ASPHODELINE 



THE BULB BOOK 



ASPIDISTE. 



spindle-shaped tuberous and fibrous 

 roots as shown in the sketch. The 

 stems are more or less decumbent, 3 

 to 4 ft. long, and furnished with 

 clusters of narrow sickle-shaped 

 bright glossy green leaves or 

 "cladodes." 



This species is now extensively 

 grown in hanging pots or baskets, for 

 its ornamental appearance. It is 

 scarcely hardy even in the mildest 

 parts of the Kingdom, and yet will 

 stand much rough usage. To secure 

 nice plants the temperature of a 

 greenhouse is necessary, and a com- 

 post of sandy loam and leaf -soil will 

 give good results. The stems are cut 

 in large quantities for floral decora- 

 tions. Propagation is effected by 

 dividing the root-stocks, or by raising 

 the plants from seeds. 



ASPHODELINE (from Asphodeltis). 

 Nat. Ord. Liliacese. — A genus closely 

 related to Asphodelus, with fourteen 

 species of herbaceous plants, having 

 short rhizomes or clusters of fleshy 

 roots. 



A. lutea {Asphodelus luteus) is the 

 best-known and most ornamental 

 species. It is a native of S. Europe, 

 and grows 3 to 4 ft. high, its erect 

 stems being covered with deep green, 

 awl-shaped, three - sided, furrowed 

 leaves, with distinct paler veins. The 

 beautiful, sweet - scented, yellow 

 flowers are borne in summer in a long, 

 dense, straight raceme, each blossom 

 springing from the axils of a buff- 

 coloured bract. The double-flowered 

 variety {flare plena) is a pretty plant, 

 like the type in habit, but having 

 double flowers. {Bot. Mag. t. 773; 

 Bed. Lil. t. 223; Bot. Reg. t. 1507.) 

 It flourishes in ordinary good garden 

 soil, and is easily increased by divid- 

 ing the root-stocks in spring. 



ASPHODELUS (a, not; sphello, 

 to supplant; in allusion to the 



96 



beauty of the flowers), Asphodei 

 Nat. Ord. Liliacese. — A small genu 

 of herbaceous plants, natives of th 

 Mediterranean region, E. Indies, an( 

 Mascarene Islands. They have smal 

 rhizomes or clusters of thick, fleshj 

 subtuberous roots, and narrow, strap 

 shaped leaves, more or less three 

 sided, or roundish-hollow. 



The species mentioned belov 

 flourish in sandy soil that has beei 

 deeply dug and well manured. Growi 

 in bold clumps they are fairly eflec 

 tive as border plants, and may bf 

 increased by division of the roots ir 

 spring. It is scarcely worth whih 

 trying to raise plants from seeds 

 as it takes a few years to do so. 



A. ramosus. — This seems to be the 

 best of the Asphodels. It ie a native 

 of S. Europe, and grows from 4 tc 

 .1 ft. high, having stifBsh sword- 

 shaped leaves, channelled above and 

 strongly keeled beneath. The large 

 white flowers, with a reddish-brown 

 line down the centre of each petal, 

 appear during the summer on long, 

 dense racemes. The variety alhus is 

 pure white. Closely related to it is jl, 

 comosus, a Himalayan species, 1 to 2i 

 ft. high, the white flowers of which 

 have greenish keels to the petals. 

 A.fistvlosus is another white-flowered 

 species from S. Europe, recognised 

 by its hollow, awl-shaped leaves ; and 

 A. creticus, from Crete, has yellow 

 blossoms on stalks about 2 ft. high. 



ASPIDISTRA {aspidiseon, a little 

 round shield ; in allusion probably to 

 the stigma), Paelour Palm. Nat. 

 Ord. Liliacese. — A genus with three 

 species of herbaceous plants, natives 

 of India, China, and Japan; having 

 short, thickish, creeping rhizomes, 

 large ornamental leaves, and dull 

 purple or greenish-yellow, bell-shaped 

 flowers springing up from the root- 

 stocks just above the surface of the 



