136 BRECK’S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 
ASTRANTIA. 
{From Greek words, signifying similar to a star; so called in reference to 
the beautiful star-like dispositions of the involurum of all the species.] 
Astraéntia major and A. minor.—Hardy herbaceous 
perennials, with pretty green and pink, star-like flowers, 
or clusters of flowers; in bloom most of the season. 
The flowers are fine for bouquets. 
AVENA,—Oar. 
Avéna stérilis, the Animated Oat, is sometimes grown 
as an object of curiosity, on account of its singular hy- 
grometrical properties. After the seeds have fallen off 
their strong beard is so sensible to alternations of dryness 
and moisture in the atmosphere as to keep them in spon- 
taneous motion, when they resemble some grotesque in- 
sect crawling upon the ground; or, if when dried, the 
seed is moistened in the mouth and _ then placed upon a 
table, will throw itself over as if it had life. 
BAPTISIA.—Fatse Inpico. 
[From bapto, to dye ; in allusion to the economical properties of some species. 
A blue dye may be extracted from the leaves.] 
Baptisia australis, formerly Sophora australis, is con- 
sidered a handsome border-flower of the easiest culture, is 
exceedingly hardy and indigenous to some parts of North 
America. It produces its blue flowers in terminal spiked 
racemes in June. Leaves ternate, stalked, leaflets cune- 
ate-lanceolate, stipules longer than the stalk, lanceolate. 
A variety has white flowers; another, with brown and 
yellow. They are hardy perennials of easy culture. 
