176 



ABRONIA 



greenish and glabrous: Ivs. long-stalked, in opposite 

 pairs. Wash., Ore. B.M. 2879. Intro. 1891. 



fragrans, Nutt. Erect perennial: Ivs. ovate or 

 elliptical, paler beneath than above: fls. night-bloom- 

 ing, M-l m- long, the tube greenish, the white lobes 

 bifid. Columbia R. to New Mex. B.M. 5544. 



A. puchttta, Nichols. Erect, 6 in.: fls. pinkish rose. A. Crux- 

 mUtx, Kellog, the handsomest of all the species is, Tripterocalyx 

 Crui-maltse, which see. XT m 



N. TAYLOR.f 



3 Abronia umbellate. (XJ<; fl. XI) 



ABROPHfLLUM (Greek combination signifying deli- 

 cate-leaved). Saxifragacex. An endemic monotypic genus 

 of New S. Wales: tall, handsome shrub: Ivs. alternate, 

 elliptic or ovate-lanceolate and acuminate, to 9 in. long, 

 somewhat toothed: fls. small, yellowish, in dichotomous 

 corymbose panicles terminating the shoots or arising from 

 the upper axils; petals, stamens and calyx-lobes 5: fr. a 

 5-celled ovoid berry. A. ornans, Hook, f., was intro. to 

 Calif, in 1911 by Franceschi. 



ABRUS (from abros, delicate, referring to leaves). 

 Legumiiibsx. Deciduous greenhouse climber, or used 

 South outdoors for screens. Roots a poor substitute 

 for licorice, and the seeds are violently poisonous. Needs 

 strong heat for indoor culture. Propagation is by seeds 

 or by cuttings under glass in sand. 



The genus consists of usually creeping or climbing 

 woody herbs with primately compound Ivs. : fls. small, 

 in dense racemes on axillary peduncles or short 

 branches; calyx bell-shaped, the teeth very short; 

 corolla pea-like, much exserted; stamens 9, in a tube. 



precatorius, Linn. CRAB'S-EYE VINE. WEATHER- 

 PLANT. Fig. 64. Height 10-12 ft.; frequently trailing 

 over the ground S. : Ifts. oblong, in numerous pairs: fls. 

 varying from rose to white: seeds bright scarlet, with a 

 black spot, used by Buddhists for rosaries, in India as 

 standards of weight, and in the W. Indies in bead 

 work. Seeds irritant; also used as an abortive in U. S. 

 A variety with a cream-colored bean is offered by 

 Reasoner Bros. : Tropics generally. The claims made 

 for its weather-foretelling properties are exposed by 

 Oliver in Kew Bull. Jan., 1890. It does, however, "go 

 to sleep" during storms, but this is a feature of other 

 legumes. Sometimes confounded with Rhynchosia 

 phaseolaides (R. precaloria), which has similar seeds, 

 but is a very different plant with large, 3-foliolate, 

 bean-like Ivs. N TAYLOR ..J. 



ABSINTH, ABSINTHE (ab'sinth). A liquor made 

 from plants of the wormwood group, particularly from the 

 absinthium (Artemisia Absinthium). These are aromatic 

 or bitter herbs. A. Absinthium yields a bluish or green 

 volatile oil containing absinthol and other principles. 

 Absinth is added to water as a beverage, and in excess 

 produces peculiar intoxication, and may even prove fatal. 



ABUT A (native name) . Menispermacese. Greenhouse 

 evergreen climber: plant dioecious, fascicled or panicled: 

 staminate fls. with 3 exterior and 3 interior larger sepals, 



ABUTILON 



and 6 stamens; pistillate fls. with 6 staminodia and 3 

 carpels: fr. a drupe; 14 species in S. Amer. Prop, by cut- 

 tings under glass with bottom heat, and grown in peaty 

 loam. A. rufescens, Aubl. Lvs. broad-ovate or suborbi- 

 cular, coriaceous, brown or tawny beneath, 3-nerved: fls. 

 small, dark purple within, the 3 large sepals obtuse. 

 Little known in cult. 



ABUTILON (name of Arabic origin for a malvaceous 

 plant). Malvaceae. FLOWERING MAPLE. Attractive 

 coolhouse shrubs and window-plants, and 

 some kinds used for bedding. Sometimes 

 called Chinese Bellflower. Fig. 65. 



Leaves long-stalked, often maple-like: 

 fls. mostly pendulous, with naked 5-cleft 

 calyx, 5 separate obovate petals, many 

 stamens united in a column about the 

 many-branched style, the anthers borne at 

 the top of the column : fr. a collection or 

 aggregate of 2-valved often beaked carpels 

 that are deciduous from the central axis 

 at maturity. Natives of warm regions in 

 both hemispheres, comprising herbs, shrubs 

 and trees; about 80 species. 



The abutilons oftenest seen in Ameri- 

 can gardens and conservatories are ap- 

 parently hybrids and derivatives of pure 

 species. The colors are mostly yellow, white and 

 pink, with attractive veining. Well-known forms are: 

 Arthur Belsham, red, shaded gold. Boule de Neige, 

 pure white, very free. California, a group of free bloom- 

 ers. Eclipse, foliage marbled green, and yellow fls. of 

 fair size; sepals scarlet; petals orange-buff; suited for 

 baskets and vases; a form of A. megapotamicum (another 

 Eclipse is known). Erecta, pink, orange-veined, erect fls. 

 Golden Bell, deep yellow, free-flowering. Golden Fleece, 

 pure yellow, free-flowering. Royal Scarlet, rich, shi- 

 ning scarlet. Santana, deep red. Savitzii, dwarf, with 

 white-edged foliage; useful for bedding. Snowstorm, 

 semi-dwarf, pure white. Souvenir de Bonn, Ivs. large, 

 deep green, not mottled, but edged with a broad white 

 margin; distinct and striking; a useful bedding plant. 

 Splendens, bright red. 



64. Abrus precatorius. (xK) 



