ATR 



ATT 



notice the A. gummifera, .gummy-rooted 

 atractylis; root perennial, sending out 

 many narrow leaves, which are deeply si- 

 nuated, and armed with spines on the 

 edges; these lie close on the ground, and 

 between them the flower is situated ; it is 

 a native of Italy and the islands of the 

 Archipelago. It flowers in July, but the 

 seeds never come to perfection in Eng- 

 land. 



ATRAGENE, in botany, a genus of the 

 Polyandria Poligynia class of plants, the 

 flower of which consists of twelve petals, 

 and its seeds are caudated. There are 

 five species. This genus is allied to Ra- 

 nunculus, but has a double row of petals ; 

 in the outer row four large ones, in the 

 inner many small ones, which are properly 

 nectaries. The A. alpina may be increased 

 by cuttings or layers in the same manner 

 as clematis; in a strong .soil, and trained 

 against a wall, it will rise to the height of 

 six or eight feet. The flowers appear 

 early, and if the season prove favourable, 

 they make a handsome figure ; but as 

 this plant is apt to put out leaves very 

 early in the spring, it is frequently nipped 

 by the frosts ; as are many plants and trees 

 of Siberia and Tartary, of which this is a 

 native. There is only one American spe- 

 cies, the Atragena Pennsylvania. 



ATAPHRAXIS, in botany, a genus of 

 the Hexandria Diginia class of plants, the 

 flower of which consists of two roundish, 

 sinuated, and permanent petals ; and its 

 cup incloses a single, roundish and com- 

 pressed seed. There are two species; 1. 

 the spinosa, a shrub that rises four or five 

 feet high, sending out many weak lateral 

 branches, armed with spines, and garnish- 

 ed wi'.h small ash-coloured leaves. The 

 flowers come out at the end of the shoots 

 in clusters, each consisting of two white 

 petals tinged with purple, included in a 

 two-leafed calyx, of a white herbaceous 

 colour. 2. A. undulata, which sends out 

 many slender branches trailing on the 

 ground ; leaves about the size of those of 

 knot-grass, waved and curled on their 

 edges, embracing the stalk half round at 

 their base. This is a native of the Cape. 



ATRIPLEX, orach, in botany, a genus 

 of the Polygamia Monoecia class of plants, 

 without any flower petals ; the cup of the 

 female Hower is composed of two leaves, 

 inclosing a sin^.e and compressed seed ; 

 whereas that of the hermaphrodite flower 

 i;i composed of five, leaves, and encloses 

 a single, roundish, and depressed seed. 

 There are 14 species. The American 

 S;K'cies, enumerated by Mubfenberg, are 

 5 m number. 



ATROPA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Pentandria Monogynia class of plants, 

 the flower of which consists of a single 

 funnel-fashioned petal ; the fruit is a glo- 

 bose berry, containing two cells, wherein 

 the seeds inclosed are numerous and kid- 

 ney-shaped. 



There are eight species, of which we 

 notice, in this place, the A. belladonna, 

 deadly night-shade, which has a perennial, 

 thick, long, and branching root, sending 

 out strong, herbaceous, upright, branch- 

 ing stems; the root -leaves are often a foot 

 long, and five inches broad ; peduncles 

 axillary, one-flowered; flowers large, nod- 

 ding, void of scent ; calyx green ; berry 

 large, at first green, but when ripe of a 

 beautiful shining black colour, full of pur- 

 ple juice ; with roundish, dotted, chan- 

 nelled seeds, immersed in the pulp, and 

 a glandular ring surrounding it. It is a 

 native of Europe, particularly of Austria 

 and England, in church yards and on 

 dunghills, skulking in gloomy lanes and 

 uncultivated places; in other countries it 

 is said to be common in woods and hedg- 

 es. The qualities of this plant are malig- 

 nant, and it is extremely poisonous in all 

 its parts. Numerous instances have oc- 

 curred of the berries proving fatal, after 

 causing convulsions and delirium. Bu- 

 chanan relates the destruction of the ar- 

 my of Sweno the Dane, when he invaded 

 Scotland, by the berries of this plant, 

 which were mixed with the drink with 

 which the Scots had engaged to supply 

 the Danes. The invaders became so ine- 

 briated, that the Scottish army fell on 

 them in their sleep, and slew such num- 

 bers, that scarcely enough were left to 

 carry off their king. To children the 

 berries have often been fatal. The symp- 

 toms occur in half an hour, and consist of 

 vertigo, great thirst, delirium, swelling, 

 and redness of face. Vinegar liberally 

 drank has been found efficacious in obvi- 

 ating the effects of the poison. There is 

 one American species, Atropa physa- 

 toides. See MANDRAKE. 



ATROPHY, in medicine, a disease 

 wherein the body, or some of its parts, 

 do not receive the necessary nutriment, 

 but waste and decay incessantly. See 

 MEDICIXE. 



ATTACHING, or ATTACHMENT, in 

 law, the taking or apprehending of a per- 

 son by virtue of a writ or precept. 



It is distinguished from an arrest in 

 this respect, that whereas an arrest lies 

 only on the body of a man, an attachment 

 is oftentimes on the goods only, and some- 

 times on the body and goods; there is 



