106 



ANT 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



ANT 



gated by offsets, which the bulbous roots send forth in great 

 plenty; or by seeds sown soon after they are ripe, in pots 

 of light earth, plunged into an old tan-bed which has lost 

 its heat, and is shaded during hot weather from the heat of 

 the day. They must be screened by glasses from the cold, 

 and may be kept two years in the pots, and may then be trans- 

 planted into small separate pots, placed during summer in 

 the open air, but in winter must go back to the hot-bed 

 frame. The flowers are ornamental ; and as the plants do 

 not require much culture, they deserve a place in every good 

 garden. The seeds are very seldom perfected in Europe ; and 

 every one of the species is a native of the Cape. They are, 



1. Antholyza Ringens ; Narrow-leaved Antholyza. Lips 

 of the corolla divaricate ; throat compressed. The flower- 

 stem rises immediately from the root, two feet high, hairy, 

 with several flowers on each side, they are red, and appear 

 in June ; the seeds ripen in September. 



2. Antholyza Plicata ; Plaited-leaved Antholyza. Leaves 

 plaited, stem branching, hirsute ; corolla ringent, shorter 

 than the stamina. The stamina are shorter in this than 

 those of the first species. 



3. Antholyza Cunonia ; Scarlet-fowered Antholyza. Co- 

 rollas straight ; the two outer lobes of the five-parted lip 

 broader and ascending. This has a compressed bulbous 

 root somewhat like that of the corn-flag ; from which rises 

 the flower-stalk above a foot high, generally curved two 

 opposite ways, the upper part terminated by a spike of loose 

 rtowers, coming out of large spatbes, of a beautiful scarlet 

 colour, and flowering about the latter end of April or begin- 

 ning of May, and makes a fine appearance. Plant it in pots 

 of light earth, which may remain in the open air till October, 

 and must then be sheltered under a glass-case, or hot-bed 

 frame, where the leaves will grow throughout the winter, and 

 the stalks arise and flower in spring. Water them sparingly 

 once a week in winter, in spring oftener; and when the 

 flowers are past, remove them into the open air to perfect their 

 seeds ; these ripen at the latter end of June, the stalk then 

 decays, and remains inactive until September. As soon as 

 they decay, take them up, keep them in a dry room till the 

 end of August, and then plant them again. It may also be 

 easily increased by offsets, which require the same treat- 

 ment : both seeds and offsets should be planted in the mid- 

 dle of August, where they can enjoy the morning sun. 



4. Antholyza ^Ethiopica ; Broad-leaved Antholyza. Co- 

 rollas incurvate ; the two alternate lobes of the five-parted 

 lip spreading, large, and lanceolate. Flowers scarlet, appear- 

 ing in May and June. 



5. Antholyza Meriana ; Red-flowered Antholyza. Corollas 

 funnel-shaped ; leaves linear, sword-shaped. The flowers 

 have long tubes of a copper colour outside, and deep red 

 within, appearing in April and May. 



6. Antholyza Merianella; Dwarf Antholyza. Corollas 

 funnel-shaped ; leaves linear. The flowers are of a pale red 

 and larger than those of the fifth species. 



7- Antholyza Lucidior. Radical leaves, with filiform base, 

 broad-awled, furrowed at top ; stem simple, leafy, spiked. 

 Flowers oblong, a little bent, purple above, cut into six lan- 

 ceolate parts. 



Anthosperivum ; a genus of the class Polygamia, order 

 Dioacia, or Dioccia Tctrandia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Male 

 Calix: perianth one-leafed, conical, quadrilid beyond the 

 middle; divisions ovate-oblong, revolute, obtuse, a little, 

 coloured. Corolla: none, unless the calix be so termed. 

 Stamina: filamenta four, capillary, erect, the length of the 

 calix, inserted into the receptacle; anthera twin, oblong, four- 

 eornered, obtuse, erect. Female. Calix and Corolla : as in the 



male. Pistil: germen inferior, ovate, four-cornered ; styles 

 two, recurved ; stigmas simple. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 Calix: four-parted. Corolla: none. Stamina: four. Pis- 

 til:. two. Germen : inferior. Male and Female in the same, 

 or a distinct plant. These plants are propagated by cuttings 

 placed in a border of light earth, during any of the summer 

 months ; or if planted in pots, plunged into a very moderate 

 hot-bed, they will sooner take root, and be of surer growth 

 Afterward they should be taken up with a ball of earth to 

 their roots, and replanted in a pot of light sandy earth, and 

 exposed to the open air until October, but must then be re- 

 moved under shelter for the winter, during which they must 

 be sometimes watered, and have fresh air admitted. The 

 first and second sorts may be raised from layers. They 

 are all natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 



1. Anthospeimum Jithiopicum; Amber-tree. Leaves po- 

 lished. The beauty of this shrub consists in its small ever- 

 green leaves, which grow as close as heath, and emit a very 

 fragrant odour when bruised between the fingers. 



2. Anthospermum Ciliare. Leaves ciliated along the keel 

 and edge ; root perennial and woody, much branched. 



3. Anthospermum Herbaceum. Leaves six, polished; stem 

 herbaceous ; flowers axillary. 



Anthoxanthum ; a genus of the class Diandria, order Digy- 

 nia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: glume one-flowered, 

 two-valved ; valves ovate, acuminate, concave ; the inner one 

 larger. Corolla : glume one-flowered, two-valved, the length 

 of the greater valve in the calix ; each valve emitting an awn 

 from the lower part of the back, one of them jointed. Nec- 

 tary two-leaved, very slender, cylindric ; leaflets subovate, 

 embracing. Stamina : filamenta two, capillary, very long; 

 anthera oblong, forked at both ends. Pistil: germen oblong ; 

 styles two, filiform; stigmas simple. Pericarp: glume of the co~ 

 rollagrows to the seed. Seed: one, pointed at both ends, round- 

 ish. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: glume two-valved, one- 

 flowered. Corolla: glume two-valved acuminate. Seed. -one. 

 For the propagation and culture of this genus, see Grass. 



1 . Anthoxanthum Odoratum ; Sweet Vernal Grass. Spike 

 oblong-ovate ; flowers longer than the awn, on short pedun- 

 cles. Root perennial, odorous ; colourof the spike pale yellow. 

 This is the Grass which gives that delightful sweetness of 

 scent to new-mown hay, from which it has derived its specific 

 name Odoratum,stcee<-:ented;from the earliness of its flower- 

 ing, it has obtained the other English name of Vernal or Spring 

 Grass. It will grow on any soil, but prefers that which is mo- 

 derately dry, having, according to some, a great tendency to 

 curl its leaves in rich ground. It is common in pastures and 

 also in woods, and in the middle of May is in full bloom ; the 

 seed, which is never very abundant, ripens in June, and sepa- 

 rates easily when rubbed. Cattle of all sorts are fond of it, 

 and in good meadows it grows to a considerable height, form- 

 ing a thick tuft of tender succulent leaves at the bottom, 

 though in point of crop it is not so productive as some other 

 (inisses. As the best mutton comes from places where it 

 abounds, it is probably a good Grass for sheep pastures; 

 especially as it is found on all grounds, from the driest and 

 sandiest to the most stiff and moist, and even in bogs. It is 

 very easy to gather, and abounds plentifully in the best mea- 

 dows about Hampstead and Hendon, near London. It retains 

 its odour for a long time ; and Bocc-one says, that a distilled 

 water is prepared from it, as the vehicle of some perfumes. 



2. Anthoxanthum Indicum. Spike linear ; flowers ses- 

 sile, shorter than the awn. Native of the East Indies. 



3. Anthoxanthum Crinitum. Culm high, smooth; pa- 

 nicle spike-form, cylindrical, awned, the awns long, spread- 

 ing, loose. Native of New Zealand. 





