12 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



^S 



aS'sculua. Horse Chestnut, Buckeye. From 

 esca, nourishment; referring to the ground 

 flour from the kernels of some species. Nat. 

 Ord. Sapindacem. 



A genus of hardy ornamental deciduous 

 trees, too well known to need description. 

 ^.Hippocastanum, the common Horse Chest- 

 nut, is a native of Asia, introduced into our 

 nurseries from Europe at an early day. ^. 

 glabra (Buckeye) is a large growing tree, com- 

 mon South and "West, particularly in Ohio, 

 whence the name Buckeye State. ^. fiava, 

 the Sweet Buckeye, and j^. pavia, the Red 

 Buckeye, are shrubs or small trees, natives of 

 Virginia, and West and South. .<®. Califomica 

 is a beautiful, large, spreading shrub, the most 

 ornamental of the whole genus. Its flowers 

 are rose-colored, in racemes, about six inches 

 long, and are produced in great abundance 

 from June till July. All the species are prop- 

 agated by seeds. See Pavia. 



iEstivation. The manner of folding the calyx 

 and corolla in the flower bud. 



.Sithione'ma. From aitho, to scorch, and nema, 

 a filament ; in reference to some burnt appear- 

 ance in the stamens. Nat. Ord. Crudferm. 



This is a beautiful genus of the Arabis family, 

 but differs fx'om the greater number of the 

 Crucifers in light elegant habit and wiry stems, 

 and usually glaucous leaves. They are mostly 

 found on sunny mountains near the Mediter- 

 ranean, particularly eastward, and are especi- 

 ally valuable for gardens, forming stronger 

 and more free-flowering tufts in cultivation 

 than in a wild state. ^. grandiflorum forms a 

 spreading bush about a foot high, from which 

 spring numerous racemes of pink and lilac 

 flowers. It is a true perennial, growing well 

 in the ordinary border, but from its prostrate, 

 spreading habit, it is best adapted for the rock- 

 garden, when the roots may descend into deep 

 earth, and the stems fall gracefully over the 

 rocks. The species are easily raised from seed, 

 and thrive well in ordinary sandy loam. The 

 best known kinds are ^. coridifolium, pul- 

 chellum, and grandiflorum. 



iEthu'sa. Fool's Parsley. Tlie name alludes to 

 the acridity of the plants, and is derived from 

 aithusso, to heat or make hot. Nat. Ord. Um- 

 belUferm. 



Quite a hardy species of little beauty. The 

 stem and leaves of JE. Cynapium, are poison- 

 ous and contain a peculiar alkali called 

 Cynopia. 



African Almond. Brabeium Stellaiifolium. 



African Lily. See Agapanthus. 



African Iiotus. Zizyphus Lotus. 



African Marigold. See Tagetea ereda. 



African Oak and Teak. Vitex Doniana, 



Aga'lmyla. From agalma, an ornament, and 

 hMte, a forest. Nat. Ord. Oesneraceos. 



A small genus of beautiful green-house or hot- 

 house plants from the islands of the Eastern 

 Archipelago. A. staminea is a very handsome 

 plant, epiphytal in habit, creeping and rooting 

 on the trunks of trees. It has very strong 

 stems, large, fleshy. Gloxinia-like leaves, and 

 axillai-y fascicles of from twelve to fifteen 

 flowers each, tubular-shaped, two inches long, 

 bright scarlet. Propagated by cuttings. 



Agami'sia. From aganoa, desirable ; in reference 

 to the beauty of these neat little plants. Nat. 



AGA 



Ord. OrchidacecB. A. pulcheUa is a very prettj 

 and rare orchid, a native of Demarara. It 

 blossofiis at different times of the year and 

 lasts two or three weeks in perfection. The 

 flowers are white, with a blotch of yellow in 

 the centre of the lip. A. cmrulea, introduced 

 from Brazil in 1876, has beautiful dark-blue 

 flowers, the lip blotched with violet. They 

 require a warm, moist temperature, and suc-« 

 ceed best when grown on blocks of wood or 

 cork. 



Aganos'ma. From aganoa, mild, and oame, scent 

 of flowers. Nat. Ord. Apocynacem. A genus 

 of shrubby climbing plants, with opposite 

 leaves, and terminal corymbs of large funnel- 

 shaped white, yellow, or purple flowers. Na- 

 tives of India, they require a warm green- 

 house and thrive best in a compost of loam, 

 leaf-mould and sand. Propagated by cuttings. 



Agapan'thus. From agape, love, and anthoa, a 

 flower. Nat. Ord. LitiacecB. 



■The Blue African Lily, A. wmbellaius, is a 

 noble plant, with thick, fleshy roots, and re- 

 tains its leaves all the winter. There is a 

 variety with striped leaves. A. albidus has 

 white flowers, but it does not differ from the 

 common kind in any other respect. The Afri- 

 can Lilies all require a loamy soil, enriched 

 with rotted manure, and they should be fully 

 exposed to the light. The plants are always 

 large before they flower ; and when the flower- 

 stalks appear, the plant should be in a large 

 pot, so that the roots may have plenty of 

 room. They should be abundantly supplied 

 with water, taking care, however, not to let 

 any remain in a stagnant state about the 

 roots. Thus treated, this plant will frequent- 

 ly send up a flower-stalk above three feet high,, 

 crowned with twenty or thirty flowers, which 

 will open in succession. It flowers in sum- 

 mer, and forms a noble ornament to an archi- 

 tectural terrace, and is also a fine object on a 

 lawn. 



Agape'tes. From agapetoa, beloved, in refer- 

 ence to the showy character of the plant. Nat. 

 Ord. VacdniacecB. A genus of evergreen 

 shrubs with alternate leathery leaves. Na- 

 tives of India. Several species are in cultiva- 

 tion, one of the best of which A. buxifolia, has- 

 beautiful bright red flowers about an inch 

 long. It forms an interesting and effective- 

 green-house plant. 



Aga'ricus. Mushrooms. Derived from Agaria,. 

 the name of a town in Sarmatia. Nat. Ord. 

 Fungi. 



This, the most extensive genus in the veg- 

 etable kingdom, is divided jnto several 

 groups. Some of the species are very beauti- 

 ful in form and color. Many of them are 

 poisonous and some of the species virulently 

 so, while others notably A. campestria the 

 common field Mushroom is not only edible, 

 but is esteemed a great delicacy. See Mush- 

 room. 



Agathae'a. Blue Daisy. From agathoa, excel- 

 lent ; in reference to the beauty of the flowers. 

 Nat. Ord. CompositcB. 



A. cmleatis, a native of the Cape of Good 

 Hope, is a neat green-house plant, somewhat 

 resembling the Gazania in foliage and shape 

 of flower. As it blooms profusely, and the 

 color is a rare and beautiful shtide of blue, 

 which contrasts linely with the golden yellow 



