length of the bracts. May. J. linear, keeled, smooth. 



Stem naked, simple, h. 2ft. South Europe, 1596. 

 A. creticus (Cretan).* fl. yellow. July. I. filiform, 



striated, toothed, ciliated. Stem leafy, naked above, 



branched h. 2ft. Crete, 1821. 

 A. fistulosus (pipe-stalked), /.white. July, August. I. upright, 



striated, subulate, fistular. Stem naked. A.lSin. South Europe, 1596. 

 A. luteus (yellow). A synonym of Asphodeline lutea. 

 A. ramosus (branchy). /. large, white, with a reddish-brown 



line in the middle of each segment, springing from the axils of 



ovate-lanceolate bracts, and in very long dense racemes. Summer. 



1. sword-shaped, stiff, sharply keeled below, channelled above. 



Stem much branched, h. 4ft. to 5ft. South Europe, 1829. 



Aspidistra continued. 



FIG. 164. ASPHODELUS VILLARSII, showing Habit and Flower. 



A. Villarsil (Villars') /. white; raceme dense, elongated; bracts 

 dark brown. Stem simple or rarely branched, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 

 Eastern France. See Fig. 164. 



ASPIDISTRA (from aspidiseon, a little round shield ; 

 in reference to the form of the flower). SYN. Porpax (of 

 Salisbury). Including Plectogyne. ORD. Liliacece. Hardy, 

 or nearly hardy, evergreen, foliage plants. Flowers insig- 

 nificant, produced close to the ground, remarkable for the 

 curious mushroom-like stigma by which this genus is 

 characterised. They thrive in almost any ordinary garden 

 soil, but are best grown in rich loam, leaf soil, and sand ; 

 plenty of moisture being allowed. Propagated by suckers. 

 A. elatlor (taller).* I. oblong, large, on lon<r petioles, leathery ; 

 plant stemless. h. lift, to 2ft. Japan, 1835. This very easily 

 cultivated and quite hardy foliage plant is much grown for window 

 gardening and other decorative purposes, for which it is well suited. 

 A. e. variegata (variegated).* A fine variety with alternately- 

 striped green and white leaves. 



FIG. 165. ASPIDISTRA LURIDA. 



A. Inrlda (lurid), fl, purple. July. I. oblong-lanceolate, on 

 long petioles, h. 1ft. to lift. China, 1822. A very graceful 

 species, with long evergreen leaves. It is an effective plant for 

 the outdoor garden during summer, and is nearly, if not quite, 

 hardy. See Fig. 165. 



A. pnnctata (dotted). 1. lanceolate, on long stalks, h. 1ft 

 China. This is very closely allied to A. elatior, but of inferior 

 value. 



ASPIDIUM (from aspidion, a little buckler; in 

 allusion to the form of the involucre). Shield Fern. ORD. 

 Filices. Including Cydodium, Cyclopeltis, Cyrtomium, 

 Phanerophlebia, and Pohjstichum. Stove, greenhouse, or 

 hardy ferns. Sori sub-globose, dorsal or terminal on the 

 veinlets; involucre orbicular, fixed by the centre. They 

 thrive in a compost of sandy peat with a little loam. 

 Several species are admirably adapted for the indoor 

 fernery. The hardy species are best grown in the shade ; 

 a little sandstone should be incorporated with the soil. 

 For general culture, see Ferns. 



FIG. 166. ASPIDIUM ACULEATUM. 



A. acrostichoides (Acrostichum-like).* ft. 6in. to Sin. Ion?, 

 densely scaly below, fronds 1ft. to 2ft long, 2in. to 6in. broad ; 

 pinnse of the lower half barren, 2in. to 3m. long, iin. broad. 



