3.5 



ASPHODEL— ASPHGDELUS. 



Natural order, Coronarice. A genus of the 

 Hexandria Monogi/nia class. 



Asphodelus, is derived from a, and cr^aAAw, 

 subplanto, (nro&Xov, from airoSoq ashes : aspho- 

 dels being anciently planted with mallows on 

 graves.* 



The asphodel root was to the ancient 

 Greeks and Romans, what the potatoe now 

 is to us, a bread plant, the value of which 

 cannot be too highly estimated. It has long 

 since given way to its successors in favour ; 

 and if now permitted to blossom, it is seen 

 only in obscure corners of gardens, in which it 

 perhaps was formerly the principal plant. 



So universally has the Virginian plant su- 

 perseded that of Troas, that we no longer 

 consider the asphodel as an article of food ; 

 and were it not for the occasional appearance 

 of the Hastula regia, King's spear, in our par- 



* Ray. 

 d 2 



