aspa] 



€l)t &vtz$uv$ of 28otanp. 



102 



has been found very beneficial, as well as 

 in cases of dropsy. 



Prussian Asparagus, which is brought to 

 the markets in Bath, is not a species of As- 

 paragus at all, but consists of the spikes, 

 when about 8 inches long, of Ornithogalum 

 pyrenaicum, which grows abundantly in 

 hedges and pastures in that locality. 



[W. B. B.] 



ASPASIA. Under this name are col- 

 lected a few species of epiphytal orchids of 

 the Vandeous sub-order, with a lip half 

 united to the column. They have broad 

 oval thin pseudobulbs, and flowers mot- 

 tled with purple on a violet ground. The 

 most important species is A. epidcndmides, 

 a plant from Central America. The other 

 species are from the tropics of the same 

 continent." 



ASPEN, or ASP. Populus tremula. 



ASPERGE. (Fr.) Asparagus officina- 

 lis. 



ASPERGILLUS. A genus of filamentous 

 moulds, characterised by the hyaline or 

 brightly-coloured jointed thread being 

 swollen at the apex, and there studded 

 with radiating cells, each of which pro- 

 duces a necklace of spores. The most com- 

 mon species, A. glaucus, distinguished by 

 its globose echinulate spores, is one of the 

 Fungi which produce the well-known blue 

 mould, and whose spores form occasion- 

 ally a part, with other common species, of 

 the substance called yeast. It is distin- 

 guished from the genus Rhinotrichum, 

 formerly associated with it, by the fertile 

 radiating cells, which in Rhinotrichum axe 

 replaced by a few spicules. There is some 

 reason to believe that there is a second 

 form of fruit in Aspergillus, which con- 

 stitutes the genus Eurotium, but this re- 

 quires confirmation. [M. J. BJ 



ASPERIFOLL3E. An old name for what 

 are now called Borageworts, or Boragin- 

 acea, derived from the remarkable rough- 

 ness of the leaves of the greater part of the 

 species. 



ASPERUGO. A genus of Boraginacece, 

 consisting of a single species, A procum- 

 bens, which occurs in Britain as well as the 

 whole of Europe and agreat part of Central 

 Asia. It is an annual plant with trailing 

 dichotomous stems, which, as well as the 

 obovate leaves, are rough with curved 

 bristles ; the flowers are very small, bluish- 

 purple. The calyx is curious; it enlarges as 

 the fruit ripens, and takes the form of two 

 large jagged valves, which are triangular , 

 and marked with prominent veins ; these ! 

 valves are applied flat to each other, and 

 enclose the fruit which has the structure j 

 common to the order. [J. T. S.] 



ASPERULA. A family of herbaceous 

 plants with square stems, whorled leaves 

 and four-cleft flowers, which are either 

 pure white, white tinged with purple ex- : 

 ternally, or more rarely blue or yellow. 

 Many of the species are ornamental, and 

 well fitted by their habit for the decora- 

 tion of rock-work. A. odorata, Woodruff or i 



Woodrowel (so called from the resemblance 

 between its whorled leaves and the rowel 

 of a spur), is a common woodland plant, 

 conspicuous in May and June by its bril- 

 liantly white flowers, and at other seasons 

 by its bright green leaves, arranged in a 

 star-like form round the stem. The flowers 

 are sweet-scented, but the plant derives its 

 name from the fragrance of its leaves. 

 This is not perceptible while the herbage 

 is fresh, but after being gathered a short 

 time it gives out the perfume of new hay, 

 and it retains this property for years. "Wood- 

 ruff is a usefid plant in shrubberies, in- 

 creasing rapidly and thriving under the 

 shade of most trees, even the beech. It is 

 used in Germany to impart a flavour to 

 some of the Rhine wines. A. Cynanchica, a 

 small trailing plant with slender stems, 

 very narrow leaves, four in a whorl, and 

 small white flowers delicately tinged with 

 pink, occurs on chalky doMTis in many 

 parts of Britain. It owes its specific name, 

 and its popular name Quinsy-wort, to its 

 supposed virtues in curing quinsy. In the 

 time of Gerarde, A. arvensis, a species with 

 blue flowers, grew in ' many places of Essex 

 and divers other parts, in sandie ground.' 

 It was also found during the present cen- 

 tury in a slate-quarry in Devonshire, but 

 has disappeared. Most of the foreign 

 species are hardy and may be raised from 

 seed. [C. A .J.] 



ASPHODEL. Asphodelus. —BOG, or 

 LANCASHIRE. Narthecium ossifragum. 

 — , FALSE. An American name for Tofiel- 

 dia. — SCOTCH. Tofleldia palustris. 



ASPHODELUS. The Asphodel. A genus 

 of Liliacem, distinguished by having a six- 

 leaved equal spreading perianth ; six 

 hypogynous stamens, of which the alter- 

 nate ones are shorter, the filaments de- 

 cimate ; a filiform or subclavate style, with 

 a capitate three-lobed stigma; a three- 

 celled ovary, with three collateral ovules 

 in each cell. The species are perennial 

 herbs of Southern Europe, with fleshy, 

 fasciculated roots ; radical, subulate, tri- 

 quetrous, or linear-lanceolate leaves ; and 

 a simple or branched scape bearing the 

 white flowers in close racemes. There are 

 several species. A. albus is a common gar- 

 den plant, formerly called King's Spear ; 

 and this, and A. ramosus, which is prob- 

 ably only a branched variety of it, are very 

 ornamental plants. It is stated on the 

 authority of Symonds to cover large tracts 

 of land in Apulia, au ancient province of 

 Italy, and to afford good nourishment to 

 sheep. [T. M.] 



ASPHYXIA. Plants, like animals, re- 

 quire free access to atmospheric air, and if 

 this is impeded, or the air is loaded with 

 noxious gases, a greater or less degree of 

 mischief is sure to follow. Death may not 

 be the immediate consequence, but the 

 tissues may be so impaired that there is 

 only a short respite. The communication 

 between these tissues is carried on in 

 pha?nogams, and many cryptogams by 

 means of the stomates. If, therefore, these 



