288 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Fig. 348.— Ainus firma 



A. alnifolia {A. florida) (fig. 349).— This flowers later 

 than the others, and its habit is more erect. It differs 

 also in the terminal part of the leaf only being toothed. 

 North-West America. 



Fig 349.— Anielanchier alnifolia. (§.) 



A. canadeiisis, June -berry, Shad -flower. — There are 

 several varieties of this species, differing slightly in the 

 form of the leaves, size of the flowers, and colour of the 



fruit. The varieties named ovalis, sanguinea, florida, and 

 floribunda belong here. North America, 1746. 



A. vulgaris. — Similar to the last, differing mainly in 

 the narrower sepals and petals. It also comes into bloom 

 rather earlier. Europe, 1596. 



Amorpha. — A genus of leguminiferous plants with 

 pinnate leaves and terminal spikes of flowers. 



A. canescens, Lead Plant. — A shrub, 2 to 3 feet high, 

 with dark purplish-blue flowers. Its leaves and stems 

 are covered with a gray pubescence. Frequently killed 

 to the ground in winter, but growing again freely the 

 following spring. North America, 1812. 



A. fruticosa, Bastard Indigo. — An elegant shrub, 6 to 

 9 feet high, with small dark-purple flowers remarkable 

 in having only one petal developed in each. Flowers 

 in June or July. Carolina, on the banks of rivers, 

 1724. 



Ampelopsis. — These useful hardy climbers are now 

 included by botanists in the genus Vitis, but for garden 

 purposes we retain the present more familiar name. 



A. bipinnata. — A beautiful hardy tendrilled climber 

 with slender stems, growing from 10 to 20 feet high, 

 and of comparatively slow growth. The leaves are bipin- 

 nately divided, with the leaflets cut at the edges; the in- 

 conspicuous greenish flowers are in short panicles. North 

 America, 1700. 



A. qumquefolia (hederacea), Virginian Creeper. — This 

 rapid -growing climber, which quickly attains from 30 to 

 60 feet in length, is one of the most useful of plants for 

 covering blank wall surfaces or fringing balconies; in ex- 

 posed situations its brilliant crimson autumnal tints are 

 most picturesque. Like the Vine, to which it is closely 

 allied, its branches are furnished with tendrils, by means 

 of which it climbs. The leaves usually consist of five 

 oblong pointed toothed leaflets ; flowers small, green, 

 panicled, inconspicuous. There is a hairy -leaved variety, 

 and a very useful one called muralis or Englemanni 

 which has the power of clinging closely to a wall without 

 support. North America, 1629. 



A. tricuspidata (A. Veitchii, A. Roylei). — A beautiful 

 rapid -growing slender deciduous climber, with short 

 branched tendrils provided with suckers by means of 

 which it holds fast to any surface with which it comes in 

 contact, so that, once set agoing, no nails or shreds are re- 

 quired. In its juvenile stage it has simple cordate toothed 

 leaves, lying closely over each other; but when mature its 

 leaves are three-lobed, or divided to the base into three 

 leaflets; the colour is a light tender green, flushed with 

 red in summer, changing to brilliant crimson in autumn. 

 It thrives well even in the smoke of towns. The flowers 

 are, as in the other species, inconspicuous. Japan, 1864. 

 Sometimes called Vitis inconstans. 



Amygdalus. — According to the most recent botanical 

 classification this genus, along with Armeniaca (the 

 Apricot), Persica (the Peach), and Ccrasus (the Cherry), 

 are included under Prunus. We retain the older divi- 

 sions as being more convenient for garden purposes. The 

 Almond and some of the smaller allied species are amongst 

 the earliest and loveliest of spring - flowering trees and 

 shrubs. The flowers are produced when the trees them- 

 selves are leafless, so that their beauty is much enhanced 

 if they are planted where there is a background of hollies 

 or other evergreens. 



A. communis, the Almond. — A small tree with showy 

 flowers of various shades of rosy pink, and, in some flowers, 

 white. Amara (Bitter Almond) has larger flowers, rosy 

 only towards the centre ; dulcis (Sweet Almond) has 

 redder flowers than the common Almond. There are 



